Large Audience Hears Liedertafel's Concert

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30157, 14 June 1963, Page 13

Large Audience Hears Liedertafel's Concert

The Christchurch Liedertafel gave a concert in the Caledonian Hall last evening to a large audience. There seems to be something about a frosty night which adds a sparkle to voices, and the LiedertafeF members were certainly in good form at this concert.

Two more of Randall Thompson's splendid songs from the suite “The Testament of Freedom” were heard for the first time at this concert, and made as strong an impression as their companions did at a previous concert.

The first, "We Have Counted the Cost," began in dark tones with a stark accompaniment. There was a heavy and dramatic climax towards which the song built up in strongly effective fashion. This is music which is not in the least wasteful in its writing. The second song, “I Shall Not Die Without a Hope.” was even more telling, and opened quietly in particularly beautiful fashion and grew enormously in power. The choir had studied these works well, and in responding so felicitously to Mr Keith Newson’s expert direction achieved outstandingly successful performances.

Other first performances at this concert were the "Sol-

diers’ Chorus” from the “Daughter of the Regiment,” by Donizetti, the “Conspirators’ Chorus,” from “Rigoletto," and a North Country song, “I Drew My Ship.” All these are useful and worthy additions to the Liedertafel’s library—and were sung very well indeed.

The rest of the programme was a rather mixed bag which reached its nadir in a peculiarly horrible arrangement by Fisher of the negro spiritual, “Deep River,” in which the channel was apparently not deep enough and the old river burst its banks, making quite a mess. Mr Robert Allison was the soloist in a very doubtful spiritual. He seemed to give it a strong Scottish flavour, suggesting negroes in kilts. Both races would probably consider that this was carrying integration too far. John Ritchie's part-song. “To Daffodils.” was sung particularly well, and its harmonic texture allowed for richly sonorous effects which were skilfully achieved. Vaughan Williams's arrangement of “An Acre of Land” was sung with eclat, and the choir ended with Armstrong Gibbs’s vital song, “The King’s Men.” Mr Trevor Hunter, accompanied by Mr Graham Russell, played flute solos, “Scherzo Brillante.” by Dorlay, and a “Valse Fantasia,” by Dunhill. Solos were sung by Messrs R. Bierworth. E. J. Norman, and F. Shields. —C.F.B