CONCERT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2422, 24 December 1875, Page 3

CONCERT.

The Harmonio Sooiety made a auoooaa last night with Handel's Messiah. It is gratifying fco know that the custom in vogue olsowhoro of producing this Oratorio onoe in the year, ia to be honoured by observance in Ohriatohuroh. It is true that the aim of all musical societies is the education of tho publio in matters musioal, by making ifc acquainted with tho works of the beat masters. To properly aocomplish this objeofc, ifc ie necessary for fchem to practice those compositions which are least known, and, therefore, new to the majority of tho audiences and singers. This practice ia, however, not fair to the latter, aa with the limited time for practice at their disposal, it ia impossible for them to produce noveltiea in a style that will do justice either fco fche composers or the performers. For this reason, it is well that some well-known oratorio should be given onoe a year, as a standard by whioh to measure the progress attained. And for this purpoee whafc can be better than the noble musio of Handel P The hearer is alwaya ploasod with it, and the musician never wearies of it. The popular taste is satisfied, and the standard of taste is not lowered. One fault should be guarded againat. English muaical amateurs have a faith in Handel, whioh, in aome unoooountable manner, extends to themaelvea. Thua an idea prevails very fenerally amongat them that "everybody now_s, 'The Meaaiah' bjr btarfc." If our Christohuroh amateurs shared 'thia belief in common wifch fcheir brethren of other oountriea, last night's performanoe must have shaken ita littlo. We don't wieh to brand thafc performance aa a failure Vory far' from it, Ifc waa a great success, but not an unqualified one. Ifc would have been a greater one, we feel satisfied, bufc for tho prevalence of fche idea fco which allusion has been mado. Some of the ohorusea would have been improved by study, for instance ; and in one or two places certain of the singers would not have remained absolutely silent. Bufc we aro nofc finding fault with the conoert as a whole. Wo are only asking the singers to bear in mind for fche futuro fchafc "everybody doos not know fche Meaaiah " — in all ita details. For fche conoert —it muefc be spoken of in terma of high praise. A more enjoyable pno haß not taken place for a very long time in tbis town, nor has better management been shown here within our recollection. There was a judicious pruning of the work, whioh is somewhat long j the interval was moderate; and the varioua items followed one another with a degree of speed, upon whioh the conductor oannot he too highly complimented. Much of tho success of last night ia unquestionably due to Miss Carandini, The soles, as every one is aware, are generally the weak point in amateur concerts. As thoae allotted to Miaa Carandini were sung in a manner that would pass anywhere— this weak point was reduoed last night to a minimum. Beaidea singing the four prinoipal. soprano solos of fche work, and taking part in several quartettes, Miaa Carandini led many of tho ohorueea very effectively. Her rendering of tho solos we oannofc aoy surprised us, for we have always written of her as of an artistic singer. Of her efforts, the best was deoidedly her rendering of the oelebrated "Rejoioe greotly." This was given with great spirit and power, the florid pasaagea were taken with brillianoy and olearnoßß, and the joyous character of the mueio, where it ie joyous, was well-main-tained throughout. The other two eolos, 11 Thou didst not leave his soul in Hell," and "I know that my Redeemer Liveth," were also very boautifully sung, eaoh in (he stylo appropriate to ita meaning. In all throo, aa in everything eleo Miaa Carandini sang, tho even tone and rioh quality of her voice were very remarkable. The beautiful recitatives following tho Pastoral Symphony received every justice afc her hands, and fche aamo may be) said of the part assigned to tho sopranolin "He shall feed his Flock." In introducing grace notes into recitative, we know .that Miss Carandini has the examples of great singers for her warrant. And the aame may be aaid for the alteration of the time in a movement of " Rejoioo greatly," and in a passage of " I know thafc my Redeemer." Wo oannot help pointing out, however, thafc these things are not in aooordanoo with Handel'a ideas, ae he seems to have written them. Miss E. Rowloy distinguished herself by her very careful rendering of the contralto eonga " O thou that tellesfc " and the inimitable "He was despised." She has a rare voioe, powerful enough fco find tho Orchestra no barrier between it and the audionoo, and she aang her mueio very correotly, steadily, and with expression. Aa an amateur sho takes very high rank. Two imperfeotions we will ask her to allow us to point out. She is a good fcimist, but sometimes gets too slow. This was notioeable in "Ho wae despised." The other point to whioh we will draw her attention ia the stylo Bho has of producing her middle notos. In tho two songs above mentioned these notes were not by any means equal to tho lower ones j not because they are not really as good, but because they were not so well produced. In the opening eolo of "He ehall food his Flook," she made muoh more of these notes, showing that she has plenty of power and quality in tho middle

register.- Attention to thia point will make Miss Rowloy a fine singer. Mr Sheath sang the solo "The trumpet ahall »ound," with Ub opening recitative, " Bohold I tell you a myatery/' dearly and well. Considering that tho aong is about aa trying a one as can bo allotted to a baritone, Mr Shoath is to bo oomplimented on the oreditable manner in whioh ho got through his task. Mr Hobbs found "Who do tho Nations" rai her too much for him. In " The people tbat walked in darkness," he waa more auooeaaful. He wants plenty of practice of scales and oxeroisos boforo he oan do justioo to suoh musio as foil to his share. Mr Jonea wo regret to aay, sang "Comfort ye," and " Every Valley," in a way that made one wish theae pieces had a welled tho liat of thoae out out. In " Bohold and aoe " he waa very muoh better. The ohorua singing waa on tho wholo vory fine. Four wero oapeoially woll given, viz., "And the Glory of the Lord," " All wo liko Bheep," " Lift up your heads," and fcho " Hallelujah " chorus. The first named was noticeable for the great precision with whioh the various loads wore taken j the second for tho orjapness and lightness of tho runs, tho tonora being hero very romorkoble. The third, " Lift up your heads," was very spirited, and the " Hallelujah " was given with greafc power and life. Throe ofcher ohoruses were nofc by any means good. " For unto us a child is born," was badly begun, fche fine crash on the words "Wonderful," » Counoillor," was not properly given, and thoro was a weakness throughout fchat suggested ailence on the part of a good many of the aingorß. Thia idoo waa even more vividly excited by the manner in whioh the chorus « And with hia stripea," waa gofc through. In this there was a genoral ahakinesa, and tho tenors were, in particular, conspicuous by their absenoo. " Glory to God " waa not a auooosa eijjjpr, whioh woa a pity, for it is a grand climax to the fine recitatives following the noble pastoral Bymphony, and a fitting introduction to tho Bong of triumph, "Rejoioe greofcly." For different were the short ohorusea following the quartettes. These were taken up well, and sung with greafc effect. The two last ohorusea on tho programmo were all that could be dodeaired. With the exception of the throe in.tat.eoß above named unfavourably, the ohorua ainging of loafc night was decidedly better than tho average of the Society's performances. The band, under the leadership of Mr Biin z, did its part well. At first thoro was a littlo unpleasantness, owing to the unpunctuality of the leader, but this was not of long oontinuanoo. The accompaniments were well playod throughout, and the pastoral symphony was very smoothly given. Mr Coomb's comet obligato to Mr Sheath's aong waa very pleasing to hear. Mr Barnetfc presided at fcho harmonium with hia uaual ability, and Mr Knox conducted. To his energy and skill tho success of tho oonoerfc must be in a great degreo assigned. The audience was ono of the largest that ever assembled in Christohuroh to listen to an oratorio performance j every available seat iri the body of the Hall and gallery waa occupied, and ifc was oven found neoeasary to bring in some additional bonohea.