AUCKLAND CHORAL SOCIETY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11535, 21 November 1900, Page 5

AUCKLAND CHORAL SOCIETY.

"LIGHT OP ASIA." The Auckland Choral Society gave their fifth concert of the season at the Choral Hall last night, when the production of Dudley Buck's beautiful cantata, "Light of Asia," attracted a very large attendance of members. It is now five years since the same work was first performed by the society, so that its reproduction has been looked forward to as being somewhat in the nature of an old friend. Furthermore, it gave the first occasion for the appearance of Dr. W. E. Thomas, as the society's now conductor, and this had the effect of stamping the concert as one of great attractiveness. The cantata proved to have been rehearsed with such' care that its performance was beyond question the best effort ever put forth by the society. "Light of Asia deserves a more ambitious title than it bears. It would no doubt havo been included in oratorio class had its theme partaken of the sacred element, but being what it is— worthy musical sotting to Sir Edwin Arnold's masterpiece—it ranks amongst the highest of modern cantatas. Its chief characteristic is that the composer is at his best in the orchestration and chorus work, the solos being for the most part in the nature of recitative, thus preventing them from taking a special place in the main harmonious result. From this point of view the soloists last night merited to the full the hearty appreciation bestowed upon them, and, judging their performances from whatsoever standpoint, there was little at which to cavil. The soprano role was most happily entrusted to Mrs. G. Rend, a singer whoso long retirement from publicity cannot but bo regretted as a loss to Auckland music. She was, last night, in excellent voice. In the solo, " Within the Bower of Happy Life," her sympathetic rendering made a great impression. _ It was in " Uprose Yasodhara with Joy," however, and the following number, with chorus, While the Town Bang with Music," that she made her chief success. These numbers were of a nature to tax the singer's powers somewhat, but she was eminently pleasing in them, discriminating admirably between the moderato and vivace passages, and instilling the requisite amount of feeling into the concluding lento movement. Her other numbers wore for the most part concerted, tho best of these being the duet with tenor, "Within tho Bower of Inmost Splendour," and tho terzetto, "Then He, Sinking His Knee to Earth." Mr. W. Astley rendered the bass solos in admirable taste, his work being ono of tho features of the evening. His singing was marked by a studious attention to detail, whilst his enunciation was particularly meritorious. In the martial number, " The King Sent Messengers," ho was decidedly good, and in the difficult solo, "But When the King Heard," his execution of the varied passages, at ono timo subdued and at another forcefully dramatic, was all that could bo desired. He treated his remaining solos no less ably, chief amongst them being " Tho King Gave Order," "That Night the King Dreamed," and " Then Fell the Night." In the concerted numbers Mr. Astley was also heard to groat advantage, more particularly in the tereetto, " Then He," which was without doubt the best joint effort of the eoloists. The tenor solos were ndertakon by Mr. William Martin, whose voice, though somewhat light in timbro, yet enabled him by its sweetness of tone and harmony, to make of his performance one most worthy of praise. His singing in the first part b&ng chiefly confined to concerted pieces, in which he sustained an admirable share, he did not obtain a substantial ohanco of distinguishing himself until in tho second part, when he was hoard in the solo " I Will Depart." He was signally successful in this, however, and equally so in hi* following number, " For Six Long Years." In the former the crescendo movements were well donoted, the final deciso passage being suitably sung. / Of the work of the chorus it would be difficult to speak too highly. From the melodious opening to the dramatic finale _ their performance was in every sense most striking. The sopranos and contraltos showed particular merit, notably in the semi-choruses, whilst tho basses easily won the honours amongst the male voices. The tenors certainly had less to do than the latter, and their singing bore with it no reproach, but what they attained in quality seemed to be somewhat lacking in quantity. Forhaps the finest effort of tho combined voices was the eight-part chorus, " Softly the Indian Night," in which the andante movements were boautifully carried out, the pianissimo ■finale being exquisitely sung. The manner in which the time was marked in this, and, indeed, in all the choruses, as also the precision with which tho voices kept to the beat, spoke volumes for the ability of tho conductor on the one hand, and of" the singers on the other. So thoroughly excellent were the whole of the choruses, whether pianissimo, fortissimo, or moderato, that further distinctions were well nigh impossible. Special mention, perhaps, should bo given to the rendering of the " Wedding Chorus" ("Enter, Thrice Happy"), the semiohorueee (female voices) "When the Eighth Year," and " Wo Are the Voices," " o»Come and See" (male voices), "Love Will Cure," " Now Flock Kapilavastus' Maidens," "Then in Her Tears," and the magnificent finale. " Beforo Beginning, and Without An End.' In the last-named the double fortissimo climax was as finely given as any number during the evening. The instrumentalists, under the leadership of Mons. E. .T. -do Willimoff, had an exceedingly arduous duty to perform, their share in the production being without doubt one of its chief beauties. Finer orchestration than that belonging to this cantata has seldom, if over, been hoard in Auckland, and certainly an abler handling of such music than that of Inst night's orchestra has not been heard here. The violins carried tho greatei part of the burden, though the ot'-.er :tring instruments came in for a goodly share. The wind instruments had fewer opportunities, but one and all acquitted themselves so well that tho result- was little short of perfect. This refers equally to accompaniments and to orchestra tion. At the organ Mr. R. Leslie Hunt presided with an admirable eye to effect, his discreet toning down of the instrument (which was never allowed to predominate unduly) being markedly in good taste, in view of the full orchestration provided. Mrs. S. Jackson rendered admirable service at the piano. In their now conductor the society have gainod a very considerable acquisition. Dr. Thomas was last night pre-eminently the right man in the right place. His method was unassuming but confident, and it was seen that .lot only had he all his forces thoroughly at his command, but that in his control 01 singers and instrumentalists alike, he exercised a knowledge of his art which will inevitably prove of utmost value to the members in any future performance, as it did in that of last night. As is usual on these occasions the arrangements were admirable, thanks to Mr. H. J. Edmieton, the society's popular occrotary, and his committee. The society's next concert will consist of " The Messiah," and is announced for December 18.