ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL

Evening Star, Issue 16991, 13 March 1919, Page 6

ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL

Stainer's ‘ Crucifixion ’ was sung hist night by the Cathedral Choir. Twentyfour bovs and nine men took their places in tho 'stalls. A Large congregation assembled, practically filling the centre, of the nave, and their interest in the service was manifested by close attention and a general participation in the hymn singing. At the outset, Mr Heywood, in his playing of I He Was Despised ’ as a processional voluntary, gave a. profitable suggestion as to the doings of the occasion, by excluding from the interpretation all exaggerations and sentimental ideas, and playing the Handel air in its simplest form. The hint thus thrown out was followed up by the choir- They made their singing of tho cantata an* act of worship, not a performance. For this tha congregation should have been, and no doubt were, grateful. The subject does not call for dramatic singing, nor does .Stainer’s treatment of it. Without entering upon details, we may say that the exposition was adequate. The boys sang well. Boy soprano does not. perhaps, find its highest opportunity in passion music—it lacks the required color—but in all that the boys could do the results were, highly satisfying. There was absolute oneness as to quality and accord ; their reading was sure, their words remarkably distinct. In this matter of words special care is necessary in the cathedral, since the singers are in a receding line, and it was a pleasure to note that the men also bore this in mind. It is also to be noted that the pitch was kept. A lapse in this respect was partly expected in tho unaccompanied portion of ‘ God So Loved tho Wqrld ’ : but the voices finished up all right. The soloists were Meafira S. Lawson and H. Drake (tenor), Messrs J. W. Oaten, G- Bryden, and A. J. Downing (bass), and their work deserves recognition. ,So does tho work of the organist, particularly in the interludes, and the accompanying would have been just as good if the tendency to let the instrument lead conld have been quite cured. Canon Nevill walked in. with tho choir and read the introductory collect. Visitors to the cathedral were much pleased with the fin© lighting of the place.