Tour Enriches Harmonic Choir

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31379, 26 May 1967, Page 10

Tour Enriches Harmonic Choir

The Christchurch Harmonic Society choir, which returned from Australia yesterday, was enriched by its experience under different conductors as much as it was stimulated by its enthusiastic reception by capacity audiences in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland, according to its leaders. “If there was one brilliant highlight it was the variety in performance required by these two men,” said the conductor (Mr W. R. Hawkey). “Sir Malcolm Sargeant’s methods we knew from singing under him in Christchurch

and in London but Dean Dixon paid us the supreme compliment of conducting us orchestrally rather than chorally.”

There was a world of difference. Conductors often had to adjust to the capacity of the choir but Dean Dixon concentrated on the works as a whole.

“The choir enjoyed tremendously this experience of different techniques,” said Mr Hawkey. “It is an essential part of the musical experience Of an advanced choir but it is only on a tour such as this or on the rare visit of a great conductor to Christchurch that we can offer this to our members.”

Mr Hawkey said he was proud of the choir. There was not one weak performance, in spite of strain of travel. Critics, Australian Broadcasting Commission experts, and others had nothing but praise. Mr Carl Smith, chairman of the society, agreed that the experience of “different batons” was the highlight. The choir had had no comparable experience at home or overseas, he said. Mr Smith said members stood up well to the tour but had more ailments, such as colds, than on any other trip. However, members rose magnificently to each occasion, even after one day of six to eight hours in rehearsal. Australians were amazed at the choir’s capacity in performing Belshazzar’s Feast and the C Symphony in one programme and were generous in their praise when two such great works were completed so competently