MUSIC, DRAMA, ETC.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 45, 4 June 1891, Page 2

MUSIC, DRAMA, ETC.

Spectatum admissi risum teneatis amici ? MADAME PATEY.

This celebrated English contralto backed up by a fairly good company, has been drawing splendid houses, alike creditable to dur musical taste and to the excellent judgment displayed in arranging the programmes. It is true that the more educated musicians would prefer to hear only high-class selections, such as “ Che Faro,” “Caro Mio ben,” “ Madamina,” “Qui La Voce,” etc., but the popular taste must also be studied, and programmes exactly similar have for years been presented in London, where great artistes are not too proud to sing old songs and quaint ballads, as well as the finest selections, to mixed audiences. Madame Patey’s singing has been a revelation to many who have never before had an opportunity of hearing a really good artist. A secret doubt lurked in my mind that an Auckland audience might prove not educated up to the standard of such high art; but the enthusiastic and genuine appreciation manifested by listeners of all sorts and conditions have quite dispelled all misgivings on that score. Space will not permit me the pleasure of a detailed analysis of every number. I must confine myself to more general criticisms. In the first place I remarked that Madame Patey’s “ Che Faro” of to-day is essentially the same performance as when I last heard her magnificent rendering of Gluck’s wonderfully sweet plaintive, pathetic and passionate melody twenty-three years ago. The opening recitative was given with the same thrilling power and accuracy of intonation; the wail of despair which is the motive, had lost none of its tearful and touching pathos. All those marvellous qualities of voice, method, enunciation, fervour, chaste and rofined purity of taste, are preserved practically untouched by the hand of time. The fine compass, with its registers so blended as to defy detection of the points at which the “ little bridges” are crossed, is there in all its smooth even breadth of tone. In lower, middle, and upper registers the contralto quality of voice is always unmistakeable. Take any single note in the voice, and no person with a cultivated ear could fail to say “ contralto.” Some critics sapiently declare that Madame Patey’s upper notes resemble those of a soprano. This is just" what they do not. I will now endeavour briefly to sum up the merits and styles of the several members of Madame Patey’s excellent company. Miss Bertha Rossow, the soprano, has made a genuine success, and won golden opinions for her brilliant and sympathetic singing. She

possesses a light soprano voice of good compass, flexible and cultivated. Her forte is in fioriture rather than (in the cantdble. In songs such as “ Qui la Voce,” “ Sing, Sweet Bird,” and “ Cherry Ripe,” she is at her best, executing trills, runs, and florid work with accuracy and grace. Her lower register is perhaps deficient in volume, and she displays a slight tendency towards the vibrato which should be kept under strict control. However, she is now established as a favourite, and with care elle ira loin. Miss Emilia Wood proved herself a brillant and sound pianiste. Her touch is both light and firm. In legato work and rippling phrases she shows the result of hard practice under competent guidance. Her selections all through have been judicious, and her execution and

taste deserving of high praise. She has delighted us with Liszt, Chopin, Prudent, Kowalski, rendering some of their best morceaux with a fine appreciation of the composer’ intentions. Mr. G. J. Patey, who for years has been reckoned the best English baritone after Santley, always replacing him in emergencies, unfortunately has been physicially unfit to do himself justice. But in the concerted pieces his fine sensibility and faultless style unmistakeably asserted themselves. The severe shaking from a fall during a rough passage has proved so great a handicap in regard to solo singing that after the first concert he felt obliged to restrict his performances to the concerted morceaux ; but recovering to some extent he sang on Tuesday night Rossini’s “ Largo al Factotum,” from..** Il Barbiere,” with astonishing freshness and vigour. Mr. O. R. Jones, the tenor, hails from Queensland, and the change from so sultry a climate to the Arctic weather we have lately experienced, has tried him severely. On several occasions the rather pronounced tremolo which I have noticed was caused by his shivering under the cold draught of air which rushes from entrance to entrance across the stage. Mr. Jones possesses a light tenor voice of excellent timbre, sweet and true. He sings with taste and expression, and occasionally shows dash and power. He is a young man yet, and is in good hands. I am confident that if he perseveres he will make his mark in time. His rendering of Sullivan’s “Once Again” especially pleased me. Mr. Herman Morris, the accompanist, discharges his onerous_duties with discretion and taste. The one thing wanted to make the company perfect is a good violinist or flautist. “ Call me back,” withou the obligato, loses much of its effect. Againt such a soloist playing- with Miss Wood, concertante morceaux would greatly strengthen the programme.