AUCKLAND LEIDERTAFEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14109, 10 July 1909, Page 6

AUCKLAND LEIDERTAFEL.

The usual densely-crowded audience greeted tho Leidertafel last night, on the occasion of, the second concert of the season. DrW. E. Thomas conducted, and may be congratulated upon the uniform success achieved in the various choral numbers. Three of the contributions were new to subscribers, and the first of these, "A Waltz of Dreamland" (do Rillc), was reuemanded.' A tasteful rendering was secured of the opening " moderato," while the ensuing "valse" movement, with the principal subjects enunciated by the first tenors, and later on by tho first basses, was given in captivating style. A meritorious feature was the pianissimo close. Meyerbeer's A Battle Bong" was also accorded a "da capo. ' The part-song embodied much strenuous work in sudden tone transitions, as well as rapidity of utterance. In some of the shorter valuo notes tho singers' attack and release were not always electrical, but tho effect was on tho whole good. The pitch was well sustained throughout, and the broader ensembles given with fairly good tone volume. Tho beautiful part-song, "Thou Can'st Ne'er Be Mine," was a telling effort, and as tenor soloist Mr. A. K. VVrigley sustained the favourable impression already formed of his singing. In this selection the pitch was adequately sustained, and the various lights and shades, especially in the closed lip portions, neatly presented. The resonant tone of the first tenors was well evidenced in Storch's " Flow'ret and Bird," and throughout the share taken in tho effective harmonica by the other voices showed careful study. Other excellent partsongs were: " Come. Boys, Drink, and Mcrrv Be" (Marschner), " Fisherman's Song''' (Raff), and " Tho Well of St. Keyne" (Bridge)- Miss Alison Mudge (soprano) displayed sympathy of voice as well as technical "grasp of her solo numbers, "Ave Maria" (Mascagni) and "A Bowl of Roses" (Coningsby-Clarke), the latter being sung by way of encore. Miss Aileen Lanigan (contralto) displayed some improvement in her vocal style since last heard at these concerts, and she received a fair meed of applause for her tinging of "Till Death" (Mascheroni). A young violinist of exceeding promise is Miss Mary Owen-Garland, and her solo, "Hejre Kati " (Hubay), was heartily recalled, when she responded with " Serenata " (Moszkowski). Her technique, though somewhat restrained at present, is on sound lines, and her intonation and attention to the meances are praiseworthy. As bass soloist, Mr. W. B. James' vocalisation was at times deficient in resonance and "tone colour," and, though recalled for his singing of "Love's Coronation," the number was only a moderate success. The subsequent encore selection "Two Eyes of Gray " (McGeoch) discovered tho singer's intonation not always above reproach. In the second part of the programme Mr. James sang "0 Star of Eve," from Wagner's " Tannhausor." A delightful incursion into the realm of chamber music was made by Messrs. H. J. Bloy, Herr Kreutzer, H. Hemus, and A. Palairet, who played the "Emperor" string ouartct by Haydn. The treatment of the different variations, with the theme allotted in turn to the second violin, 'cello, viola, and first violin, showed sound musicianship, and it is to be hoped that we shall hear more of this little company of players in the future. In response to an emphatic recall, tho quartet gave Boccherini's famous " Minuet," with rhythmical precision and gossamer-like delicacy in the subdued portions. Messrs. A. K. Wrigley and T. M. Simpson sang the duet " Under the Desert Star " (Gordon Temple) and the accompaniments were shared by Miss E. Holland, Dr. W. E. Thomas, and Messrs. T. E. Midgley, H. Bloy, and H. E. Simmonds. .