Choral Society’s Concert.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 513, 2 October 1890, Page 3

Choral Society’s Concert.

‘•ELIJAH.” The second concert of the season, under the auspices of the Gisborne Choral Society, was heli at the City Bink last night. The admission was by ticket only. There was a large attendance and everything tended to show that the Society is still increasing in popularity, while at the same time doing much to cultivate the general taste in the community for the higher class of music. In undertaking to produce a grand oratorio like that of Elijah there must be great patience : unless it is considered as a work of pleasure it can scarcely be successful, and in such a case partial success in reality is synonymous wrh complete failure. Certainly there was notbing of tbe latteckind to be feared last night, and ths production was a great credit to the Society. Of course weak points might be picked out and commented on, but it would not be fair to apply the same standard of criticism to amateurs as might justly bs applied to professionals, and any lover of good music must have been gratified by last night’s performance, it was apparent that eveiyoue was doing his or her very best to make the affair a success. Speaking generally, it may be said that <he solos were all well sung; while the concerted music and the ohoru.es were all given with good effect, and in excellent time, Miss Holroyd took the soprano put, and though she had not many solos allotted to her, they were not of the easiest, and she had also much difficult work in the concerted music and the recitation. Her solos were Welt taken, and in each her voice was heard to great advantage. One of the most enjoyable solos of the eveninglwas Miss Schultz’s • Woe unto them,’ which she gave with great care and effec'. Tbe air * Rest in the Lord,’ by Mrs Orr, was an exceedingly pleasing one, and was given with due regard to iho devotional spirit of the piece. Among the male soloists special mention must be made of Mr Mitchell's fine bass singing; in ‘For the Mountains,’ he was particularly good and had to respond to a recall. Another promising young singer is Mr J. Searle (tenor), who made bis debut last night and received a well merited encore. To say that tbe Rev. Father did well that which he had to do is only reiterating oft-repeated praise. Both he and Mr Dalrymple (tenor) are old favorites, and last night they were not less successful than formerly. Each was especially good in the recitatives. In tbe concerted pieces., the quartette ‘Cast thy Burden' (Mrs Henderson, Miss Schultz, Mr Dalrymple, and Captain Chrisp) was heard to great advantage, tbe voices being nicely blended with a happy result. The unaccompanied i'trio • Lift tby Eyes ’ (Mrs Sunderland, Mrs Henderson, and Miss Schultz) was excellently sung, as a'so was the quartette ' Oh come Everyone ’ (Mrs Sunderland, Mrs Akroyd, Mr Dalrymple, Rev. Father Kehoe). Mrs Thomson presided at the piano throughout the evening, and acquitted herself with great credit in a very arduous task. Mr F. J, Shelton wielded the baton, and appeared to have tbe voices under perfect control. In fact the concert is sui'ably described in the general verdict that was beard from all quarters last night: • A very good concert indeed 1’ The officers aud members of the society are to be congratulated on tbe result.