TRAINING COLLEGE CHOIR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25306, 17 August 1943, Page 4

TRAINING COLLEGE CHOIR

OUTSTANDING ENTERTAINMENT From comparatively modest beginnings the Dunedin Training College Choral Society ' has, in the space of a few years, developed into a fully-fledged musical organisation that is a valuable acquisition to t)ie cultural life of the city, particularly at a time when older-estab-lished societies are experiencing extreme difficulty in carrying on under war conditions. Full credit' for this development must be given to Mr G. E. Wilkinson, whose energy and enthusiasm have created a body of singers capable of .presenting choral works of considerable importance, as was convincingly demonstrated in the society’s annual recital in the Town Hall last night. It would have been reasonable to expect that a choir of some 300 voices would show evidence of unwieldiness, but the young singers’ excellent response to Mr Wilkinson's directions, their flexibility, fine balance, and satisfying tone would have done credit to much more experienced choristers. Another feature of the entertainment was the versatility of the choir, for in addition to the various works presented by the full ensemble, selected groups gave performances that were no whit inferior to those of the entire choir. The entertainment as a whole was eminently satisfying by reason of its freshness, vitality, and its fundamental artistic merit.

The choral work presented by the full choir were " Ye Shepherds Tell Me,” by Mazzinghi, “ Creation’s Hymn,” by Beethoven, “ Since First I Saw Your Face,” by Ford, “ Shenandoah,” arranged by Johnson, “ Marie’s Wedding,” a delightful arrangement by Robe, ton of a Scottish vocal dance, and the inspiring ” This England,” by Wood, which made an appropriate concluding item to the concert. The ladies of the choir gave an admirable performance of Armstrong Gibbs’s “ The Lady of Shallott,” an interesting work which demanded and received sensitive treatment. Miss A. Curran sang the solo part of the composition very attractively. Other compositions sung by the ladies’ choir were Purcell's " Sound the Trumpet,” Mendelssohn’s beautiful setting of Psalm 102, “ The Birds," by Harry Brook, and “ Where Lies the Land, 1 ' by George Dyson. A group of'senior ladies sang " May in the ■Greenwood.'” ,by Robin Milford, -in /competent style, and other presentations by .ladies’ sections of the choir were ” O Hush Thee, My Babie,” by Henschel, and “ Dame Hickory,” by Gibbs, sung by the junior women’s group; “ My Love Dwelt in a Northern Land ” (Elgar), sung by the homecraft students; “ The Shepherd’s Song ” (Godard), sung by the third-year physical education group; and “ Omniootence ” (Schubert) and “Sleep, Little Baby ” (Taylor), by a further group. The male section of the choir sang “ There is a Lady” (Adamson) and “The Old Superb ” (Stanford), and a combined group presented “ Sacramento ”. (Rowley). Miss Anita Proctor sang Schumann’s '“Humility ” and '" Roma nee, "...by Kirschner, very charmingly, and Miss I. Livingstone also sang "Lithuanian Song” (Chopin). "Dedication” (Franz), and “A Christmas Folk Song ” (Wilkinson) in attractive style. Miss M. Allan played the pianoforte splo' “Un Sospiro,” by Liszt, with skill and artistry. The accompanists were Misses J. Nelson, Allan, E. Matheson, P. Johnson, and Messrs R. B. Martyn, R. J. Matthews, and Wilkinson.