MALE CHOIR SOCIETY.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 September 1926, Page 9

MALE CHOIR SOCIETY.

WELL RECEIVED CONCERT. Seldom has the New Plymouth Male Choir Society been greeted with a house as numerically encouraging as that which faced it in the Opera House last night; probably never has it been more fortunate in its choice of soloists; and not often has it met with such an enthusiastic reception. The appearance on the programme of the name of Madame Winnie Fraser, now of Oarnaru, but once of New Plymouth, was no doubt to a considerable extent responsible for the large attendance, and an eagerly expectant audience was not disappointed. Genuine and enthusiastic appreciation made it plain that she has lost not a whit of the power that has charmed New Plymouth audiences on previous visits. The passage of time and tuition abroad have given her new- power and quality that made her whole programme one of rare merit. Possessed of a charming stage presence, Madame Winnie won the hearts of her audience with her first smile and bow. In her first number, Rachmaninoff’s “Soldier's Wife,” she sang with a voice vibrant in its round and full strength, yet showing no evidence of strain. And in later numbers of. a different character her voice was as soft and sweet in the gentler passages as one could wish.

Frequent recalls met with a very generous response, and Madame gave in all thirteen numbers. One heard her at her best in Santnzza’s Aria (Mascagni) and Flora Woodman's Vesper Hymn. In the former she gave marked evidence of acquaintance with European masters, and. one was almost carried into the streets of Vienna on the wings of the temperamental Latin spirit with which she infused the song. The Vesper Hymn had quite a different effect. In the diverse tonal exactions of the alternate verses she showed the full compass of her voice. Easily and without a semblance of a jar she broke from the sweetest pianissimo to the triumph of the full crescendo, and she reaped the reward of a thunderous applause. Of the many encores none was better received than the familiar “Annie Laurie,” and "Arise O Sun,” with its inspiriting climax. The local soloists were Mrs. W. L. Jemisoi; and Mr. Baden Bellringer. To grip an audience with pianoforte pieces when the rest of the programme offers first-class vocal talent is a hard task indeed, but Mrs. Jemison was certainly successful. For Schubert—Liszt’s, "Hark, Hark, the Lark!” and Schubert's “Erl King,” the audience appreciatively demanded another number. All the pieces were well played, the sustained staccato movement of the second piece calling for executive ability that was not found wanting. “Angels Guard Thee” (Godard) was Mr. Bellringers opening number. A little huskiness was betrayed at first, but this disappeared later in the evening, and the vocalist gave a full measure of the restraint and trueness of tone that has earned him a reputation in New Plymouth. He • was wise in choosing from his repertoire songs of a reflective nature through which his personality is best expressed. Of the choir itself it may be said that not for many years has the balance been as good as it was last night. The personal influence of the conductor has been no doubt- largely responsible for strengthening the power of what is nearly always the weakest department of an amateur male choir—the tenor section. The result was that on practically no occasion was the balance lost. The predominance of andante movementthroughout and the doubtful wisdom of rendering a work of the nature of Brahms “Lullaby,” immediately after De Koven’s “Serenade,’’’left the audience colder than would otherwise have been the case. Partly on account of the reason stated, the sprightlier and more inspiriting measures of the “Song of the Bow” and the “Call To Arms” were (he most appreciated numbers. Minor defects In attack and tempo were occasionally evident, but the work on the whole was good. The conductor, Mr. W. L. Hay, maintained a firm control and met with a good response in leading the choir through the delicate nuances of expression in Franz Abt’s “Evening,” in which Mr. Bellringer took the solo part. With the possible exception of a little over assertion in Madame Winnie Fraser’s song Tryst (Libelius) Mrs. W. L. Jemison gave every satisfaction as accompanists