HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 985, 21 January 1909, Page 16

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE.

THE ROYAL WELSH MALE CHOIR. Wales is proverbially a land of poetry and song. Its bards and musicians are poets and singers of no mean order, and the talented choir which is now nightly delighting large audiences at His Majesty’s Theatre, Auckland, comes to us with a great reputation, which experience is proving to be well deserved. A more enjoyable programme than that submitted at the initial concert on Monday evening could hardly have been devised, for every number given was a gem in its way, and although individual members of the choir were probably not in the best of form aftei’ their somewhat trying passage across the Tasman Sea, the singing was of an exceptionally high order, and gave an admirable foretaste of the pleasurably enjoyable evenings which have followed. It is claimed that what the Besses o’ the Barn Band is in band music, the Royal Welsh Male Choir is in choral singing, and the claim certainly appears to have been well established. A better balanced choir of male voices has never been heard in Auckland, and the critical, but withal very enthusiastic audience, which fairly hung on the passing notes of every chorus, solo, duet, and quartette, so artistically and harmoniously rendered on Monday night, took the Royal Welsh Singers into their hearts right away, bestowing lavish applause and hearty encores upon practically every effort. Opening with the Welsh National Anthem, which was sung with great precision and fervent.zeal, the solo part being taken by Mr W. Todd Jones, the singers gave an admirable taste of their quality, and were heartily received, the applause being very general and enthusiastic. “ The Song of the Northmen” —a soul-stirring number —followed, and here again a very fine effect was produced, the voices being well blended and showing throughout this number and the successive ones how evenly the parts were balanced. “ The March of the Men of Harlech” was given as an encore number, the singing in this case being equally spirited and good. “O Friend of Mine” was artistically sung by Mr. Frenn Lewis, and warmly encored, although the singer was certainly not at his best. Somerset’s beautiful “Echo” was given as the encore number, and was well received. The quartette, “ The Shamrock,” given by the Royal Singers, was a still more enjoyable number, Mr W. Todd Jones being heard to especial advantage in the chorus, and establishing himself as a warm favourite with his hearers. The encore number, “ Farewell, My Own True Love,” came as a very welcome addition to the programme. The Welsh part song, “ Cwsg”—sleep—(Price), which came next, proved the gem of the evening, so far as the chorus singing was concerned, the pianissimo passages being particularly fine. They were sung with great delicacy, thus bringing into greater prominence the beautiful crescendos. In striking contract was the encore number, “ Timbuctoo,” which was sung with merry abandon and in very sprightly fashion. In their duet, “ Tenor and Baritone,” Messrs. Robert Jones and David Davies entered with evident relish into the quaint humour of the number, thus earning a well-deserved encore. The following duet proved to be an old favourite, “ The moon hath raised her lamp above,” which proved a very charming item. The musical jest, “ Italian Salad,” served up in almost inimitable fashion, a collection of musical terms denoting expression, gradation of tone, time, speed, etc., vocally illustrated, the effects being decidedly humorous and a little instructive to those to whom the terms were familiar. The encore brought a complete change in the wondrously beautiful hymn, “ Abide with Me,” which was sung with great feeling and marked expression, the effect being remarkably fine and lasting. In the

of feeling which seem to be characteristic of the Welsh Choir, ‘‘Lead Kindly Light” was selected as the encore number, the opening bars of

second part, the opening glee, “ Strike the Lyre ” was given with great gusto and met with the inevitable encore. By another of those quick transitions

the music being warmly applauded, and a solemn hush pervading the assemblage as the beautiful hymn was sung. In the next number Mr W. Todd

Jones scored the success of the evening by his dramatic singing of Gounod’s fine song, ‘‘Lend Me Your Aid.” The recitative was given with

the required energy and dramatic force. “ The Children’s Home,” which followed as an encore, being more generally known, proved an even greater success, and was more enthusiastically received, the soloist being encored almost to exhaustion. He was compelled to respond to a second encore, and did so by singing “ Mary of Argyle.” The descriptive chorus, “ The Tyrol,” was another very fine effort, the music of the mountains being admirably portrayed in song. A Welsh hymn, which the conductor announced was given by special request, came as a much appreciated encore number. Sullivan’s “ Thou art passing hence,” sung by Mr. A. Edwards, and “ The Soldiers’ Chorus,” given by the Choir, concluded the programme, encores not being perm.teed in these final items, the National Anthem following. The Choir is fortunate in its conductor, Mr. W. Thomas, w’ho is a gentleman of exceptional musical ability . That the singers are completely under his control, and responsive to the slightest movement of the baton, is speedily apparent in the rythmic precision with which the programme is carried out, practically in faultless fashion. In Mr. H. Hughes, the accompanist—upon whom too much praise cannot be bestowed—the Choir possesses another treasure. He plays with great delicacy and feeling; his accompaniments are thus of material ass stance to the soloists, and add greatly to the enjoyment of the programme.