Music & Drama.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume II, Issue 75, 31 December 1891, Page 1

Music & Drama.

Spectatum admissi rtsurn teneatis amici ?

THE “ MESSIAH.”

On Tuesday evening last week the Auckland Choral Society gave their annual performance of Handel’s immortal oratorio “ Messiah,” in a style and with a measure of excellence which merit high praise indeed. Performers and audience alike mustered in full strength. The band numbered thirty-eight, and the voices comprised forty-seven sopranos, thirty-three contraltos, eighteen tenors, and thirty-eight basses. A strong cast of soloists included Miss Murray and Miss F. Harding, sopranos ; Mrs. G. Coates, contralto ; Mr. Martin, tenor; and Mr. P. Dufaur basso, who each and all acquitted themselves admirably. I was especially gratified to see my prophesy fulfilled in the wonderful and marked improvement displayed by the instrumentalists, who under the incisive beat of the conductor, and the careful leadership of Herr Tutschka, did their work on the whole with good tune and excellent pre-

cision. Of course some lapses were noticeable, but one does not expect perfection from an amateur band. However, they can and will speedily do even better. The overture and pastoral symphony were rendered in a manner which reflects the greatest credit on the painstaking and talented trainer. Throughout, the choruses were splendidly given. In attack, leads, light and shade, volume, and steadiness, the society has never done better. The bass leads were especially crisp and good. So equal was the work that it is difficult to pick out any one chorus for especial praise. I will therefore simply say that the singers have deserved well of their country. Among'the soloists I must award the palm to ML Wm. Martin, who sang the whole of the tenor music with exquisite taste and in accordance with the interpretations which tradition sanctions. He has improved wonderfully in articulation and enunciation, and his equal and reliable voice was heard with telling effect in “ Comfort ye,” “ Every valley,” and especially in the plaintive recitative “ Thy rebuke.” He also sang “ But Thou didmot leave,” with great taste and expression ; but I have an olcf-fashioned prejudice against assigning soprano music to a tenor voice. Mr Percy Dufaur made his debut aS an oratorio singer, and his fine voice and crisp delivery, especially of the staccato runs, which were splendidly executed, won for him a brilliant and undeniable success. His “ Thus saith the Lord,” and “ But who may abide,” although not quite in accordance with tradition, were excellently rendered. “ The trumpet shall sound,” with the exception of a slight unsteadiness in one or two passages, was quite a feat of vocalisation when the difficulties of the biavura aria are considered. Mr. Gribbin assisted with that terribly difficult instrument the valve trumpet, and acquitted himself very well indeed. The music is in places full of passages in the highest register of the instrument, and when we remember that there are only two or three persons living who attempt to play the slide-trumpet, no one would dream of withholding high praise from Mr. Gribbin for his gallant and Skilful rendering of so stupendous a task. Undoubtedly Mr. Dulaur’s greatest success of the evening was the stirring aria “ Why do the ‘nations,” which quite electrified his audience. Miss Murray, for a debutante, quite covered herself with glory. She sings accurately and crisply, attacking her intervals with decision, and avoiding an undue use of the portamento. With care and . study she will be a valuable acquisition to our vocal resources. Gifted with a true soprano voice of somewhat limited compass, and a refined and pure natural taste, she should cultivate those rare qualities, being especially on her guard against anything like unduly straining the vocal chords which of course takes “the varnish’’off the timbre. Her enunciation is a pattern of distinctness, and I fully expect her to fulfil the high expectations aroused by her capital performance in lhe “ Messiah.” All her work was well and equally rendered. Mrs. G. Coates sang the contralto solos very successfully indeed, the fine deep notes in her lower register telling with great effect. “ He was despised” was rendered with marked taste and expression, but the accompaniment was in places somewhat faulty, “ Oh, Thou that tellest,” was well and equally sung throughout, but also was shorn of its full merit by occasional uiisteadi-

- ness on the part of the band. “He shall feed his flock” was exquisitely rendered, and the band played the accompaniment almost faults lessly. To Miss ,F. Harding only one solo was assigned, and that emphatically the most : exacting and florid number in the oratorio. | Miss Harding bravely attacked the serried battalions of notes, and merits warm praise for | her effort. She should pay especial attention to staccato vocalisation, and with her really fine, 5 true and powerful organ under thorough i’ will become a true grand soprano. ■ Of light sopranos and mezzos there is no J dearthbut the soprano of full volume is yearly il becoming a greater rarity. The quartettes, “ Since by man” and •“ For as in Adam,” were admirable, the voices being well balanced, and 'of similar timbre, making a delightful ensemble. M Altogether I must warmly congratulate the L'-■’society'and the Herr Professor on a capital - •‘‘.Messiah,’* which proves that Auckland is in no danger of losing her reputation as the most musical city in Australasia.

