CHURCH CHOIRS’ UNION.

Evening Star, Issue 14966, 28 August 1912, Page 7

CHURCH CHOIRS’ UNION.

The second annual festival of. this-so-ciety was held in Knox Church last evening,' Mr W. Paget Gale conducting, and Mr D. Cooke officiating w the organ. The union, as most people know, _was formed in August, 1911, a Her the visit of the Sheffield Choir to t'ue City. The wonderful singing of (luff body induced several enthusiasts to main* an effort to improve the singing in em churches, or, at least, in our choirs. Ihcir effort resulted in the founding of tho Combined Choir under notice. The system of practice followed is this: the committee (including some of tho lending conductors of the City) select the music to bo _ rehearsed, and pass it on to the various choirs in the union, who practise it at first under their own choirmasters. Several united rehearsals ■ arc subsequently held, but the bulk of f/he work necessarily falls to tho various clioir conductors. The objective of the union is commendable, hut somehow the mavk has been missed. Last year’s festival was a most successful one, some 400 singers taking part. Last evening perhaps 100 or more choristers appeared before the conductor. What is the reason of the choirs’ defection? It is not surprisin',', considering the number taking part, '.he. the rendering of some of the anthems was unsatisfactory. The choir lacked balance. There was no solidity' in the boss section, no blend in the tenor, no power in the alto, too much in the soprano. Tho hymns were, on the other hand, stung with excellent taste and expression, e/specially the unaccompanied numbers. Off the anthems, 1 O Lord, GinGovernor’ a:(id ‘ How Lovely are the Messengers ’ wer,b the most pleasing : and ‘ My Faith Looks' Up to Thee’ and ‘Hark, Hark, My B|oul ’ among the. hymns were noticeably gjiod. The soloists were Mrs W. J. P. Harvey, who sang ‘ln the Cathedral' with excellent taste, and Mr W. H. Mackenzie (‘The Nightless Land’). Mr David t'ooko's accompaniments left nothing to be desired. He also favored the audience! with the voluntaries ‘Barcarolle’ lOffimbaeh) and Gilson's ‘Allegro in I).’ The’’ Rev. R. E. Davies presided over the gathering. It is the intention of the cornmrit.ee to repeat the programme.