MUSICAL FEAST

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 151, 23 December 1940, Page 9

MUSICAL FEAST

CHRISTMAS SONGS

TOWN HALL CONCERT

Reminiscent of the celebrity concerts which' left such a lasting impression was the concert given in the Town Hall on Saturday night by the National .Broadcasting Service String Orchestra and the augmented 2YA Concert Orchestra, conducted by Andersen Tyrer, with assisting artists.

Numerous arias and sonss wera sung by Heddle Nash, but, although all were vastly enjoyable, one or two-stood out. The beautiful aria, "Waft Her Angels," from Handel's "Jeptha," preceded by the recitative, "Deeper and Deeper Still," was sung in the easy and flowing manner so necessary for Handel's works. In the martial and inspiring "Sound an Alarm," from "Judas Maccabaeus," the singer did not spare himself, but imbued the fine gem of oratorio with all its latent fire. Other numbers included "The English Rose," from "Merrie England," and other almost traditional English, Irish, and Scottish music, but one of the finest was "The Macgregors' Gathering," in which the sense of the dramatic was realised to the full, and the vengeful spirit of the song revealed. "Come Into the Garden, Maude," from the lips of Heddle Nash, was the beautiful composition it really is, and not the subject, as so. often, of jokes about Victorian music parties. Such a song is either a poem or a tragedy; Heddle Nash did not make it a tragedy.

The orchestra, to some minds,- erred slightly in its choice of items, but they were, in the main, appropriate to the Christmas season. Quilter's-"Children's Overture" and Coleridge Taylor's "Christmas Overture," were well handled, but more musical opportunity was provided in Handel's "Water Music." Spirited work by the brasses .contributed much to the success of the work.

Although Schubert's "Aye Maria" is heard almost too often these days, Nanette Andersen Tyrer's playing of the piece was competent and enjoyable, but her rendering of Sarasate's "Zigeunerweisen," or gipsy airs, provided more opportunity for technical achievement, and for varied colour in her playing. This opportunity was taken, and justified the choice of this gilded composition.

The sweet voices of the boys under Mr. Harry Brusey were heard in numerous items, mostly with a Christmas flavour, and in the traditional "Good King Wenceslas" they had the assistance of Heddle Nash. Carol singing by choir and audience, with Mr. Clement Howe at the Organ, preceded the final item, "There'll Always Be an England," sung by Ken Macaulay. Mr. Macaulay has been singing this song most competently, for many months, and it is a pity that he is not heard frequently in other numbers.