TWO NEW ZEALAND ARTISTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16938, 12 January 1923, Page 10

TWO NEW ZEALAND ARTISTS.

.MISS STELLA MURRAY AND MISS VERA MOORE (Special to the ‘"Star.”) LONDON, November 30. Miss Stella Murray, contralto, and Mias Vera Moore, pianist, New Zealanders both, joined forces in a concert on Friday last at the Wigmoro Hall. Of Miss Murray the “ Times” critic says; “ She lias a beautiful voice,” and goe& on to say that her rendering or Purcell’s “ When 1 a.m Laid to Earth '* showed her good qualities of style and diction. For the rest Miss Murray gave Rachmaninoff ! b “ Christ is Risen,” and the same composer’s “ The Little Island ” and Orlandini's aria from “ Themistocles,” and was enthusiastically encored. Miss Vera Moor© won equally good praise from a critic whose word carries weight. Her playing of Bach’s English suit© in G minor he characterised as refined and controlled, while he added that her musical touch and clear sense of rhythm were particularly enjoyable in the Gavotte and Musette. Miss Moore included in her programme Cesar Franck’s Prelude, Chorale and Fugue, Debtissy’j “Poisson d ! Or ** and “Barque sur POcean ” and Ravel’s “ Homage a Rameau. ,5 Both artists received * cordial welcome from their audience and can congratulate themselves, too, on having passed the ordeal of critical appraisement with honours. Madame Melba was 90 pleased with the work of her New Zealand protegee that