CHORAL SOCIETY'S CONCERT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18857, 9 May 1923, Page 8

CHORAL SOCIETY'S CONCERT

“THE ANCIENT MARINER.” Tlie production of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem, “The Ancient Mariner,” set to music by John Frances Bennett, by the Dunedin Choral Society in His Majesty’s Theatre last evening was generally attended with, success, the choruses being specially well rendered. The audience was a very numerous one, and completely filled the dress circle and the greater part of the ■downstairs portion of the building. It was a decidedly appreciative audience, and at times became enthusiastic over the performance. An outstanding feature of “The Ancient Mariner” is the orchestration, which forms one of the beauties of the work. In many cases it leaves the beaten track, and the attentive listener is as much attracted by the playing as by the vocal portion of the music. It would be difficult to conceive of anything more charming to the ear than the orchestral accompaniments to the duet portion for soprano and contralto at the close of the chorus “Two Voices in the Air,” which had quite as much to do with the enthusiastic redomand the singers were honoured with as anything else. The music, with rare exceptions, is of a Somewhat sombre order, as the story demands, until the end approaches, when there is an outburst in a joyous direction. The concert opened with the singing of the National Anthem, in which Madam Winnie Fraser took the solo part. i ■

•tho brief orchestral introduction was mainly confined to the strings, and promised well for what was to follow. The opening chorus, which was satisfactorily rendered, served to introduce one of the soloists, Mi- E. Drake, who sang the tenor part. _ Mr Drake sang what little fell to him in this and other choruses quite acceptably, but it was not until the recitative and . air “Down Dropt the Breeze” was reached that he had much opportunity of distinguishing himself. This Mr Drake treated sympathetically and in a manner that might be expected from 1 a trained musician. The choir’s' best contribution in this connection was “Water, Water Everywhere.’’ Mr Drake’s most artistically delivered solo was unquestionably “The Harbour Bay,'*’ a quieter theme, and admirably suited to his style of singing. It is very rarely that ho fails to please and satisfy in compositions of the kind. Madam Winnie Fraser’s first soprano solo of any note was “The Fair Breeze Blew,” which was brightly rendered. As an instance of descriptive vocalism it was distinctly good, but seemed to impose some strain upon Madam Fraser. ’This Seraph Band” was another solo in which Madam Fraser gave undeniable proof of her high qualifications as a soprano. It was, however, where she and Miss Irene Horniblow joined in the duet commencing “But tell me, tell me,” that the highest point of excellence was reached. The two ladies had short solo parts to sing, and these merged into a duet that was particularly captivating, and it was here that the orchestra became more than over prominent. , The voices blended, beautifully" and both Ihe singers sang with great taste, and produced an excellent effect. The audience was quite enraptured with the duet, which had to be repeated. Miss iHorniblow’s contralto song, “O Sleep, it is a Gentle Thing,” was another item that was marked out for special recognition. It was sung softly, and with great expression. Tlie baritone part was undertaken by Mr H. P. Desmoulins, who was inclined to treat a good deal of his music rather too quietly. It is true that much of it required such treatment, but there wore opportunities where variety might have been introduced, and thus removed a sameness. Mr Desmoulins infused more life into his singing of “Swiftly, Swiftly, Mew the Ship,” and the result was a decided improvement. About the only reproach that could be advanced in connection with the orchestral work was met with here. For a few bars the orchestra appeared to lose sight of the fact that it was a soloist and not a choir it was accompanying, and the soloist had very little chance of making himself heard. But for this little lapse the orchestra placed exceedingly well One of the finest choruses heard was “The Upper Air Burst into Life, ’ which was sung with very fine effect, though the male voices were occasionally ■weak, and a trifle wavering. The closing chorus, What Loud Uproar Bursts from the Door,” was also admirably rendered and ‘About, About, in Reel “and xvout” may bo included amongst the best of a lot of good work done by the choir during tlie evening. The choir was conducted bv Dr V. x'j, Galway,. Mr .J. A. Wallace led the orchestra, and Miss E. Hartley occupied the position of pianist. The concert concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.

eitect, Iho audience was quite enraptured with the duet, which had to be repeated. Miss iHorniblow’s contralto song, “O Sleep, R is a Gentle Thing,” was another item that was marked out for special recognition. It was sung softly, and with great expression. Tlie baritone part was undertaken by Mr H. P. Desmoulins, who was inclined to treat a good deal of his music rather too quietly. It is true that much of it required such treatment, but there wore opportunities where variety might have been introduced, and thus removed a sameness. Air Desmoulins infused more life into his singing 0 i “Swiftly, Swiftly, Mew the Ship,” and the result was a decided improvement. About the only reproach that could be advanced in connection with the orchestral work was met with here. For a few bars the orchestra appeared to lose sight of the fact that it was a soloist and not a choir it was accompanying, and the soloist had very little chance of making himself heard. But for this little lapse the orchestra placed exceedingly well One of the finest choruses heard was “The Upper Air Burst into Life, ’ which was sung with very fine effect, though the male voices were occasionally weak, and a trifle wavering. The closing chorus, What Loud Uproar Bursts from the Door,” was also admirably rendered and ‘About, About, in Reel “and xvout” may bo included amongst tho best of a lot of good work done by the choir during tlie evening. Tho choir was conducted bv Dr V. x'i. Galway,. Mr-J. A. Wallace led tne orchestra, and Miss E. Hartley occupied the position of pianist. The concert concluded with the singing of the National Anthem. ' The Ancient Alarinor” will be again rendered by the Choral Society at His Majesty's Theatre this evening.