"ABRAHAM."

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10595, 26 October 1910, Page 2

"ABRAHAM."

Columba choir gave a most enjoyable performance of Darnton's cantata

"Abraham" in the church last evening, before a large audience. The music of the composition is bright and tuneful, and as the singers had the assistance of Mr Taylor (organist of St. Paul's Cathedral, iDunedin). the absence of an orchestra was scarcely noticed. A very large share of the work of the evening fell upon Mrs R. Brown, who, as soprano narrator, had the major portion of the recitatives; and'it'must: be laid to this lady's credit • that -she fully recognised the difference between; pi recitative and a -solo. She'was nqt equally successful in all her numbers,: the earlier ones being wanting in dramatic power; but as- the cantata progressed, and the singer became more, at home in her work,_ some- very, fine i interpretations' were given, "And the Word of the Lord" standing out among the best numbers- in the" programme. We have specially drawn , attention to i this phase of the cantata, because (we say it sorrowfully) recitative • has not been a strong point of late years on the Oamaru musical platform. Miss Glen (alto), who took the part of Isaac, had little to do; but that little was done well. Miss Glen's singing has greatly improved of late; and though, her enunciation is not above suspicion, her careful and clean phrasing and expressive delivery make lier numbers very pleasing to the listener. In. the duet "The Offering" Miss Glen was particularly effective, and one regretted that she. had not a larger share in the evening's work. Mr J. Steel (tenor) as Abraham appeared prominently in the programme, but though lie possesses a tuneful voice, he was evidently suffering from a nervousness which prevented him from doing full justice to himself. His numbers had a tendency to drag, and it was not until near the end, in "1 sought the Lord," that he was heard to anything like advantage. Mr W. Watson (baritone) as Lot gave evidence of a good voice and ability to use it. Like Miss Glen, his part in the programme was very limited; but in the diiet "No strife between us," he promised to be an acquisition to local musical circles. The quartettes suffered from a want of sympathy between the members thereof, and on that account were not so successful as they otherwise might have been. Coming to the chorus, we have nothing but praise for their performance. This does not mean that they were perfect; neither does it discount the fact that in Mr Taylor's organ playing they had a powerful ally that, besides increasing their efficiency, often hid their defects. But the singers entered thoroughly into the spirit of their work; they delivered their notes cleanly and crisply; paid more than average attention to expression marks; and impressed the listener with the fact that they_ themselves enjoyed the performance. "The Lord of Hosts," "He is Lord of All" (chorale); "Make a joyful noise" and "Slowly with tedious steps" may be referred to as warranting special mention. As we liave already indicated, Mr Taylor's manipulation of the organ greatly: assisted in bringing about the success which, the cantata undoubtedly was.; and he added to the pleasure of the evening by his playing of the "Introduction" and the "Intermezzo." Mr J. B. Fergusson ably conducted, and must receive credit for his share in the preliminary practices, which, judging by results, had been judiciously carried out.