FINE CONCERT BY VISITING ARTISTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23021, 11 August 1949, Page 4

FINE CONCERT BY VISITING ARTISTS

Members of the Gisborne Music Society who braved the elements last evening to attend the society’s third subscription concert of the 1949 season were well repaid by the fine classical programme presented by the two visiting artists engaged for the occasion— Ramon Opie, the popular young Auckland tenor, and Marili Clapcott, pianist, also prominent in musical circles in Auckland.

The programme selected by The two performers covered a wide range of classical music, from the seventeenth century to the present day. It was a programme for the connoisseur rather than the man in the street, but its reception by the large audience left no doubt as to its appeal to those who heard it.

Pleasing Tenor Voice

Mr. Ramon Opie, who opened the programme with a group of classical songs, has a pleasing tenor voice which he knows how to use to the best advantage. His voice is light in texture, is even throughout its range, and has the warmth and colour which is so often lacking in otherwise good singers. His first song, “Have you seen but a Whyte Lily grow,” a seventeenth century song whose composer' is unknown, was possibly the best of the eighteen items which he sang during the evening. The song is one of the gems of songland: its rendition was worthy of it. “Water Parted from the Sea” (Arne); “Would you gain the Tender Creature” (Handel), and “Pan is Master of us All” (Bach) w r ere the other numbers comprising the group. An insistent demand for more from the audience brought another song by Dr. Arne, one of England’s greatest composers, “O come, O come, my Dearest.” Operatic Arias

Two operatic arias w'ere Mr. Opie’s next offerings, Azael’s song from Debussy’s opera, “The .Prodigal Son,” and “Una Furtiva Lagrima,” the popular tenor solo from Donizetti’s opera, "The Elixir of Love.” As a young man of 22 Debussy, then a promising French composer. won the coveted Prix de Rome, (the highest award which French music students can gain), with his opera, “The Prodigal Son.” The work shows a somewhat immature hand, but the air sung by Azael (The Prodigal) is a fine musical number and last night’s audience are indebted to Mr. Opie for affording them the opportunity of hearing it. The Donizetti aria was equally enjoyable.

For his next group of songs Mr. Opie presented four lieder, two by Schubert, “The Enquirer” and “The Boatman”; one by Hugo Wolf, “Weyla’s Song” and “The Dream,” by Greig. All four numbers are in the classical mould and call for artistic interpretation. As sung by Mr. Opie they were really delightful.

Mr. Opie’s final grouo comprised five modern art songs, “The Quiet of the Woods” (Max Reger); “The Secret of the Sea” (Weingartner); “To Daisies” (Roger Quilter); “Love’s Secret” (Granville Bantock) and “Marching Along” (Harrison). An insistent recall brought as a final offering, Campbell-Tipton's “A Spirit Flower.” Altogether a very comprehensive programme of very fine music, well and worthily presented. A Stylish Pianist

Miss Marili Clapcott, the associate artist with Mr. Opie, showed herself to be a stylish pianist with a well-de-veloped technique and a good sense of artistry. Her solos were Chopin’s “Scherzo in C Sharp minor”: Schumann’s “Warum?”; three Preludes by Scriabin, a Russian composer and mystic whose early works were largely for piano in the tradition—considerably developed—of Chopin: one of the lesser known Preludes of Rachmaninoff, the amusing little piano sketch, “The Little White Donkey” by Jacques Ibert, a skilful contemporary French composer: Schubert’s “Impromptu in B flat” and Chopin's Prelude, No. 22. Mr. J. H. Aldridge was an efficient accompanist.