THE YORKSHIRE NIGHTINGALE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2914, 19 January 1910, Page 57

THE YORK SHIRE NIGHTINGALE.

There was a distinctly large audience assembled an the Garrison Hall on the 10th to listen to the first con,cert given locally by Mr Enos Bacon, the Yorkshire Nightingale. The gathering, besides being numerically strong, was in its appreciation of the various. items .occasionally and deservedly , enthusiastic; ..for as regards the interpretation of some of the pieces by Mr Bacon, it is hard to see how they could be susceptible of improvement. This applies , particularly to the elocutionary items, as in connection with the singing, though it is decidedly unique and certainly pleasurable, it can hardly be said to reach a standard quite so high in singing as did the monologues in the elocutionary section. Beyond all doubt Mr Bacon’s voice came as a revelation'to the audience. The soprano was high, powerful, and surprisingly effective in its range; the baritone was singularly rich and rolling;. As a matter of fact, the audience would certainly have been distinctly pleased to hear a song—and probably several songs —in the baritone voice, after the splendid use made of it at intervals in Piboolomini’s beautiful “ Whisper and I shall hear.” In this piece, which stood cut unquestionably as one of the best of the evening, Mr Bacon changed his voice at will. Commencing, he altered at alternate lines; then with phrases, and towards the close, as a special indication of his unique power, alternate words were rendered as soprano and baritone. Though some of critical faculty in the audience may agree with Mr Bacon when he said preliminarily that he did not claim this song would be an artistic success, all cannot but yield the point he made that it was a unique performance. The high soprano notes were brought out with great power and distinctness, and the snatches of ■ baritone interpolated were refreshing in their natural vigour and sweetness. For this effort Mr Bacon was encored, and gave us a special item the first Scotch song he has ever sung in public — “The bonnis banks of Loch Lomond.” In this also the voice was somewhat changed. The initial item on the programme was “ The nightingale ” (Gantz), and the success achieved with this effort was such as to immediately create a sympathetic and appreciative bond between performer and audience. Following his opening, Mr Bacon gave as a recital the humorous piece “The Bishop and the Caterpillar” —a much appreciated item, —arid added to it a capital thing in “Jack and Jill.” This monologue was splendid in parts, and consisted of well-adaptod parodies of the- styles of various poets to the familiar nursery story of Jack and Jill. The poets treated were all of classic repute, and the pleasure of the audience as it recognised the peculiar characteristics of each was meet marked, “ Memories of home ” comprised some well-sung soprano verses in which the pathetic was given full value, while the remaining song on. the programme was the well-known hymn “ The Wondrous Cross,” put to song music by Mr Bacon. This was neither the least meritorious nor the least popular of the overling’s items. Where beyond all doubt Mr Bacon achieved a complete success—almost/ a triumph—was in his recital of passages concerning “ Smike,” from “Nicholas Nickieby.” In this the characters were almost made to live; to each was given its due weight and proportionate share of dialectic force, and after his powerful depiction of the scene where Nicholas soundly thrashes Squeere fox Jits barbarous ' treatment of Smike Mi-

Bacon was accorded a very hearty round of applause. Another item sp.endkily given was “ Three Lads and a Feast.’' while the concluding item, The Little Black Hen,” was a happy effort. Altogether, Mr Bacon is to be congratulated on having presented to h;s audience, per medium of his certainly unique and wonderful voice, an individual entertainment of unusual merit.