'THE MESSIAH'

Evening Star, Issue 18142, 5 December 1922, Page 9

'THE MESSIAH'

A FEW FACTS ABOUT HANDEL. He was German by birth— born at Halle, in Saxony. By tho Gormans bis name was pronounced “ Hendcl.” His father was a surgeon; his mother the second wife. At tiro ago of eighteen he played second violin at the opera house m Hamburg. .Seven years latex, after travelling the Continent, ho first visited London. In 1720 the Royal Academy was founded, by subscription of £50,000, “to secure a constant supply of operas by Handel, to be performed under Ids direction.” Tho venture failed, the theatre had to be closed, and tho Royal Academy went out of business. Then Handel entered upon, another stage in his career, and became known as a manager as well as an opera composer. Tho cud of that, was that lip had to compound with his creditors. His health broke down; paralysis disabled his right arm; Ids mind was for a. time seriously disordered. But out of his troubles he rose a greater man. Ho begun to rvrito English oratorios, and that was for him the path of immortality. ‘Saul’ and ‘lsrael in Egypt’ were amongst Ilia productions at this period of his career, and ‘ The Messiah ’ was produced in Dublin on April 1.3, 1742, when ho was fifty-seven, years of age. Handel wrote this masterpiece in, twenty-four days; ‘ Israel’ in fifteen days, ' Chambers says : “ From 1744 to 1750 oratorio follows oratorio, like huge rocks thrown forth from a crater.” Of these massive works 1 Tho Alcssiah’ is the one that tho people love. It is the accepted and indispensable Christmas oratorio. Its popularity increases as generations roll on. It has done more than all Handel’s other works put together to cause the German to bo regarded as English. PERFORMANCE LAST NIGHT BY DUNEDIN CHORAL SOCIETY. REINFORCED CHOIR AND SUBJUGATED ORCHESTRA. Such a great work deserves great treatment. Of late years it has been worthily presented in Dunedin. Air Sidney Wolf laid tho foundation for a respectful presentation. Air Victor Galway is continuing it. The” large audience at His Alajedy’s last night found plenty of evidence in that direction, and nothing on Hie other side. For this occasion the tenors and basses were reinforced, and a workable balance set up, there being seventy-nine ladies and fifty-seven gentlemen in tho choir seats. The buss part still needs weight for low-sot passages, but it was gloriously effective where the notes rim high, and always of good quality. The tenor line, 100, came out really well, special care being taken about keeping in tune in those slow endings whore even a slight fault of pilch would be fatal. The contralto part benefited most by the amending of the balance. The contraltos have at previous concerts been forced to pull off the weight. Last night, the other parts being efficient, the contraltos wore free to open up and let the people hear their richness. Sopranos sang well. If a shade less brilliant than usual, they scored freely for accordance, tho voices being us one. Much better results are thus obtained than is possible when, the sopranos are divided into leaders and led. Splendid precision marked nearly all the chorus work, the leads being taken up promptly, and great effects being produced when the pavls came together. ‘ And the Glory ’ set the standard—it warmed and gladdened; it had breadth, and, without fiuickiness, splendid feeling and expression. ‘ Unto Us’ opened tamely, bid rose to nobilily, the rallcTitaudo of the ending quite inspirational. As usual, the first “n” was left out of the word “government.” Why? ‘Glory to God’ was one of the best, not a Haw in, it. ‘His Yoke is Easy’ only so-so, the singers feeling their way and looking too closely at their books. ‘Behold tho Lamb of God’ a little choppy till, towards the cn<h ‘ All We Like Sheep ’ well read, but somewhat for mid till the finish, which was lovely. ‘ He Trusted ’ was snug in. mastorly stylo, the staccato just the thing, not too violeul , words as dear as if read. ‘Lift Up Tour Heads’ went with unfailing steadiness. The ‘ Hallelujah ’ was given with great majesty; tho two quartets and their related choruses were sung with beautiful taste and in absolute precision. ‘ Worthy is the Lamb ’ got all Hie required fullness and meaning, Tho ‘ Amen ’ would probably be assessed by a judge as tho best of the choruses. It well repaid the audience for waiting to tho finish. It was Air Galway’s supreme triumph. From all quarters praise is showered on the orchestra for its rare playing. It made a specialty of the allegro in the overture; it gave the pastoral symphony with the true celestial touch, getting down to the purest pianissimo with delightful tone; and its accompaniments, consistently graded to the voices, were the most musicianly ever heard in Dunedin. That one of the reeds momentarily lost his place

is hardly worth mentioning, so glorious was tho playing as a whole hy Air Wallace and his associates. The soloists also did well. Miss Natalie ADCallurn’s clear and incisive voice, and her freedom in high-set passages, enabled her to sing tho soprano solos with singular distinction. Maybe her treatment of the advcntural recitatives was a trifle studied, and could be improved by a touch of spontaneity; but she supplied a regal reading of ‘ Rejoice Greatly/ talcing every run without a break, and imparting to the great air most delightful animation which liad not a suggestion of flippancy. It was a surprising success. ‘Come Unto Him’ was also beautifully sung. ‘ I Know That My Redeemer ’ was marred by a slight misreading and a momentary lapse of memory, but the orchestra picked up the lost thread without much confusion. Airs Andrews must have enjoyed the luxury of a soft accompaniment to each of the contralto solos. This consideration left her free to sing at her own natural weight, and use her best quality of tone; and her treatment of ‘He »bliall Feed His Flock’ and ‘He Was Despised ’ count amongst the good tilings of the concert. Air Sidney Butler is a very fine tenor —his voice dear and resonant, and of one quality right through.; and ho sings artistically, his breathing and his phrasing an object lesson, ‘ Ev’xy Valley’ was his masterpiece; ‘Thou filialt Break Them’ remindful of Phil Newbury, though ho did not attempt any ornamentation, such ns the octavo transposition at the end of ‘ Thou fc'halt Break Them,’ Mr W. Watters is singing os well, as ever. Ho has great freedom in the bass solos. ‘ For Behold ’ was very fine; also (he prestissimo in ‘Who Aiay Abide,’ and ‘‘Why Do the Nations’ camo up to tho highest traditions; whilst ‘The Trumpet’ received all the force and meaning that it calls for. Air G. Milwand played the obbligato in good stylo. Tbo concert is to be , repeated tills evening.