HARMONIC SOCIETY

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 138, 12 June 1936, Page 4

HARMONIC SOCIETY

SEASON'S FIRST CONCERT

It was an ambitious programme that the Wellington Harmonic Society presented last night for their first concert of the season which was given in the Town Hall Concert Chamber. Mr. H. Temple White's choir, effectively reinforced since last season, acquitted themselves with honours, and a really delightful programme of part songs, chm'uses, and the like was thoroughly enjoyed by those present. Appreciation was expressed of the choice of items, several of which were new to most of the audience. The four-part chorus "God in the Thunderstorm," the music of which was composed by Schubert, made a fitting opening number, and was given with piano and organ accompaniment. Two unaccompanied part songs followed, "On Himalay" (Shelley's poem set to music by Granville Bantock) and "The Twa Corbies," "Tender Sleep Enfold Thee" (Markham Lee), "It Was the Time of Roses" (Robertson) and "My Love Dwelt in a Northern Land" (Elgar) were- two other part songsj which served to show the admirable balance and tone of the mixed choir's singing. "Sweet and Low," Tennyson's words set to music by Gustav von Hoist, was worth going a long way to hear. It was sung very charmingly by the ladies of the choir with a novel off-stage effect, and so appealing was the effect that a repetition of the number was a foregone conclusion. "Sea Drift," a rhapsody for eight parts, was another effective item' sung by the full choir, as was also the delightful choral ballad "The Miller's Wooing" (Eaton Faning).

Rutland Broughton's choral dance "Pan" made a bright beginning for the second portion of the programme. An ambitious offering which met with considerable success was a choral paraphrase by Gaines of Rubinstein's "Seraphic Song." For this item the choir had the assistance of Miss Rae Bond as soloist for the contralto part, Mr. R. Svttonn playing the violin, Mrs. Esther Caigou the piano, and Mr. D. H. White the organ. The beauty latent in this work was most pleasingly brought to light. With their singing of "Choral Rhapsody on Welsh Airs" (Fletcher) the choir brought to an effective conclusion their part of the programme. The choir had the. assistance of two soloists. Miss Rae Bond from Wanganui and Mr. R. Svttonn. The former contributed several contralto solos, in addition to singing with the choir as mentioned above, and her offerings were received with enthusiastic applause. The operatic aria "O Love! From Thy Power" from "Samson and Delilah" (Saint-Saens) was well sung. Other of her items werfe "Life" (Pearl Curran). "Break. Break" (Louis Lavater), "O Golden Sun." and "Four Ducl<3 in a Pond." Miss Bond, who is proceeding to Sydney to continue her musical studies, posessses a remarkably rich and clear voice. Mr. R. V. Svttonn, the violinist, was warmly applauded for his playing of Beethoven's "Romance in G Major," a Dvorak-Kreisler "Slavonic Dance Theme" (No. 2 in E Minor), "Legende" (Wieniawski), and "Caprice Viennois." The last-named item was played from Kreisler's original manuscript work by special permission of the composer. Handel s "Prayer" and Sarasate's "Gipsy Airs were other numbers contributed by Mr. Svttonn. Mrs. Caigou was, as usual, a very effective accompanist.