The Musical Festival. "ISRAEL IN EGYPT."

Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 132, 3 December 1888, Page 2

The Musical Festival. "ISRAEL IN EGYPT."

Another musical novelty so far aa the public of Wellington are concerned was presented by the Festival ohoir on Saturday evening in Handel's choral masterpiece "Israel in Egypt." It may be safely affirmed that the ohoir achieved a Buooesß in all respeots commensurate with the antioipations of those already familiar with the work. Generally speaking, the construction of this work presents few serious ohoral difficulties, so that success in its representation must invariably result from oarefnl training and conscientious rehearsal. The only doubts that could have been felt as to due produotion here were on the ground that insufficient time was allowed for its preparation on account of the pressure of the other works performed during the Festival season. With justioe it oan be said that Saturday's performance was the success par excellence of the whole week. " Elijah, splendidly aa it was given, was tolerably familiar to the singers beforehand, "The Golden Legend" was admittedly beyond the powers of any colonial company to do full justice to ; but " Israel in Egypt " certainly received a rendering that in every way reflected oredit npon the ability and assiduity of the choir, and the tuition of its leaders. While tha difficulties are not numerous, they are, bo far as they go, enongh to try to the utmost the oapaoity of the performers ; but the descriptive numbers were given on Saturday with a faoility which, to say the least, was highly creditable. Solos are conspicuously scarce in the oratorio, whioh is chiefly made up of double choruses, to render which the vocal forces were divided into two parts of about equal strength. Without entering into the details of the performance, whioh the pressure npon onr space to-day preoludes, we may Bay that, after some hesitancy had been displajed in the opening ohornses, the choir entered into their work with surprising zest, singing with a sharpness of attack and general fidelity to the score whioh was in every way commendable. Most remarkable were the effects in the famous " Hailstone chorus," describing with wonderful staccato treatment hew tho storm of hail and fire " ran along upon the ground." So great was the enthusiasm awakened amongst the audience that they inexorably demanded a repetition of the chorus— an altogether unusual thing in oratorio— and j this was given with even greater Buooess than the first rendering. Even this distinotion, however, failed into comparative insignificance beside the honours subsequently gained in the performance of the concluding number, " The Horse and his Rider." So exceptionally grand was the rendering of this choruß that, thongh the ohoir were preparing to vacate their seats for the evening, the audience insisted npon their remaining for its repetition, the conclusion of whioh was the signal for a perfect storm of applause, appropriately bringing the Festival proper to its conclusion. In both these instances of special recognition the ohoir and orchestra fairly divided honours, and the support given to the voioesjby the instrumentalists in " The Horse and his Rider "is deserving of especial praise. The solo singing scarcely reaohed the standard of the earlier Festival performances. The most enjoyable solo item was Mrs. Westmacott's rendering of the mezzo-soprano air " Their Land Brought Forth Frogs," in the accompaniment to which the orchestra again did excellent service. Mr. Izard was not in his best form, but nevertheless delivered the reoitatdvea satisfactorily, and sang the trying air " The Enemy Said," in capital style. The bass duet, " The Lord is a Man of War," fell to the lot of Messrs. Pronse and Watersrfnd thongh both gentlemen have frequently been beard to greater

advantage, Mr. Waters had a muoh more congenial put to perform than in the previous evening's cantata, and acquitted himself with correspondingly more credit. The lesser soprano workwasallotedtoMesdameß Garrard and Levin, and calls for no special comment. The solos certainly dwarfed before the exceeding glory of the choral performances. By special request, the entertertaimnent was opened by the orchestra with a repetition of the Beethoven Symphony which had excited so much interest on Friday evening, and in which the orchestra again distinguished themselves. The audience was a very large one, and included a party from Government House. The extra concert to be given this evening for the benefit of Mr. Parker, musical director, promises to be not less successful than those of last week.