Music, Drama.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 156, 20 July 1893, Page 1

Music, Drama.

[By

“Orpheus.”]

Sl>ectatum admissi risum teneatis amici ?

Mr. Harold Ashton’s Wednesday Pops.

At last week’s concert a crowded attendance enjoyed a capital programme. Mr Hunter’s quintette played a good selection, and Mrs Kilgour, in splendid voice, followed with ‘ Happy young heart,’ from the ‘ Sorcerer.’ The lady won an enthusiastic encore, and responded with ‘The old lock.’ Herr Valdemar Unmack sang the serenade from ‘Il Fiesi ’ so well as to compel an encore, and gave a Polenta in response. Miss Jessie Glover’s recitation was not quite so successful as usual. Herr Zimmermann’s fantasia from ‘ Norma ’ reached the clever violinist’s high standard. As an encore he played his own delicious mazurka. Mr Mcßain sang ‘ Mona ’ very well, but the tempo was rather dragged. Being encored, he gave * The friar of orders grey.’ Miss Short chose ‘ Sorry her lot,’ from ‘ Pinafore,’ and had to repeat the last verse. Mr A J. Tapper received similar treatment for ‘ The fair land of Poland.’ Mr L. Dix gave a very humorous medley from * Olivette,’ and won an encore. Mr Hunter’s quintette opened the second part with a capital selection from ‘ The Pirates.’ Herr Valdemar Unmack gave Mozart’s lovely ‘ Qui Sdegno’ (‘ Within those sacred bowers’). Miss Short’s rendering of ‘ The harp in the air,’ from ‘ Maritana,’ was well received. Miss Ruby Clifford aroused a perfect storm of applause with her recital ‘ The perplexed maiden,’ and gave for the encore ‘ Courtship and matrimony ’ with equal success. Mr Mcßain won loud applause for his song ‘ The wild winds.’ Mr A. Elliott played a selection from the ‘ Mikado ’ on the flute. Mrs Kilgour sang ‘ Magic music,’ from ‘ Les Cloches,’ very well indeed. Messrs A. J. Tapper and C. Brown sang very good songs, the latter gentleman being quite in his best form. Mr Towsey played the accompaniments and directed the entertainment with wonted taste and skill. Last night special novelties were to be introduced.

Saturday Night Entertainment. A crowded house testified to the continued popularity of Mr Ashton’s second string. In the first part songs were given by Miss May Emery and Messrs J. Hyland, Charles Brown, Dave Gardner, J. Morath, etc., etc. The Worth Brothers gave an amusing double song and dance. Nearly every number was encored. ’ The rival writers,’ enacted by Messrs Gardner. Brown, Ashton, and company made a comical finale. In the second part the best items were Miss Ruby Clifford’s graceful sand jig. Miss May Emery’s ballad, Mr Charles Brown’s Dutch songs, Mr Dave Gardner's songs and eccentricities, the Worth Brothers’ double song and dance,and Mr H. Benson’s clev< r duet on penny whistles. The performance concluded with a screaming farce entitled ‘ Military Discipline.’ The Young Ladies’ Amateur Orchestra. Under the able conductorship of Miss Emily Reeve, the young ladies displayed splendid form last Monday week. The orchestra was in full strength, and Miss Freda Marsden led with firmness and skill. A feature in the band was the comet capitally played by Miss Joey Reeve. Hermann’s ‘ Couronne d’or,’ * Two dances from Henry VIII.,’a gavotte from ‘ La Cigale,’ and Strauss’ ‘ Wiener Kinder,’ were all played with admirable tune, precision, and ensemble. But the gem of the evening undoubtedly was the

