CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH CONCERT.

Evening Star, Issue 5014, 29 March 1879, Page 2

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH CONCERT.

Had last night's sacred concert turned out a partial or even an absolute failure we should have been disposed to have apologised for the shortcomings of the performers in consideration of the "horribly inclement weather,' as Dr Roseby truly teimed it, that prevailed, the tendency of which must have been to freeze both singers and audience into a bad temper. But no apology is necessary. The ladies and gentlemen on the platform appeared to have made up their minds to compensate as far as possible for the unpleasantly-damp atmospheric surroundings by infusing into their "work more zeal and warmth; and in this they succeeded in a signal degree, for the concert was, on its merits, a musical treat of a high order. The choir was recruited for the occasion by several well-known amateurs, and attained a strength of about forty voices. Mr Little accompanied on both organ and piano, as the case might be, and the body of tone was further augmented by four violins (played by Messrs Norman, Brown, Finch, and Borrows) and a double bass (on which Mr Litolf bowed out the fundamental part). The programme comprised twenty-four selections, mainly from the works of the great masters ; and, without wading through the list in detail, wc propose to comment briefly on a few of the more prominent items. Of the choruses the "Gloria" and "Kyrie,"from Mozart's «< Twelfth Mass," were perhaps the best rendered. The former was especially noticeable for the precision with which the time was taken up and the vigorous manner in which its exultant strains were pealed out. In the "Kyrie" the prayerful character of the composition was carefully observed; but once or twice there was just the suspicion of a want of promptitude in taking up the time on the right beat. The same error was apparent here and there in a greater or less degree all through the choruses, excepting the "Gloria" and "Hallelujah," which -went with the regularity of clockwork; but our only wonder is that the choir counted ±he time as well as they did, considering tnat they had nothing but their own common--Be.iße and the instruments to guide them in this matter. To say the least of it, it indicated great confidence on the part of the leader in those under his charge that no conductot* was employed to regulate by the baton she complfc-ationsof broken time which

OoCWi' ili tu6ge choruses. Such an experiment would have jeopardised the success of the effvrts of many bodies of greater musical pretensions th»u the CoiiSfegtltioliftl ellolr, The opening b&« fit "found ftWt the starry \WioM ' (» SrtWsoH " fteFe WHMftt «>n(i\ B 6d, 6\Vlhg td the ihstrumeutalitta drowning the melody, which is rather too nigh for many of the trebles to reach. "Oh thou that tellest," with its well-known tuneful aeoompan mehfc, Wfta stunt Wlfch ft«e expression ) but the pick o! the choruses ih m » BeOoml part was "To thee, Great Lord " ( Moses in Egypt") which was taken up with precision by all part 3. Perhaps the harmony was better balano?d in this than in any of the othor choruses, the alti contributing their allotted share—which is a rath >r rare Occurrence in Dunedin. The fiml ' Hallelujah " was, as we have said above, remarkable for the accuracy with which its time was maintained ; but the singers' voices had become sensibly wearied by previous exertions, and there was scarcely as much noise made as would otherwise have been the case. To Miss Tunnicliffe and Miss Webb were allotted the duets prefacing the chorus "Hail Judea" and "0 lovely peace"; and Mrs Israel with Mrs Peake contributed "I waited for the Lord," from the " Hymn of Praise." It would be difficult to determine which of the three performance* was the best; each thoroughly deserved the applause bestowed. Conspicuous among the solos were those allotted to Miss Tunnicliffe, who has recently returned from Queenstown. When that lady was here before she was known to bo a songstress of some promise ; but it is doubtful whether anyone conceived it possible for a voice to improve so much as hers has done during her absence. It has not gained much in strength ; but has increased greatly in refinement and purity of tone. The way in which she sang the airs " With verdure clad " and " Return, 0 God of Hosts" was something to be remembered. Each word was uttered as clearly as in ordinary conversation; every note was perfect in its intonation; and in an apparently artless and unstudied manner peculiarly her own the varied sentiments were interpreted with such fidelity as to evoke the warmest enthusiasm from her hearers. We remember Miss Rosina Carandini's singing of " With verdure," and must cop.fess, although to those who were not present last night this may sound like flattery, that wo like the one performance as well as the other. Miss Webb sang "0 Lord correct me" and " But the Lord " with considerable judgment, although her voice is rather light for the latter item. "He shall feed his flock" was sweetly rendered by Misses Bathgate and Button. Of Mrs Israel's soloa we preferred "Thou art the light" ; and Mrs Peake's voice was heard to advantage in the recitative and air "0 thou that tellest." The solo "But thou didst not leave" afforded Mr Sinclair an opportunity of displaying what will, with cultivation, be a useful tenor voice. A vote of thanks to Mr Little and the performers was carried by acclamation on the motion of Dr Roseby. It is, we understand, intended to repeat the concert with some slight variations on Good Friday. The success of last night's entertainment fully justifies this step.