"THE MESSIAH"

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 79, 4 April 1931, Page 4

"THE MESSIAH"

BY THE CHORAL UNION

To supplement the Hawkes Bay Earth-, quake Belief Fund, a Good- Friday performance of "The Messiah" was given by the Royal 'Wellington Choral Union. Their Excellencies Lord and Lady Bledisloe and a party from Government House were present. The tempestuous weather no doubt much reduced the numbers of those who expected to be present, but smaller than usual as was the audience the rendering of the numbers of the works selected was greatly appreciated, if the spirited applause of solos arid choruses was taken into account. There was, too, about the performance an air rather of divine worship than of a. musical entertainment. Mr. John Bishop conducted and the choral union's forces were, supplemented by members of the Philharmonic Orchestra. The soloists were as follow: Soprano, Miss Christina Ormiston; contralto, Miss Mina CaldoW;' tenor, Mr. Edwin Dennis; baritone, Mr. Ernest Short. Mr. Clement Howe was organist. Miss Ormiston sang with intelligence and expression, and imparted to her solos a fittingly devotional air. Her enunciation was admirable, and her voice well trained and eminently suitable for the work in hand. "Rejoice Greatly" was a brilliant effort on her part, but in "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth," she sang with" an eloquence that: should have deeply -im-pressed-all-who heard her. Miss Caldow's knowledge of the contralto arias in "The Messiah" is profound, and she invariably sings "He Was Despised" with an intense pathos and sympathy, as she did last night, that cannot fail to move her hearers to partake if for a moment in the agony of the Man of Sorrows. Mr. Dennis sang'the opening vocal number, "Comfort Ye" - carefully and'with knowledge of the character and purport of this

and its immediately succeeding number, "Every Valley," the difficulties of" which he overcame with ease. Mr. Dennis was most impressive in "Behold and See, and struck the right note of triumph in. "But Thou Didst not Leave." Mr. Short gave a fine rendering of "But Who May; Abide" and sang with dramatic power "Why do the Nations." The.choral work was in general* satisfactory; the finest eiibrt perhaps, if a distinction is to be made, was "Behold the Lamb of God." The "Wonderful" chorus was rather wanting in volume. The orchestra, somewhat; attenuated in 1 numbers, acquitted itself; with credit, and valuable help was given by the organist, Mr. Clement Howe. Tha performance waa concluded-. by the choruses "Worthy is the Lamb" and "Hallelujah" in that order.