DELIGHTFUL CONCERT

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 51, 24 November 1930, Page 11

DELIGHTFUL CONCERT

Harmonic Society Choir “REVE ANGELIQUE” SUNG Part-songs of good quality and variety marked the Harmonic Society's final concert of the year at the Concert Chamber on Saturday evening. This mixed choir has given a very good account of itself for a decade past, and it is with pleasure * that one observes it upholding the best traditions of part singing, one of the most delectable forms of music. As is the case in most concerts there ace numbers which stand out for their intrinsic beauty, musical worth and the manner of their performance. On Saturday there were three part-songs which made that impression. One was a complete novelty, a choral setting, for solo and mixed voices, with violin, pianoforte and organ accompaniment, of Rubinstein’s very charming pianoforte piece “Reve Angelique’’ (the angelic dream), which has been rather appropriately called “Seraphic Song” by its arranger, Samuel Richard Gaines (an American). The “Reve” is one of the twenty-four “Portraits,” and it is said to have been composed by Rubinstein when visiting an island near Petrograd which in the old Czarist regime was frequented _in summer by the elite of Russian society. It is a tribute to one of the court beauties, and certainly one of serene and enchanting beauty. In the choral paraphrase the sensuous loveliness of Rubinstein's tribute to a pretty lady is given a more divine significance. It commences with several sustained “Holies” sung “andante religioso,” as a prelude to the principal cadence (played by the violin), which is then taken up by the voice to a humming accomponiment of the voices in harmony.- The number then works up with alternating violin and vocal, solos and choral responses to a fitting climax of sustained chords (sung pianissimo) in accompaniment to a golden thread of melody from the violin. The number was most expressively sung, and in Mr. de Mauny and Miss Hilda Chudley the society selected those who were able to give the fullest significance to the music. The timbre of Miss Chudley’s tone was in exact accord with the spirit of the number. Mr. Clement Howe presided effectively at the organ, and Madame de Mauny at the pianoforte. The two other numbers mentioned as outstanding were “A Cradle Song” (Wheeler), in which the choir was never heard to better advantage, and the early seventeenth century part-song, “In the Merry Spring Time” (Ravenscroft). a very ingenious and wholly charming number of the madrigal order, which in metre and rhythm reflects the best traditions of the period. It was delightfully sung, and had to be repeated at the demand of a discriminating audience. , Other numbers almost as interesting were the part-songs. “Beyond the Spanish Main” (Armstrong Gibbs). “I Loved a Lass” (Dyson). “The Dawn of Song (Bairstow). “London Town” (with splendid words by John Masefield), by Edward German, the quaint. Two Clocks (Rogers), for women’s voices, Unto Us a Son is Given” (Freer), and a daring arrangement of airs from Gounod s “Faust.” in which a choral setting was given several of the best-known solos, as for example “The Calf of Gold” (bassos) and the ecstatic love song, “Let Me Gaze on the Form.” from the garden scene, very unconvincingly sung by the tenors. Jhe King of Thule” air made quite a good chorus, and, of course, the “Soldiers Chorus” had to conclude the number. The soloists were Miss Myra Sawyer, who sang the “Flower Song” charmingly. and Miss Chudley, who sang “When All was Young” with her usual appeal. Miss Sawyer, who was in good voice, sang with remarkable freedom the ana, “I am Titania.” from Ambrose Thomas s “Micnon.” an extremely. florid number (in which is embodied a difficult cadenza), calling for lightness, elasticity, and the nicest command in the higher register. Miss Sawyer only missed that spirit or arch roguislmess in which the number is conceived. She made amends, even for that excusable shortcoming, . when she sang Mallinson’s song of serious beauty. “A Blood-red Ring Hung Round the Moon,” for a better rendering of which one has to hark back to Madame Mallmson herself. This singer was also delightfully effective in “A Bower of Boses.” an aria of uncommon beauty from Ihe Veiled Prophet” (Stanford), which elicited a reeall number. Mr. de Mauny played with grace and complete understanding the beautiful “Sonata in A Major of Handel. and the picturesque Hymn to the Sun” (Rimsky-Korsakoff), haring in both instances to play encore numbers. Madame de Mauny was the accompanist. The arrangement and performance of such a programme reflects the credit on the society’s conductor, Mr. H. Temple White.