THE FISK JUBILEE SINGERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2924, 30 March 1910, Page 70

THE FISK JUBILEE SINGERS.

The attraction of the Fisk Jubik-3-Singers in a programme of sacred music euitable to the occasion was-sufficient to draw a very large audience to the Garrison Hall on the 25th, very few vacant seats being_ available. The original company, of which the present combination is the lineal descendant, , established long since a name and a popularity in-New Zealand, as in Australia a'nd - elsewhere, that have survived many comings and goings, and the Jubilee Singers have , evidently still no cause to complain that the public taste for the plantation melodies and quaint revival songs which are their specialty has very perceptibly waned, A double quartet of trained singers should be thoroughly capable of entertaining the publio in any case, and the company in this particular instance has the advantage of presenting more or less novel and' unhackneyed musical fare in a rnpre or less novel way. Last evening's .audience was exceedingly appreciative in the reception it gave the..members of the company, .and the numerous recalls accorded them' considerably extended, the original length of the- programme:. The selections T.enplered were well chosen and • varied. Specially pleasing and popular were the choruses, which were both excellent as -examples of efficient" part. singing and interesting in the: efi'ectivenesss attaching -to their characteristic treatment. The company scored a particular success in the old favourite "Hear dem bells," which was accorded a triple, encore, and achieved very, happy results in. such other .numbers as " Jn that great getting-UD morning," "Mary and Lord delivered Daniel," "De old sheep don't know de road,"" Nobody knows the trouble I've seen/' and "The great camp meetinsr." the expressions on the faces of the audience during • the rendering of which wera a study, and suggested the creation j<nd revival of manv pleasant reflections. The; Fisk' Jubilee. Sintrers must be given every credit for the fact that the effects they realise' in their singing are unstrained, and-have all *V> desired apnearance of spontahieitv. -Their vocal • efforts aiv* as often as agreeablv modulated and refiner] as thev ara robust, and such contributions as " Steal, away," "The Lord's praver." and " He arose " . were genuinely artistic. and. as was indeed "11 of their work, |n the best of Hate. Individually, moreover, as well as collectively, the members of the oombanv.are "Wci-ent vocal'sts. ..Mr P. H. Collins, the baritone, is as pleasingly, resonant and resourceful as of vore, and his solo "Calvary" war as much-ap-preciated as his •'wio<"-ii°abl° oontribut'ons fn rmrt-sniaancr. Belle Gibbons; whose voice has . not Jfajk ■ its uniane oualitv. was heartilv welcomed on her reappearance, and the annvoval accorded rendering' of " Trf>s TsimeailX " shoy°d + hat aK» is st'll o r>riir>.n. favourite with +h/? pub'ic. Mr Sidney T -T.ay&<v (tenor), and Mi=s Alien Bantisb* /soprano) nvnssjon iri rontribntinr' wiros the ten.r ; " -and "^Ko. of rusaee," pr\A n *v»citatie-n bv Miss "Relle. OiKbons I" TyouWe trt the - A >nen Horner ") found hanpy illusion in .tha b«inff y.n'v o "Poeti volv treated, The onbdned Sariyonium to whioh thw mpwlwrs of f l --? companv s ; ng '« a distinct n.<wr>f to. n. no.rf<i>'mnnc9 with which it is in admirable keening.

The Fisk Jubilee Singers were heard in a programme of secular music on Saturday night, the change being for the better. The company is not so strong as it was previously, and there is a marked difference between it and the original company which visited Dunedin many years ago and created quite a stir. But if the present company does suffer by comparison with the original company, it by no means follows that there is not a great deal of merit to be found in its composition. Where the present com : pany seems to have fallen away most is in solo work, in which department it certainly is not strong, if Saturday night's singing is to be taken as a criterion. The one soloist who seems to be entitled to claim most consideration unfortunately selected a class of song which, though it might suit the taste of the audience, was quite beneath him, and this fact compels a restricted opinion to be passed. There is a young lady banjoist in the company who is_evidently a very capable performer up to a certain point, and a gentleman instrumentalist who plays upon what apoears to be a guitar, to a great extent after the fashion of a banjo or mandolin- player, the instrument being apparently wire strung. Like the lady banjoist. he is to a degree proficient in the uro of the plays upon, and quite capable of entertaining an audience and winning its good opinion, as he did on Saturday evening. It was just fortunate that he was recalled, as his subsequent playing removed a disagreeable impression from the mind. There is scarcely enough body in the tone of such an instrument to do anything like justice

to the "Ave Maria," from " Cavaleria Rusticana," and the waltz that was contributed as one encore number was infinitely preferable, and was well played, and quite enjoyable. It is in the chorus work that the Jubilee Singers.' real, strength lies. They undoubtedly 6ing the plantation melodies, nearly all of which are of a quasi religious character, and are invested with the vein of humoui which is a. peculiarity of negro minstrelsy where religious subject is introduced, particularly well. Where anything has to be sung very softiy, or- it is elected to so treat it, the Jubilee Singers achieve their greatest success, and it is to be regretted that they do not make more frequent use of wriat, in their hands, is a trump card. For this reason "The Lords Prayer" was about the best-per-rormed of their choruses given on Saturday mgiht, and there were several very wellrendered ones. There is o'ne member of the chorus whose name ought to be mentioned in connection with the part singing, ..and that is Miss Bella F. Gibbon*. I his lady has a big part to fill, and is an indispensable member of the company.