WELL-TRAINED VOCALISTS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 120, 25 May 1925, Page 7

WELL-TRAINED VOCALISTS

STUDENTS OP MADAME OTTLEE.

AH the students who appeared at Madame Josephine Ottlee's invitation recital at the Town Hall Concert Chamber on Saturday night showed evidence of correct and careful voice production, a fucfc which does direct credit to the method employed by their teacher; The programme was selected largely from the works of the classical composers, a number of the items being operatic excerpts. For the most part the singing was excellent, and some- distinctly promising voices were revealed. Most of the singers, however, were inclined to under-value the importance of the words in their anxiety to be correct technically, with the result that the meaning of their songs was lost to the hearer. This was specially noticeable in the operatic numbers, where, in many instances, the Italian words were articulated mechanically, without regard for their meaning. Educationally, the preparation of such works in the language in, which they were originally composed is commendable, but the singer must be au fait with the foreign words, and apart from merely enunciating them correctly must appreciate their meaning. A welcome offering, which was the main featuro of the programme, was Liza Lehmann's song cycle, "In a Persian Garden." The soloists were Miss Eileen Kimbell (soprano), Miss AUeen Noble (contralto), Mr. Eric Bishworth (tenor), and Mr. Norman Byrne (bass). The four voices blended nicely in the quartette numbers, the best of 1 which was "They Say the Lion and the Lizard." Miss Kimbell has a sweet voice and uses it with confidence, but her renderings of the beautiful solos allotted to her were immature and lacked sympathetic feeling. In direct contrast were the fervent interpretations of Miss Noble, particularly of "The Worldly Hope Men Set Their Hearts Upon" and "When You and I Behind the Veil are Past." The tenor entered fully into the spirit of both music and words; he gave a studied rendering of the well-known "Ah Moon of My Delight," and he was warmly applauded. Mr. Byrne provided a solid foundation in the quartette numbers. His outstanding success was "Myself When Young." Miss Kimbell , and Mr. Eishworth shared honours in the greatest snccess of the cycle—the duet, "A Book of Verses Underneath the Bongh." Fourteen or fifteen students contributed to the rest of the programme, and there were some performers of. outstanding merit. Miss Jessie Josephs gave the prayer, "Vissi dante, Vissi d'amore" ("Tosca") and "Quando me in vo soletta per la via" ("La Boheme"). She was inclined to abbreviate her finishing notes, and was lacking in expression. The latter was the better effort.- There was deeper understanding in the interpretation of"0 Don Fatali" (Verdi) by Miss Frances Barry, a mezzo-contralto of nice quality, and in the singing of Miss Hilda Brown, who has a pleasing contralto voice. Much promise is also shown by Miss Aline Eowlands, a brilliant soprano of good stage presence, who ga-ve two songs by Audrey Gibson Foster, a New Zealand composer. Arne's delightful song, "The Bass with the Delicate Aii 1," was sung with much charm by Miss Ailsa Nicol, a soprano of good quality. The difficult aria, "Una Voce Pooo Fa," • from "The Barber of Seville," was ably sung by Bliss- Edith Morrison, wlio overcame the coloratura intricacies with surprising ease; she shows distinct promise. In the two Brahms numbers, "In Silent Night" and "Love, Fare Thee Well," for choir and soloists, Miss Maud Elderton acquitted herself with credit; she. is possessed of confidence, and her voice is of nice timbre and strength. Mr. Norman Byrne's baritone renderings were slightly marred by a tendency to over-use the vibrato, but otherwise he gave very satisfying interpretations. Mr. J. H. Cocks has a light tenor voice of pleasing quality. Other promising pupils who contributed to the programme were Miss Mavis Herrou, Miss Mona Fisher, Mrs. Glennie, and Mrs. Eric Eishworth. Miss Muriel Adams, Miss Eeg Foster, and Miss Freda Wilson acted as accompanists, and Madame Ottlee conducted the choir. Another invitation recital will be given this evening.