lovely intermezzo from Mascagni’s' Cavelleria Rusticana,’ in which the band not only played with taste and precision but surpassed all previous efforts in the direction of contrasts of light and shade. A string quintette, by Lange, was well rendered by the Misses Marsden, Stevenson, J. Reeve, Fenton, Law. and Rice. Miss Stevenson chose a rather ambitious morceau — Vieuxtemp’s ‘ Chanson Russe,’ but displayed a wonderful command of technique, and on the whole acquitted herself very creditably. Mrs Hopkins was not fortunate in her choice of Arditi’s ‘Let me love thee,’ which is more of a man’s song. But her rendering displayed great taste and sympathy. Mr Archdale Taylor, in splendid voice, replaced Mr H. L. Brett, who was indisposed. He sang Pinsuti’s • Bedouin’s love song ’ and ‘ The Flying Dutchman ’ as only he can sing them. Mrs Alexander sang Arditi’s florid waltz song ‘ Parla ’ with remarkable facility and success. I have never heard this lady sing better. This song was substituted for Mrs Coates’, who was indisposed. For the same reason Miss Emily Reeve, at a moment’s notice took the contralto in Glover’s duet, * See the land appears,’ and sang as admirably with Mr Archdale Taylor as if the morceau had been well rehearsed. Miss Reeve also shared the accompaniments with Miss Ada Yates, both ladies acquitting themselves well in that exacting and thankless department. Altogether the concert was a splendid success.

The Auckland Orchestral Union. On Thursday last this society surpassed all previous efforts with a really magnificent concert. The band in full strength, under Mr Towsey’s baton, played a sprightly Hungarian diversion by K6ler Bela, with dash, precision, and good light and shade. Barnett’s • The Ebbing Tide,’ whether due to the rather strained writing of the piece, or some slight imperfection in intonation, was not quite so pleasing. But no fault could be found with the piece de resistance, Raff’s magnificent symphony ‘ Lenore.’ The three superb movements, viz , allegro, andante quasi larghetto, and tempo di marcia, were rendered in a style of which both Mr Towsey and his excellent executants may well be proud. Raff’s genius shines in the employment of only legitimate resources with striking effect, proving that composers may still be original without flying to bizarre extravagances The Indian dance, by Schulz Benthen, is a lively and quaint composition. It was capitally played. Barnett’s ‘ Elfland,’ a pizzicato morceau, is always a favourite, and contrasted very favourably with ‘ The Ebbing Tide.’ The band covered itself with glory in a refined and delicate rendering. A delightful selection from Auber’s ‘ Masaniello,’ was another feather in the band’s cap. The Auckland Liedertafel, comprising 24 gentlemen, under Mr Towsey’s guidance, sang some splendid part songs, the audience, like Oliver Twist, repeatedly asking for more. Miss Best sang Blumenthal’s ‘ Across the far Blue Hills,” but the selection was not a happy one, being more suited to a male voice. Her second choice, Tosti’s ‘ Venetian Boat Song,’ was in every respect an admirable one, and rendered with great sympathy and taste.

Herr Zimmerman’s Second Chamber Concert.

As will be seen in our advertising columns Herr Zimmerman gives another of his charming chamber concerts at the City Hall on the 31st inst. A splendid programme is in rehearsal, including items by the pick of our local musicians. Among the ladies Mrs Kilgour and the Misses Rimmer, Thorpe, Warren, Lorrigan, etc., will assist. Messrs. Towsey. Percy Dufaur, George Reid, Horace

Stebbing, A. L. Edwards, Tapper, etc., have promised contributions. Messrs. Heinitz and Winkelmann will play duets on the zither. Mr G. Paque is to take the ’cello part in a trio by Mendelssohn and in two string quartettes by Schubert. Herr Zimmermann will, by special request, play Ernst’s celebrated dlegie, and also the famous violin concerto by Mendelssohn. Not only is such a musical feast sufficiently attractive in itself, but lovers of music should also bear in mind the many occasions upon which Herr Zimmermann has generously lent his aid without fee or reward to every deserving object. I feel certain that a bumper house will gladden the heart and replenish the pockets of our popular solo violinist.

The Columbia Rink continues to run along with unabated success. The Thursday club nights have proved most enjoyable, and the attendance on ordinary evenings, besides the day-time meetings, have surpassed Mr Farrington’s fondest dreams. Nothing succeeds like success, and those who imagined that rollerskating was played out have perforce had to sing a palinode.

The Australian Dramatic Company are to open at the Thames to-night, where I trust they will be rewarded with good houses. ‘ The Ticket of Leave Man’ was a really good all round performance. Not only did the leading players distinguish themselves, but in the subordinate parts of Mrs Willoughby and her son Sam, Miss Lennard and Miss Marie Masters made distinct hits. The volubility of the former and the larrikin gambols of the latter quite convulsed the house.