SACRED CANTATA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21601, 23 March 1932, Page 14

SACRED CANTATA

STAINER’S “CRUCIFIXION” The performance of Sir John Stainer’s “ The Crucifixion ” by the All Saints’ Church Choir last evening was attended by a fairly large audience in All Saints’ Church, the impressive dignity and appeal of this favourite Easter cantata being admirably reproduced by the choir and soloists. The choir, although not overstrong numerically, carried out its part in highly commendable fashion, achieving good balance and fair volume. There were occasions when a larger body of singers would have been in a better position to give adequate treatment to several of the concerted numbers, but nevertheless the choral work as a whole was of a very high standard. The two principal soloists, Mr Alfred VValmsley 'and Mr Wilfred Kershaw, gave strikingly thoughtful interpretations of the various recitatives and arias assigned to them. Mr Walmsley’s fine tenor voice was always under admirable control, and he sang with rare feeling and insight into the spirit of the work as a whole. Mr Kershaw was in particularly fine voice, his resonant bass being given excellent expression in the numbers entrusted to his care. The two other soloists were Mr N. Lawson and Mr B. Dickinson, who sang the parts of the Malefactors. An unusual feature of the cantata was the singing of “ God So Loved the World ” as a quartet instead of as a full choral number. The parts were taken by Misses Crockett and Lilly and Messrs Wingfield and Strong. The performance of Mr A. W. Lilly at the organ was to a large extent responsible for the undoubtedly high standard of the rendition of the work as a whole, his accompaniments to the soloists being artistically unobtrusive, whilst he held the choir together to a noticeable degree in the concerted numbers.