PALMER – BEAUMONT CONCERTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXXI, Issue 10237, 4 January 1894, Page 6

PALMER - BEAUMONT CONCERTS.

The concluding concert of this company’s season was given at the theatre last evening to a full and appreciative audience upstairs and down. It is gratifying that the artists will leave Christchurch with a modified opinion of the musical taste of this city, as they have been sadly neglected. The programme was a full and choice one. > The concerted piece from Lucia, de Lammsrmoor, the grand, sestet, was one of the' finest items of the season. It was rendered with grand operatic effect by the company, reinforced/ with Messrs Appleby, and Millar. Mr. Beaumont’s voice, rang out: clear • and full,- sustaining, with Mrs Palmer, the principal parts in. a thoroughly finished performance. A quartet by Messrs Weir, Appleby, Barnett and Millar, “ How Fresh, How Sweet," and a trio, “Peace to the Souls” by the first three gentlemen, went smoothly and expressively.- Mrs Palmer, the recipient of the benefit, eaag her songs with much effect, encouraged, no doubt, by the warm welcome she experienced. “Waiting,” her firat number, re■ceived an interpretation which this fine song by Millard deserves, and was sung ■with deep pathos. Her second, “ Kate O’Shane.” a beautiful song of an Irish character, sung to her own accompaniment, had its meaning accentuated by the artistically simple manner in which it was delivered, and enchanted the audience. As an encore to the first Gounod’s “ Berceuse ” was richly sung, and to the second “ Far from the Old Folks at Home ” was snug, tho hidden chorus having an excellent effect. Miss Stirling was very happy again in her version of “ Sunshine and Eain,” which was wall and expressively sung out. “ The Better Laud,” her encore, was, perhaps, even better, with every attention to phrasing and expression. Her delightful singing of “ Bide a Wee ” has been a notable feature during these concerts, being done with groat feeling and refinement. It is to hoped that this will not be the last visit of this promising young voice to Christchurch, fresh, still capable of further development, and on the highway to more pronounced succssaes. Mr Beaumont made a departure in his choice, and gave for his first item, a simple, but artistic composition by Ganz, “I Seek For Theo in Every Flower.” It was sung with re finement and taste, suiting the singer voice well. His “Death of Nelson” was given with vigour and power. The recitation by Mr Bowler, “ The Spanish Champion,” was well declaimed, though with a certain amount of stiffness in the gestures. The harp and flute solos were again most skilfully executed, the “ Polka Caprice” for the latter instrument being captivating. The andante from Mozart’s concerto for the two instruments was again a rare treat for tho listeners. The delicate running part for tho harp in parts was most delightfully executed, and the whole was a very finished performance. Mr Gee’s powerful voice was again heard to great advantage in “My Life for Thee,” the full and rich qualities enabling him to give a superb rendering to this and to hia second song, “ The Holy City.” For the first encore he repeated a song, “ Zealandia,” both words and music by local composers. Neither words nor music rise to a high level, though the air is tuneful to a certain extent. We may repeat what was said oil Miss Stirling, and hope that this fine ringer will find his way here again, with better results. The concert concluded with a new selection “ Nooncide Heat,” by Goring Thomas, sung by the two veterans, if we may ba allowed to use the term, Mrs Palmer and Mr Beaumont, with much finish. We hope that the gratifying close of tho season will be continued in Dunedin, and that the final result of the tour will foe a substantial pecuniary one to all, for it is thoroughly deserved.