A FINE CONTRALTO

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 31, 7 February 1927, Page 3

A FINE CONTRALTO

MISS PHYLLIS LETT'S CONCERT

Phyllis Lett} contralto, at the Town Hall, on Saturday, gave the first of a series of three concerts. She made, it appeared, a deep, favourable, and abiding impression on her large audience, infusing her many and varied selections from her repertory with good taste, keen intelligence, and admirable technique. She also proved possession of a fine, highly-cultured voice m character, suggestive of rich colour, glowing fire, and brilliant facets of the ruby—a pale ruby. Grand opera she eschewed, confining herself to new ballads and old songs (not including "Three lishers"); also the majestic "Creation's Hymn," of Beethoven, and the same master's sombre "In questa Tomba." She sang in French, Italian, and German, as well as in English, with the ease and fluency of a native in each of them. Her voice was under absolute control; . she essayed no feats in plumbing great depths or soaring above ■ her range. Her breathing and phrasing were admirable; moreover, she interpreted everything she sang apparently with intimate knowledge, as if she verily understood its import, and felt what she sang. She certainly made some concessions to popular taste in singing "Caller Herrin' " and "Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes," and (by request) "Hills of Donegal"; but these songs she sang from the heart, too, and as if they wese quite new. Of course, they told on the audience, which expressed what it felt in vigorous acclamation. She completely captivated her hearers with the Bach-Gounod "Aye Maria." At times it may have been a little difficult for her hearers at the back of the hall to distinguish her voice in this number, for she was accompanied by violin, pianoforte, and organ—for the last, although artistically played at times rather overshadowed the- voice in this .effective number. Miss Lett thrilled her audience on Saturday in her interpretation of a seventeenth century Easter hymn, "Alleluia." In that she struck the significant note of the triumph of Light over Darkness, of the victory of Life over Death. It was the most uplifting song she sang that night, not only on its own account but also by the way she sang it. Others of her selections were Brahms dignified and beautiful "May Night," expressive of youthful unrequited love; "L'Heureux Vagabond," Alfred Bruneau's setting ot Catulle Mendes* poem, a very original setting, sung with consummate art and restrained pathos; and "Fairy Pipers," •The hecond Minuet," and "At the Bierside." There' was great variety in her songs, and sound judgment shown in the compilation of her programme. Miss Lett s delightful personality, too, was an important factor in the success she achieved at this, her first concert. Supporting Miss Lett were Mr. Norman Bennett (tenor), Miss Margofc Macgibbon (violinist), and Mr. Maurice Besly (pianist). Miss Macgibbon, a very young artist but a remarkably fine player,' manifested in the piece she gave, opened the concert with Mr. Besly with Handel's Sonata, in E Major for violin and pianoforte. It was an auspicious beginning— a praiseworthy effort, stamping Miss Macgibbou as a genius, revealing Mr. Besly top, as a cultured musician. Subsequently Miss Macgibbon played an arrangement by Fritz Hart of Bach's chorale, "0 Sacred Head Surrounded"; Cyril Scott's alluring "Lullaby": and, with spirit, a Porpora minuet. She was greatly applauded and recalled again and again, fully deserving the compliment. Mr. Bennett's first number s was "Total Eclipse," from "Samson." He infused it with rather more of dramatic passion than of that dignified expression of his own impending blindness Handel may have had in mind when he selected as his theme the sightless poet "Samson Agonistes." Mr. Bennett greatly pleased with his sweet and well-trained voice, and his wise selection of songs His singing of "O, Primevera" (Tirandelli) and "The Island" (Rachmaninoff) were m sharp contrast, but sung in excellent taste. Mr. Besly played a delightful and unfamiliar work of De Falla in the "Recit dv Pecheur," a sort of barcarole, and his own polished "Nocturne" in form of a waltz. The applause following these items appeared to be due quite as much to their performance as to the compliment paid to the composer of the "Nocturne." Mr. Besly's accompaniments, as those of Mr. Bernard Page at the organ, were helpful, and strengthening to the individual artists, and most acceptable to the audience. Miss Lett and those with her party will be heard again to-morrow and on Thursday. A new programme will be given tomorrow, Miss Lett's numbers including Handel's "Largo" (with violin, organ, and piano), "Caro mio Ben'"' (Giordani), "Voici Noel (Old French), Massenet's "Elegie" with violin obligato), "An Epitaph" (Maurice Besly), "Sleep, My Darling"(Balakireff), "The, Leaves and the Wind" (Leom), "Extasy" (Rummell), and "Softly Awakes My Heart," from "Samson andDelilah" (Saint-Saens). The box plans are at The Bristol, and the day sales at the Grand Opera House Confectionery.