SOCIETY OF MUSICIANS

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 195, 15 May 1922, Page 8

SOCIETY OF MUSICIANS

SEASON’S .THIRD CONCERT. The third concert of the Society of Musicians’ season on Saturday night was devoted to Mendelssohn’s works. The attendance was not so large as might have been expected, which is a matter of regret, and is, in a way, inexplicable, as the educative value of the society’s concerts is immense, and no composer of equal merit is more readily appreciated even by those of scant musical training. The programme coyered nearly every field of Mendelssohn’s compositions, and the vocal and instrumental Tenderings were alike of exceptional merit. The well-known Lyric Quartet was heard to advantage in “Land of Beauty” and “Serenade,” the even blending' of the voices doing justice to the exquisite harmonies of the latter. The double quartet l for mixed voices (Mesdames W.‘ H. Hindle and R. R. Orr, sopranos, and T. A. Coventry and 8. H. Wrigley, contraltos, and Messrs. V. R. Bennett* and S. I M. Cooper, tenors, and R. R. Orr and W. J. Robbins, basses), was equally ■’well balanced. Its numbers were “Departure,” “The Nightingale” and “The Vale of Best” (Nos. 3, .4, and 5, Op. 59), and all were given with taste, the unanimity of expression equalling that of , the male quartet. Mr. Hamilton Hodges sang with sue-, cess “I’m a Roamer” (from the operetta “Son and Stranger”). The difficult phrasing of the staccato introductory portion was clearly articulated, and in the aria his mellow baritone was very pleasing. The only performer to give other than a repeat encore, he sang with delicate expression “Wings of Song” (Mendelssohn), a plaintive love song of the olden school. The trio in D Minor (Op. 49) for piano, violin and ’cello, plaved hy Mrs. Laurence Watkins and Messrs. H. Tonks nnd H. Bule, was a number that was generally appreciated. In the andante (moto tranquillo) movement the bal-. ance was perfect, but more might have been heard of the strings in the more florid portions of the work, the delicately elusive rhythms of which barely accentuate the melody. One of the most instructive and delightful numbers was the pianoforte solo. Prelude and Fugue in E Minor (On. 35). played Hr Mrs. C. M. Hector. This nianiste is a faultless executant, with a firmness of touch and virility of interpretation almost masculine, yet with a full appreciation of the subtlest nuances of expression. U”on her second nnnearance she gave the .Concerto in D Minor (Op. 40), and in this was fortunate in securing an orchestral accompaniment nlayed oh the orcan by Mr. C. H. Kerry. Tn the Adagio movement the organ accompaniment, barely audible, like the strains of a muted ’cello, greatly added to the beantv of Mrs. Hector’s expressive interpretation, and even in th" concludin'” presto the organ supplied the supplementary harmonies to a fine pianoforte rendering delicately.