A GREAT CHOIR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 431, 13 February 1909, Page 6

A GREAT CHOIR.

■";," WELSH' SINGEES AT TOWN;HALL. j>/-M^p J jis/ii(>ttiingY^se\-but.-';wfld:' , s6'!ind's' civilised.; into * time : ; and' .tune,"., said Thomas" Fuller,'who'doubtless'heard Welsh singers ihi .his day.' The quotation is ..apt.when; applied, to ~the 'Rojal ,Welsh,'^jh<)jr ; cin roar : Mrniight : ily;orVcroon;-'as;'6olilyyas: any wild .iri:"nSitiirej-' but' itheir ] vodalxivilisatiori • dmdeTwLittle :';wpnder ;'th'eii;' that '/the .local 'Bvan's's':and;Flewellyns; 'iin'd"Jones's:are de■lighted atlthe visit.'of their countrymen, and that' deSpitp..the c :'downpour"6£ rain'; last evening'/'th'P^Towri.vHall-; accommodated ..so",: many 'first evening's; im-'. jpressidri'was only strengthened,by the':second' ■concert.' absorbed the vigorous tdne, : ; the , absolute ''precision,', 'and. the. fine' ■shading^that'gives so .muoh life and-character', ■iia;their ■ choral efforts, • one, is lost 'in admira-. ■tioi 'jaii -the'.eager; , 'attentionVeach' aid' every singer gives' to the work-in,hand;. When, singthere are; n<> : wandering: eyes; are. ;glueii,:to' the'conductor's' , baton'; from ;beginV, ping ;tff ;end; 1 ancY^ach"seems'to 'hold:himself respbnsibleiprtKe, success of. the number.. , :unffortunately' is ? : iiot : so ■■ with : colonial, chorus; .irorkjj bo. often; submitted $6 public.approval in '■' ■aicareless, slipshod,'-and 'uribalancea• fashion. , : It is<top often'.a', seraph■ through, ',' not an' earnest {effort ■tp.i'attain an,ideal.-..:The.pro-gramme;; last'everiing- was' ..fall of:'charm. V The "choruses consisted'.;of : "The. Destruction, of Gaza"C(Dβv.Eilleyy ; >f ■; Harlech;": /^Peaceful; Night"'/; (GeTman),': ;"liead.; Kindly •Lighij'.' :"v"Comrades in''; Arms". ..(Adams), "Italia'n^Salad,":,-the' Welsh airs /"Mother, and; her .--Babe". , ,- and 'Bunting/:.the ; Hare," :"TheiiLast^Day.::of'-Pompeji , ' \(Ritz); :"The .Bahdit''.:(Verdi), and;" The Soldiers'/Chorus' , ; (Gounod);•>.-.Of thesp' the , choirYwer>j particu-' larly Kapi^'in , ','Comrades in Arms;": "HunV ijig;:.iHeV.Hajfe,"r : -^'Tlie'- : .;Bandit/v.--ynd.'-''th^ ; ."Faust"-)choruSi.:.Of the solo.numbers none was. more ■artistically sung than , Richardson's Ballad s'-Mary,' , ' by.;. Mr. :"E.oberf :Jones, ) the' pos'ssssor 'of: a Ilyrical' tenor.' .voice , of .'/much.; sympathy , :i and -charm. ■ His. other : solo ,'.was'',.f"Niryaha'.*,', (Adams). Mr. . A., -Adams'a.-'fine .baritone';organ : :was heard -in ; ;;''Thora'^^(Adaks);and'anotherballad,- neither ,of;wh|cfrwasVgoodjeribugh : for, the: voice. , Mr.' •Todd:Jones,.the'silvery tenor',' was hardly. In ;and .his ; native tongue■'.lβ; ,'witli ; himi anobs'truction to the. clearest enun- : |-'c'iatiori .when; singing -in English. 1 : His solo,' ;",Wings ~ :t 6; Heaven ,^, (H;; Hughes) does not 'rank high;as"a.com'positipn.i.-He .was much. : in : > the .duet' "Excelsior,' , ! when .associated,, with 'Mf; 'Ai r Edwards.','. An; acceptable. .nuiriber'TwaS'^the 1 - "Sailors' Song"- (Kunz), ; Bung;_by'*Mr;',"Lowis, : ; : whb" has the biggest '.voice'in- the'ehcrir..:;lt is a quaint song, whicli Contrasts: ofv a, maid! with :those ; of in. .favour :.of. -the. ;latter. The .chorus- 'gave' hearty assistance. ■;:"&& an encore he sang.- "Friend-:of' Mine" impressively. A _trio: sang ; 'VWhen -Flora .Decks," and as: an encor'evMr-'^Todd-':Jones sang: "Killarney" ,'pleasingly, .withthe' aidof ahumming accompaniment. -There',will -be- another "complete "change of programme this evening. ;' -.-: .;.••