SCHOLA CANTORUM

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 70, 15 December 1939, Page 5

SCHOLA CANTORUM

Concert In Festival Hall

SOME NEW WORKS

The Festival Hall at the Centennial Exhibition provided a new and brilliant setting for the Scliola Cnntorum, which on \\ ednesdny night gave a concert delightful to those who enjoy an adinirm.l.v balanced mid artistically trained mixed elioir in music of n uncommon order. Mr. Stanley Oliver and the choir lie inspires have given the Wellington public radiant glimpses of a new perspective in music, in the lovely part songs and chorales ini reduced during the year.

'The first part consisted of carols, motets, and anthems of a religious character, some in keeping with the season now approaching, and each number marked by delicate tone colouring of a kind now expected of this choir. These numbers were the modern carol in ancient guise “Of Due Thai Is So Fair” (Holst), "Sing Lullaby” (Herbert Howells), the beautiful "Satlctus” from Gabriel Faure's "Requeim,” the gracelul motel, "Grant Us Grace, O Lord” ( Whitehead I, and the dramatic "Dirge for Two Veterans” from Vaughan Williams’s cantata, "Dona Noble I‘aeeiu.”

tine of the most exquisite and spiritual numbers was the melodious "Kicff Melody’’ (Greek Orthodox Church). Bach’s chorale "Jesu, Joy of Mau's Desiring,” was nicely intoned, the obbligato (written for oboe) being played on two pianos -by Diny and I’aul Schramm. "Jesus and the Traders” (Zollan Kodaly) was as bard to listen to as the composer's name. If it were the last time it was being snug in New Zealand, instead of the first, few would regret the fact. In better tune with local ears and the season were Peter Warlock’s carols, to old-world English lyrics, “Tyrley Tyrlow,” "Balulalow” (with solo by Miss -Muriel Hutchings), and t'lie cheerful “Sycamore Tree.” A decided novelty was introduced in the second part in the Thomas Wood’s jazz cantata "Daniel and the Lions,” set to Vaehel Lindsay’s whimsical and at times broadly comical lyrics. Here, was the story of Daniel, quaintly twisted and contorted to serve the heated imagination of negroes, hysterical with religion— a queer work abounding in discords and syncopated rhythms. On requires a special education in appreciation to follow such music intelligently. Relief came with E. J. Moerans “'Three Songs of Springtime,” Gustav Hoist’s Bacchanalian patter song “Bring Us Good Ale,” and John WiAbye’s graceful madrigal, “Lady, When I Behold,” very prettily sung. The concert concluded with a sprightly rendering of Weber’s “Invitation to the Waltz,” with Paul and Diny Schramm to lend sparkle to the number. These capable pianists also assisted in the jazz cantata. Assistance was lent the Sehola Cantorum in the first part by the incidental pianoforte and organ music played by Mr. Clement Howe.