CHRISTCHURCH MUSICAL SOCIETY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 9492, 14 August 1891, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH MUSICAL SOCIETY.

The concert given by the senior Musical Society of Christchurch at the Oddfellows’ Hall attracted a very large house yesterday evening. The programme consisted of Mendelssohn's “Lauda Sion" and Gade’a “ Comala.” The performance was a highly satisfactory one, showing the thorough vigour which has of recent years been infused into the Society’s work, and the hold that it has on the music-loving part of our populace/ The first portion of the programme consisted of “Lauda Sion," a performance which we cannot conscientiously quote as one of the Society’s best efforts. Miss Bell, who took the soprano solo, “ Lord, at' all Times I will Bless Thee,” was unfortunately suffering from a very severe cold, and hardly did justice to herself or to the beautiful music which she sang. Mias Bell, Mrs Bussell and Messrs Jennings and Normington were rather overpowered by the band in the quartette “Ye Who from His Ways Have Turned.” Several of the choruses, however, notably “ They that in Much Tribulation,” were excellently given, as was the finale of the chorus “Save the People,” a thorough masterpiece of harmonious composition. But again had the band and the chorus been in perfect accord as to power, the end of the chorus, “ Thou Didst Free them from Oppression,” would have created a better effect. The band also slightly overpowered the voices in the pianissimo finale. Gade’s “ Comala ” formed the latter half of the programme, its natural, healthy style of music finding evident favour with both performers and audience. Miss Bell’s voice improved as the evening wore on, and with her solo “ Farewell, thou Light of my Spirit,” she showed that to the part of Comala she had given the same intelligent study which marks all her work. In the solo “ O, were I Departed from Caron's’ Waters,” she gained an encore, thoroughly earned by her success in singing so well under such manifestly adverse circum-. stances. The cantata introduced ns to two young soloists. Miss A. Wood, who took the part of Dersagcena, and Miss A. Greenwood, who sang that of Melicoma. The former has a flexible mezzo soprano of very nice quality, and she will, if she does not overwork her voice, be a decided acquisition to the Society. Last night she received an encore for the ballad " One Day there Came from Lochlin,” though she was suffering from obvious nervousness. In the part of Melicoma, Miss A. Greenwood proved herself the possessor of a capital contralto; true, robust and of excellent quality. In her little solos “ Yes, Come, Let us Sing,” and “O, Banish Far,” she showed that she always holds a little of her good voice in reserve. Miss F. Greenwood sang pleasingly as the “ attendant. 1 ’ Mr W. Day, as Fingal, sang quite as usefully as usual in his concerted music. His best solo was perhaps “ Let me Gaze on my Bsloved,” while into the dramatic solo, “ Strike yo your Harp Strings," he infused a spirit which made it a success. The choruses throughout were capitally sung, the remarkable music of ** Our Pathway is the Driving Storm,” and the finale “ In the Darkness of Clouds ” also went thoroughly well. The orchestra, under Mr F. M. Wallace, was well up to its work; and the concert may be mentioned as one of the Society's successes.