BROWNLEE CONCERT

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 May 1933, Page 5

BROWNLEE CONCERT

A TOWN HALL SUCCESS. — Few professional concerts in Greymouth have been more successful than the one held in the Town Hall, last evening, when a large audience greeted Mr John Brownlee, the famous Australian baritone, and his two colleagues, Miss Rita Miller (soprano) and Mr Raymond Lambert (pianist). Great expectations had been aroused as to the quality of the musical banquet to be provided, and happily these materialised. Nor was quantity lacking in the repast. Numerous encores were given by the artists, and the concert lasted for two and a half hours. The warmth of the reception from the audience contrasted strongly with the Antarctic-like temperature on the stage. When will this defect be remedied! Miss Miller first appeared in evening frock, but soon had to seek the shelter of her fur coat, incidentally, cannot the Town Hall authorities, buy, beg, or steal a piano-stool. A kitchen chair, with cushion or book on, is not fair to the pianist. The programme was arranged to suit all tastes, ranging from the severely classical to the popular. Enthusiastic receptions were general. Mr Brownlee proved worthy of his reputation, and the audience could not hear enough from him. Among his items were “Come, Let’s Be Merry,” “The Jolly Tinker,” “What the Red-haired Bosun Said,” “I Pagliacci Prologue,” “Invictus,” “The Pretty Creature,” “Kitty Me Love,” “King Charles,” “On the Day I get to Heaven,” and Kipling’s martial “Route Marching.” Humour and pathos in the respective songs were wonderfully emphasised, and it will be long before the pleasure he gave will be forgotten, by those present. His. duet with Miss Miller, from “Rigoletto” won a double encore, and their other contributions aroused further enthusiasm. Throughout he and his audience were on the best of terms with each other. Education of most valuable kind was, incidentally, given to those present with vocal ambitions of their own.

A story is told of a noted soprano who shrieked her way up to a superlatively high note, got her teeth into it, held on to it, worried it, made great gashes in it. A girl in the audience supplied the appropriate comment: “Don’t tear-it,” she said audibly, “I’ll take the piece.” There was no too obvious effort last evening, in Miss Miller’s singing. After a somewhat nervous opening she gav& of her best, showing great control and perfection of technique, in her florid work, and the long cadenza, in the Polonaise ”.)e Suis Titania” from “Mignon.” Generally, she did her part in establishing the evening’s success. As for Mr Lambert, he won all hearts, proving to be as great a pianist as Mr Brownlee is vocalist. As soloist or accompanist, he was superb, his own numbers including Chopin’s “Nocturne in F Sharp Major,” “Brilliante in A Flat,” “Fantastic Impromptu.” Then followed “Toccata” (Debussy), “Ritual Fire Dance” (de Falla). Among his encore numbers were “Naila Waltz,” “Juba Dance,” and Liszt’s “Liebestraum.” Experts and novices (where piano* music is concerned) were alike thrilled, and it is difficult to avoid superlatives, when commenting on Mr Lambert’s skill.