ANDERSON BAY GLEE CLUB.

Evening Star, Issue 14688, 4 October 1911, Page 3

ANDERSON BAY GLEE CLUB.

So far as tTie public know, this is the only vice club in or about Dunedin. It therefore occupies a definite place amongst the meliorating agencies of our community, and would ho entitled to recognition and support if its members went no further than the study of part songs at the practices during the winter months, for such study sensibly makes for musical cultivation and knowledge, and an influence of that sort spreads and leavens far and wide. The club, however, goes a stop further than the private rehearsals. Once a- year, as a wind-up to the work that is mutually enjoyed during the long evenings, a concert is arranged for, so • that friends and as many of the public as may feel interested have an opportunity of enjoying this delightful sort of singing and at the same time form some idea, as to the progress made under the direction of Mr H. it. Aiming, who is enthusiastic and expert. The fifth concert of the series was given last night in the local Sunday School Hall, with result* that arc at tho least pleasing and. within certain limitations, highly satisfactory. Chief of these limitations was the unsuitability of the hall. " The Bay ” sadly needs a larger and hotter building as an adjunct to the life of the community. There were 50 or more .singers on the platform, boxed up like herrings in a barrel, and their voices could not get out with anything like proper effect. An equal number of the Sheffield Choir could not break down such a disadvantage. Tho voices arc too near tho people’s ears, and there is no room for expansion of the sound, hence tonal effects were well-nigh impossible. Allowing for this handicap, also for the anxiety that always marks, the efforts of singers who are coming to their best form, tho singing of tho part songs last night was really good—a distinct improvement on anything beard at other concerts of its Series. .Maintenance of the pitch was no trouble even in tho unaccompanied pieces ; false intonation was a rare experience, the heavy chords being mostly firm on their stems; the singing was steady; rhythm and accent were, .promptly observed instead of being' steered into by devious paths; tho words were always plain ; and as to balance, nothing was needed but a little more strength in the tenors, who, in their care to keep down tin- tone, occasionally dropped out of hearing. Mr Austing can safely rely on a firm and bright treble lead, and his contraltos scorn to ire good readers. In the important matter of platform manners, too, the club may be complimented. It looks well to see the singers attentive, and rising and sitting together. Further, tho management exercised a wise choice when making up the programme. Some of the pieces are quite modern ; others, such as Hatton’s * Of a’ the Airts,’ showed tho vertebral strength that was a feature of the part songs oar fathers delighted in. One of the conspicuous successes of the evening was ‘ The Silent Land,’ by Allred R. Gaul, and there, was some particularly effective word-painting in Henry La hoe’s music to Poe’s verses on the wedding bells. ‘0 Lovely May’ (German) did not go quite so well, for it lacked clearness, and the pianiasimos of Smart’s ‘Cradle Song’ could not be perfected in that box of a hall, but ‘The Shepherd’s Lament’ was a distinct success, and t-hcro was some nice soft work in ‘Soft Winds Blowing.’ Such accompaniments as wero needed were capably played by Miss Mary 0. White, who also earned the sincere thanks of all present fer her sympathetic support of the soloists during tho concert, ili-.v, G. Helen Gard’ner sang delightfully, ami was encored on each occasion ; Mr Edwin C. Service, an accomplished basso from Invercargill, fairly surprised the audience by his cultivated renderings of ‘ The FoiTi.il Song’ (Kreutzer) and one of Schumann’s smaller songs ("I Will Not Grieve’), and would have been kept singing all night if tho people could have had their way; and Mr 11. B. Austing gave a ilute solo that was a fine display of fluent execution. Those performers were worth good accompaniments, and they got them. Miss Whit© also played the first movement of Beethoven’s ‘Concerto in G Minor,’ an arrangement of the orchestral accompaniment being given by Miss Doris Ramsay on a second piano. This is ambitious work, and wo desire to highly compliment both ladies on then - performance. Evidently they have been wisely carried beyond the first principles of pianoforte study to the realm of poetic thought and imagination, and their technical work was good enough for any concert in the Dominion. The concert is to be repeated to-morrow evening.