On Sunday afternoon the annual free performance, of the “ Messiah” was given at the Choral Hall to an overwhelming audience. Mr. f W. Martin, through indisposition, was unable to sing, and his place was taken by Mr. Cousins, who sang the tenor music at the Beresford-street performance on Friday night. Mr. Cousins acquitted himself very well considering the brief notice, and the entire performance was thoroughly appreciated.

THE KOWALSKI CONCERT COMPANY. As might have been expected the attendance at the concerts given on Christmas Day and Boxing Day were by no means commensurate with the musical treat bestowed by the array of talent Mr. Poole has brought with him. Still enthusiasm reigned, and every number was redemanded, It is always difficult to shape a popular programme so as to please both musicians and non-musicians, but I think the golden mean has been hit as nearly as possible in the present instance, Space will not permit me to notice in detail the several numbers, so I must content myself with a few words about each of the performers. Miss Bertha Rossow, the popular soprano, always sings with taste, intelligence, and dramatic power, and topraise her seems like “ painting the lily.” Purists in regard to method and style might prefer a more sparing use of the vibrato and portamento, but the young lady deserves and always meets with a ’great reception. Madame VandermeerGreene is perhaps more of a mezzo than a pure but however her voice may be classed it is deliciously true and sympathetic, and formed on the best method. Her taste is exquisitely refined, her intonation faultless, and her powers of modulation most impressive and satisfactory. She shows an inclination to take some tempos a great deal too slow, notably in “ He was despised,” only her splendid management of breathing could have pulled her through some of the longer phrases. But the lady’s singing is a genuine treat, which I trust all our amateurs will carefully listen to; they will find in it a cheap and valuable lesson. For Herr Raimond Petchotsch, the violinist, I have nothing but high praise. In breadth of tone, phrasing, delicacy, precision, intonation, rfbiible stopping, harmonica stopped and open, taste, refinement, dash, vigour and power, he is eminently satisfactory. His instrument —I think of the Steiner and Klotz school —is remarkable for a tearfully sympathetic character more than brilliancy; but it is wonderfully equal on all the strings, and especially telling on the G. The performance of Beethoven’s sonata inF—a splendid concertante— and Greig’s scholarly sonata by the violinist and Mons. Kowalski, was to lovers of really good music the greatest treat we have had in Auckland for years, j Of Mons. Kowalski it is difficult to find terms > which adequately describe his 1 masterly command of the magnificent Pleyel grand. A wonderful elastic and rippling legato lends by contrast indescribable effect to those passages in which the artist lets himself go. His interpretation of Chopin’s grand polonaise is simply superb, and every note he plays is iliarked with truly artistic sensibility. His own compositions are stamped with the hall-mark of genius, and we are indeed fortunate in having the privilege of listening to so sound and great a pianist. I feel convinced that w|ieh the holiday excitement has the

musical public will crowd the benches of the City Hall, and escape the reproach of losing perhaps the greatest treat we may have for some time to come.

At the concerts given on Monday and Tuesday evenings Miss B. Griffiths played with Mons. Kowalski as a duet on two pianos a very fine Marche Hongroise, composed by that gentleman. The arrangement —a most effective one, displaying some especially good contrary motion —was admirably rendered, the young lady (who is a pupil of Mons. Kowalski) quite covering herself with glory, and receiving a shower of bouquets, and a tumultuous encore necessitating a repetition. Miss Griffiths as accompanist has a very difficult and exacting task to peform, being engaged in nearly every number of the programme, and she improves every night as she gains confidence. The Company go to the Thames on Thursday for a brief season, but will probably return next week, when I confidently predict large houses, and a financial success commensurate with their artistic merits. Orpheus.