WELLINGTON CHORAL SOCIETY. "THE MESSIAH."

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 135, 4 December 1909, Page 7

WELLINGTON CHORAL SOCIETY. "THE MESSIAH."

"The Messiah" has become so inseparably associated with the Advent season that the Wellington people would feel defrauded if a year should pass without its production. Of \vorl<6 of its class it is not only unquestionably the gieatest it is perennial, and gains new charms with every repetition. Apart • from tho merits of the performance last night, however, there was a ieal element of novelty. To present "Tho Messiah" without an orchestra, as Mr. Maughan Burnett did, was a remarkably bold experiment. Hitherto, on more than one occasion, it has been noted that ths orchestra has been lacking in power, and at times in balance ; but this drawback seems inseparable from a comparatively small community like our own, in. which the majority of musicians ar,o amateurs — using the word in its legitimate sense. They devote laborious hour* to their pursuit for pure love of the ait — it romains for professional skill to find and co-ordinate such talent us is available, and to inspire individual units with something like corporate enthupi.isni.. Fortunately, the choruse:s and solos wero supported by an organ ot nplondid l-oncmivos, with a capable ami artistic performer, but there are qual-

ities which an. orchestra alone can. give, and the deficiency was felt from Iho first chord to the fin^l "Amen." One inevitable effect of the innovation va& a more than ordinary concentration of attention, on tho vocal side of the oratorio, with the result that it stood the lest. The solo singers, with one exception, were established -favourites, and the choir was unusually wellbalanced, the choruses being given with fine spirit and expression. Mr. Maughan Barnett presided at the grand organ, and Mr. Horace Hunt, in the responsible post of conductor, led the chorus with firmnees and precision, and with a total absence of affectation. The soloists were Mrs. Mead (soprano), Mrs. Buckeridge (contralto), Mr. E. J. Hill (tenor), and Mr. Alexander Millar (bass). Mr. Hill is a veteran without whom no oratorio in Wellington would seem complete, and the two ladies needed no introduction. Mr. Millar, who is new to a "Wellington audience, tcok the somewhat exacting bass solos with care, but his rendering was lacking in impressiveness. Aft for the choruses, we have never heard them better sung in Wellington. The choir showed a fine appreciation, oi the work, and an electric readiness to follow the lightest signal of the conductor ; and the wonderful choruses, "Unto Us a Child is Born, ' "Lift Up Your Heads," the immortal "Hallelujah," and "Worthy is the Lamb," were given with thrilling effect. It is announced that the oratorio will bo repeated at Hutt on Tuesday, with Mr. Horace Hunt at the grand piano, Mr. Laurence F. Watkins at the organ, and Mr. Maughan Barnett conductor.