WANGANUI LADIES’ CHOIR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 277, 23 November 1945, Page 3

WANGANUI LADIES’ CHOIR

NOV/ IN FOREFRONT OF CITY’S MUSICAL BODIES

Wanganui lias every reason to feel proud ol' its Ladies’ Choir. The choir gave its third concert in the Old Museum Hall on Wednesday night and delighted an audience dralvn mainly Horn that section of the city s public which is able to judge and appreciate choral artistry. It is always dilliculi, even for the temperate cr.tic, to choose a favourite from a programme such as was presented. The numbers selected afforded sufficient contrast and appealed to varying moods. The assisting artists also choose numbers with s.milar taste lor contrast. The assisting artists were: Mrs. Russell Scoular (soprano), Mrs. Ray Perkins (violinist) and Mr. A. J. W. Hodder (baritone). The choir opened its programme with John E. West's “Stars of the Summer Night.” This was a pleas.ng number as an opening. The beauty of contrast was revealed in tne seeonu bracket of choral numbers, Brantns “Sapphic Ode,” with its quiet restfulness against the more sprightly “in Fra.se of May” (John Ireland). The first part of the programme ended with Eric Fogg’s arrangement oi Keats’ "Meg Ivierrilies." This was unaccompanied, and vividly portrayed the story with its Gypsy background. In “Hing out Wild Bells” the soprano work was particularly inspiring. But it was in a bracket which included two numbers of the East and West that the choir really rose to its greatest heights during the evening. The mystic beating of eastern rhythm in Ketelby's “fn a Persian Market” was deliberately made to contrast with Percy Fletcher’s arrangement of “Ye Banks and Braes.” There is something forever appealing iix both those numbers, the tempo, Words and rhythm giving emphasis to the purpose of the song. In “Ye Banks and Braes" the ' altos, maintaining the melody against the rhythm of the sopranoe, wa's really inspiring. It is said of a women’s choir that the real handicap is on the alto side—the inference being that it is hard to capture the same melodious steadiness as comes from the bass section of a male choir, from the double bass in an orchestra, or the bass in a band. The Wanganui Ladies’ Choir, in that very simple and appealing “Ye Banks and Braes” challenged the truth of that. The altos excelled themselves. The work of the choir was indeed a credit to the conductor, Mrs. Charles Berry. She has developed a musical combination which has deservedly reached the front rank in Wanganui. Mrs. Russell Scoular’s best number was her most difficult, “L’ Invite Alla Danza” (Weber). In this she seemed to escape from the suggestion of control in the earl.er numbers. Her prettiest number was given as an encore, “Have You Seen the White LilyGrow?'' Another appealing number was also given in response to a recall,

“Poor Ronin.” Mozart’s “Ahl Lo Sol" also well suited this artist’s appealing voice. Her opening number was “Night in May” (Brahms) and another she sang sweetly was Pergolesi's “Gentle Shepherd.” Of all the musical instruments capable of appealing to the very soul of man, the violin, takes a foremost place. Mrs. Ray Perkins played Beethoven's “Romance in F," the largo and allegro of Mozart’s “Sonata in B Flat Major,” and for her lighter numbers chose 0,.e by a Wanganui composer, Mr. Gordon Mcßeth ("Berceuse") and that lilting melody from Dittersdorf, "Dutch Danse." As an encore she played with real.stic feeling that unl'orgetable melody “Londonderry Air.” It is in that sort of melody that the violin can be so sure of itself in awakening response in the hearts of those who listen. Mrs. Perkins captured the approval of the audience in all her numbers. There was more contrast in Mr. Hodder's second bracket of numbers than his first. He opened with “A Wanderer's Song” (Oscar Rasbach), which called for some exceptional vigour and followed that with Martin Shaw’s “Cargoes.” That also had vigorous appeal. In his second bracket the numbers were “The Erl King” (Schubert) and “I Heard a Forest Praying” (ePtr de Rose). This artist won many supporters in his rendering of these numbers. His recall number “You Live For England” was well chosen. It suited his voice and won the appreciation expected from an audience for a good song well sung. Accompaniments were played sympathetically by Mrs. W. E. Fossette, L.R.S.M., L.T.C.L. The members of the choir are:—

First Sopranos.—Mesdames E. Bell, A. C. Kaywood, K. Kitney, A. Lockett, D. Mursell, W. Payne, G. N. Walton, Misses B. Berry, J. Harwood, C. Hine, N. Holland, G. S. James, G. Jones, V. Kidd, P. Morrell, M. Pellow and D. Soeberg. Second Sopranos and First Altos.— Mesdames W. Bauld, H. Brook, E. Crysell, D. A. Garfath, A. Greig, R. B. Horsley, A. A. Hunter, R. M. Rait, H. E. Tipper, Misses W. Green, M. Hine, I. Stanton and N. Tipper. Second Altos.—Mesdames F. G. Berry, M. Bowick, E. J. Burke, D. B. Coe, H. Dempsey, C. Haar, P. J. Palmer, M. F. Walker, M. L. Wells, W. Yeat.man, Misses A. Moorman and E. Raynor.