WELLINGTON EXHIBITION MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue XXV, 19 December 1896, Page 201

WELLINGTON EXHIBITION MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

MR MAUGHAN BARNETT’S Musical Festival, or as it was popularly known, the Exhibition

Musical Festival, took place in the concert hall of the Exhibition on the evenings of December Ist, 2nd, 3rd, and sth, and was in all respects a remarkable success. The seating accommodation of the hall (which holds about 1,250 to 1,500) was taxed to the utmost on each occasion. On the second night when Mr Alfred Hill’s ‘Hinemoa’ was performed, hundreds were unable to obtain admission. The chorus numbered 220, aud there was a complete orchestra of 39 performers, including Miss Constance Hatberley, the harpist. The first night’s concert opened with a fine performance of Rossini's ‘Stabat Mater. ’ The soloists - Madame Eveleen Carlton, Miss Parsons, Mr Juo. Prouse, and Mr J. W. Hill—fairly excelled themselves, the unaccompanied quartette being an extremely fine piece of part singing. The remainder of the programme included a vigorous and effective rendering of Hamish McCunn’s • Lord Ullin's Daughter ’ for chorus and orchestra (new to Wellington audiences), and two of Mr Maughan Barnett's compositions—the concert overture written for the opening of the Exhibition, and a chorus, with orchestral accompaniment, * Lord Hanlan’s Daughter.’ Tbe second night (when the crowded audience included His Excellency the Governor and a large party from Government House, M. Ovide Musin. Madame Musin, and Herr Scharff) was notable for tbe splendid performance of Brahm s beautiful ‘ Song of Destiny ’ for chorus aud orchestra, and also for the triumph scored by Mr Alfred Hill with his cantata, ‘ Hinemoa.’ The enthusiasm which this work created at its first appearance at the opening of the exhibition was quite dwarfed on this occasion. The soloists were Madame Eveleen Carlton, Mr John W. Hill, and Mr John I’rouse, while the short prologue was sung by Mr John Widdop. The audience insisted ou re-demanding many of the numbers, including Madame Carlton’s first solo, the characteristic ‘ Ra, ha !’ chorus, and Mr Prouse’s opening solo and bis duet with Madame Carlton. At the conclusion of the work great excitement prevailed, and His Excellency sent for Mr Hill and spoke in highly complimentary terms of the work. Hearty cheers were given for Mr Hill, Mr Adams (the librettist), and for Mr Maughan Barnett.

The ’ Messiah ’ was the work chosen for the third night, on which occasion the soloists were the same as at the opening concert. On Saturday night the festival closed with Mendelssohn's ‘Hear My Prayer' (Madame Carlton taking the solo part) aud Gade’s ’ Cornalla,’ in which Madame Carlton, Miss Parsons, Mrs Sbortridge, and Mr Fred Pope gave effective renderings of the different solos. Great enthusiasm also prevailed on this occasion, the conductor Mr Maughan Barnett being the recipient of numerous fl >ral tributes. The chorus throughout the festival maintained a high standard, and reflectei the greatest credit on their talented conductor. The orchestra, under the leadership of Mr Hotop, deserved all praise, and Mr Laurence F. Watkins ably presided at the organ. With the exception of ‘ Hinemoa,’ which was conducted by the composer, the whole of the works were given under the baton of Mr Maughan Barnett. The great success of the festival is all the more remarkable and gratifying when it is remembered the society is only in its second season—in reality has only been in existence some sixteen months. The arduous secretarial work has been in the hands of Mr R. Angus, and the en-

tire management of the festival has been carried out by Mr Maughan Barnett and the secretary. We present our readers in this issue with photos of the leading soloists in the cantata * Hinemoa,’ which is entirely the work of two New Zealanders —Mr W. Adams the librettist, and Mr Alfred Hill the composer, both of Wellington. Though the cantata has been only twice performed it has already become most popular. It will be repeated on Friday, 18th inst., as a benefit to the composer, who, to the great regret of Wellington musical circles, is about to leave New Zealand on a lengthy tour with M. Musin and party. As we understand Mr Hill proposes having ‘ Ilinemoa ’ produced in Melbourne and elsewhere in the colonies—possibly in Auckland among other places—more will, no doubt, shortly be heard respecting it.

