MADAME ALBANI

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6311, 11 September 1907, Page 6

MADAME ALBANI

CONCERT AT THE TOWN HALL. A GREAT VOCALIST. Madame Albani, one of tlie most celebrated vocalists who has ever visited this colony, made her first appearance before a Wellington audience last evening, in conjunction with a small but exceedingly well selected company of concert artists. Madame Aibaui's career from its commencement right onwards lias been a straight course of artistic triumphs, and it does not seem that tiie passing years have worn her magnificent soprano voice to any appreciable extent. Its fulness and volume, its purity of tone, and also its flexibility in tho most rapid and intricate of coloratura passages, seems to be absolutely unimpaired. Madamo's ojxening number was the aria “L'Amero,” from the opera of “11 re Pastor©/' one of Mozart’s earliest works, and one which nowadays has been quite lost sight of except upon such occasions as last evening's concert, when a great artiste like Madame Albani takes the trouble to remind people that Mozart wrote much that ought to be heard uy those who delight in music of the noblest and purest character. This aria displays the composer in one of his most charming creative moods, yet it is indicative of the dignified form which, as represented in his later works, has made his compositions models for all writers who aim at tho expression of the beautiful by means of musical sounds. The diva's singing of this beautiful melody was charming. Her voice, as most people who take interest in matters musical are aware, is a “soprano assoluto,” yet with, a compass that enables her to run down to notes so low in the scale that they would place many contralto singers in difficulties. In this aria the roundness of tone was exquisite, but when the music led her into rapid runs, close shakes, and trills there was nothing lost of tho evenness of tone. Madame Albani had the assistance of an admirable violin obligato and an excellent pianoforte accompaniment. Encored, as of course, the dear old ballad “The Meeting of the Waters” was substituted, and it also met with rapturous applause. It is hardly necessary to remark that the gifted vocalist was also made the recipient of many handsome bouquets. But this was only the first of her triumphs for the evening. When next Madame Albani appeared she gave Willeby's clever setting of Tennyson's poem (said to be his last) “Crossing the Bar.” This composer, whose songs are now very popular, is, it may be mentioned, ‘ a native of Wellington. It was somewhat curious that earlier in the programme yesterday evening the first of Tennyson’s songs that was set to music (by Hullah) was given [by another -member of the company. It was that pathetic old melody ‘ Three Fishers,” and in that song, as in “Crossing the Bar,” the poet found occasion to refer to the “moaning of the bar.” Madam© Albani was accompanied on tho piano by Mr Theodore Flint, who proved himself a very skilful instrumentalist, but in addition the, cantatrice had the support of an organ obligato, splendidly played by Mr Maughan Barnett. The encore was inevitable, Madam© then delighted her audience with a magnificent rendering of the world-famous Bach-Gonnod “Ave Maria,” with organ, violin and pianoforte accompaniments. This familiar composition has often been given in Wellington, and has invariably been appreciated when it found a place on any concert programme, but all its beauties have certainly never been heard as they were produced last evening. Madam© Albani also sang equally acceptably Dvorak's “Songs My Mother Taught He/' Arditi's valse song “Rosebuds, and, as an encore, “It was Within a Milo of Sweet Edinboro' Toon." In Miss Mildred Jones the company possesses one of the best contralto vocalist* that has over visited ; us, and the audience wore not slow to realise that they were listening to quite an exceptional artiste. Her. first solo. J.'.L. Hatton’a strange weird composition. “The Enchantress," was beautifully rendered, and for a "bis" Miss Jones sang the song by which the fine Angio-u firman contrapuntist Huilah is bast known now-a-days, “Three Fishers." These numbers were very pleasing, and were loudly applauded, but' when Miss Jones sang Bunning’s pretty ballad, “When Dewdrops Sleep," she was even more warmly applauded, and had to respond to an imperative encoie, when she gave Somerville’s “Shepherd’s Cradle Song." Miss Myrtle Meggy, a young lady who, we understand, is a native of New South Wales, and who, received her earlier musical training as a pianiste from the late Mr Sydney Moss, one of the most successful teachers who has lived in Sydney, gave a fine rendering of Liszt's X2th Hungar- ; iau Rhapsody. Her method is bright i and full of spirit. The technical difficulties of scale passages and brilliant tours de force seem to moan nothing to her. And when physical strength is required to bring out tremendous crashing chords, she does not seem to exert any force at all, and yet she produces the required effect, and also succeeds in making the instrument “sing,” which, after ail, is the desideratum of tho pianoforte player. Mr Haydn Wood, a violinist who deservedly holds high rank in the Old Country, gave as his first solo Hubay's I “Plevna Nota,” a composition which en- ! abled him to show at once that he was a great master of the instrument. His execution is something quite out of the common. He does not seem to have any of the’mannerisms that are so frequently found In violinists, who otherwise, perhaps, might pass for fine artists. His bowing is easy and graceful, his intona--1 tion perfect, 'and his command of the ! finger-board unusually brilliant. En- | cored, he played Schumann’s "Traumerie,” and he made what can only be I snoken of as a delightful “dream ’. of it. The tenor of the company is Mr William Green, who is undeniably a great, arfet. Hi, first number was Beethoven's remarkable ©ong “Adelaida," which, by the way, Canon Haweis prods imed to be the greatest song that ever has been written. Be that as it may, Mr Green msde a very great deal of it last evening and was tumultuously encored. Later he was heard to equally fine advantage Jn the old time favourite Balfe’s "Come into the Garden Maud,” but one of the most pleasing items on the programme was the duet by Maud Valerie White, “It is na. Jean, thy Bonnie Face” (Burns), which was sung by Miss Mildred Jones and Mr Green. It has rarely been our good fortune to hear two voices blend so beautifully. Madame Albani and her company are to give only one more concert in Wellington, to-morrow night, when a new programme will be given. Madame Albani will include another Mozart number among her items, the grand aria "Non Temer," with violin obligato by Mr Wood.