RETURNED SOLDIERS’ CHOIR

Evening Star, Issue 17927, 24 March 1922, Page 8

RETURNED SOLDIERS’ CHOIR

SUCCESSFUL CONCERT. The work of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Choir, which gave a concert in Bums Hall last evening in aid of the Returned Soldiers’ Club, has already received sufficient commendation to enable it to rank high among tho musical societies of Dunedin. There was a large attendance at the concert last evening, and no doubt many more were kept away by the rain. For variety and entertaining quality the items of the programme must have pleased the most fastidious, and if insistent applause riiay be taken as any indication the concert was a complete success. The choir was in good form, and, under the excellent couductorship of Mr W. P. Gale (the honorary conductor), rendered nearly a dozen songs, mostly of a martial strain, in a most enjoyable way. Perhaps the most ambitions effort of the evening was ‘The Little Admiral,’ from Stanford’s ‘Songs of the Fleet,’ and it was given equally as well as on former occasions. The solo part was taken byMr A. G. Cooke, one of the second basses, who has a voice of excellent quality. Two other part songs which were given with fine spirit were Gounod’s ‘ Soldiers’ Chorus’ and Aylward’s ‘ Song of the Bow.’ In Martini’s ‘Tickling Trio,’ a blend of music and humor which pleases concertgoers, the choir achieved success; and ‘Alexander.’ another item in lighter'vein, was also pleasing. Other items given by tho choir wore: —‘Scots Wha Hae,’ ‘Viking Song,’ ‘ln Vocal Song of the Northmen,’ and ‘ Bacchanalian Chorus.’ Members of the choir who contributed solo items were Mr F. Haig (‘ Lorraine ’), Mr P. Anderson (‘The Yeoman's Wedding Song ’), and Mr A. H. Sutherland ('Oberon in Fairyland’), all of whom were obliged to return for. a second time in response to hearty and insistent applause. The assisting vocalists were Miss Helen Grant and Miss Agnes Guy. Miss Grant’s pleasant light soprano voice was admirably suited to ‘ Sing, Sweet Bird ’ (Gan/,), and she was also successful in ‘ Poor Wand Ting One ’ (Sullivan). In ‘A Spirit Flower’ (Campbell-Pipton) and ‘ Morning ’ (Speaks) Miss Guy used her mc/./.0-sopraiio voice to the best advantage. A feature which contributed largely to the success of the whole performance was the exceptionally tine work on the piano of Mr Chas. A. .Martin, the accompanist of the choir. The concert commenced and concluded with the singing of ‘God Save the King.’