"THE SPECTRE'S BRIDE."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1166, 17 June 1911, Page 13

"THE SPECTRE'S BRIDE."

6 MUSICAL UNION IN A NOTABLE . , WOEK. Anton Dvorak gave the world a fine work when he'- wrote "Tlio Sneclrcjs Bride." To set Karol Jaromir Erben s weird Bohemian legend to music and proscrvo the cold, stark horror of the theme, without making it emotionally revolting, was a difficult task, but with Ins great musicianly qualities and gtft for melody the scoro is absolutely fascinating. No ligh&ork this for a comparatively small local society, yet in this case the vaulting ambition of the Wellington Musical Union was quite justified. Many present at'last evening's performance will recall the original presentation of the cantata in Wellington some seventeen years ago- at a big musical festival held in the Opera Ilouse. On that occasion tho soloists were Mndamo Bristow, of Melbourne (soprano), Mr. A. H. Geo (bass), and Mr. Charles Saunders (tenor), and the memory of that rendering ot Dvorak's work will not readily bo forgotten. It was, therefore, with more than ordinary curiosity, not unmixed with apprehension, that ono anticipated last evening's performance. Tho score teems with difficulties and pitfalls for tho unwary, the solo work, beautifully smooth and melodious in places, breaks into .bold eccentrics as tho gruesome talo. is told, and "where tho soloists go tho chorus needs must follow. "The Spectres Bride" tells the story of the maiden, who, having long waited for her roaming lover, praved the Virgin to bring hiin back or let her die. Thereupon the spectre of her love appears, and drags her away to (j promised marriage. On, on, they go, until her feet bleed and she is well nigh spent, and when she fancies the church is nigh at hand, she suspects her bridegroom's sanity and flees—flees to a house for shelter, and there finds a corpse outstretched with a grisly company of spectres dancing round the bier. The maiden, half-dead with fright, prays again to the Virgin Mother, and in (he morning "a maiden wan" is found in tho dead-house by thoso attending Mass. The Wellington Musical Union have every reason to feel gratified with the performances. It was not a perfect rendering of tho work. Thoro • were sundry weaknesses in attack, chiefly by tho contralto and tenor sections in the second part, a tendency to listlcssness where character and expression were possible, and an occasional orchestral drag, but these shortcomings were outweighed by the earnestness and confidence with which most of tho numbers were tackled, and the gusto which .marked the singing of some of tho heaviest choral passages gave the performance a swing and verve. Pride of place among tho soloists must be given to Miss 11 ay Newman, whose fresh limpid-clear soprano, used with in. tclligenco and a certain dainty refinement, was heard to excellent effect all through. In her first- solo, "Where Art Thou, Rather, Dear?" she opened a little timidly, but her singing of the refrain of the same number, "Mine Did I Once a Lover Call," was a pure delight. She also sang charmingly in the duets with Mr. E. J. Hill, the fine tone body and musical quality of ' her voice meeting almost , every demand. Tho qualification refers to the neglected dramatic opportunities, as, for instance, where she sings to tho spectre, "0, Let me Go. . . . iThine- eyes with look terrific burn," words that were sung almost pleasantly instead of in a manner suggesting dire fright. Mr. Barry Coney sang the bass rolo with great vigour and animation, and, generally speaking, was satisfactory, though uneven in vocal quality. If he could carry the vibrancy and close texturo of his admirable middle register to the top of his range, his would lx! a great voice, but not infrequently lie develops tho "voix Wane" when singing high. Still -he is forceful and slightly magnetic, and it would not bo easy lo find many who would put so much "go" into his work as did Mr. Coney last evening. His'outstanding effort was tho solo (and chorus) "The Pathway Now Less Rugged Grows." Mr. B. J. Hill was not in the best of form last evening, anl at times appeared rather overwcightel. He contributed valuably in tho duct work, and evidenced an appreciation of the dramatic spirit embodied in tho part. The performance was ably conducted by Mr. Robert Parker.

During (lie season the Union intends to sing Hubert Bath's Scottish rhapsody ."The AVodding of Shon Jl'Lean," and, ' onco more, Gounod's "Faust."