DUNEDIN MALE CHOIR

Evening Star, Issue 19063, 5 October 1925, Page 4

DUNEDIN MALE CHOIR

A CONCERT TG BE PROUD OF The Dunedin Male Choir had to hurry the preparations lor its 151st concert, and members felt doubtful as to whether the singing would bo as well heard in Burns Hall as it is in tl]o theatre, so it must come as a pleasant relief to those primarily concerned to bo assured, as they are, by the testimony or Saturday night’s large audience that the concert was a marked success, quite worthy of the choir’s high record. The singers were invariably alert, attentive with eye ns well as car, making only occasional reference to the books, and, if at first the glorious body of bass seemed to outweigh the tenor, the balance was quickly found, the final verdict of the audience being that tor compactness, tone, and refinement the part-singing on this occasion compared with and in one item surpassed anything previously given forth by tins very capable choir. The groat triumph of the evening was in West’s ‘ The Little Sandman,' nnncpompaniec!. In it the singers paid Dr Galway a lot of the debt they owe him. The pianissimo was perfect, yet associated with rare quality of tone ami a fine sense of liberty, enabling nice expression to bo secured, and the pitch was preserved to the last vibration. Any trained choir can sing softly by mere mechanical fettering or by numerical subtraction. But a pianissimo gained in that way is musically rcsultless. The softness obtained in this part song on Saturday night came about bv lawful methods, and the success achieved gives the choir a standard to live up to. Cyril B. Boot-ham’s ‘Coronach,’ a part song presented ifto the society by Mr G. J. Errington, also cads for special mention. Mr J. D. APKechnie sang the solo with musical intelligence, lacking nothing but a wee bit more confidence, and in tho sol ter passages the choir got tho true_ character of a lament. Some of tho listeners thought the weightier lines rather rushed in development, but that is a matter of opinion. Better _ that way than to grade tho composition mathematically and thus risk ihe loss of the impromptu which is a necessary ingredient. ‘By Babylon’s 'Wave’ (Gounod) counts also amongst the good things of the concert. Several intermediate successes wore noted, such as the plaintiveness of tho opening, tho organ-liko bass in tho second stanza, the sinless unison in the third verse, the trumpeting of the tenors in tbs “Jerusalem” sforzandos, and the appealing weight of the finale as the tenors topped it with that telling legor A. The outstanding glory of tho part song, however, was in its triteness to character as a whole. And to that result the playing of the introduction by Mr Haggitt had a considerable influence, lie indicated tho nature of the theme as only a master musician could. ‘Tho Boystcrers ’ (B. Luard-Sccly) went fairly well, tone and expression quite satisfactory, but words somewhat indefinite. ‘ Scots Wha Hue,’ turned into a part song by Hugh S. Koberton, scarcely came up to _ the level. For once in a way the voices got out of tune in some passages. A chord here and there from the piano would have brought them together, but lor some reason that does not lio on ihepnnaco the instruction is to take this piece unaccompanied. Strange to say, the audience chose Abt’s ‘ Eveningfor the greatest applause of the evening, and it was encored. As a lact, the unaccompanied singing in this favorite part song was relatiavcly poor, the parts not so well together its on some previous oceiiMoiis. One can only suppose that the emore was largely due to the fine discretion with winch "lr il._ Blackwood sang tho solo. ‘ John Peel,’ tho final contribution by the choir, was sung with the required admixture of janntincss and sympathy and the story was told with meaning. All present gladly recognised the value of Dr Galway’s wise and nnfnssy control as tho chief agent towards tho successes achieved. His directions arc invariably pertinent and purposeful. Tho moil know that ho never lands them in a puddle. And Dr Galway will no doubt bo one of the first to return thanks to Mr Tlaggitt for his great help at the piano, not only in regard to the part songs, but also the solos. Mr liaggitt is certainly gifted in that way, and always ready to impartially aid with his knowledge. The relieving items at this concert were all pleasurable. Sir J. A. Wallace came on with his violin in each part, and reached to his best in tho romance of Wieniaw.ski’s ‘ Second Concerto,’ which was properly treated as a study in expression, and that lovely mazurka which Ovido Miisin composed and let ns hear in Dunedin. Alisa Lottie Scott employed her singularly clear and ringing mezzo-soprano voieo in a dramatic interpretation of ‘ Tho Lament of Isis,’ and followed up that rather remarkable display of vocalisation with an impressive climax in Troterc’s ‘I Did Not Know.’ Air J. Paterson’s rare ability as a note-maker was again joyfully welcomed in ‘ The King’s Minstrel’ and ‘A Smuggler’s Song,’ and Air H. Hogg’s flexible voice was heard to advantage in ‘ From Ohcron in Fairyland.’ Air J. B. APConnell’s cleverness in reciting the third scone of tho first act of ‘The Alercbant of Venice’ justified the introduction of the sister art of elocution. This gentleman made his mark by clear speed) and subtle meaning, instead of attempting anything in the way of theatrical impersonation, and ho well deserved the reward of an encore.

The concert is to bo repeated_ tonight, and there is to bo a new item —namely, a song by Air Gemrnell, who is moving to Auckland.