LIEDERKRANZCHEN’S FIRST CONCERT

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31381, 29 May 1967, Page 14

LIEDERKRANZCHEN’S FIRST CONCERT

The Christchurch Liederkranzcben gave its first concert of the season in the University Hall on Saturday evening. This was the first time the choir was directed by its new conductor, Mr Geoffrey Thorpe. Miss Barbara Collins made her first appearance as the society’s new accompanist. The programme began with three Hungarian folk songs arranged by Matyas Seiber. They merged into one another in a way that was not easy to follow, and because the hall is unhelpful in lending clarity to words everything seemed to end unexpectedly. The musk was not particularly interesting, but the last section had some vigour and heightened atmospere. The voices blended well and there was rhythmic cohesion. Mrs Edna Boyd-Wilson sang some Celtic songs, accompanying herself charmingly on an Irish harp which she played very well indeed. Her voice had the sympathetic timbre the songs needed and was produced with relaxed ease. She created atmosphere and phrased with artistic understanding. Mrs Lois MacDonald played “Souvenir,” by Drdia, a Czarda, by Monti, Mazurka, by Mlyarnski, and Tarantella, by Papini. All these were swiftly moving works much favoured as encore types at violin recitals. Mrs MacDonald played them with rousing eclat and vibrant tonal quality. In “Medit; tion,” by Massenet, she produced beautifully controlled singing tone. Four “Songs of Innocence," poems by William Blake set to music by Walford Davies,

were very well sung by the choir with sensitive regard for tone, for the nature of each poem, and for shapely phrasing. It was pleasant music to hear and all the effects came with natural ease and with good team work. The choir began the second half of the programme with Philip Cannon’s cycle, “Songs to Delight.” Interesting tonal changes expressively handled were heard in the second song, “Pan and Echo.” Much more of the spirit of wild revelry was needed in the “Procession in Honour of Comus” and “The Withes Meet” lacked its appropriately sinister atmosphere. Pleasantly blended tone with careful shading was used in “Slow, Slow Fresh Fount” and the “Gypsies’ Blessing” ended the work gently. It would have been helpful if the words had been supplied with the programme as has been done on other occasions when the choir has sung this work. Part songs by James Easson, Granville Bantock, Eric Thiman, and Walford Davies ended the programme. They made a contrasted group giving plenty of opportunity for varied and attractive timbres and for delicatelywrought phrasing. Mr Thorpe held the choir's attention throughout the programme and established a rapport which enabled him to draw his desired effects with quiet efficiency. Miss Collins played the accompaniments with clear and shapely phrasing. At times she could quite safely have used more tone and fire in her playing with-1 out upsetting balance. —C.F.B. !