CHRISTMAS CONCERT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23669, 29 November 1938, Page 7

CHRISTMAS CONCERT

ROYAL DUNEDIN MALE CHOIR What has long been acclaimed the most popular of its presentations—the annual Christmas concert —will be given by the Royal Dunedin Male Choir in the Town Hall on. Monday. December 5. As is usual, the programme will consist of items which have been well received in the past and for which requests have been made. Gustav Hoist's arrangement of the old song " Swansea Town" will open the programme. This is always a favourite, the rollicking, care-free rendering setting the audience completely at ease. With this will be bracketed Stephen Foster's old favourite " Old Folks at Home." with solo by Mr J. Paterson, and Sir Hugh Roberton's setting of G. K. Chesterton's dramatic poem., "The Donkey." Two other Roberton numbers follow, "De Battle ob Jerico," which was a pronounced success at the first concert of the year, and "The Old Woman" a beautiful work of quiet serenity. Another item which has been previously presented this year is "The Image of the Rose," in which Mr Rowland Dunbar will again take the tenor solo, and bracketed with this is "Roll the Old Chariot Along." In the Gustav Hoist carol "In the Bleak Midwinter" the third verse will be sung by the King's High School Boys' Choir to a humming accompaniment by the men Another " different" carol will be Pietro Yon's "Twas in the Moon of Winter Time," the first carol sung by the Indians on Manhattan, in which the story of the Babe's birth is described in terms familiar to the Indians in their native life. The third item of the bracket will be a local arrangement of a carol by Geoffrey Shaw, "Unto Us a Boy Is Born," with interesting harmonies in traditional style. Mr Eric Brebner will sing "Footsteps Over the Snow" ("In Bethlehem"), in which the accompaniment is provided by subdued humming. As is almost a custom now with the Male Choir, the concert will conclude with "Ring Out. Wild Bells" (Percy Fletcher).

Miss Bertha Rawlinson will sing a number by Michael Head. The New Zealand tenor horn champion and winner of the open championship for brass instruments of New Zealand. Master Ralph Francis, will play as a tenor horn solo " Your Tiny Hand Is Frozen" ("La Boheme," Puccini), and an outstanding attraction will be the

appearance of the King's High School Boys' Choir in items conducted by Mr A. H. Robinson, with Mr T. Arnold at the piano. The box plans will open at Begg's on Thursday