HIAWATHA."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 858, 2 July 1910, Page 6

HIAWATHA."

THE WELLINGTON MUSICAL'. UNION. „ „"+? VC » sot Longfellow's poem. "HiaCTe? $ their of music bo primitive, cannot help bema az j? g a Ptitude ' - Jin his musicsl treatment of a subject at once diffi. Its difficulty is that of rhythm, which, for musical composition, is monotonous!; its beauty lies m ; .its atmospheric charm', ■ .deli.'' cately suggested • throughout the score bizajro effects which such a subject would suggest to some of the modern . composers • Hiawatha is n OW an old love of the SfT Mus , lcal ™<«> ' but W none the less welcome to the large audi- ■ once wluch well-nigh filled the Town Hall last evening. That the union, decided to do ,all three parts—"Hia. n? Af1 S W.' S DeSh Minnehaha, and "Hiawatha's Departure —was a deal more satisfying than would have been the case had a single scene been sandwiched between other works, as it gave a proper insight mto the composer's intention, not accurately conveyed when heard in parts. • Additional interest, too, was added in a new group of soloists, whose work generally was praiseworthy, and in one instance, the baritone solos of Mr Barry Coney, particularly meritorious!' . k° n «>' a robust baritone of considerable power, who sings with a whole-souled appreciation of the dramatic meaning in his lines and the favourable impression he at once made was maintained, perhaps heightened, as the' work progressed. -His singing of the prayer commencing "Give your children food, U father, was quite impressive, ami later, m the "Farewell" number, he attuned his voice to the poignant grief of the situation most artistically.' He was also effective in the'"vision" solo, aiid in tie concluding solo, "I Am Going, O My People," lie rose to a considerable dramatic -height. Mr. 1 Coney, who appears in. Wellington after:a "long absence is a valuable addition to the somewhat. meagre band of soloists available in New Zealand fororatorical work. Mrs. M."Hudson, of ; 'DuMdin, is 'fairly', well known in Wellington. Her, lyrical soprano was fairly well suited-' 'to the beautiful music allotted to her. In the grief-striken music of "The'Beath of Minnehaha" this soloist had the right conception, but fell short .in conveving the absolute ,terror evoked by the hunger, and famine that js decimating' the Indian village. She .was at her . best in her delightful rendering of the bright pastorale (in the "Departure"), "Spring Has Come, With All Its Splendour." The tenor musics-very difficult tenor music—was entrusted to Mr. C. H. Stephens, whose sweet but' somewhat thin' voice was hardly weighty enough at times for all the exigencies of the score and the large hall. Mr. Stephens sang "Onaway, Awake!" very, nicely,- and received hearty applause, but was hardly so successful in tie solo beginning, "Then the Black-Robe Chief" in the final part. The chorus— a well-balanced body of about 130 voices —sang the choral opening very nicely, and showed plenty of vocal.spirit in the mocking chorus to the tenor solo,' "He Had Seen, Ho Said, a AYater. The attack was somewhat weak in thai fine chorus, "Farewell, Farewell Foi Ever," and there was an.uncertain passage at the end of the chorale, "By tho Shore of Gitclie Gumee," but,' on the whole, they did very well, and contributed substantially to what must be considered a. very interesting performance! The orchestra,, for .a body of its size, did good work, thanks, in a great measure, to the able' conducting of Mr. Robert Parker, to whoni Wellington owes so much for its musical uplifting. ■■