ROYAL AUCKLAND CHOIR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20341, 23 August 1929, Page 14

ROYAL AUCKLAND CHOIR.

A NOTABLE PERFORMANCE.

A well-diversified programme was presented by the Royal Auckland Choir at the Town Hall last evening, when the second concert, of the season was given under the direction of Dr, W. E. Thomas. Though new part-songs were included in the programme, the choir's contributions were somewhat overshadowed by the lengthy budget ot items by the assisting artists. The society is, however, to be congratulated upon putting forward some modem works of more than fleeting interest, and demanding assiduous care at rehearsals. Prominent among those receiving a first hearing at these concerts was James P. Dunn s setting of Joseph Campbell's lines "Christ and the Gilly." Last night's interpretation. helped materially by Mr. Cyril Towsey's handling ot the descriptive pianoforte accompaniment, was fully convincing to the large audience. The leads were firmly taken in the imitative passages, and there was a decisive ring about" the voices in the moving harmonies. Daniel Protheroe's dramatic settins of Henley's poem "Invictus" also fultv tested the singers, while finelvcontrasting numbers were Roberton s skilful male-voice setting of the Hebndean air "An Island Shieling Song," .and Bantock's "Smugglers* Song," also an adaptation from the same source. Kheinberger's "Hunter's Song!' was a finely testing number, particularly for the first tenors' in their nigh intervals. Since the last concert death has removed two of the society's most esteemed members. Mr. Charles F. Perfect and Mr. R. H. Gough. As an appropriate tribute to their memory the choir terminated tho concert with an impressive rendering of Sullivan's "The Long Day Closes,' the audience standing meanwhile. f V part-song, ''An Evening's Pastorale, (Wilfred Shaw), served, to introduce the scholars of tho Mount Albert Grammar School under the capable conductorship of Mr. A. E. Gatland. Their intonation in this number was not above criticism, and they made a deeper impression in their subsequent numbers, which disclosed much excellent part-singing. The first of these, "The Cricket on the Hearth, showed tho soloist, Master J. H. Cameron, to much advantage. Madame Winnie Eraser, from Qamaru, made a deep impression in a . songs which served to display the varied qualities of her trained voice. The right mood was suggested in Saint-Saens' moving aria. " 0 Love. From Thy Power, • from " Samson and Delilah." Mndaine Eraser was also particularly successful in Pearl Curran's "Rain," "giving it the necessary dainty touch, and George Hue s temperamental, " I Wept, Beloved, As I Dreamed." while her other numbers:— "YiJlanellc" (Goatley). and "Moonlight " (K. Moss) as well as her recall songs were artistically voiced. Miss Ina Bosworth's violin solos, "Spanish (Granados-Kreisler), "The Admirals Galliard" (Arr. Moffatt), arid Miss Molly Wright's 'cello numbers, " The Swan (Saint-Saens), " Orientals" (Cui), and "Rustic D.jtu-e" (Squire)won-•merited approval. Gado's "Trio in F Major opus 42. participated in bv the same artists, with Mr. Cyril Towsey at tho piano, was interpreted with certainty and musical insight. Mr. Towscv was ably seconded by Mr. Eric Bell in'tho accompaniments.