Magnificent Royal Concert

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30059, 18 February 1963, Page 12

Magnificent Royal Concert

A truly regal sense of occasion was achieved at the magnificent concert held on Saturday evening in the King Edward Barracks In the presence of Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh

This was a concert which epitomised well the musical character and heritage of our city No-one can have left the barracks without some feeling of civic pride in a great tradition of choral music here of some hundred years’ standing This has led to our possession today of two big choirs that are undeniably in world class. No praise can be too high for their splendid conductors—

vigorous men, both in the prime of life, who aim high, and who achieve their results through strength of character and purpose

Occasions when the Royal Christchurch Musical Society and the Christchurch Harmonic Society combine in performance are rare indeed, but after the first choral phrase of Handel's wonderful Coronation anthem “Zadok the Priest,” sung by the combined choirs under Mr William Hawkey’s supremely confident direction, who could not vish that these joint performances were not more frequent? The choirs combined again at the end of the concert to sing the last two choruses from Handel’s ”Messiah” This was an inspired performance conducted by Mr Robert Field-Dodgson;

soprano tone In particular was entirely thrilling, and the writer can only say that, chorally, he has not heard a better performance of these two choruses.

Apprehensions about the acoustics of the barracks should not cause dismay. For the type of music in this programme, and the forces used, the sound was entirely acceptable. The music had room to breathe.

The Harmonic Society sang Vernon Griffiths’s “Cantate Domino,” thoroughly appreciating its subtleties of rhythm and tempo, and concluded its group with Borodin's everpopular “Polovtsian Dances" from “Prince Igor.” Mr Hawkey obtained here some powerful rhythmic effects, well-contrasted varieties of mood, and an over-all sense of colour. Everything was abundantly alive.

The Royal Christchurch Musical Society showed characteristic sensitivity and flexible control in a beauti-fully-balanced performance of Parry’s “Blessed Pair of Sirens” Total blend was superb, lovely sounds were heard from all sections of the choir, and there was real sincerity of meaning.

All these choral items were accompanied by the Christchurch Civic Orchestra. The orchestra was larger than on previous occasions, and it is much to its credit that it played so well with so many extra players. It gave a spirited and polished per-

formance of Eric Coates’s “London Suite.” The brass were particularly well disciplined, especially in Professor Ritchie’s neat little fanfare, written especially to herald the arrival ot the Royal couple at the beginning of this fine concert. Professor Ritchie conducted the purely instrumental items with his customary skill. The concert was presented by the Christchurch Civic Music Council. —JOLT.