THE CHORAL SOCIETY.

Evening Post, Volume XVII, Issue 372, 19 March 1879, Page 2

THE CHORAL SOCIETY.

The second subscription concert of the Choral Society's sixteenth season was given last evening in the Theatre Royal, to a very large audience. The programme was a miscellaneous one, comprising eleven items, all of a high class, and on the whole it was produced very creditably. At the same time the selection of music did not give unmixed satisfaction to the audience, the preponderance of instrumental music and the fewness both of vocal solos and of full choruses being distasteful to the majority of those present, who have not yet reached that stage of musico-sesthetical development which can " sit out " an orchestral piece of nearly 40 minutes' duration without feeling considerable weariness, however excellently it may be performed. Hence Haydn's Bymphony in D, although most admirably played by the society's fine band last night, fell somewhat fiat, owing to its great length. The other instrumental pieces were the overtures to Mowrt's " Clemenzadi Tito" and Rossini's" Barbiere," the former fairly and the latter well given, also the magnificent march from Richard Wagner's " Tannhseuser," with chorus, which went moderately well, although the choral part was weak, compared with previous concerts, and the same remark applies to all the choral efforts of the evening, the best being Henry Leslie's beautiful part-song, "Daylight is Fading." The two movements from Mendelssohn s " Loreley" (the '• Aye Maria" and the " Vintager's Chorus") and Handel's "Haste thee Nymph," also were successful. The most effective item on the programme unquestionably was Bishop's famous soprano bravura,

"Lo here the gentle lark," beautifully sung by Mrs. Garrard, Mr. Putnam supplying a most tasteful and sympathetic flute obbligato ; this commanded the only encore of the nightAnother "number," which was pleasingly sung and well received, was the duet from Spohr's cantata, " God thou are Great," by Mrs. Webb and Mr. Plimmer. Mr. Widdop's song "Ye clouds" was well sung, and the violoncello obbligato excellently played by Mr. Cazneau, but it has been given here so often tbat it has somewhat lost the charm of novelty. Mr. Parker conducted with his usual skill, and Miss Cherrett proved a most efficient ¦ pianist. The concert concluded at 9.50 p.m.