PORT CHALMERS CHORAL SOCIETY

Evening Star, Issue 16780, 8 July 1918, Page 6

PORT CHALMERS CHORAL SOCIETY

On Thursday evening last a large audience assembled in the Town Hall, Port Chalmers, when the above society ga.vo their first concert of tho winter session. The conductor iMr E. H. Kagar) made a departure from his custom, dispensing with an orchestra, and relying entirely on the piano for accompaniment. Be this wise or not is a matter of opinion, hut though the rich coloring of the orchestral music was un.-scd. it "enabled the audience to judge the choristers from a purely vocal standard. Judging from the items presented, they were distinctly successful, fin' music being well selected and artistically interpreted. The programme was composed almost entirely of vocal items, and the whole was of *a high order of merit., compelling recognition and ensuring a. succession of well-merited encores. The conceited music generally and tho part songs and choruses in particular were splendidly rendered, ami Mr Kagar is to be congratulated upon the fine body of tone he iias succeeded in producing, as well as on the precision and balance of the sinking as a whole. The selections, differing in character and theme, required a diversity of treatment, but the choristers san;r with confidence, and gave every picce a distinct interpretation. Mr James Crawford (president of the society) occupied the chair. His reference vo the fact that the society had included the ' Starspangled Banner,' out of compliment to our gallant Allies, the Americans, evoked enthusiastic applause. The subsequentspirited rendering of the piece struck a patriotic note, the audience greeting it with rounds of applause. The concerted numbers included the fo'.lowiuc :—-' T!-e Star-spauclcd Bamvr.' 'What Can 1 Do for England?' "The Dreaming Lake," ' Chime "Again. Beautiful Bells,' 'Song of May Morning/ the beautiful 'Miserere' from ' I! Trovatore ' Ifhe soloists being Mrs J. Morea.ii and Mr T. Slater), and 'D?ar Knglaud.' individual items we-e contributed by the tVillowing : —Sergeant-major bates fsongi. Miss \V. .M'Ken/.ie iviolin solos'. Misses K. Rnsire and A. Aval son (du.'t). Master K. B-ehner isontr). Mesdames J. Morgan and ft Jack and Messrs 1,. A. M'Kenzle and T. Slater (ouartelo Mrs .1. Mutton i.snug'. and Messrs L. H. M'Kenzie, K. IL Kagar, J. Miller, and L. Jack 'male quartet). The accomnnnimeuts were nicrly played bv Mr L. Jack.