Couldst put these all from Thee:
Muddle and confusion are the only words to describe such language; and the musical level of the composition is about the same as its Choir Monopoli The work consists of extracts from the Scripture narratives of the Passion given as recitation, me erspersed with a few airs and a number of hymns which are sung to the usual tunes. Although in the score, the hymns are apporioned to the congregation, the choir 10st monopolized them. I some-What question the advantage of that. Still, the really best thing the choir did was one verse of one hymn, sung to a very old (called in some tune books, dee", in others, "French"). "It was beautifully quiet and altogether en-Jeyable. Under this same hesi however, the choir also did worst work. When they let them-elves loose, there was no gainsay-the fact. If the tenors had stayed in the vestibule of the church and kept the doors shut, they would heve just about balanced the basses who sang in the choir seats, With the tenors side by side, there wore only occasional opportunities of cstehing the true authentic deep tones which were really present; but which were overwhelmed in deluge. The lusty tenors. themselves really enjoyed it, Their looks geo med to ask in the utmost naivety:
asn't that topping?" Like the basses, the contraltos did well; though, as is usual, they hardly equalled the sopranos, The Modern "Quiver"
There is only one contralto solo and but two soprano solos. In the absence of a really high class tenor or bass soloist we had four or five gentlemen who came from here, there or elsewhere about the choir, all of whom, like the lady who took the contralto, gave us that quivering shake of the voice which is 86 common to-day. When spending three months in a hospital, I learnt one of the great advantages of irtening to music on the wireless, one could shift one's ear-phon whenever the singer quivered. T sup-there must be some people who: ifoy listening to that sort of thing, though I find it difficult to really be-two soprano solos vere the two gems of the concert.
ice, pronunciation, indeed, the whole environment was exquisite. The choir which had almost a icvgal interplay rose to their opver tunity, and (except for that one verse to which I have referred) did best work here. One can hapily forge, the snags of the 1926 corcere and dwell in very happy memory on this part of the work done. "It was done for tent and it secured its aim. instrumentalists did quite excellent There is a rumour that we are to have the Messiah next year. that be s0, it is to be hoped that we shall have at least four good soloists; and that there may be more bas-sex and contraltoes (and, if it be rot unkind, that a few tenors may be home on furlough).
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.