Musical.

Southern Cross, Volume 3, Issue 2, 13 April 1895, Page 9

Musical.

SAC RED CONCERT. y The sacred concert ; given in the Wesleyan' ' Church - last: Wednesday evening, in aid bf the Parsonage fund, was a most successful, affair 'in every respect. When the programme first appeared it was at once apparent that ah entertainment of a high orders—from an ’ artistic : stahdpointr---was ia active preparation. Therefore; it could have been no surprise to Mr Hayes—who' arranged and conducted the cbncert in his usual "efficient'manner to' find the church occupied by a numerous eager and, as was afterwards seen, a most attentive and appreciative audience. After the choir and audience conjointly had sung hymn No. G4O, the chorus ‘The Lord is exalted ’ (Wesfc)' was most ably rendered by the choir, supported by a very efficient little 'orchestra of eleven performers. MiSs Smith sang the very pretty solo ‘ They 'shall hunger no more’ (Torrance) in a pleasing manner. This lady was evidently. ‘ suffering from nervousness, which probably accounted for her faulty enunciation at times, but, with a little more confidence, ' there 1 Sis no doubt she will be heard to much better advantage on some future occasion. Mrs Rigg’s item was Pontet’s ‘ The Last Milestone,’ which was very nicely given. Misses Nicholas and England gave the duet ‘ The Sea of Glass ’ in such a manner as to elicit a recall. In response thereto they repeated the last verse. 1 The former also contributed the solo, ‘ The Better Land ’ (Cowen) in very good style, which was diilj appreciated by the audience. The remaining vocalists, Messrs Browri, Grenfell and Hensley —the two latter especially —were very successful in : their different solos. ■ Mr Hensley’s rendition of the recitative and air, ‘ And a Voice came out of the Throne,’at times suggested : > latent dramatic talent, and he certainly deserved a better recognition at. the hands of his audience; Mr Grenfell contributed ‘Le Rameaux ’ in his usual telling mariner. Of the instrumental items, Mr P. H. Mohr certainly took the palrii with his fine rendering ■of the Grand Fantasia, Haydn,’ his effort ■ being so much appreciated by the audience that a recall was insisted on. -The two instrumental trios for violin, ’cello and piano, ‘ Andante ’ (Reisseger). and ‘ Adagio ’ (FesCa)j would, be:..most acceptable items’ on any programme, and proved not only acceptable on this occasion; but most enjoyable, as was tb be expected when such performers as Mr Blue and Mr and Mrs Wood were down for them. . The remainder of the programme consisted of ; the choruses, performed by the choir and orchestra, (Hbsannah in the highest ’ , (Stainer), ‘ Hearken unto me, my people ’ (SuUivan), ‘ He shall be great ’ (Smart); and ‘I am Alpha and Omega ’ (Stainer.) The first mentioned of these was certainly the best rendered, more regard being paid by the voices to the pianissimo passages. If is tire;pianissimo that is almost always lost sight of by choirs.. If the choir will take up this little hint, their work, now first-class, will be still more telling.