A farewell tribute

Press, 11 December 1989, Page 7

A farewell tribute

Handel’s “Messiah” presented by the Royal Christchurch Musical Society, conducted by Martin Setchell at the Town Hall Auditorium, December 9, 8 p.m. Reviewed by Philip Norman. This was no ordinary “Messiah” on two counts. First and foremost, it was a performance given in honour of Robert Field Dodgson, on his retirement fro’m the musical directorship of the Royal Christchurch Musical Society. It was offered as a farewell tribute to a conductor, musician and man who has served Christchurch’s musical life with extraordinary devotion, vigour and skill for more than four decades. Robert Field Dodgson’s commitment to music and mastery of particularly the choral medium have inspired many young musicians in several generations of students educated in Christchurch. These qualities have also earned him the loyalty of his choristers. I would not be surprised if a sizeable percentage of the singers on Saturday evening were present at his first assignment as the Society’s musical director in 1948. I was not even born then. However, I have it on the good authority of listeners with greyer beards than mine, not to mention the writings of my predecessors, that it was through Robert Field Dodgson’s work the society was able to set the standards of excellence we now take for granted. Certainly during the

short time I have had the pleasure of listening to this choir, the quality of its sound has remained consistently high. The second above-mentioned count was that this “Messiah” performance marked the debut appearance with the R.C.M.S. of Martin Setchell. That the evening was a fitting musical tribute to Robert Field Dodgson was in no small part due to the choral acumen of the guest conductor. While worthy performances were turned in by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and the vocal soloists — Patricia Wright (soprano), Judy Bellingham (contralto), Christopher Doig (tenor) and Grant Dickson (baritone) — it was the choir that shone. The ensemble diction was excellent and fugal lines were unfolded with a notable rhythmic clarity. Though tempi, particularly in the first half, inclined to hover well within safety limits, the choir motored with a lightness of touch that produced satisfyingly buoyant sounds. Many choruses, “For Unto Us” and "Worthy is the Lamb” to name but two, were superbly shaped through intelligent gradations of tone and dynamics. Indeed, the choristers rarely placed a false step. They rose to the occasion with a performance that spelt sincere messages of thanks, warm regards, and best wishes for a well-earned retirement.