FINE PART-SINGING

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 192, 11 May 1937, Page 5

FINE PART-SINGING

Wellington Harmonic Society’s Concert Pleased indeed was the enthusiastic audience which attended the first subscription concert of the 1937 season given by the Wellington Harmonic Society in the Town Hall last night. The selection of songs sung by the mixed choir of about 50 voices was artistic in itself, and the range of the programme was as colourful as it was embracing. Mr. H. Temple White was Ihe conductor and the assisting artists were Madame Betts-Vincent and 'Mr. Russell J. Laurenson. The accompanist was Mrs. Esther Caigou. Following the National Anthem the choir sang unaccompanied the part song, u My Bonnie Lass She Smileth.” and the mellow, swelling “Peace, Gentle Peace.’’ from the Coronation Ode composed by A. C. Benson and set to ihusic by Edward Elgar, for a quartet (Gladys McAlister. Joy Sutherland, Victor R. Bennett nml Cecil W. Svenscn) and chorus, the pleasant bass background offsetting charmingly the higher voices. The ruminative “Impromptu in E Sharp” (Chopin) was the first of Madame Betts-Vincent’s bracket of two pianoforte solos, the other number being “Rhapsody in E Flat.” (Brahms). Both were fiucly played and brought nn encore, a Spanish Dance by Granados, into which she put more than usual individuality.

The choir then gave two delightful numbers, the first being the rarely-sweet part: song. “A Love Symphony” (Percy Pitt) and the second “Naughty Mary” (E. Markham Lee). 1( light and attractive item with an unusual ending. In strong resonant voice Mr. Russell .1. Laurenson gave the audience a treat with “The Organ Man” (Schubert) and “The Two Grenadiers” (Schumann), and his recall number —.strange contrast — was "Off to Philadelphia in (he Morning.”

An Irish folk tune, typical of the race mid its quite expressive music, was sung by the women members of the choir. “'Follow Me Down lo Carlow" suited them well, and they found in its melody adequate room for effective treatment. Then followed perhaps the most spirited and distinctive item on the entire programme, Kipling's “We Have Fed Our Seas.” an extract; from “A Song of the English.” It throbbed with a lingering, sad melody exactly as the memorable words nurse a meaning which might be expressed by eloquent song. After the interval the choir presented an unaccompanied part song entitled "’When Johnnie Sings,” the bright prizewinning composition of Alex. Scott in the Australian Broadcasting. Commission’s 1935 competition? This was followed by Alee Rowley’s part song "Vocal Pavan," a quaint fantasy delicately treated. The negro spiritual “Going Home,” from the Largo of the Symphony "From the New World,” by Anton Dvorak, was a popular nu mber.

Madame Betts-Vincent again delighted the audience with three, real cameos. “Bourree” (Baeh-Saint-Snens), “Etude in A” (Poldinil, and “March-Jig” (Stan-ford-Grainger I. each of which was as elcar-cut and in contrast tp the other as the compos’ers themselves. The audience relished her polished playing, and for u recall she gave a gavotte by D'Albert. Another gem was sung by the choir. “Weary Wind of the West,” a four-part song set to music by Edward Elgar. This was followed by a happy and bright, composition, “The Fairies Were Tripping, wet to music composed by E. Douglas Tayler Mr. Laurenson again delighted with “De Glory Road" (Jacques Wolfe) The audience insisted upon two other recalls, “Sailorman” (Jasques Wolfe) and '"Pride of Tipperary” (Lochhead). The concluding number was the patriotic chorus, “For Empire and Our King.” written and composed by Percy E. Fletcher. This number was awarded first prize-in a ehoriiH Empire competition, and its aptness as well as the choir's tine expression of it was greeted with hearty applause.