" RLI."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6410, 3 June 1882, Page 6

" RLI."

The oratorio 1 ' Eli," wliicli is to l>e performed next Tuesday evening by the Choral Society, promises to be rendered in a manner that will gratify all lovers of music. The conductor has not only been painstaking at the various practices at the hall and at Jfonsouby, Lmtjie has devoted no small amount of time to extra work, both with the individual parts and with the soloists ; and, if we may judge from the exccllenceof lastTuesday'spractice, we may safely rely upon a concert of very considerable merit. The members appear to have acquired an intelligent conception of tho spirit of the oratorio ; the majority of them know their parts, and, beins{ therefore able to keep a watchful eye on the baton of the conductor, tliey are more likely to be able to give a faithful interpretation of Sir Michael Costa's masterpiece. The beauty of many passages was, however, seriously impaired by an unwise and inartistic binding of the notes, which robs the music of its crispuess and obscures , the harmonisation. This, wc feel assured, will secure that meed of attention it so richly deserves. Sir Michael Costa, the talented composer of " Eli," was born at Naples. Having received a thorough training in music at the Conservatoire in that city, lhe proceeded to Birmingham to conduct, but was introduced as a tenor and failed. Not long afterwards, however, he wielded the baton, and with such unqualified success, that from that time he has taken a position in tho foremost rank as a choral and orchestral conductor. As a composer he has acquired a great reputation. His principal works are the oratorios of " Eli" and " Naamaij," and the cantata of " Keuihvorth."

" Eli,"-the most popular of all his compositions, cannot be compared with the masterpieces of Handel, because it possesses no common feature either as regards style or construction, still, it will long be recognised as a work of no ordinary merit. The orchestration of " Eli" is elaborated to the utmost. limit, and demands all the resources of instrumentation, down to the pipe and tabor of early times. By far the most effective'portion of the work. is the march and chorus of the Israelites, which, if performed with anything like justice, is sure to make a great and lasting impression. The first performance of this oratorio at the Birmingham Festival was an unqualified success, and, if it has not .been so frequently performed as many. lesa meritorious works, we must attribute this to the difficulty experienced by ■ musical societies in providing those orchestral and choral resources which it demands. That a work of such and biagnitude lias been undertaken by the Choral Society is a strong proof of the high state of musical culture in our midst, and there is no doubt that Auckland people will be prepared to take advantage of the very great intellectual treat that is in store for them. We sincerely hope that no one who may be present will be annoyed by the excessively vulgar and ungenerous habit of talking during the performance that has obtained to a greater or less degree at previous concerts,; and we also trust that we have had our last experience of that unseemly and discourteous conduct, occasionally, and we hope, thoughtlessly indulged in of withdrawing from, the hall belore the last note of the oratorio-has been sounded.-