CHORAL UNION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 7, 3 October 1917, Page 9

CHORAL UNION

IN "A TALE OF OLD JAPAN"

The Wellington Choral Union mado a departure from its usual order last ovening, when at the Town Hall it submitted Cotefiilge Taylor's attractive tantalaj "A Tale of Old Japan/' conducted by Jlr. Eobert Parker, and an orchestral and choral .first part, with Mr. 11. Temple White in the conductor's rostrum. The innovation wae quite a euccoss from whatever' angle it was viewed, for the programme gave thiifc variety which is always charming, and demonstrated that the ability of the' union to give adequate expression to music of a ivide range has been very little lessened "by the inroads that have been anade upon the male section of the choir by Hie call to arms which has echoed round the world for the past three years. In Mr. H. Temple White tho society has a particularly able conductor, \vhoso clear beat and expressive directions guided tho chorus in the ■path- of choral righteousness. Under his lucidly understandable baton the ehoiv gave very enjoyable interpretations of Handel's part song, "May No Bash ln-U-udoft" tho florid "Hymn to Music" (unaccompanied) by Dudley Buck, and Elgar's iino. chorus, "It Comes from the Misty Ages."" The toho of tho inalo section iras not aa satisfactory as it might havo been, the tenor division as usual .being weak,' but tho ladies of both soprano [and contralto divisions were notably strong, and easily dominated in the big ensemblo passages. The orchestra made a fair showing. TJlio purely''orchestral numbers were Von Blon'e delightful "I'raumbild," the most iamiliar Bo'cchorini'"Minuet" for strings, and Dvorak's always acceptable "Htimorcske." At the opening of the first part Elgar's setting of the National Ant.henrwas .nobly: simg. Miss Helen Gard'nor sang the solo part, delightfully. "A Tale of Old Japan/ , a. rich example of the composer's great gift for elaborate and picturesque orchestration, has beeu performed by tho union on two previous occasions, and its.manifold beauties grow with familiarity. It calls for a degree of orchestral finish' that, seemingly is difficult to get.in Wellington. The colouring is bizarre, delicate, and always illunimapyo of the'subject, and evon as played last evening thero was no denying, its inherent romantic and dramatic virtues. The music reflects- the pretty "tale I ' , .most faithfully. Apart from balance, tho chorus last, eveifing. was .very sound in- its work. , In ; tho rhythmical chorus, "Peonies, Peonies Crowned the May," which runs throughout the oantate. the effect was really admirahle. Of tho soloists. Miss Helen Gard'ner, though not perhaps at her very best, sang the soprano music with freshness and musical charm. She, perhaps more than the others, .sensed the poetry of tho music. That was evident in tho solos, "So in Her Blue Itimqno," "Stick of Incense in. the Flame," and the pathetic "Long I have Waited, Sawara. Mrs. ' Maurice Jones, a capable- mezzo-soprano,' sang what-little music fell to her lot with ease and unclersUnding.' She was par- j ticularly effective in tho solo. "Three i Long Years and 'Nouglit to Say." Mr. j Frank Chariton's sympathetic baritone voitie was heard to advantage in the brief eolps that fell to him, but. Mr. -G. W. Eiby who sang the tenor music, was over-weighted. Mr. Eobert Parker conduoted with, his usual ability. The union announce,"The Messiah . for December 15, and vlial Jβ additionally interesting, the engagement <t Madame Filsio Davies as the soprano soloist for that. occasion. The tenor will be Mr. Ernest Drake, of Auckland, and the contralto Miss Mina Caldow, all artists of known ability beyond the ordinary.