The portraits of Messrs Maughan Barnett, J. Prouse, and Alf. Hill have appeared before in the New Zealand Graphic, when a short personal sketch was given with each. In presenting for the first time the portraits of of Madame Carlton, Messrs John W. Hill and R. Angus, we append some particulars which will be of interest. Mr John Prouse's fine baritone voice and capabilities are too well-known to need any special notice on this occasion. He is a general favourite with Wellington audiences. MADAME EVELEEN CARLTON. Although a comparatively recent arrival in New Zealand, Madame Carlton is an established favourite in Wellington, where she resides, and there can be only one opinion of her great musical ability and charm of singing. A Londoner by birth, she very early gave indications of the talent she possessed, singing at a large public concert at the age of ten, when she attracted much attention. From then, however, until she attained the age of eighteen she devoted all her time to the most diligent study of harmony, voice production and singing under the best London masters, and was a special pupil of Buel’s for some years. At eighteen having gained a first-class certificate, Madame Carlton was appointed

lady professor of singing and voice production at the South Kensington School of Music. Madame Carlton has been very successful as a soprano soloist in England, singing at the promenade concerts at Her Majesty’s Theatre (where she was highly complimeted by Signor Bottesini, the great double bass Maestro), St. James’ Hall, Princes’ Hall, Kensington town Hall, Brighton Pavilion and many other places. Amongst Madame Carlton's greatest successes at Home were the soprano parts of ‘The Messiah,’ ‘St. Paul,’ ‘ Elijah,’ ‘Judas Maccabaeus,’ Haydn’s • Creation ’ (for which she was specially engaged by the Kensington Orchestral and Choral Society), Handel’s ‘Samson,’ Gounod’s ‘ Faust,’ Mendelssohn’s ‘Lorelie’ and ‘Hear My Prayer,’ ‘Barnett’s ‘Ancient Mariner,’ Sterndale Bennett’s ‘ May Queen,’ and many others which space prevents our mentioning. To her successes in Wellington and other centres in this colony we need not now refer, unless it were to mention her really superb rendering of Marguerite’s part in ‘ Faust ’ given last year by the Festival Choral Society. We would also add that the soprano solos of ‘ Hinemoa ’ were specially written for Madame Carlton by Mr Alfred Hill. MR ROBERT ANGUS. Mr Robert Angus (whose business occupation is that of Wellington branch manager to the world famed firm of Messrs Thos. Cook and Son, tourist agents) is a well known figure amidst musical circles in the Empire City. His methodical manner of carrying out detail work makes him exactly ‘ the right man in the right place ’ for conducting the many worrying duties of a large musical body, while his genial and obliging disposition and courteous manner makes harmony reign supreme, which is as it should be, in a musical society. MR JOHN W. HILL. Mr J. W. Hill (brother of Mr Alf. Hill) returned from Leipsic some fifteen months ago, and has become Well-

ington’s leading tenor. His voice is a very pure tenor, and under complete control, which is exemplified by the ease with which he sings. Shortly after his return to Wellington Mr Hill was engaged for the Festival Society’s performance of Gounod’s ‘ Faust,’ and his excellent singing in that trying work was much admired. Two months later he sang the tenor parts in the ‘ Messiah ’ at Christchurch with success. Early in the following year Mr Hill undertook the part of Hilarion in Gilbert and Sullivan’s opera, ‘ Princess Ida,’ performed by the Wellington Operatic Society, and acquitted himself very satisfactorily. At Mr Barnett’s Festival in connection with the Wellington Industrial Exhibition, Mr Hill sustained the tenor part in the following works: —‘ Stabat Mater ’ (Rossini), ‘ Hinemoa,’ ‘ Messiah,’ and gave general satisfaction in all of them. At the present time Mr Hill is preparing for the Festival Society’s concert on the 17th inst., when Sullivan’s ‘ Golden Legend’ will be given, Mr Hill taking the part of Prince Henry.