Mozart Mass to be repeated

Press, 14 September 1976, Page 22

Mozart Mass to be repeated

Two works presented by the Royal Christchurch Musical Society in the very successful concert after its return from its Australian tour in 1971 will feature again in the society’s subscription concert in the Town Hall on Saturday.

The main work is Mozart’s Grand Mass in C, which the Society performed in Sydney under the baton of Moshe Atzmon. Also to be repeated is Handel’s setting of Psalm 112, “Laudate Pueri Dominum,” written when the composer was only twenty-two.

The solos in the Handel work are for soprano only, but the Mozart mass requires two sopranos, a tenor, and a bass. The bass is required only to complete a quartet in one section; so the programme will be completed by a Bach Cantata for solo bass. For the 1971 concert the society engaged a New Zealand expatriate bass from Britain, Bryan Drake, who sang the Cantata “Ich habe genug”; this time the society has engaged another expatriate, Rodney Macann. who will perform the Cantata No. 56, “Ich

will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen,” known as the “Kreuzstab Cantata.” Rodney Macann will also give a solo recital with Maurice Till, on September 30.

The role of principal soprano in the Mozart Mass makes severe demands upon the singer, and an exceptional singer has to be engaged. The society had engaged Malvina Major, but • she has been in hospital, and has withdrawn from all engagements, on medical advice. Her replacement is the 22-year-old Scottish soprano. Isobei Buchanan, who had a great success in her debut with the Australian Opera recently. The second soprano in the Mass will be Carol Jones, of Auckland. She will also sing most of the solos in the Handel work. The tenor for the trio and quartet will be the Christchurch tenor, Peter Williams; the organ continue will be played by Wallace Woodley, and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, led by Paulene Smith, will provide the accompaniments. The solo oboe obbligato in the Bach Cantata will be played byRoss McKeich.