FINE ARTISTIC PROGRAMME

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11224, 1 June 1922, Page 3

FINE ARTISTIC PROGRAMME

WELLINGTON HARMONIC / SOCIETY’S HIRST SUBSCRIPTION CONCERT. Held in the large concert chamber of tho Town Hull last evening, a large and enthusiastic audience thoroughly enjoyed the Wellington Harmonic Society's 1 first subscription concert of the present season. Urganised under the auspices of Their Excellencies the Governor-General and the Viscountess Jellicoe, this, society has attained not only to considerable membership, but also to a high standard of musical excellence. The society's officers are:—President, His Worshii> the Mayor, Mr R. A. Wright, M.P.; vicepresidents, His Grace Archbishop Redwood, His Lordship Bishop Sprott, Sir J. P. Luke, K. 8., C.M.G., M.P., Col. Mitchell, M.P.. Dr Newman, M.P., Messrs H. Allen, I. Clark, W. Fuller, Robert Parker, F. S. Pope, S. Stockbridge; conductor, Mr H. Temple White; hon. deputy conductor,' Mr Clement Howe; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr Victor R. Bennett; hon. pianist, Mrs T. A. Coventry; hon. librarian, Mrs V. R. Bennett; lion, auditor, Mr C. ,T. Ellison; committee, Mrs Clarke, Mrs R. R. Orr, Mr T. A. Coventry, Mr A. Patterson; accompanist, Mr Harold Whittle. The members of last night's chorus were;— bopranos.— Mesdames V. R. Bennett, W. E. Clarke, W. 11. Hindle, T. N. Johnson, R. R. Orr, M. 'Siegel, Ei. H. Strickland, C. B. Swinburn, and Misses M. Archer, D. Boxall, C. Clark, M. 1. Fumiss, M. Hill, A. L. llowarth, E. M. i Howarth, Macklin, C. Macklin, and R. Ward. Contraltos.—Mesdames T. A. Coventry, W. J. Coventry, E. (J. McKay, S. H. Wrigley, and Misses K. Clark, L. Diaper, K. B. Martin, A.. Ra-nwell, E. Reynolds, V. Roughton, and E. Williams. Tenors.—Messrs C. W. Bear, V. R. Bennett, A. E. Coe, S. M. Cooper, G. M. Howe, A. Paterson, F. H. Skinner, and S. Thomas. Basses.—Messrs H. T. Barnes, T. A. Coventry, W. Feldimg, C. W. P. Howe, R. 'H. Orr, A. L. Pickett, E. K. R-ish-worth, W. J. Robbins, B. O. Stokes, and C. W. Svensen. THE PROGRAMME. The Part Songs, rendered by the full choir, were "Far Away from Every Pleasure" (Bishop), "My Bonnie Lass, She Smileth" (B. German), "An Eriskay Love Lilt” (H. S. Robertson), "The Silent Land" (Gaul), "The Bells of St. Michael's Tower” (Stewart), "Evening Scene" (Elgar), "It was the Time of Roses" (Robertson), and "The Choral Ode —A Song of the Sea" (Cliallinor). The violin solos by Mrs Eric Meier were: —"Meditation," from Thais (Massanet); "To the Spring" (Greig); and "Ivol Nidrci" (Max Bruch). The baritone solos -by Mr Howard Foster were: "Tho Erl King" (Schubert), "A Lover in Damascus" (Amy Woodforde Finder), in two numbers. There was one solo (with ladies' chorus) by Mrs W. J. Coventry in the "Ser*n*\de" (Schubert), and one Glee number, rendered, by tbe Harmonic Quartette (Messrs V. R. Bennett, G. M. Howe, W. Fielding, and U. W. Svensen), in "Adieu," Ye Streams" (Atterburv).

In the part songs, one had to notice, almost at once, after the opening bars, the fact that tho choir has been trained to a high degree of artistic perception and balance. The voices were in no case raised, to any undue pitch, the aim. of the conductor evidently being to avoid that too common fault with choirs generally, a volume of sound out of proportion and balance compared.- with harmonic , sweetness. The Wellington Harmonic Society baa won to a general artistic effect, of re* strained volume subordinated to clear and sweet blending and balance, which is pxceedinglv gratifying. If any particular number of the part songs could be singled out for adverse criticism, one would have to .say that in the "Bells of St. Michael's I Tower," there was a slight tendenev to byerdo the harsh breaking in of the lower toned bells, the crash of these in contra-distinction to the lighter tones being sometimes a little too h.eavy and out of proportion. But, as against this, one must concede a largo measure of ungrudged praise to. the magnificent rendering of "An. Eriskay Love Lilt/' In this, always a difficult number, tbe cadences were beautiful and effective, the dying murmurs of both soprano and bass, each in turn., being exceedingly skilful in execution and of fine diminuendo effect. One could easily distinguish, in the last few notes of the bass, the dying sob of the storm and the distant echoing of waves in a cavern. In. her violin solos, Mrs Urie Meier is a clever performer, her tones being clearcut and true in pitch, with no quavering or uncertainty in the sostenuto notes. Her pianissimo bowing was of a quite artistic sort. Mrs W. J. Coventry js a contralto with practically a mezzosoprano range, whose higher register is clear and very sweet. Her Deduction is easy and unstrained, while her resonance and sustaining power are noticeably fine. Her numbers on the programme gave little opportunity to judge of the full range of her voice; but, weighing it also bv the middle register, the quality all through is far above the average. Mr Howard Foster has a fine resonant baritone. but somehow it was not heard to the best advantage in the dramatic, "Erl King," a number too full of long and repeated monotonds.' That bis rendering was very good was shown in the enthusiastic leception accorded to him; and the audience were" well rewarded when, as an encore number. »he sang, with real feeling and artistry, the song that displayed his voice qualities at- their host* — f 'j hear a Thrush at Eve." The gleo of the Harmonic Quartette showed them to be a well-combined aggregation, tbe vocal balance being of excellent calibre They were encored twice, rendering as their second and third number two humorous items: —"Jenk's Compound and "Over the Way,” each of "which obtained hearty applause. The conductor and his earnest and zealous staff must be congratulated for tho keen sense of pleasure inspired by then careful efforts. The Wellington Harmonic Society's chorus will compare favourably with any similar body in Australasia,