ANNIVERSARY CONCERT

Evening Star, Issue 24296, 10 September 1942, Page 7

ANNIVERSARY CONCERT

LEECH LYRIC CHOIR Mr John. T. Leech’s Lyric Choir attracted a ’large audience to the Concert Chamber last night, when a special programme was presented to celebrate the choir’s coming of age. The choir itself was in good form, and has seldom been heard to better advantage. One or two of the numbers were rather too ambitious, but Mr Leech, can be congratulated on making an attempt to break away from those numbers more or less regularly performed by choirs. Circumstances of the times resulted in the women being much more to the fore than men, but for all that the choir attained a good balance. The programme, which was very well arranged, was a long one, but it contained plenty of variety, including English, ecclesiastical, Russian, fantasy, and grand opera music. Novel touches were added to some of the numbers through, explanations of the story, together with comments on the composers’ lives, being given by Misses Billie Loan and Heather Smith. Of the many choir numbers the one that appealed most was Varlamoff’s ‘ Chauve Souris,’ or Russian barcarolle, but the opening ‘ Men of England ’ (Ketolby) and Mcrcandaute’s Credo from the ' Mass in B Fiat,’ with a trio by Miss Dorothy Bell (soprano), Miss Maude Chisholm (contralto), and Mr John Devercaux (baritone) were very well received. Apart from the choir numbers mentioned, the following comprised the programme:— ‘The Romance of the Rose’ (Langford), Miss Heather Smith ; ‘ The English Rose ’ from ‘ Mcrrie England ’ (German), Mi James Swan; ’ Ave Verum ’ (Mozart), the choir: ‘To the Forest’ (Tschaikowsky), Miss Eileen Gillies; piano duet, waltz from ‘Nutcracker Suite ’ (Tschaikowsky), Misses Olive and Ellice Nciper; violin solo, ‘Two Guitars,’ Miss Ethel Wallace; ‘Spinning Top' (Rimsky-Korsakoff), the choir; dance duet from Humperdinck’s ‘ Hansel and Gretel,’ the choir; ‘The Sandman,’ Miss Jean McLay, ‘The Sleep Duet,’ Misses Alison Gregory and Hope Gilbert, with violin obbligato by Miss Wallace; ‘ Witch’s Dance,’ Miss Wallace (violin) and Miss Sybil Baker (piano); ‘ The Dying ’ (Saint-Saens), the choir; sextet and chorus from ‘ Lucia di Lammcrmoor,’ with Misses Bell and Gillies, and Messrs Ferguson. W. Richmond, Harry Drew. Walter Mitchell, and James Ferguson; 'Fantasia Impromptu ’ (Chopin), piano solo, Miss O. Nioper; 'Waltz Copellia ’ (Delibes), the choir. Misses Sybil Baker and Doris McKinlav were the accompanists.