NEW ZEALAND MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIII, Issue XVIII, 3 November 1894, Page 422

NEW ZEALAND MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

THE greatest musical event held in this colony for many years was inaugurated on the evening of October Ist at Wellington. The Committee of management had been working hard for some six months previously, preparing their chorus and orchestra, of some three hundred members, for the great event. The programme submitted to the public was certainly most ambitious, and included Mendelssohn’s • Lobgesang,’ Haydn s ‘Creation,’ Dvorak's ‘Spectre’s Bride,’ Handel’s ‘lsrael in Egypt,’ and Sullivan’s * Golden Legend.’ A miscellaneous evening proved a great relief and an unbounded success. His Excellency opened the festival to a full house, and for the series of six nights there must have been quite seven thousand persons who enjoyed to the full the excellent music provided. The principal soloists engaged were Madame Fanny Bristowe (Melbourne), Mr Charles Saunders (Melbourne), Mr A. H. Gee (Auckland), and Mr John Prouse (Wellington).

Madame Bristowe possesses a light, flexible, and sympathetic voice of considerable artistic training and sweet-

ness, but was overweighted in the heavy oratorio and cantata music. She, however, was quite prostrated by the very severe voyage from Australia, and did not recover herself until the last evening, when she acquitted herself in a truly artistic manner.

Madame Fanny Bristow hails from the musical city of Manchester, and is a niece of Professor Bradbury Turner, the Director of Musical Studies at Trinity College, London. She is a pupil of the celebrated professors of singing, Signori Gustave Garcia and Caravoglia. Prior to coming to Australia Madame Bristow appeared with much success in Leipzig, Dresden, and Altenburg (Germany), and in most of the leading Midland English cities, one of the most brilliant of her successes being made at the celebrated ‘ Gentlemen’s Concerts ’ at Manchester, which are under the direction of Sir Charles Halle. During the past six years Madame Bristow has resided in Australia, and has made successful appearances in the Australian capitals.

Mr Charles Saunders (tenor) proved himself to be a tenor of very tine quality and power, and made himself a favourite from the opening night. He has undoubtedly one of the finest voices of any singer that has yet visited us, and fully sustained the English and Australian reputations be so justly enjoys. Mr Saunders’ work in ‘ Creation, 1 • Spectre’s Bride,' and Golden Legend ’ cannot be too highly spoken of, whilst his contributions to the miscellaneous evening and

his interpretation of * The Star of Bethlehem ’ were revelations. It is unnecessary to speak of Mr Gee except to mention that he acquitted himself with all the eclat of an accomplished artist, and that we long for more of his mighty voice and his masterly style of singing. No singer—not even Mr Santley himself—can excel him in the interpretation of Sullivan’s ‘ Thou’rt Passing Hence, my Brother,’ and

many were the tear bedimmed eyes at its close. Mr Gee’s ovation in Wellington was as exceptional as it was merited. Mr John Pronse is as great as Mr Gee in his respective role, and he fully sustained his end of the balance in that mighty duet, ‘The Lord is a Man of War,’ with Mr Gee. His other contributions were quite up to the best form at the Festival. Mr John Pronse is a native of Wellington. His fine baritone voice was first brought before the public and his initiatory success made at the first Wellington Musical Festival in 1888, when at a performance of ‘ Elijah ’ his interpretation of the music alloted to the Prophet created a furore. Soon after, he left for England and placed himself under Mr T. A. Wallworth, the celebrated professor of singing, of whom Mr Charles Saunders is also a pupil. In England Mr Prouse’s voice and the cultivated refinement of his singing soon attracted favourable attention, and he appeared

with much success at the Crystal Palace and St. James’ Hall, London, and at several leading English provincial musical centres. The history of music in Wellington would be incomplete without the inclusion of Mr Robert Parker’s name, and to him belongs, in a great measure, the musical success of the Festival. His assiduous labours were brought to a triumphant close on Saturday night, when the • Spectre’s Bride ’ had to be repeated to an overflowing and most enthusiastic audience. The feature of the Festival were the choruses, which were really quite up to Festival form. Mr R. Parker, musical director of the Festival, received his musical training in London, his first instructor being Mr W. S. Hoyte, the well-known organist of All Saints’, Margaret-street, and the Albert Hall. Subsequently he became pupil and assistant to Mr Scotson ('lark, Mus. Bsc., organist of Exeter College, and be also received some finishing lessons on the organ from Mr George Cooper, of the Chapel Royal. Mr Parker also studied the violin and

pianoforte, his instructor on. the latter instrument being Herr Lehmeyer, a well-known London professor. In Choral work Mr Parker was trained by Mr Fred Walker, then choirmaster of St. Paul’s Cathedral, and now Professor of Singing at the Royal Academy, to whom he also acted as assistant. While yet in his teens Mr Parker (who at that time intended to take Holy Orders) won a Scholarship at Queen’s College, Cambridge, and also received the appointment of organist to the College (a position held shortly afterwards by Professor Villiers Stanford), but he was unable, through broken health, to avail himself of a University career, and in order to recruit he took a quiet country appointment as organist and conductor. This he left in order to join the distinguished church composer, Dr. W. H. Monk (of Hymns Ancient and Modern), with whom he worked as professional assistant at King’s College, London, and elsewhere, until he left England for Christchurch, New Zealand. Later on Mr Parker had the advantage of a course of study with the celebrated vocal physiologist, Herr Emil Behnke, and he also went through a course of theatrical work with Dr. C. W. Pearce. Mr Parker has now resided in Wellington for sixteen years, holding the appointments of organist and choirmaster of the pro Cathedra), Conductor of the Harmonic Society, and of the Wellington Liedertafel, and Singing Instructor to the Board of Education. He is also Representative of the Royal Academy of Music ; Secretary for New Zealand of Trinity College, London, and a member and examiner of the Tonic Solfa College. The First New Zealand Festival, held in 1886, was originated and conducted by Mr Parker, and he has produced many standard Choral and Instrumental works for the first time in New Zealand. The arrangements thronghont were excellently carried, and much credit is due to the Committee of Management, of which Mr G. E. Tolhurst is President. It is satisfactory to state that the Festival of 1894 will meet all its engagements, and that it has been an unqualified mnsical success. We have to thank Mr R. Herrmann, of Cuba street, Wellington, for the photos of the soloists and committee. They are fine pictures, and lend themselves well to the zinco process. The photo of Mr Gee is by Mr Hanna.