ROYAL WELSH MALE CHOIR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 430, 12 February 1909, Page 6

ROYAL WELSH MALE CHOIR.

.. Much diva's ;espeoted>6f^the.Koyak Welsh 1 ; Male, Choir,:heard for ..the first time invWel--) 1 lington at the Town Hall last , evening, •b l u6 :t [ more, 'much* ihore/ :was 'realised."'' Suclipart singing lias, never before heard/in: , this ." city.. The foundation- of 'tho- choir-is. -the"*' .voice,' close; in fibre arid : ringing• inequality, and: with: Heart.and 'head'.they build'upori'it a', superstructure, of ■ wondrous beauty, .that ~ last evening imbued the 'audience \vith, spoil-. ; taneous enthusiasm, and accounted. -for ail -j encore for each and: ,every item. . The "choir is- -V ■seventeen strong,; and'js completed -by the iii- . clusibn. of :the. conductor (Mr. ;W. .Thomas) r, and the accompanist (Mr.: H. Hughes).' Mr.. . .Thomas;; who. is a genial personalitywithaii unostentatious beat, has his. mostly.''*, answer to .the 'name of 'JonesS-uhder,perfect ' control.' ' The attack, is precision itself, tlie r modulation as, effective' as if it were managed With pedals, and the toneinvigorating'/ to the. ;, last' degree;'.Tho programme,/ opened-'with ' the Welsh' National. Anthem (siin^,in Welsh), •••• a weird but stirring chorus, illuminated by a solo thrillingly sung:by Mr. Todd Jones. Though , the audience lacked the fullest coin- ' ■ prehension/ of the lines, the hymn 'plaved.. strangely upon the emotions—even : as it-Tdid:, when sun" by a great multitude; before tho "All Black'?.: footballers: met and were do- . feated by. the elect of; Wales.'A The. anthem' was, followed, by a bold 'chorus '• entitled "The : Song of the Northmen".- .(Mam- ■ der), and in response to a storm of applacso the choir, sang: with fine verve "The, March of the Men'' of Harlech." But for fine phras-: ing and pure delicacy in' choral work nothing .; was . better" than the unaccompanied part . song. "Cwsg" ("Sleep") ; a sweetly melodious . lullaby,"iii which ,the voices were. drawn : out : into cooing whispers—a fine exemplification of the tone excellencies of tho choir. It made a deep impression on . .the' audience, whose aipplause induced an acceptable rendering of ' the old hymn, "Abide with Me!'/!; If; any further proof of the versatility, of-it'ie party were ' required it was forthcoming'®'the musical jest, "Italian Salad," // beloved . by ': Liedertafels, but never ' heard to' per- . i fection ■ in .' Wellington; until '; last ', evening. It is a .'cleverly-written satire- . on Italian opera, : with' a: play upon : Italian musical, expression's which were given' out; iu i light and shade, with a joyous unction good :to hear. The inevitable encore was.the chorus VTimbuctoo," a coon'., chorus : with.' .a : -/fine swing.. Other choruses,' 1 which ' the choir sang in fine style were' "Strike .the /Lyre" - (Cooke), , "The Tyrol", (Ambroisb Thomas), in which some quaint effects were cleverly vocalised, . "The, 'Soldiers' Chorus" from "Faust," and an old Welsh hymn. But the programme was not restricted to ' choral-contributions," the: choir, being rich' in soloists of .no ordinary"; quality. '''Mr." Trevor.' Lewis, a powerful bariton'o of vibrant quality, ■sang "The Desert," with a .good deal of dramatic conviction, and encored "The'Teterari's Song" Adams).-: Mr. Todd Jones, who is "a tower, of strength to the organisation;. ' has., a flute-like tenor voice ,with a-silvery ring, reminiscent of Signor, Dani,, of other •' days. He sang "Lend Mo Your Aid" (Gounod), in finished style, and ,as an encore sub- : mitted,that somewhat tawdry ballad "Mpnaj" which had: n vogue' a. decaao ago.' : A l good quartet, that blended 'like 'a, harmonium, rde-':'" lighted, tho. audience in'.'.'The Dear Little Shamrock,"'and f."The Soldier's Farewell." Messrs. David and Robert Jones sang:artis- ■ ticallv the quaint duet, "Tenor and Baritone," 'displaying voices /of/good' quality, to ' which was added a suggestion 1 of humour in keeping with: the composition.'. Another vigorous baritone, witli the soul of an" artist, sane '■ "Thou'rt Passing Hence'! (Sullivan),-and encored' gave a spirited rendering, of "Drake's Drum." Mr. Hughes accompanied delight-' fully.' Those that love good vocalisation cannot afford to miss the Welsh Choir, which is at once, an education and a great joy to ail as: their, singing makes a w'ido and deep : an- ' ' peal. There will' be a 'complete; chanpe-'of. ■programme..to-night,, wliich .inanv .unable to be present last, evening . -may 'regret ■ A : change every, second night, should : suffice in tlio larger, cities.