DUNEDIN CHORAL SOCIETY'S CONCERT.

Evening Star, Issue 6480, 22 December 1883, Page 2

DUNEDIN CHORAL SOCIETY'S CONCERT.

The DUnedin Choral Society's concert at the Garrison Hall last evening was well attended, notwithstanding the bad weather. The favorite oratorio " Naauian " was the work produced, and en the whole the performance gave general satisfaction and reflected every credit on Herr Scherek, who must have gone to great trouble to achieve such a siiccess with the small body of gingers preseht. Some portions of the oratorio went remarkably well, and had the nunlber of vocalists been slightly larger we have no doubt that so far as the choruses are concerned the result would have Ween most creditable, in male voices the choru9 was particularly weak, and we are at a loss to understand why this should have been the case, and why, in fact, there should not have been thfee times the number of Bingcrs on the platform, considering the size of Dunedin and the musical inclinations of a large number of its inhabitants. It is rather an' anomaly that wc should see weekly announcements of the production of such comparatively paltry musical compositions as services of song with 100 and 200 voices' and sometimes more, and that an oratorio has to be sunir by the leading musical sooiety with about sixty. The large number of concerts we have had during the past year, of a certainly mediocre character, would lead us to the conclusion that our amateur musicians—at any rate vocalists—are aot prepared to sink their individuality for the attainment of massive achievements, and that the height of their ambition is to attempt a solo at a concert, or do something which, if nothing else, brings them prominently before the public. Such a disposition is not the one which the true love of art should inspire. To refer to a matter more particularly connected with the Society, it has been asserted, with what truth we know not, that it is the custom of some of the members to attend rehearsals and on the night of a concert to take their seats among the audience. Such apn ceeding is in the very worst taste. It is sincerely to be hoped that by next concert a body of singers may be enrolled worthy of the cause in which the Society is established. We were glad to notice the efficient orchestra which was on the platform last night. Some twenty-five performers were included, and it is the best band that has ever played at the Society's concerts. A most welcome addition were tho two horns and bassoons, and it is greatly to be desired that tho Instruments will be so well represented in the future. In referring to tho solo singers we must first speak of Mr Newbury, who sang the music allotted to Naaman; This gentleman has never succeeded better than he did last night. From first to last he was guilty of no glaring blunder, and at times he delivered his notes with appropriate expression. His first air, "Invoking death to ond my woes," he gave with much effect, and for it, as well as " What meaneth he to / o'k at me," he was much applauded. Mrs Israel was also a great success as her treatment of "They shall be turned back" and " Maker of every star" being exceedingly creditable. With Mrs Williams as Timna the! above-mentioned were invaluable in some, of the concerted numbers, the best of which was the trio "Haste! To Samaria let us go." Tho beautiful quartette " Honor and glory" was also well sung, but we have heard it better by amateurs here previously. Miss Lack dcsorveß a word of praise for the cxellent way in which she acquitted herself as the Shunamito, her " Look up my son" being a very creditable effort. Mr Jones was Gehazi and Miss Campbell the Widow, and both succeeded well for a first appearance. Miss Mollison was the child and Mr Rose Elisha. Of the latter's performance \W hardly know how to speak. He sang the music of the part allotted to him with great expression, and it is not his fault that he has a tenor voice instead of a bass one. The part being written for a bass voice it was absolutely impossible for Mr Hose to be successful in it. Under the circumstances we think he did very well. Occasionally he got out of tune in the recitatives, but the mistakes were pardonable. Probably the most effective choruses were the triumphal march " With sheathed swords and bows unstrung," " The Curse of the Lord," and the final one of the first part, " Praise tho Lord." In " Mighty Rimmon" the leads were well taken up, but there was not a sufficient body 'of voice m tho parts. In the opening of tho oratorio " The sons of the prophets" were sadly deficient