Successful Performance Of Demanding Work

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31208, 4 November 1966, Page 14

Successful Performance Of Demanding Work

The Royal Christchurch I Musical Society gave a performance of Elgar’s “Dream of Gerontius” in the Civic Theatre last evening. This is lone of the really glorious and most deeply moving works ever written by a British composer and makes heavy demand on all taking part Nothing was spared to make the performance a success. and there should not have been an empty seat in the theatre. The work will be repeated on Saturday evening and it is to be hoped that the Musical Society will have the full house it deserves.

Raymond McDonald was brought from Australia to sing the role of Gerontius, and it is only very rarely that we hear a tenor voice of such resonance and beauty of timbre. Tn fact, we have not heard its like since Mr McDonald visited us two years ago. In the first part the dying Gerontius makes his affirmation of faith in the “Sanctus Fortfs” solo and here Mr McDonald's rich power was heard with magnificent effect against the strong and elaborate accompaniment. He gave dignity to all his dying utterances—and avoided sentimentality. The strength of his tone comes always without a suspicion of forcing and there is power there in reserve. In the second part, as the “Soul of Gerontius,” he captured the ethereal nature of the beginning and conveyed the awe and expectancy of his apnroach to his Judgment with restrained and telling dramatic perception. The cry “Take me away!” was sung with chilling impact. The splendid clarity of his vowels and his firm rhythmic command showed his experienced technical competence, but it is his vibrant beauty of tone which will be remembered and, indeed, looked for again and again. Grant Dickson, from Wellington, sang the part of the Priest in part one and the Angel of the Agony in part two. He gave a distinguished performance with attractive and very steady tone splendidly in tune at all times. His blending of the dramatic with the reserve demanded in oratorio singing was a model of the required style. This was

i a performance marked by ex- - emplary technique and intellii gent artistry. Lauris Elms came from Ausi tralia to sing the part of I Gerontius’s Guardian Angel, i While her work Is always plea- • sant to hear and her trans- . Tasman visits are events to be looked forward to, it was , felt that this part did not suit her as well as some on past occasions have done. A somewhat excessive use of vibrato gave an overromanticised character to the part, many of her vowel sounds were widely open to question, and there was a metallic hardness at times in her higher notes. However, she captured the dignity of the role and there was a beautifully rounded quality of tone in her middle and lower sounds. The work of the choir demands high praise indeed. There was a thrilling loveliness of soft tone when they were singing the prayers and litany for the dying man at the start of the work, they caught the acrid tang of the chorus of demons, and brought forth the blazing glory of the angelical chorus of "Praise to the Holiest” with full magnificence. This chorus began with remote and captivating sounds from the sopranos and contraltos, and built up with excellently graded crescendi when the full choir joined In. As the echoing voices of Gerontius’s friends on earth and of the souls in Purgatory they created beautiful and deeply moving effects in memorable fashion. The balance was always I carefully maintained and there was firmness of tone at all levels. All expressive subtleties were brought forth with practised and confident ease.

The orchestra did sterling work—and played this symphonic score with precision and artistic understanding and care. There were many thrilling sonorities and many most satisfying soft and idyllic passages. Balance was carefully attended to both within the orchestral families and with the soloists and choir. The rhythm was cohesive and strong and the leads were confident and secure. Mr Field-Dodgson conducted with artistic vision of the plan of the whole work and with care for the polish needed for all small details. [He gave us a performance 'that had unity and clear purpose and kept unfaltering control over all technical requirements. This was a performance in which to take pride. —C.F.B.