CHORAL SOCIETY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6096, 1 June 1881, Page 5

CHORAL SOCIETY.

The performance of Cherubim's Requeim Mass in C Minor, and ''selections" from Handel's Acis and Galatea, drew a very large assemblage Jast night to the hall in Symonds-street. Indeed the room was quite full. The choir was not as well-attended as is usual, there being only forty-five voices for the choruses, and of these, twenty-seven were female voices. This was not altogether a disadvantage, although the effect was to make the choruses appear somewhat thin. The music of the mass is a slow movement, replete with delicate and. somewhat subtle harmonics requiring precision especially, and in this quality, the ladies, who are members of the society, greatly excel the gentlemen. The choruses are separated by quartettes, of which the executants last night were Mr. Burnham (tenor), Mr. Ryan (bass), Miss Cooper (mezzo-soprano), and Miss Gee (contralto). The " introit" (chorus) was fairly well, but the sombre character of the music required a more definite relief from the treatment by the several divisions of the choir. This want of relief was supplied by the instrumentation of the orchestra, but even it was not adequate. These remarks will apply with more or less force to the two important choruses. The "Dies Ira." the " Offertorium." The " Sanctus " was the chorus that gave the greatest satisfaction. The " Pie Jesu " (quartette) attracted most attention. They were all well sung, but, although meant to be subdued, solemn and slow, there was an occasional uncertainty about them which made them seem weak and less effective than they should have been. The music of "Acis and Galatea" had an instant effect, both on the choir and the auditory. The choir were evidently as well pleased to sing it as the audience were to hear it. The soloists in this case were Mr. Harker (tenor), Mr. Gordon Gooch (bass) and a lady whose name we were unable to ascertain. The lady has at least one quality which most of our soloists lack — she enunciates her words clearly and distinctly. She has need also to correct a tremulous tendency in her voice, and she sings as if her demarcation of time were uncertain. But she sang on the whole very well. The choruses were particularly good in this part of the concert. " Oh, the pleasure,' "Happy we," "Mourn all ye Muses," were excellent. Mr. Gordon Gooch sang the well known "Ruddier than the cherry," in capital style. The trio for Acis, Galatea, and Polyphemus was not successful. The performance was a good one. It was a trifle too long, but it was satisfactory. Mr. Vincent Rice was conductor.