WESTMINSTER GLEE SINGERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20867, 6 November 1929, Page 7

WESTMINSTER GLEE SINGERS.

A DELIGHTFUL CONCERT.

It is no exaggeration to say that every member of the audience which filled Burns ji- il as ? night left the building highly "®“?hted with the concert provided by the Westminster Glee Singers. There are eight adults and five boys in the company, and it is indeed a treat to listen to their concerted singing and to their solo work. .y® r is the splendid enthusiasm with which the performers handle their various tasks a spirit, indeed, which meets with a response from the audience by its spontaneity. The music presented last night ranged from grave to cay, from the simple melody to the classical, and the company must have achieved a record in the tact that every number was vociferously encored. The concert was opened with “Breeze of the Night” (Charles liamothe), sung by the adults without accompaniment and with beautiful balance and harmony, the lilting rhythm being artistically handled, and “Come, Let .Us Join the Roundelay,” was given as an encore. “The Pipes of Pan," by the boys, followed, the sweet fresh voices making an instant appeal, and they responded to vociferous applause with “ Where the Bee Sucks.” " Youth Will Needs Have Dalliance” (Sir Arthur Sullivan) was given with fine effect by Mr Charles Draper, who is the possessor of a virile baritone voice, a chorus behind the back cloth assisting the soloist, “Harlequin” being finely sung as an encore. The part songs, ‘ Orpheus With His Lute,” and “My Bonny Lass,” by the full company, were rendered in artistic style, the fading harmony at the conclusion of the first number being beautifully rendered. "O Hush Thee, My Baby,” was the encore, Mr James Barber coming in with his full bass voice and rounding off the effort in fine style. The leading boy soloist, Harry Fearn, sang "Serenade" (Gounod), and at once won the hearts of the audience. He has a sweet, well-trained, voice, beautiful enunciation, and a . boyish charm, and at the conclusion of his song he was rewarded with a great burst of applause. He responded with " The Swallows ” as an encore number, and again achieved a striking success. The audience liked the singing of “Haste ye. Soft Gales ” by a quartet of adults so much, that a double encore was insisted on, “Old Mother Hubbard” and “Little Tommy Went Fishing,” two humorous items, being given in finished and diverting fashion. Two Irish songs were rendered by Mr Charles O’Connor, who has a sweet, well-controlled tenor voice, and the sailor chanties, “ Clear the Track,” " Tom’s Gone to Hilo,” and “ Billy Boy ” were sung by Mr Albert G. Greene, with chorus. Mr Branscotnbe, prior to the singing, gave a brief history of the chanty, and said that with the passing of the sailing vessel it had been to some extent forgotten, but these songs had now been put into print and made permanently available ns an important part of their sea minstrelsy. Mr Greene, who is an old Dunedin boy, and has been absent from New Zealand for many years, received a hearty welcome on his appearance on the stage. Mr Greene, it may be explained, is the specialty artist of the company, and does not take part in the ordinary glee singing. He has a good bass voice, and sang the three numbers with fine interpretative skill and a nice sense of humour and also pathos, “ Bullaboloo, Bullabelay” and "Fire Down Below” being the encore numbers. A cycle of Welsh airs by the company followed, “ Swansea Market,” " All Through the Night," and “ The Men of - Harlech ” being the numbers, with “ The British Grenadiers ” as the encore. The ex-Dunedin tenor, Mr Ernest M'Kinlay. appeared in the second part of the programme, and made a great success of the singing of his three solos—“My Lovely Celia," a Maori song by Alfred Hill, and the negro spiritual “I Got a Robe.” Mr M*Kinlay was in fine voice. He invested his singing with fine light and shade, his enunciation was excellent, and' he indeed proved himself to be a finished artist. Mr M’Kinlay could have had no fault to. find with the warmth of his reception by the large audience. The glee singers “Ave Maria” and “ Ring Out With Socund Chime.” Mr Donald Reid sang “Ye Banks and Braes ” with a charming humming effect by the chorus, and was encored; the humorous quartet gave "There Are Women,” and was also encored, and there followed “The Lark in the Morn,” and “I’m Seventeen, Come Monday” by the singers; “A Song of Cider," Mr James Barber; “Amongst Leaves so Green O," Mr Charles O’Connor and the boy sopranos; “A Farmer’s Son," Messrs Douglas Bartrip, William Lowry, Ernest M’Kinlay, and Charles Draper: “Widdicombe Fair,” splendidly given by Mr Greene assisted by the singers; and “Oh, Dear, What Can the Matter Be,” by the singers, in every instance additional numbers being demanded and given. The concert concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.

For the accompanied numbers Messrs Donald Reid and Edward Branscombe presided at the piano.

A matinee will be given to-day and the company will appear again In the evening.