MALE CHOIR CONCERT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19836, 8 July 1926, Page 13

MALE CHOIR CONCERT.

The bookings for the Male Choir concert, given in His Majesty’s Theatre last evening, constituted a record, and have never been equalled during the many years the choir has been iu existence, first as the Liedertafel, and later as the Dunedin Male Choir. It is a great compliment, in’ a tangible form, to the choir’s admittedly good work over a long course of years that the number of admirers has steadily grown, and last night reached the highest point so far attained. Not only was the attendance a record one, but the majority of the items sung met with most cordial recognition. The opening selection was “A Roman War Song,” in reality a chorus from Richard Wagner’s “Rienzi,” which was delivered with all the vigour it demanded. The members of the choir were as one throughout, which is not always the case where a body of vocalists or instrumentalists get together, and the rendering of the chorus was most satisfactory. Perhaps the next choir item, “Hymn of the Pilgrims,” by Edward Macdowell, was not so uniformly good. Most of it was, however, sung very effectively, and the value of its. performance was fully recognised by the audience. The next choir selection quite hit the taste of those present, and had to be repeated. This was an arrangement by Vaughan Williams of the “Old Folks at Home,” the music having been presented to the choir by Mr D. C. Stark. The old familiar air of “Way Down Upon the Swanoe River” appealed very stronglv to the audio"''? for three reasons, because it was an old friend, because of tne sentiment it runtejeU, and uecause it was well sung. The effect when the choir was singing full was certainly bettor in the soft than in the loud passages, there being an inclination to be rather boisterous in th® latter. “The Old Folks” was, however, well sung and a good deal of its success was attributable to the soloist. Mr J. A. Haggitt In Gernsheim’s “Salamis” the singer did not always appear to be too well acquainted with, the music. The song of triumph went magnificently in the portions beginning “Crown ye the vessel,” but there was a sense of uncertainty conveyed to the listener in two or three places where the exultant tone, was to some extent dropped for a few bars. The soloist was Mr James Paterson. Beethoven’s “Hallelujah, Power and Glory” was very well sung. Unquestionably the most artistic piece of work the choir did was when it sang Baynon’s “Hush Song.” This was beautifully rendered - and was as fine an example of delicate part singing as could be desired. Ihe linal item sung by the choir was the chorus from Verdi’s opera “Ernani.” “Companions, let’s drink and play.” presented by Mr Thomas S. Scarie. There was plenty of swing about the delivery of this, the choir reaching a very high level at the section “A truce to care." “Ah Moon of My Delight ’ was very tastefully sung bv Mr A. Moore, who advanced himself still further in the favour of the audience bv his rendering of Goodnight. Beloved.” Messrs J. W. Stewart, Alfred George, and J. A. Haggitt gave a very creditable performance of the mad scene from Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor,” the instruments played by the three gentlemen respectively being flute, clarinet, and piano. at r they played a “Tarantella by Saint-Saens, and were recalled on eacn occasion they appeared. Miss Mabelle Esquilant delighted the audience with her singing of Cyril Scott’s “Sorrow,” Rachnianivov’s “ Spring Waters,” Hageman’s “Do Not Go, Mv Love,” and Strauss s “Serenade.” While all were exceedingly nicely sung, the Hageman selection was to be preferred. Miss Esquilant was recalled on both occasions she appeared. Mr J D M'Kcchnie sang the recitative and air “Vision Fugitive,” by Massanet, very pleasingly, but far surpassed it with a beautiful rendering of “Passing By,” a portion of which had to be repeated. There was plenty of applause bestowed upon Alessrs Moore and M'Kecbnie’s singin" of the duct “The Moon Has Raised Her Lamp Above.” from Benedicts opera “The Lily of Killarney.” The duet was well sung, but an accentuation of the fre quently recurring word “Come” might have added to the effect. . Dr V E Gal wav conducted the choir, and he and Mr J. A. Haggitt divided the accompaniments to the vocal solos, the latter presiding at the piano when the choir was singing.