ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY'S CONCERT.

Otago Witness, 1 June 1910, Page 69

ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY'S CONCERT.

Vocalists occupied a more than usually prominent place in the programme presented by the Dur-.cdin Orchestral Society at its concert on 27th May, there being in all live vocal items. The singers were Mrs R. Hudson, jun., and Mr H. Nevill-Smith, and both won the good opinion of the audience, which was one of the largest any performance by the Orchestral Society h&s attracted for many years past. Mrs Hudson sang undeniably well in the aria " Roberto, a tu ohe adoro," from Meyerbeer's opera, but it has to be admitted that the volume of voice possessed by the singer renders it exceedirgly difficult for her to deal with complete success with music which, in parts at least, is of a passionate and declamatory nature. While that is the case, Mrs Hudson may claim to have given a highly commerdeble rendering of what is an exceedingly difficult piece of vocal mi.sic, and she deserved the appreciative ltcognition which her singing met with. Mrs Hudson is to be credited with greater success in two quaintly captivating musical productions by Liza Lehman and Landon Ronald, which she sang later in the even-, ing, and which earned for her the honest admiration of those present. Mr H. Nevill-Smith sang the recitative and aria frcm Handel's opera "Serse" with an eviv dent appreciation of the matter he had in hand, but to an attentive listener it eeemed as if he failed to quite realise the size of the hall he was singing in, for at times he sank his voice to such an extent that it was quite inaudible, even to those in the front of the hall, and only the piano and violin obbligato, supplied by Mr Nauman.n, were audible. Mr Nevill-Smith appears to be possessed of considerable musical taste, and uses the voice Nature has endowed him with vi ell, but it takes something more than that to rise to any considerable extent above mediocrity in a large concert hall. In addition to the aria from " Serse," he sang " Rolling down to Rio," to which he imparted all the vigour at his command. He met with a reception quite as favourable as that accorded to Mrs Hudson, who was presented with a handsome bouquet of flowers on her first appearance. It was in Brahm's " Zwei ungarische tanse" that the orchestra chiefly distinguished itself. The work is not an easy one to perform, on. j reason alone being the broken nature of the time. The orchestra got over this and other difficulties wonderfully well, and played the dances with a confidence, a briskness, and an animation that made the performance particularly welcome. Peculiar as Brahm's music is, it is by no means of an unpopular kind, particularly when treated as it was by the orchestra last evening, end the audience received it with marked favour. Next in order of merit probably came " Ckarson U'Armour," an intermezzo of exquisite beauty, by Home. Io this the orchestra was scarcely ever at fault, and there was very much to admire in its treatment. The orchestra opened well in the selection from '" Tannhauser," but a good deal of the solo work was open to improvement. There is a tendency on the part of .some instrumental soloists to treat their music with a somewhat.measured exactness and in a rather laboured manner, and the result is not just as pleasant as it might be to the ear. This was not entirely absent in the selection from " Tannhauser," creditable as the performance in its entirety was, and the defect was still more marked In the selection from the " Gondoliers," which, presumably on account of its familiarity and popularity, met with exceptional favour. The performance of the overture to Herold's "Zampa" possessed considerable merit, the only real exception that could be taken to it being an unfortunate jar once or twice in the quick passages. The National Anthem was played at the opening, and the concert concluded with a. very pretty and graceful waltz by Keler Bela. While some mild ociument not of a laudatory kind may have been passed upon portions of the performnnce, the concert was, taken as a whole, a really good and creditable one. and the proof of that lies in the fact that every item Vv.a? warmly applauded. Mr James Ccombs \vas,-.-.,0!> usual, al his post a;, conductor.