The North-Eastern Weekly Gazette. — 1893-12-16 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

MIDDLESBROUGH MUSICAL UNION.  Handel's genius is best revealed in his choral works, and though his cantata or serenata "Aria and Galatea " was written a good while before he seriously get to work on the composition of what proved to be his imblina'st oratorios, yet it clearly indicates the marvellous appreciation the composer then had of the powers of the voice and the unmistakable skill with which he could grasp and produce a desirable effect even before the means were at hand for their efficient and successful presentation. Middlcsibrough is indeed fortunate in having so able a chorus to interpret great works, and the efforts of the Middlesbrough Musical Union weroheartily recognised on Wednesday night by the large audience which thronged the Town Hall to hear the opening concert of the season so far as the Society is concerned. As far I back as 1885 Handel's "Messiah," the greater of I his two masterpieces, was performed by the ' Middlesbrough Musical Union, and in 1889 it was repeated. To the "Ode on St. Cecilia's Day" and "Judas Maccabmir' "Ace and Galatea" has now been added. Beyond the initial disappointment at Mies Lucile Hill being indisposed, and unable to take her place, the performance of the work quite came up to expectations. Perhaps it would have been somewhat difficult to have secured a more satisfactory substitute than Miss Medora Henson, who took the leading soprano parts in Gounorl's "Redemption" and Berliezei "Faust" in April and December, 1892, and both Mr Henry Piercy and Mr David Hughes gave no opportunity for a division of opinion as to their performances. Miss Henson was heard to best advantage in the concluding air, "Heart, the seat of soft delight," which was very pretty I indeed the last two lines particularly. The solo "hush, ye pretty warbling choir" was also very sweet, and the interpretation was delightfuL Mr Henry Ptercy as Avis gave the lovely melody, "Love in her eves sits playing and sheds delicious death" with a freshness and vigour that captivated his hearers from the stark With equal grace and rare capacity for efficient expression without diminishing purity by the veriest jot or tittle, he gave "Love sounds th alarm and fear is a-flying." That deliciously descriptive air "0 ruddier than the cherry" received a happy rendering by Mr David Hughes. The trio was excellent. The opening chorus of the shepherdii was pleasant and quiet, and the harmonious runs of "happy, happy we" came in with fine effect, but the chorus "Wretched Lovers" was tho most exquisite. The co-mingling of the voices thrilled the heart, so successfully was it accomplished ; and for steadiness of tone, descriptive fascination, and Serer it would be difficult to excel. "The waves run frightened to the shores! Hark! how the thund'nng giant roars!" is a couplet, the music of which will, in the apt words of Ilulwer Lytton, be "often heard again, distinct and living as when it firab displaced the wavelets of the air." The whole verse was exceedingly effective. "Mourn, all ye Muses" was music wondrously full of meaning, and its expressive interpretation by the chorus was in itself no small achievement. Unison and time throughout were good, and both orchestra and chorus had so thorough a grasp of the work in hand that Mr Kilburn'e task was comparatively light. His judgment was nevertheless evident throughout, and but for his discrimination and care the work could not have been anything like , the treat it was. The sympathetic inter- I pretations both of the strings and reeds, the oboe and euphonium being frequently called upon, were at times exceptionally meritorious. In the second part Cyrill Kistler's prelude to the third act of his opera "Kuuihild," which has been recently performed at Witreleurg, delighted all who could sympathise with the Wagnerian tendency of the author, who ranks alongside Maiscagro and Brunea. Though the Bayreuth master's influence impregnates it, still there is something forcible, scmething genuinely earnest and successfully expressed, in the prelude that cannot fail to attract wherever it is heard. Mr Theo. H. Ward, of Middlesbrough, conducted the initial performance of a "Dame Loots," for an orchestra, which he himself has written. The composition is pretty enough, though somewhat jerky, its principal fault being lack of balance and distinctive strength. The author was, neverthelees, complimented with an encore. Mr David Hughes sang Mendeieeohna "I'm a Roamer," but not, of course, with anything like the artistic finish, power, and conspicuous stlCOl3BB of Signor Poll two months ago in the same hall. Miss Henson sang "The Gay Gitana," by Harris, with such acceptance that she had to repeat it Had she not been heard in this song she would have suffered an injustice, for she gave it with considerablegrace and exceptionalpower. Sullivan's , pathetic and graceful melody "Come, Margarita, Come," by his Piercy, was sympathetically enunciated and neatly phrased. The reeds, especially when the artist was displaying his most mellow notes, materially helped the telling effect which was attempted and achieved. Browning's poem "The Pied Piper of Hamelin," could not conceivably have had a more appropriate setting. The prettily told story has drawn forth the soul-strains of the composer, Mr R. H. Walthew. The oboe plays a prominent part in ' the score, and Mr Haydn Norton and Mr P. Jen, kinson are to be complimented on their performlance. The weird echo-effect suggested a "follow me" sort of feeling, and the theme scoured the closest thought to both words and music throughout. There is no lack of variety in the tune, I which expresess in turn dolefulness, joy, , liveliness, satisfaction, derision, revenge, I grief, gloom, and remorse, and the text is both flexible and musical. The sense is I never sacrificed on the altar of song, and a better balanced production or a more touching story is seldom met with, and herein lies the secret of its lintense interest and success. Not only did the voices of the chorus seem fresh and powerful and excellently trained, but they were well balanced, and the orchestra seemed to be just about the proper 'strength requisite for the purposes of the occasion. The overture "Die Felsenmuhle," by Reissi,ger, concluded a very successful programme, the arrangement of which showed unusual taste, for all the items in the second part possessed a certain amount of affinity in their daintiness of character.  Herr Mantey, a local judge at Tilsit, has been sentenced to four months' detention in a fortress for having fought a duel with a lawyer named Schimmelpfenrug in consequence of a political dispute during the recent elections for the Reichstag. The seconds, who are officers in the army, will be tried by court-martial. On Tuesday evening a clerk named Alexander Maas, employed by Messrs Hardy and Nathan, of Tokenhouse buiklings, London, committed suicide on being taxed with embezzling the moneys of his employers. It is stated that • partner of the firm called on Tuesday evening upon Maas at his - Upperton, Sidcup, and taxed him 'omens. This he at once there,arpon the