CHRISTMAS CAROLS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1939, 23 December 1913, Page 8

CHRISTMAS CAROLS.

MR. ROBERT PARKER'S) LECTURE.

When Mr. Robert, Parker consents to j apeak on any subject appertaining to music bis remarks aro always 'vvortli listening to. His erudition in matters musical is sucli tliat ho can _ with .very little effort lend a certain vitality and arresting interest to his subject, and blessed with tho saving gracc ot humour ho spices his narratives with a humour that forms a pleasant contrast to the braver matter of l'is discourse. J. his Avas the case last evening, when he a lecturctto on Christmas Carols, liberally illustrated by tho choir of fat. Paul's, which includes a dozen sweetvoiccd lads, who sang delightfully. Mr. Parker commenced with a reference to old-timo Christmas carols, whicn ho said were invariably written in a minor key. for tho minor scalo was the moclo adopted long before the major, even in briulit, cheerful music, and was not used for sad and plaintive musics so exclusively as is now the case, ihis was the case ill '«G°d Rest Aou Merrj. Rpntlcmen," Hail Christmas Bells (Breton), and two old traditional rrencli carols, ono a very quaint example in which question and answer are allotted to tho male and fomale voices respectively, and winch wcro very creditably sung. Another form ot carol savoured of the convivial, and had fro quent reference t.o the WMsail bowl, which, trimmed with ribbons and flo« crs, used to bo passed round 011 Chris mas Eve. Mr. Parker gavo tho mEvedieiits or tho wassail, and an expurgated examplo of o o f Ca t™ o wis cliccrilv sung by the bojs. Ur tuo moro modern carols, tl,e.pro E rammo included "Rood King enceslas, another by Barnby, and a-.setUng o: Like cilt-Ar Lamns in ft- Distant blinne, which ho had had the temerity to.comno"o some thirty-five years ago, and which was among the most mejod'ouarf It,i- evening's oderinss. Other carols sirae «ro Tho Virgin Unspotted. "Dulcc Jubilo" (from the ;erman), "Sing High, Sing Low,' Bethlehem (Gounod), and "God Rest Merry, Gentlemen." M.ss Jansen played_ a pianoforte solo by Core 1., which, being bright and chcorful, Mr. Parker described. as Christmassy in character, and Miss Edwards played "Noel a distinctly Christmassy piece, which introduces the air of "Good King Wmcoslas " and the chimo of Christmas Bells. Mr' ■ Tunlev gave a very fair reading of Gounod's "Nazareth," Mr. Bowman sang an appropriate song of Tcbaikowsky's. and Mr. \V. 11. Warren sang "Christmas Comes But Once a Year," composed by Sir Charles Santlev, an autographed copy of which had been presented to -Mr. Parker by tho composer twenty-three years ago.