HAWERA MALE CHOIR

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 15 December 1920, Page 4

HAWERA MALE CHOIR

A SUCCESSFUL. PERFORMANCE

This popular society, whose perform, j ances are always looked forward to ! with, the greatest of pleasure by its honorary .members—now grown to a ' very loiig list, through the energy and enthusiasm of the lion, secretary, Mr. ' L. Whyte, and committee —and also by the public of Hawera, added another to its series of good concerts, extending now over a period of eigin •„. as as. They have recently added to their performers an orchestra of nineteen instruments, and this naturally increases the i interest ana variety of their programmes. The first choir number was De Rille's stirring part song "To Arms/, and it was sung with a fine expression and striking effect. The first tenors wer© much stronger than at last concert and this gave much for better balance and blend. The opening challenge and the martial song was given with due abanuun, but in the verse wnere the oassea ] num median accompaniment there was a ! little uncertainty of attack. The prayer with which the song ends was quits gooa, save for a want of precision in attack. "By Babylon's Wave," a. para_ phrase of the well-known psa,m, was not so good, but it was an interesting number, it appeared to be rather beyond some of the voices. In the popular selection "Excelsior the choir were perhaps^at their best, though weakness or attack was again noticeable, but exI pression was quite good and: well | marked. The best effect in. the whole I programme was secured in the concluding stanzas, especrally that beginning "at break of day." Another success was secured in the beautiful part son**"Nightfall," the subdued piano tone be ing -particularly good, and the weird effect in the third verse being quite | well achieved. The sustained tone'was | ivell worth striving for, and on the ; whole was secured very well. It was one of the best numbers. The concluding item was a pretty, song, <*'Like Fairy Elves." There was a lack of finish, in this selection, and the eli'ect wag tnerv- , fore somewhat crude and rough. The | choir were recalled on three occasions, j and one of the best n^mtjers given in the evening was the setting of the old ballad "The Anchor's Weighed." It was very, much, appreciated by all.: The orchestra played two Very good selections, Suppe's "Light Cavalry" , and a suite of. "Three Dances by E. | German." They were both, full of intt*est, the first being very expressive and the second pretty and tuneful. In the i latter the opening movement is on the drums, and a very pretty melody dei velops, taken in rotation by all the inI struments and then by the full band. Both were capitally played and tnoioughly deserved the enthusiastic applause accorded the performers. Two items were given by the Male , Voice Quartette —Messrs- Jones, Taifc, Gibson, and Cooper. "The Bells or Shandon" was really quite an artistic . piece of workj excellently interpreted . and marked by very good expression. i They merited well the recall demanded, i and added the semi-humorous "They ! Kissed—l saw them do it." The second number, "Drink to Me Only," was not quite so good. They sang it correctly, but did not give such an intelligent interpretation, and the effect therefore j was not convincing. 1 The-soloist of the programme was Mrs. J. F. Woodward, of Wellington. She has a light, clear, and flexible so- , prino voice of very great range, and she sang very artisticaUy and effectively. The numbers she chose gave her ample scope to show her powers of artistic expression, and she was given an enthusiastic reception. Her songs were "Invitation," by Owen; and two : very pretty songs by Montague Phillips, . "Before the Dawn" and "The Garden j Wakes," and in each she scored a great success. She was recalled for both,, for i the latter being given a double encore: Her added riiimbers were just as good and effective as the concert numbers. j The Choir's energetic conductor, Mr. W. McClellan, had choir and orchestra well under, control and is to be- congratulated generally on the work of both. - I After the concert members and friends adjourned to the Carlton Rooms, ' wher^ refreshment® were served by Mr. and Mrs. Hoddle. The toasts of the . visiting soloist (Mrs. Woodward), the Society's accompanist (Mrs. Grace), and j the hon. secretary (Mr. L. Whyte) were ! enthusiastically honoured. A presentation was made to Mrs. Grace ofa pretty rose-bowl, in recognition of her good work as accompaniste. The proceedings closed with the singing- of "Auld Lang Syne" and the National1 Anthem.