NELSON HARMONIC SOCIETY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLI, Issue 317, 21 December 1906, Page 2

NELSON HARMONIC SOCIETY.

HANDEL'S "THE MESSIAH."

The Nelson Harmonic Society success ully rendered Handel's oratorio "The

Messiah,"

at the School of Music last

evening in the presence of a large audience. The soli were undertaken by Miss Constance Gilbert (soprano), Mrs E. C. Robinson, (nee Hanby) of Strat-

ford, (alto), Mr E. Richards, (tenor), and Mr Handley Wells, of Wellington, (bass). Herr Lemmer conducted the orchestra, which was led by Miss P. Fell, the pianist being ■ Miss Kempthorne. The feature of the perform ance was the excellence on the whole of the choruses, especially the "Hallelelujah," "Glory to God," "Lift up your Heads," and "Amen. ' The voices, though not so well balanced as they would be if more male and alto singers were available, blended excellently, and showed evidence of sound practice, except that in some numbers the attack was rather slow. The soli were all capitally snng. Referring to the visitors first, Mrs E. C. Robinson received a warm welcome to he» old home. She showed that, though suffering from the after effects of an attack of influenza, her voice has lost none of its range, power and dramatic expression. She has developed from mezzo-soprano almost into a full contralto, and unlike many singers when they marry, she has kept up her practice. She was heard to the fullest vantage in "0 thou that Tellest," "He shall feed His flock," the difficult and often unsatisfactory "He was Despised," and in the recitative "Behold a virgin." Mr Handley Well's fine voice, and finished technique, first displayed here when he was with Mrs Howie, were again admired. He was at his best in the recitative '.'Thus saith the Lord," and the air_'3utr\vho may abide;" recit. 'For Behold, darkness," and the air "The people that walked"; and especially in the air "Why do the nations. Miss Constance Gilbert showed that she is taking every advantage of her training, and she gives promise of developing into a strong soprano. Her voice last night was clear and true, and she sustained well the soli allotted to her including the various recitatives and the airs "Rejoice greatly, 'Come Unfo Him," "But Thou didst not leave," and the lovely "I know that my Redeemer liveth." Mr Richards did full justice to his difficult tenor part, uUlns the recitatives "Every Valey," and 'air, "And the glory r the ,-ecit "Thv Rebuke," and the air Behold' and "see," mil. "He that dwelieth," and air "Thou shall break 'The orchestra, though inclined to be •occasionally too loud for the soloists, played excellently especially in the concerted pieces. The overture was well rendered and the "Pastoral Symphony was one of the gems of the evening. The symphonies with the choruses were also artistically modulated. Altogether the production was very meritorious, and all concerned are to be congratulated thereon,