CONCERT AT THE GARRISON HALL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2443, 9 January 1901, Page 17

CONCERT AT THE GARRISON HALL.

On New Year's Night a concert was given at the Garrison Hall by a Maori musician, Mi Bangiuia, assisted by Miss Lizzie Wignall, Mrs Wakerield-Hohnes, and Mr W. F. Young. Mr Eangiuia is described as a chief, and he irformed our reporter that he and his cousin •are the only living descendants of the famous warrior chief Te Kani a Takirau, of the East Coast Ngatiporau tribe. Mr Rangiuia has studied voice production and singing under Mr Newbury, and has just completed a nine months' Australian tour with the NewburySpada Company. In the different Australian centres he has met with an excellent reception, and his singing and pianoforte playing have both been favourably criticised. He appears on the stage in Maori costume, and wears a mat of huia feathers, which he states is the only one in the colony. His- reception on Tuesday night was a decidedly favourable one, and his vocal and pianoforte contributions alike evoked emphatically demanded encores. His pianoforte solos wera all Ms own composi-. tions, or transcriptions, written by himself, of popular airs. They comprised a transcription of "The last roee of summer" and an "Impromptu in D," and as encores a transcription of "The blue bells of Scotland ' and an improvised piece. None of these possessed any technical difficulties that demanded any great executive skill; but there was sufficient for the audience to see that Mr Rangiuia plays with, a firm touch and no little execution, while his playing was characterised by good tone and artistic taste. His vocal solos were " Edinboro' Town " and " Come into thfe garden, Maud/ Bnd as encores " Killarney " and " Ma curlyheaded babby." The vocalist has a, flexible tenor voice of excellent timbre, and he sings with marked taste and ability. He takes decided liberties with his songs, however, and the tempos at which he sang " Killarney " and the last two solos are not likely to meet with the approval of the critical. His piano singing was very effective, but at no time did he seem to have sufficient confidence to let himself out and enable a judgment to be formed of the true capabilities of his voice. However, the audience were well satisfied, and Mr Rangiuia had every reason to be pleased with the reception accorded him. Miss Wignall sang " Roberto il Diavolo," but was heard to more advantage in her encore number " Last night" (Kjerulf). She also sang " The last muster," for which she was honoured with a recall. Mra Wakefield-Holmes, who made her last appearance before leaving for the old country, met with success in Sullivan's " Will he come," and as an encore sang " I couldn't." With Chieftain Rangiuia she alto sang Denza's " Nocturne." Mr W. F. Young sang " The Bedouin love song " and " Asleep 'in the deep," for which he received well-deserved encores. In response to these he sang " Mistress Prue " n-ost acceptably, and recited " The Pride o) Battery B. * The accompaniments were skiJfully played by Madame Yon Look.