THE CHORAL SOCIETY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23202, 28 May 1937, Page 14

THE CHORAL SOCIETY

A BREAK WITH ; TRAblTiP^^

The reorganisation of the Dunedin' Choral Society is one of the most important steps taken by a musical group in this city. 7 In one sense, it; is to be regarded as a sign of the-;. times, for in these days the 'varioUS| musical organisations in New Zea-„ land are challenged, not only by the popular appeal of wireless and ffijga all-embracing sound film, but also*by the prevalence of recordings of the world's great musical combinations. The Choral Society has decided, therefore, to concentrate on obtaining an improved standard of performance as well as- a. widening of the scope of its music. Recently the members of the choir underwent., a comprehensive voice test, and it is a keen body of choristers that willV: shortly appear before Dunedin audiences. On the programme side a sweeping change in the society s policy is evident, which may be broadly described as a tendency towards the featuring of shorter and fresher compositions in preference to the somewhat staid evenings devoted to oratorio or concertised opera. Moves in a new direction have been apparent within the past few years. Works which are hardly new, but nevertheless unhackneyed,' have crept into the repertoire, and:.; Dunedin has been treated to pieces like the Requiem of Mozart and; Dvorak's "Spectre's Bride." The;: presence here of Madame Muriel,.: Brunskill in 1935 was notable for-, the presentation of Elgar's " Sea Fici tures." with this great artist as solo- ~ . ■, . : . ■• "- ..... :• | ■ - t The advances that are now being made will be apparent in future programmes and are noticed especially in that arranged for the first concert of the season, on June : 14. A section of the programme, for instance, is being devoted, to Russian music, embracing Widelydifferent types. It is a particularly interesting field of music for the society to exploit—most of it consisting of ground unbroken in Dunedin—and has a topical interest in view of the recent revival here of 1 Russian ballet, echoes of which are contained in the Choral Dance from, Borodin's " Prince Igor." Moussorgsky, another of those great Russian... nationalists and composers of the monumental "Boris Godounov." will be represented by a graphic choral ~< excerpt, "Joshua," and the remaining numbers of the group will be of a devotional nature characteristic of the beautiful music of the Orthodox Russian Church. They are Ippolitov-Ivanov's "Bless the Lord, O My Soul," and " To Thee O Lord." by Sergei Rachmaninoff. These, sacred numbers offer a striking contrast to the exhilarating and pulsating rhythms of " Prince Igor." English music will; however, findv A prominent place, and the majdf; work for the concert will be Hoist's choral ballad "King Estmere, J ' melodious and appealing tion with which Dunedin music?, lovers will be glad to renew.:' acquaintance. "This England," "by; 5 Dr Thomas Wood, and the great * Coronation anthem of Hajtidel, "Zadok the Priest," will be other , ; ; pieces of significance at this con-""' cert. '■■.'■*■ ■/'• ,■■ Much work is being done with a ;, view to making this concert the: ; - occasion of a revival of public inter-.' est in one of the oldest and most • distinguished musical groups in Dun- ; edin, and the rehearsals are being; -i keenly participated in by all con- '|J cerned. "" : ' 'i.