"THE MESSIAH"

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23204, 16 December 1940, Page 5

"THE MESSIAH"

AN OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE

CHRISTCHURCH HARMONIC SOCIETY

The Harmonic Society concluded its year on Saturday evening with a fine performance of Handel’s “Messiah.” Of all large choral works, this is the most familiar to choirs; they know it so well that there is at times a danger of their getting to know it too well. There is a danger of the wonderful choruses and arias becoming set to a pattern, of their being trundled forth in a worthy, stodgy fashion.' One of the merits of this choir's performance, under the direction of its conductor, Mr Victor Peters, was its complete freedom from these defects. The work was given reverently, not as dull oratorio, but as the operatic Handel probably intended, with vivid dramatic effect. The great choruses, “And the Glory of the Lord.” “Glory to God in the Highest,” "Lift up your Heads. O ye Gates,” the “Hallelujah” and "Amen” choruses, had a fine vigorous ring. This choir can build a chord into a fine mass of sound and when Handel hurls his chords .at the listener with a magnificent vigour, as Michael and his angels hurled the mountains, the effect is exhilarating The choir, too, has ample technique for the necessarily difficult passages, good vigorous movement in the fugues, and fine tone for the passages that followed "Since by Man came Death.” Yet there were details, the cry of “Wonderful” in “For Unto Us a Child is Born,” which could have had more power. General agreement will probably never be reached over cuts in the score. The society gave a generous selection that took two and a half hours, but it was hard to forgive the omission of the soprano aria, "How Beautiful Are the Feet.” An orchestra, led by Miss Gladys Vincent, provided a fair background of sound. Their Pastoral Symphony was sensitively played. The soloists were outstanding. Miss Merle Gamble, from Wellington, sang beautifully. She has a particularly lovely voice, pure, even, of intensely musical quality, which she puts at all times to the service of the music. Above all. she has a rare sense of style. The air, "I Know' That My Redeemer Liveth.” w'as sung .with wonderful conviction. In every u'ay her singing w'as artistic and sure. She and Mrs Davies shared finely the air that begins with “He shall feed his flock.” The movement w'hcre the music leaves the serene key of F major for the radiant key of B flat, and passes from the alto voice to the soprano, is one of Handel’s most simple and moving inspirations. Mrs Davies’s singing was dignified, sincere, and without any uncertainty. At its best, her voice has fine qualities. Her best singing w'as given to “He was Despised and Rejected of Men,” The two men singers, Mr Alfred Walmsley and Mr Russell Laurcnson. both of Dunedin, have a good sense of Handelian singing. Mr Walmsley made a vivid air of "Thou Shalt Break Them with a Rod of Iron.” Here, his firm tenor voice made the music move. Is it customary, by the w'ay, to give the air. ’But Thou Didst Not Leave,” to the tenor, and not to the soprano, as two different editions of the music affirm? Mr Walmsley sang it well, with excellently clear diction, as in all bis singing. Mr Laurenson made a tremendous air of “Why do the nations,” proving magnificently how this exacting air can be made to sound, when sung with his command of voice. Ho made of it a bravura piece, driving it forward with wonderful technique and control. The air, “The Trumpet shall Sound,” ably accompanied by Mr C. Barsby’s trumpet, had the real Handelian ring. Mr Laurenson has q magnificent voice, of genuine bass quality. F.J.P.