ORPHEUS CHOIR

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28323, 8 July 1957, Page 7

ORPHEUS CHOIR

Concert Of Sacred Music The Christchurch Orpheus Choir resented a programme of sacred tasic to a lamentably small Jdi’nce in the Repertory theatre last evening. Carl C. Smith deserves ’•dit for maintaining a meticu’us attention to detail in his Snducting. while the tonal balhce and blend of the choir is Jsrred only by a slight pre*®unance of. the tenor voices. There is a vast repertoire of ®usic available for a concert of nature, and it is to be reretted that, in some instances. of a higher quality had been chosen. P 1 ® Vaughan Williams “FestiTe Deum” was the most ®bitious work of the evening wa s most creditably perurmed. L rP 12 hymn tunes "Belmont” and were sung with feelg and Mrs Grace Harrall was ■ e soloist in Cesar Franck’s 0 Lord Most Holy.” 5 J"’® Negro Spirituals, "Deep ‘ m William Maxwell) JJ/ Great Day,” with their at- -- *“ ve arrangements and dis- - different styles, showed y „ 01r *° advantage. tAll in the April Evening” and •words “When I Survey” sung 3 1 ®,t une “Deep Harmony,” conr^ e Programme, Grace Blair (soprano) and David Christianson (cornets? were associated with the the conductor, Mr also gave a bracket of M Charles Martin assisted ably at the pianoforte.—