RETURNED SOLDIERS’ CHOIR

Otago Witness, Issue 4042, 1 September 1931, Page 62

RETURNED SOLDIERS’ CHOIR

FAREWELL TO MR C. A. MARTIN. Before a very large audience in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall on Wednesday evening the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Choir presented its fortieth concert, the performance also being arranged as a farewell to Mr Charles A. Martin, who has been associated with the choir as its accompanist since 1919, and is shortly leaving for England to further his musical studies. The concert was, on the whole, one of the most enjoyable the choir has presented for some time, the vocalists singing with a combination and balance which reflected considerable credit on tlie efforts of their conductor, Mr J. T. Leech. At the conclusion of the performance, Mr **• • Anderson, the chairman of the Choir Committee, referred to Mr Martin’s long association with the choir and the excellent work he had performed as its pianist, and stated that in an endeavour to show its appreciation of his services the choir would conclude its recital with a number the .words of which were set to the music of an old song. then ean S- to the tune vV ill ie No’ Come Back Again,” what was in effect an expression arranged especially for that occasion of regret that Mr Martin was leaving them, of conviction that he would prosper m his studies, and of hope that he would return to Dunedin to take up his old position with the musical combination. The accompaniment was played by Mr T. J. Kirk-Burnnand. Mr Martin, in acknowledging the compliment paid to him, spoke of the excellent spirit of comradeship which existed in the choir, which, he said, was unique amongst musical bodies, in that it was the only returned soldiers’ choir in existence. He would always remember the words of encouragement and goodwill which the choir'had sung, and he hoped that when his studies were completed he would be worthy of the confidence expressed by his comrades.— (Applause.) The first choral number was Sullivan’s The Beleagured,” and the choir then sang “Autumn Sea” (Gerrich), an unaccompanied item, and “La Retraite (De Rille) and a novel number entitled “In Vocal Combat” (Dudley Buck), demonstrated how two songs of totally different sentiment and arrangement could be sung together. The tenors first presented Balfe’s “ Then You’ll Remember Me,” and then the basses sang “ Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep” (Knight). Undoubtedly the most outstanding choral number of the evening was Dudley Buck’s “ Chorus of Spirits and Hours,” from Shelley’s “ Prometheus Unbound.” The soloist was Mr W. N. Satterthwaite, who acquitted himself in a difficult part with distinct success. In response to the bursts of enthusiastic applause which greeted the conclusion of the number, the latter portion was repeated. The everpopular “Song of the Bow” (Florence Aylward), was followed bv “The Curfew” (Attwood), and “The Tickling Trio” (Martini). Two sea chanteys, “ Bound for the Rio Grande ” and “ Billy Boy,” the chanteymen being Messrs H. L. Paterson and P. F. Harre respectively, completed the choral section of the programme.

The principal vocal soloist wag Miss Anne White, whoso charming soprano voice was given excellent expression in Berlioz’s “ Absence.” Her second number, ““The Willow” (Goring Thomas), also created a particularly favourable impression. and she was required to respond with two encores, her singing of “Coinin’ Thro’ the Rye ” and “ Robin Adair ” being delightful pieces of vocal artistry. Mr A. J. Parker's light baritone voice was admirably suited to his selection, “ Onaway, Awake” (Cowan), and in response to demands for a recall he sang “ I Travel the Road ” with nice expression. The old favourite. “Cloze Props” (Wolsley), wag excellent!} 7 sung by Mr P. S. Anderson, who, on being recalled, gave an artistic interpretation of “ Sea Gipsy ” (Willoughby). Messrs J. Bartlett and D. Fitzpatrick were associated in a cornet duet “Watchman, What of the Night” (Squire). The principal instrumentalist of the eveing was Mr Martin, who gave a finished and artistic performance of his own “Variation on a Theme by Kitson.” As a composition this number compelled the admiration oF all who heard it, whilst its presentation left nothing to be desired. In technique and in tonal colouring Mr Martin’s performance was thoroughly delightful, and even when he had repeated the latter portion of the number the audience was far from satisfied, with the result that he gave a third encore, choosing Beethoven’s melodious “ Turkish March,” from “ The Ruins of Athens.” In his accompaniments to the choral and solo numbers during the entertainment Mr Martin maintained the enviably high standard of artistic interpretation and execution with which his name has been associated in musical circles in Dunedin for so long.