TALENTED VOCALISTS

Evening Star, Issue 19857, 4 May 1928, Page 4

TALENTED VOCALISTS

MISS EVANS AND MR GANGE ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL CONCERT Miss Amy Evans and Mr Fraser Gauge bad another flattering reception on the occasion of their second concert in His Majesty’s Theatre last evening. The audience was not slow to recognise the vocal powers and interpretative skill of these two consummate artists, and Jioweo its appreciation in a very marked manner. Again, the singers gave evidence of their remarkable versatility in a wide variety of music from many sharply divided schools of composers. Their singing was a model of artistic style. Both artists proved themselves equal to the exacting test of a lengthy programme. Miss Evans had a slight tendency to harden in some of. her numbers, but if there were flaws they were negligible. Mr Gauge was in excellent voice, and invested all his songs with a singularly charming atmosphere. The intensely dramatic aria. ‘Ritonia Viucitor,’ from Verdi’s ‘ Aida,’ was Miss Evans’s first number. In this excerpt Aida repeats the last words of the King and Court of Egypt to Radames, “ Return victorious,” and with breaking heart appeals to heaven for pity. Miss Evans revealed her innate artistry in this most exacting of arias. In the songs of Schumann and Brahms, ‘ Still© Thraenen ’ and ‘ Boschaft,’ she was hoard to excellent advantage. I Do Not Go, My Love ’ (Hagemann), was the outstanding effort in a further group of songs. Teresa del Riego’s ‘ Homing ’ and ‘ Just for To-day ’ (Blanche Seaver) could not have had a more natural setting. All were notable for their delicacy of treatment. Miss Evans’s amazing breath control enabled her to get the best out of her songs. The beauty of her softer notes and the sympathetic quality of voice that one naturally associates with Welsh singers were alike conspicuous in the English ballads. Miss Evans repeated many of the numbers given at the previous concert by request, and their repetition was even more appreciated by those who had the good fortune to hear them before The great baritone air of ‘Eri tu Hie Macchiavi Quell’ Amnia,’ from Verdi’s popular opera ‘ Un Ballo in Maschera.’ afforded Mr Gauge vivid and artistic realisation of the intense and changing emotions of the aria. In bis next group he invested Frederick Keel’s three saltwater ballads—‘P.ort of Many Ships,’ ‘Trade Winds,’ and ‘Mother Carey’— with a real tang of the sea. Masefield’s famous sea poems have been allied with the very fine music of Keel, which has a decided melodic value, and through Air Gauge’s excellent enunciation the audience was able to appreciate the unusual charm of these fascinating works to the fullest advantage. ‘ Mother Carey ’ was especially well sung. This eerie song could have had no better interpretation. Graham Peel’s ‘ln Summertime on Bredon ’ was most delicately rendered, and its rare beauty was strikingly brought out. Another sea song was ‘Dana’ (M'Gill), and it received more than satisfactory treatment. Mr Gangc also repeated several of his previous numbers, and by special request sang ‘ Annie Laurie,’ bringing out now beauties in a lovely old song. As a duet, .Miss F.vans and Mr Gauge sang Goetz’s setting of ‘ Still as the Night,’ and, as an cneore, the jolly little ‘Trot Here, and There,’ which was most enthusiastically received. Miss Enid Conley’s accompaniments were played with much artistry and sympathy. Her solo numbers were ‘ Rapsody in fi Minor’ (Brahms') and a Scherzo 'by the famous English com-poser-pianist. York Bowen. She was insistently recalled, and gave one of the. Brahms’ waltzes and a rollicking Country Dance, hy Percy Grainger. Miss Conley is an exceptional pianist. Tf.nas a delight to listen to her play-

mg. The concluding concert will he given on Saturday evening.