"THE MESSIAH."

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1301, 2 December 1911, Page 7

"THE MESSIAH."

BY THE lIOYAL CHORAL SOCIETY. That hardy annual among oratorios, "The Messiah," was performed* at the Town Hall last evening by the Royal Choral Society before n vast audience which filled the great auditorium from the choir to the hall wall. The performance, a. notably good one, was remarkable for the really --ploivtul anay of principals, who had been brought together with some little trouble. That trouble was well worth while. Among these a hearty welcome was nccorded to Mr. Philip Newbury, who has been absent ♦,'om New Zealand for almost a decade. Mr. Newbury brings back with h'm a voice improved if anything with the passage of years. His big,' robust, tenor voico is slightly stronger in fibre than we remember it, and it has a trumpetlike rcsonanco of peculiar penetration, added to which the singer's production is perfect and his articulation and breathcontrol an object-lesson to strugglers along the vocal way. Mr. Newbury scored a distinct triumph in tho recitativo and aria "Comfort Ye" and "Every Valley." He infused sincere feeling into the air "Behold and See," and sang the succeeding number "But Didst Not Leave His ! Soul in Hell," with fine declamatory i force. Tho roloist also sang tho recit:,- '■ tive, "Ho That Dwolleth," and air "Ho Shall Break Thom," so often omitted. Madame Wioleart, of Auckland, a cultured artist with a full-toned flexible soprano voico admirably adapted to oratorical work, sang the soprano music with excellent effect Sho approached tho "Rejoice Greatly" air somewhat flippantly, owing, for tho most part, to the tempo sot for the number,- but sang tho "Come Unto Him" air with all tho roveranco and sympathy due to that beautiful number. Madame WielaeTt also sang "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth" with much charm. Mrs. Ernest Firth, of Christchurch, who was entrusted with the oontralto music, has a serviceable contralto of tho soft flute-like order. It is even in quality and nicely rounded, and she avoids that popular pitfall of most contraltos, the big tone habit. Mrs. Firth hardly had the measure of the hail for her opening solo, but sang ''Then Shall tho Eyes" with excellent effect, and wa.i again excellent in the air "Ho Shall Feed His Flock." Mr. John Pronso, who can always bo relied on for a satisfactory performance S* 11 ? ,!SJ, itono music. Ho was at his best m Why Do the Nations." Tho chorus was strong numerically and vocally, ana save for a little hesitation in attack hero und there, did verv well ■indeed Mr. Maughan Barnett 'distinguished himself by playing the overture, the whole of the accompanying musio, and the pastoral symphony on the organ most artistically. Mr. Horace Hunt winducted.

The performance commenced with the singim; of Elgar's. setting of "God Savo the King' m which Madame Wielaert took the solo part.