HARMONIC SOCIETY'S CONCERT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 233, 30 September 1881, Page 2

HARMONIC SOCIETY'S CONCERT.

Last evening's concert of the Nelson Harmonic Society was in marked contrast with its last predecessor. The music from first to last was overflowing with melody, and not one of the many composers whose work contributed to the entertainment bad deemed himself superior to the principle laid down by the immortal McZarfc, that whatever sentiment, passion, or impression of nature the artist may seek to express he must impose on himself this limit in the expression —that the result must still be music. The cantata of Fridolin attempted by the Society at its former concert too constantly transgressed this law. It is indeed full of hints of musical beauty- — we may particularly instance the opening chorus— but it is far fetched and, to use a popular word, cranky, and its strange intervals, crossing parts, and prevalence of discords, would tax the steadiness of the most practised professional performers, and must diminish the efficiency of the best of choirs, . The cantata of May Day, whioh opened hit night's concert, though spiced with eccentricity, never ;ceases to be musical, and Ihe volume of the Bmall choir o! the Society Beemed doubled by the "clean" harmonious writing of the parts. The chief defect was the fewness of the male voices, especially ihe tenors. Most of these, bowever, are practised singer* and exerted themselves so as to make the least of the defect. But no exertion on the part of individuals can wholly compensate the want of proportion in the numbers sustaining each part, and we could wish that some effort should be made to recruit both tenors and basses, the present numbers of whom hardly reach to one third of the soprani and contra Hi. " May Day "is an old work of the veteran Dr Macfarren, the learned head of the Eoyal Academy of Music in London, an enthusiastic aatiquirian. Dr &f acfarren gives free play to his taste and knowledge in this musical sketch of the old English festival, and the whole of the music is thoroughly picturesque. No one who hears the quaint pipe and tabor chorus, and the sweet song and chorus " Beautiful May" is likely to forget cither. The son? was sung by a young lady new to the audience as a solo singer, whose bright flexible voice suited the music well and earned for the piece a hearty encore from the whole audience. This performer gives great pleasure by her singing and the promise of yet greater in the future. It is to be hoped that she will be often heard, and that sha will largely cultivate herself in the smooth flowing Btyle of music in which the true artist finds the occasion for the most refined expression. The brightness and compass of her voice ought not to tempt her away into the study of musical gymnastics, which are not only an inferior lino of art, but digcredited among the leading musicians and real connoisseurs of these days of wide and thoroughly cultivated musical taste. The second pars of the concert opened with a spirited song and chorus " Hurrah for Merry England !" The aolo was taken by tke secretary of ihe society, and v«ry sweetly suny, some passages bringing oat » true tenor ring of voice. The chorua was performed with decision and spirit. A iong by the young lady to whom we hare above referred, received another encore, and to which she responded by another, which exhibited the beauties and high promise, but also some faults of hsr voice, or rather of her style, which we trust may not become stereotyped. Then followed a lon* choral piece with several movements "Spring's Message " by Niels W. Jade, a SwedUh musician, whose young genius Mendelssohn lived long enough to recognise. He is & worthy student in the school of that great composer. The piece is gracious, flowing, and full of refinement. The harmonies are pore without being commonplace, and somewhat recal those which Mendelssohn loved, whil3t escaping wholly the alight tinge of frickliness which scmstimes infected the minor compositions of the great master. The music being thoroughly appropriate to the subject contains no startling changes, but is throughout refreshing and cheerful. The choir acquitted themselves well. Another soprano aolo by a lady new to the society followed, an operatic scene by Dom'zetti, an interesting performance showing considerable musical cultivation. In answer to a grnsral encore the singer gave a ballad. Lindpainter's. beautiful canon for soprano, tenor, and bass was steadily and sweetly sung, and Weber's Invitation to the Waltz for the pianoforte was then played by Mr J. Gully, jun., whoss name alone would have secured him the good will of the audience. But, notwithstanding the drawbacks of a poor instrument and of the anxiety of a first performance, Mr Gu'.ly succeeded in showing us that we have no want of home-bred ability and industry, and that New Z«atend may hope to find among its own inhabitants the professors and artists of the future. Tbe concluding part iong was sung by the chorus with suitable energy and steadiness, though, unfortunately, the last verse was somewhat disturbed. Oo the whole, last night's concert was more satisfactory than any we have heard from tho society since the days of Mrs Heppel and Mrs Hobhouse, when a Bonnington, a Cooke, and a Saxton took their saats in tbe orchestra. We think the indefatigable conductor and tbe steady accompanyist ought to ba gratified by the result. If the present level is maintained, the number of singers will surely be improved, and the general satisfaction of the audience makes it possiblß that a larger room may ioon be neceeg&r y for tho concerts of the society.