ORPHEUS SOCIETY'S CONCERT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10105, 12 October 1917, Page 6

ORPHEUS SOCIETY'S CONCERT.

A rare musical treat, was provided fol' patrons ai the Opera Houso last evening, when the Orpheus .Society gave their annua] concert. Although it s ranks have been sadly depleted l>y members who have gone tin H'ctivo service, the chorus work.is remarkably good, and shows that excellent, progress has boon niado. under the üblo conductor-ship of Mr Holmes Uunhlclcs; Tin* programme contained a wiilo range of musical composition.", from the massive works <.f Elgar and Haydn, to the lighter music of Garrctl Mid Blunlenthal) while u somi-humorous elcmciil was supplied by two clever modern settings of nursery [rhymes. 'No finer chorus could be imagined than "Yea Cusi Mo from tin- Heights," winch, clothed with the sonorous music of Elgar, makes an ideal composition for male' voices, ami a most commendable interpretation of this was Riven. Another popular item was Bluiiionthal's part sontr, "What care 1 how fair she be," while Garrett s "Hope," a vocal waltz of great lyrical beauty, showed some delicate tone work, and was considerably embellished by iH prettv Chopin-liko accompaniment. .Some good* part singing was also displayed in Haydn's "Maiden -Pair,-", while •'Soldiers' Love" and "The Retreat," two warlike songs, were sung with a lino martial spirit, two humorous part songs, "Simple Simon" and "The. Baby is Asleep,!' concluding the concerted items. Mrs A. E. Caerlyon-Bennett, who is the possessor of a full contralto voice of line timbre, and uses it with keen artistic perception, was heard to groat advantage, in n line Goring-Thomas composition; "A Hummer Night/'' to which she responded with a spirited rendering of "John Bartholomew." She was also successful in Barr;itt's prettv song, "My Ships," for which she received another encore. Mr Leonard Barnes, who has a finely , trained voice, chose for his first item, Shubert's famous song, "The Erl King," which ho rendered with the full dramatic power required-by this nobly tragic composition, and which, with its fine accompaniment, proved io.be one. of the most uiusicianly item.- of the evening, while his splendid interpretation of "Prologue," from ' "Pugliacci," was most artistic in every respect: To the latter item he had to respond twice, and I'ilve the pretty Welsh'song. "All Through Jlic Night" aiid "When the Kin? Went. Forth to War." The instrumental items were contributed by-Private .Noel Monkman, a'promising 'cello player, who was accorded a splendid reception. His most commendable hems were "Scherzo" (Danjdoons) and Van Bien's "Phantom Mob ;odv," while in "Le Cy.gnc" (Sun Saoiis),: i one of his encore number-, the dclieulo effect was somewhat nullified by the player's abrupt phrasing. To his second contribution. 'J'ricre'' (Squire), he responded with Slmbert's "Cradle Song, m which he was most successful and received another recoil The accompaniments wore played by MPs I'.ett. and special mention must 1,;, ~.;,,[,. of her line interpretation of tho "Erl King'' and Garrett's "Hope wall/. ureompanimenrs, which added largely to the success of these two beautiful compositions. Miss V. Graham and Private Chalk also acted as accompanists.