CONCEET FOE THE CHORISTERS' EECEEAHON FUND,

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5801, 14 December 1886, Page 3

CONCEET FOE THE CHORISTERS' EECEEAHON FUND,

The Oddfellows' Hall was well filled last night, when a grand concert, under the direction of Mr G. F. Tendall, was given for the benefit of the Cathedral Choristers, Eecreation Fund, and for the purchase of a pianoforte. The programme was of unusual excellence, and the ladies and gentlemen taking part in it were far above the average concert singers.

The gentlemen of the Cathedral choir, with the choristers, contributed Bishop's " Allegiance we Swear " and " Now Tramp o'er Moss and Fell," which, showed conclusively that their training had not been confiaed to sacred music. Especially praiseworthy were the solos in the former and the sforzando in the second. The gentlemen of the choir by themselves contributed the grand old madrigal. " Down in a Flow'ry Vale/ and Dr Garrett's choruses, in waltz form, " Hope ;" the first a great treat, as all unaccompanied vocal compositions are when they are anything like well done, and this was extremely well done ; the 6econd somewhat too prolonged, but very beautiful, especiallyin the unaccompanied portion. Both showed how evenly balanced the parts were. Mr W. B. Dixon gave 01 ay's "The Sands o' Dee "and "Co wen's "Never Again," his nice mellow voice and artistic style, in which not a single grace was missed, leaving nothing to be desired save a repetition. This vr&s enthusiastically demanded after the last-named song, bnfc the demand was not complied with. Miss Spensley, Miss Gardner, Mr Izard, and Mr Gardner contributed two quartetts, the accompaniments to which were played by Mrs Gardner. These were "Ua de se ben," from Verdi's "Eigoletto," and " The Spinning Quartett " from. Flotow's "Martha." All four were in remarkably good voice, and sang at their best, which is saying a good deal. After the second quartefcfc, in which the laughing refrain was specially noteworthy, the applause was almost boisterous. The Hon. Spencer G. Lyttelton pnng Gounod's " Maid of Athens," a simple melody, with some catchy phrases, however, which the vocalist mastered with rase, the whole being sung with much fueling. He also gave Liszt's "Es musß ein Wunderbares sein," a pathetic composition, evng with, much feeling, and Schumann's " Ich grolle nicht," the declamatory character of which was in fine contrast to the former. It was encored and repeated. Mr Lyfctelton gave, in the second part of the programme, Handel's " Droop not, Young Lover/ in, which he showed his familiarity with the style of the great master of oratorio, and was again encored. Mis 3 Spensley, whose voice seems to improve every time it is heard, and whose execution keeps pace with her voice, sang " Softly Sighs," in which she brought out very fully the dramatic character of the music. Of course the piece was encored, and in response the fair vocalist gave "I'm Alone" with its alternations of pathos and enthusiam strongly marked Miss Buckley gave Sir E.Stewart's "At the Dead of Night," in which her rich, full contralto voice was heard to advantage. Mr Izard did justice to the air in Blumenthal's " The Requital," as did Mr G. H. Normington to the beautifnl accompaniment. Masters Bell, Palairet, Upton and Andrews gave the familiar duet, " I Know a Bank," so well that they had to repeat the last part in response to the loud applause of the gratified audience. Miss Spensley and Mr Gardner gave the duet, "Quanto Amore," from Donizetti's " L'Elisired' Amore," in which the flowing strains of the lady and the rapid staccato of the gentleman served as admirable foils one to the other. Interspersed with the vocal numbers were several pianoforte pieces, played by Mr Tendall. These were Weber's "Polacca Brilliante," op. 72, played with flying fingers, a fine specimen of facile execution ; Beethoven's " Marche Fune"bre " and " Allegro," the first of which showed the executant's mastery of the use of the pedal?, and the second oE which served to intensify the sombreness of the first ; and Delahaye's " Menuett," a sparkling composition brilliantly executed. The National Anthem brought the concert to an appropriate close.