CHRISTCHURCH MUSICAL UNION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5667, 11 September 1896, Page 1

CHRISTCHURCH MUSICAL UNION.

m The programme provided by the Christchurch Musical Union last night, although containing nothing .that was particularlynew, was sufficiently attractive to draw an exceedingly, large audience to the Opera House. The first portion consisted of Smart's cantata, The Bride of JDunkerron. This work, which has been performed more than once before in Christchurch, is full of charming, if not altogether original, music, and, perhaps, one of its principal merits lies in the fact that it is easy of comprehension, and is, consequently, not tedious to the average audience. The Sea Maiden's part in particular is light and varied, and it suited Airs Burns admirably. Her conception of the part was from beginning to end dainty and artistic, and so well did she sing the beautiful recitative, " Beloved, Hither Art Thou Come," and the air "Our Home Shall be on this Bright Isle " that she was compelled to bow to an imperative demand for their repetition. Mr E. Hollow took the tenor solos allotted to the part of Dunkerron, and on the whole •did fairly well. His voice is hardly powerfull enough to be heard to advantage with 'a full orchestra, but he sang carefully and conscientiously all through, and especially in the lovely solo "The Full Moon is Beaming." ' Of the duets for soprano and tenor, "Hark! Those Spirit Voices," written in a style which is almost light operatic, went rather better than "Hero May we Dwell," although there was very little fault to be found with the latter. Mr Hugh Eeeves had a somewhat thankless part in the Sea King's imisic, but heworked hard to. make a success of it, and; succeeded fairly well. His singing: of the; recitative and: air, "The- Sea -Rules All," was vigorous and its effectvwas materially enhanced by a most attractive cornet obligato, excellently played by Mr P. C; Eaphael. Perhaps the mosb enjoyable of the concerted items was the trio " Where Art Thou," for soprano, tenor and baritone, in which Mrs Burns and Messrs Hollow and Eeeves all did excellent work. The choruses were somewhat uneven. In the first — that for sea maidens and serfs — the tenors were obviously flat, but the choral accompaniments to "Hark! Those Spirit Voices." "Our Home Shall Be" and " Where Art Thou," were really good. The last chorus, "The Dark Storm is Past," is superfluous and the success of the work was enhanced by it being dispensed with. The orchestra, as usual, did splendid work, and its playing of the intermezzo after the first chorus was praiseworthy to a degree. In the second portion of the programme Miss Alice Gray sang Lord Henry Somerset's " Hush, Me, 0 ! Sorrow." Miss Gray, who was making her first appearance in public, has fewer faults than are generally inseparable from young singers. She possesses a very lovely, light contralto voice, which she uses fairly well. Her enunciation is at present a trifle faulty, but her idea of the art is good, and generally .speaking she gives promise of a bright future. Indeed, so pleased was the audience with her performanca that it insisted on an encore, to which she responded by singing Tito Mattei's "Ir the Valley." The orchestral items were the overture from Schubert* s Rosamunde and the ballet music from Faust, both of which were quite as we! played as when previously performed, which, is saying a great deal. Mr F. M Wallace, as usual, conducted, while Miss Packer led, and Miss C. Lingard besides playing the part written for the harp ii The Bride of Dunkerron, accompanied th< vocal numbers.

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