THE ADA CROSSLEY COXCERTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2860, 6 January 1909, Page 69

THE ADA CROSSLEY COXCERTS.

Of all the singers of note who have visit^ the Dominion and this city, and the list of them is now of very respectable length, Madame Ada Crossley" perhaps stands preeminent for success in winning her way to the hearts of her aiidience. In her case the gift of song is so intimately associated with the gift of a charming personality that such a result is in no way surprising, j The recollection of the contralto's memorj able concert season in Dunedin some fiva 1 years ago could not fail to enhance the ! measure of interest with which her present j visit has been anticipated, and the large • audience present at the Garrison Hall on • Saturday evening was obviously most plea1 surably expectant of what it was to hear. Expectation had certainly reason to be well satisfied. Madame Crossley did not sing a dozen or more times, as perhaps some would have liked, but she was not appearing in a vocal recital, and she generously supplemented her programme numbers. She has the support, moreover, of a concert company of unusual- excellence, and even the best" of programmes suffers if unduly j protracted. Madame Crossley ig to-day, as I of yore, the irresistibly sympathetic singer lof sweet songs. Her magnificent voice and I all her mastery of ' the methods and re- | sources of the vocal art would not help her j nearly so much to her present popularity i were they not in a measure overshadowed by and lost sight of by reason of that insight in vocal interpretation, that appeal to the listener through the most persuasive ' of all mediums unless perhaps tears, which • makes her one of the most entirely charmi ing singers of the day. On her appearance on Saturday evening Madame Crossley had an enthusiastic reception. The number which served to introduce her to a I Dunedin audience was the recitatiye and t air " Ombra mai fu," and HandeFs melo1 dious theme was expressed in a manner revealing and making the most of all its , stately sweetness, the interpretation being j marked by refinement, dignity, and re1 straint. In response to a storm of applause and numerous floral tribute?, the singer gave '"' The banks of Allan Water " in a manner that entirely delighted the j audience, and again the demands for more I were too imperative to brook a denial. Madame Crossley 'contented herself, however, with supplying a dainty vocal fragment wishing the audience a happy New , Year. These songs showed the singer to ) be% in excellent voice, though one had a suspicion, from a seeming disposition to j spare it somewhat, that a surplus of ourI salubrious climate might be affecting a higher vocal register unusually fine for a I contralto. Madame Crossley's second pro- ; gramme number was Cuthbert Wynne's I " Through love to light." This was xendered with a richness of vocal expression j that imparted telling emphasis to the dignified sentiment of the song, and revealed 1 especially the deep significance of its closing, passages. It was in the first of the three encore numbers that followed, however, that" the audience received the full measure 06 the thrill of which it had been experiencing foretastes in her earlier eongs, and 1 which it is the highest attainment of any, singer's art to be able to impart. Nevin's "O that we too were maying" is a simple ! little song, but the music and the sentjj ment are in admirable harmony. and it , served to reveal Madame Crossley's capacity ; as a balladist as did none of the other lof her solos. The sympathetic impressive- • ness of the rendering could not have been surpassed, and, spellbound, the audience i listened to the singer's beautiful intonation' j of the solemnly reverent appeal of the last verse. Throughout the song the glorioua quality of Madame Crossley's lower vocal register was in most welcome evidence. Se applause that followed was quite in the :ure of a furore, and two additional j numbers had to be given before the ' audience allowed the programme to be pro- ' ceeded with. The coon lullaby '• Mighty like a rooe " was Madame Crossley's final contribution, and a very daiuty one it was, sung with the happiest expression. Of the other members of the concert party Mr John Harrison created a parI ticularly favourable impression, and is a j tenor vo.ealis r of unusual merit. His voice is of very clear and tuneful quality, he has it undei* excellent control, and achieves admirable vocal effects in its management. Hie pianissimc3 are particularly delicate and sure, while he has a reserve power which, allied to a fine range, enables him to work up a striking climax where suit-a-ble. Mr Harrison's first number was Goring Thomaa'a "O vision entrancing." rendered yer r - effectively and easily and with, excellent enunciation. As an encore item he gave Clutsam*3 pleasing little ballad '"M\rra'" most artistically. The tenor's subsequent numbers were "To Mary," by 1 Maud Valeric White, and " Love's Mastery (Liddle). a new and decidedly effective song, sung with as much spirit as its predecessor was with delicacy. As the ine\irable addition the singer gave " Masy of Argyle " and put the seal finally on his local popularity. The remaining vocalist of the company is Mr Jay Ryan, who has an expressive baritone voice of vibrant quality. He sing 3 artistically and sympathetically, though his articulation is at times somewhat faulty. Mr Ryan's programme numbers were Allitsen's "The Lord is mv Light '" and Benedict's " Colleen Bawn.'' Both wora decidedly effectivD contribution-;, and in both the singer showed 1 marked capacity for impressive vocal utterance. As encore numbers Mr Rvan sang "My fairest child " and " Off to Philadelphia " Tl.e pianist of the company is Mr Percy Grainger, who is not new to Dunedin, and already has a reputation. He possesses a technique that commands high respect, and his interpretations combine with executhe brilliancy refinement, conscientiousness, and artistic feeling. Hia programme selections were Chopin s " Pol-onai-^3 in A flat and Li?zt"s "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12,'" a fino rendering in each) ca.se io\ealing power without pa-s-jion. As encore items Mr Grainger ffa\e two contribution;, which further revealed the advanco h" has made in hi» ij.-ofc-s-iou sinca here la't. La=t, bur not leo'l. there remains to '>2 mentioned tli3 viohniM, of tho compa-m. Mr Leon Sametini, whooS playing irreatlv plerw-d tnc- aduience. As a violinist Mr Sidueuni makes up in delicacy and purity of tone what he lacks in foqee, an<J hb execution is very finished and accurate.

!Tb« Chopin-Sarasate " Nocturne " was most sympathetically given, and the " Minuet " (Mozart) was daintiness itself. As an enoore number the violinist gave Elgar's " Salut D' Amour," and was subsequently heard in Wieniaw3ki's " Polenaise in A major," after whioh he was again emphatically recalled, giving a very clever unaccompanied rendering, of the famous sestet from "Lucia." Mr Harrison and Mar Ryan, by their singing of the vocal duet "The moon hath raised her lamp above," brought to a close a concert most thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end.