RETURNED SOLDIERS’ CHOIR

Evening Star, Issue 23737, 19 November 1940, Page 2

RETURNED SOLDIERS’ CHOIR

SECOND CONCERT OF SEASON NIGH STANDARD MAINTAINED It; spite of an increasing ago level imposed by the conditions of membership; despite also the lact that the ranks have been seriously thinned by the largo proportion in the military forces, the Dunedin 11 eturncd Soldiers 1 Choir, in its second concert of the 1940 season last night, maintained the standard achieved here during past years. As was fitting, the programme had a strongly patriotic flavour, and into items covered by this classification, the choir infused a zest that made up for the thinning of numbers. But they were not less capable in handling offerings in more tender vein. Mr L. B. Borrow, who wielded the baton, had every cause to congratulate himself on the success of the evening—a success materially contributed to also by the soloists. Mrs Clirissie Barton, Miss Anita Winkel, and Mr W. Sinton. The choir’s offerings opened with the ‘ Viking Song 1 (Coleridge Taylor), of which the reverberations were nicely balanced by Schubert’s ‘ By the Sea.’ Mr Walter Sinton assisted the accompaniment of this very effectively with the drums. A bracket of part-songs followed. ‘ Hymn Before Action ’ (Wnlford Davies) might be criticised for lacking, in its early stages, that weighty treatment which it seemed to demand, and for which it affords a perfect onportmiity. ‘in the Gloaming ’ (arr. Borrow) and 1 Holy Niglit_’ (arr. Borrow) were two items in which the choir was accompanied by Mr Sinton on tlio marimbaphone. One could not lioln feeling that one would have been sufficient. There was a similarity of treatment in the two that palled, and ‘ Holy Night,’ under the circumstances, seemed overburdened with saccharinity. But ‘ The Wedding of Shon Maclean ’ (Patterson), the next item, eradicated all such thoughts. The swinging, popular ‘ Lincolnshire Poacher ’ (Dunhill) completed the fust half of the programme. Two part-songs followed. 1 March of the Guard ’ (Adam Geible) thoroughly deserved the repeat performance which Dir Borrow decided upon. Its swing was toned down by the love-song ‘ Thnringinn Volkshcd ’ (Franz Abt), in which the tenors achieved a very line effect and the harmony as a whole represented perhaps the most effective handling of any part-song throughout the evening. In any case, it would be rivalled only by the very different ‘ Song of the Bow ’ (Aylward). ‘On the Bead to Mandalay’ (Olcy Speaks), ‘The Little Sandman ' (arr. West), and ‘There’ll Always Bo An England ’ (arr. Borrow) completed the programme. One of the most pleasant items from more than one aspect was a bracket of songs by New Zealand composers, sung by Mrs Ghrissio Barton. They were: ‘ Lullaby ’ (Alice .Forrester), ‘ Ships that Pass in the Night ’ (M. 15. Longhlan), ‘ln the Clover’ (E. BettsVincent), ‘The Wind’ (E. Margaret JeuningS). For a recall. Mrs Barton sang ‘ I Walked a Milo with Pleasure,’ another of Miss Loughlan’s. Actually, Mrs Barton was perhaps at her colourful best in her first song, the Mad Scene from the opera ‘Hamlet’ (Ambrose Thomas), She bandied all her register, particularly the top notes, with the greatest of case, and the item was particularly suited to her voice. For a recall she sang the ‘Bell Song’ (‘Lakme’). Miss Anita Winkel was thoroughly entertaining with her recitations. and the audience expressed its appreciation in a decided manner. Her items were ‘ The Answer of the Anzacs ’ (Edgar Booksby) and ‘ The Tale of a Tack.’ Dir Walter Sinton. besides accompanying the choir in one or two items, gave marimhanhone solos that also •■cored heavily with the audience. They were ‘ First Valso ’ (l)nrandl and ‘ Trixta ’ (Sinton). Thoroughout the evening the work of Hie accompanist. Miss Sybil Baker, was quietly and excellently efficient.