HARMONIC SOCIETY

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 78, 1 April 1920, Page 8

HARMONIC SOCIETY

GOUNOD'S "MESSE SOLENNEILLE."

Mr. Temple White's capable body of singers, the Harmonic Society, gave an enjoyable concert at the Town Hall last evening. The chief work was Gounod's "Messe Solennelle," sung in English. The concert was the first of the season given by the society, and it promised well for the work that is to follow. Mi-. White, however, is handicapped for want of more male voices, but the quality of his material, judging by lust night's! performance, is good. The female voices were sufficient and not numerically unwieldy The voices, as a whole, showed that they had been well trained. The choir sang usually with precision, and with clearness of tone. Marked attention! too, was paid to enrmciation. The choral work in the Mass was admirably done, except for the Gloria, in which, towards the close of this snblime anthem, the singing lamked definition, and, momentarily, was out of tune. The part song, "As Torrents in Summer" (Elgar), given earlier, in the evening, was an excellent 'number. The soloists in the Mass were Miss Teresa M'Enroe (soprano), Mr. James Searle (tenor), and Mr. Frank Charles (bass). They acquitted themselves well, Miss M'Enroe at times with brilliancy. She also sang with great expression Gounod's "0 . Divine Redeemer," and Faure"o Palm Sunday song, "Les Eameaux." Mr. Searle sang "Where'er You Walk," and in response to a recall, "Total Eclipse," from "Samson." He could not be said to have been quite happy in these Handelian classics; but lie sang with, much spirit and some dramatic effect in the latter number. Mr. , Charles's fine voice was well displayed in "Thou Art Passing Hence, My Brother," from "The Martyr of Antioch," and "The Blind Ploughman." His enunciation, however, left something to be desired. Without know.ing the words of his numbers beforehand it must have been difficult for some people to hear precisely what Mr. Charles was singing about. The harmonic quartette, Messrs. Victor R. Bennett, G. M. Howe, W. Fielding, and C. W. Svensen, .were successful in "The Long Day Closes" (Sullivan), but highly so in their "encore" number, "Holy _Night"—one of the gems of the evening. An uncommon item in concert programmes was a, duet, selection from "Der Frasehaitss," for grand organ (Mr.' Temple White) and grand piano-. (Mr. HaroW Whittle). It , was a very welcome innovation. Percy Grainger's quaint "Sentimcntais" followed—a striking contrast of the essentially modern in music /with a greut classical •'ork. The concert, to repeat, was very '".lovable, and: to its success the supplementary organ playing of Mr. Clement lowe, and the: finished' accompaniments «t Mr.. Whittle, contributed.