FINE CHORAL WORK

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 63, 8 December 1930, Page 13

FINE CHORAL WORK

Handel’s “Messiah” SUCCESSFUL CONCERT Come what may in the realm of music to this city, there is nothing, perhaps, which exerts such profound and universal appeal as the Wellington Choral Union’s annual presentation of Handel’s immortal oratorio “The Messiah.” Although composed in 1741 —nearly 200 years ago—this great work eomes to us in the year 1930 not one whit staled by repeated or almost hackneyed performance. Augmented by the' Levin Choral Society and the Wellington C.T. Male Choir, the performance of “The Messiah” in the Town Hall, packed to the last seat, on Saturday evening, definitely sets a new standard of performance as far as the actual choral work is concerned. The treatment by Mr. John Bishop on Saturday, infusing new life and vigour as he did into the choruses, was pleasing to a degree. Sopranos, contraltos, tenors, and basses combined together in fine fashion, while innovations of interpretation in the way of changes of tempo in “For Unto Us a Child is Born” and “Oh, Thou That Tellest” (contralto and chorus) were striking in the extreme. In the chorus work throughout there was an adequate balance of tone, and the volume in the fortissimo passages .at times could almost be described as thrilling. Though it is difficult to differentiate between the voices, credit must be given to the basses who produced a very full tone, and were always free from any harshness. The opening bars of “.Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs” were most impressive, and the broad accompaniment of the violins was wonderfully in keeping with the solemn character of the words. “Lift Up Your Heads” and “Worthy is the Lamb” were splendidly sung, while the noble “Hallelujah” chorus (with which the performance concluded), made a never-to-be-forgotten climax. Of the soloists, Miss Peggy Dunbar, a young contralto from Sydney, revealed herself as the possessor of a fine voice of rich, mellow, quality, which she used with equal facility and charm at all stages of her register. In her opening number, “O Thou That Tellest,” she gave a delightful interpretation of a number of exquisite beauty, which is enhanced by the accompaniment. The recitative, “Then Shall the Eyes,” and the following air, “He Shall Feed His Flock,” were sung with fine feeling and understanding. Miss Dunbar infused the very essence of sadness and grief into “He Was Despised,” a number of singular beauty which calls for a complete understanding of the mood.

Mr. Harold Prescott, of Christchurch, the tenor, was excellent. Ho handled his difficult task with ease, and when required used his versatile voice of pleasing texture with fine declamatory effect. He was perhaps at his best in the recitative, “Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart,” followed by the air “Behold, and See,” in which he indeed showed himself as a master of oratorio. “But Thou Didst Not Leave,” “Thou Shalt Break Them,” and “Every Valley” gave Mr. Prescott ample opportunity for displaying his very finished technique. Mrs. Catherine Goodson, the soprano, possesses a voice of extreme sweetness with well-controlled graduations of tone. In the air, “Rejoice Greatly,” her higher notes were a little lacking in clearness. She scored a distinct success, however, in the ever-popular “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth,” her interpretation leaving little to be desired. The air “Come Unto Him,” was sung ■with the deepest of reeling; concluding with a delicate pianissimo. Although not possessing a very powerful voice, the baritone, Mr. Wilfrid Kershaw, of Dunedin, used it with facility and understanding. He had no light task, and for the most part did it well. “Why Do the Nations So Furiously Rage Together?” was sung with marked vigour and good dramatic effect. In this number, usually a solo one, the innovation was made of introducing the basses half way through the piece. Mr. Kershaw was also heard to advantage in the stirring air, “But Who May Abide?” The orchestra was not always at its best. In the early part of the evening it failed to subordinate itself sufficiently to the soloists. Some of the accoinpani nients, though, were most commendnyle The playing for the airs “But Thou Didst Not Leave” and “O Thou That Tellest’’ was excellent, the wood-wind section play ing the embellishments, as added by Moz art. most artistically. Mr. Eric Froggati was at the grand organ.