MADAME PATEY'S CONCERTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8581, 1 June 1891, Page 5

MADAME PATEY'S CONCERTS.

Madame Patfa' anil her talented concert company having arranged to give an additional season of four concerts prior to leaving Auckland for Napier and the South, the first of these was given in tho Choral Hall on Saturday night (the City Hall not being available), and as might be «x pec ted from the immense success achieved in the first three concerts there was a large and enthusiastic audience to greet them in the Choral Hall. The programme was a peculiarly attractive one, as it introduced the distinguished contralto, Madame Patoy, in oratorio music, as well as in ballads, and the other members, had also been cast in | attractive selections. The opening selection was Barnett's well-known and popular trio, j " The Magic ' .Wove• Scarf,'.' in which Miss | Rossovr (soprano), Mr. C. R. Jones (tenor), and Mr. J. G. Patey took part. • Mr. Patey. - created a favourable impression in opening the trio, and the hall seemed to 'suit his voice admirably. Miss Rostov also seemed in perfect voice, and although Mr. Jones Was slightly nervous he sung well, and the combination was a very happy one, the artistes being heartily applauded. Mr. Jones then V essayed ' tho Cavatinn, "Be Thou Faithful Unto Death," from the oratorio St. Paul, and although in some of. the passages there was an uncertainty, if not a weakness, his enunciation • throughout. was good and true, and he gave a faithful rendering of the difficult composition so much so as to gain the hearty applause of the audience, who insisted on an 'encore, to which with some reluctance he complied by' repeating the cavatina. , The next number was - one of the' features of the concert, Handel's recit. '*'■ and aria "Angels , Ever Bright and Fair," and in the cultured and" splendid voice of Miss:Rossow it was rendered with a fidelity and sweetness ; which• havei" rarely been equalled in the colony.; Miss" Rossoxr's leading characteristics are the exquisite sweetness of her style, com'bitted''; with a voice of true art and culture. v The recitativo was full , of expression, and in the beautiful aria she j manifested depth of feeling and appreciation of the music. Her cadences were soft and delicate, and in the forte passages her | fine voice rung out with great beauty and expressiveness. Tho applause of the au- | dience which burst out spontaneously as the last note died away showed how thoroughly they appreciated the treat. A . recall brought her back to tho platform, and she :bowed her acknowledgments,' but the audiience wits inexorable, arid sho had to repeat the greater portion of the selection. ' The next items of tho concert consisted of pianoforte selections played .by Miss Emilia Wood. The. first- was Bach's famous "Fantasia • Chromatique," a selection the difficulty is known to nearly every musician, for it requires not onsy rapidity of movement but great delicacy of touch. The next was Brahm's " Waitzer," a selection of. quite a different class, full of nice runs and charming rythm. •In »both Miss Wood sustained her high' reputation as an accomplished pianiste, and was heartily applauded as she retired. Then followed what - was undoubtedly , the gem of the eveningprobably the gem of the concert season—tho air, " 0 Rest in the Lord," from Mendelssohn's grand oratorio "Elijah." Madame Patey on stepping to the stage was received with warm applause, and after the opening notes of the accompaniment; had been played, her beautifully-rounded and expressive contralto voice rang out through the , hall, and as she proceeded: the deep devotional feeling with which rho invested the grand music of the composer the enthralled the audience, and held .them spellbound. But what a burst- of applause broke out when she concluded ! The whole audience seemed to V bo suddenly electrifiedinto life. The inevitable encore, followed, and was persisted in, and Madame Patey kindly. responded by repeating the whole air from ' first" to last with - all the expressive force and sweetness which characterised the first performance, and she was again, applauded • to ;: the echo. Miss Bertha Rossow followed with the song " Nocturne" (Denza), in which she achieved another success. The second portion of the programme" was of a lighter nature than" the first, but it was perhaps to some on that very ground more attractive. At all events it was thoroughly enjoyed. The duet duet " Crudcl, Perche Fiuaro," from Mo /art's comic opera '.'The Marriage of Figaro," was sung by Miss Rossow and' Mr. Patey in such a Way as to create the Inchest amusement, although of course few present understood a, word that was r said. ; The pretty catching music however delighted the audience. Madame Patey followed with ; Benedict's somewhat ; mournful • song "By the Sad Sea ; Waves," which :if may be taken for. granted she sang with great effect, and in reply to an encore she substituted Allan Water," which elicited a renewal of the applause. '; Miss Emilia Wood played as a pianoforte selection "Polonaise" (Op. 40, -Chopin) .with (great brilliancy, and Air. Jones was fairly success- . ful ~.;iii.; '* Come - into -• the Garden Maud." Mi?sßossow was so successful in " ThoThree Wishes" (Pinsuti) that she had to respond to an encore, and she substituted " Cherry ! Ripe," which she sang with ' great archness j and: effect: Madame Patey again manifested her love for Scotch ballad music by Ringing '' Hunting Tower," and in response to an encore she substituted "The Laird o) Coekpen" so - archly as .to cause a pretty loud ripple of merriment amongst the 4audience.-. The duet,; '•.All's Well," by Mr, ones : and Mr. > Patey, brought to . a close one of the most successful concerts ever given in Auckland.- - The rapidly approaching termination of. Madame Patsy's visit to Auckland ■ will ,be looked upon ; with regret by her many admirers : in. this,city.'-: As it is quite settled that Madame Patey cannot pay a return visit to Auckland, ,in i consequcnce of her home engagements, it behoves all who have not yet heard her exquisite voice to make the best use of the few nights now remaining, when it will be possible to enjoy this rare treat. To-night the gifted vocalist will give one of the choicest songs in her repertoire—the lovely setting by Gounod l of that sweet hymn, " There is a Green Hill Far Away." This was especially composed for Madame Fatey, and we understand that she still us the composer's original manuscript copy in her i concerts. Wo are also : pleased to notice that ; tho ■ genial manager of the party, Mr. W. H. Poole, has been persuaded to sing tho ever-popular and thoroughly English - song, ;(" The ' Village Blacksmith," in place of a song by Mr. Patoy, who is still unable to do more than take his part in tho concerted music. To those whose memories do not extend back to tho fifties, we ' may mention that Mr. Poole was for many years one of the foremost baritones on the - English stage. ' Indeed, the J celebrated Madame orsdorff always insisted on . Mr. Poole ; taking the principal part in " Elijah " when sho appeared in that famous oratorio. Those who heard Mr. Poole's magnificent rendering Kof - tho l melodious "solo in Hummell's I favourite anthem "Incline Thine Ear" at St. Paul's last night will look forward with no ordinary degree iof interest to his possibly last appearance in our musical city.