ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16857, 10 June 1920, Page 8

ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY.

. Sirjc-3 their last app-eurauce, tlio* t tral Socioiy, conducted by Mr Bunx. 0 liavo considerably increased the ranks of ( ] {heir string-body, and there no reason why ~ within mcsisurablo time tho full strength of former years should net bo recovered. Non~ | • that rivalry between the two bodies has > coaled, it would bo a grrccc'ul act on the part oi some- members belonging to tho lata Symphony t.)rr {o return to tho fold. At the concert last night at the Choral Hall a very larjo audio"oo was aesombled, and hardly an empty sor.t could be seen. In tho progranmio tho wise policy was continued of including' some numbers previously hoard, and than presented onoo moro in iai-. 1 proved form. All thoso works froju Mcnt dolssohn's overture, Cave" on- _ : wards had largely beucfitcd by tho studious ii ' care bestowed upon their rehearsal, and tho ' intimate knowlcdg-e thereby acquired by the ? members. The leadership of Mr Yere Buchanan al?o bears good fruit. Tho Mendol- -, ssohn overture was hoard in well-finiVho*! ['■style, and with tforoo .of oxprcs- . [ sion, although the string-body was not yet . j quito consolidated. With much charm w ; »» _ j pive;i lillgar'a Intermezzo, "Rosemary." Tho ' lilting themes ux tlio intermezzo, clad iu ' harmonies simple yet of rich texture, are planted in one's memory at the- first hearing. " | The incidental music to the "Merchant of i | Vcnice," by Ko?=e, is melodiouely agreeable, > -.veil planned, v.ith ft leaning towards tho < French style, and skilfully set; th© "Int«r- ---; iuczzo" ■ and -second "Prelude" particularly . i go, and the stately "Dole's March" closes the I suite impressively. The fivA sections were I very tastefully played. Special reference is ' l duo to tho masterly way in which Mr H. G. . '! Glnifher performed tho prominent part alI: lotted to the liarp. In Schubert's "Unfin- ! ished Symphony" admirable progress i been made, especially in tho refined tonei' gradations oempioyed in the "Andante," which , (.ould well compare with tho reading of tlie | Stat? Orchestra. Tho ever nppreciated dainty "Scenes Pittor.'-Hquee," by ii'.ifsenet, completed the orehc-atruV, re=por.fiibility. | The voci'.lht was Mrs Gower-Burtw, who ; had rcsuiToctod a recitative and aria from i ■ Cc<sta'3 "Eli," well ' sung, but proving that the obscurity into which tho onoe bo popular Oratorio has ounk is not quite unmerited. The beautiful "Legend," by Tschaikowsky, icado a striking contrast, the reverent and dolicato treatment by tho einjer making a dedp impression. In the second port Mrs Gower-BurM had«bracketed four songs, jncludin" the fim'.int, vet or i anna I "Oriental Eomancc," by Rimsky-Korßakow, "Hush, My Littlo On*," a pretty oong of its I kind, and "Polly Willis," on® of Dr. Anus's i less known airs. As a novelty itus introduced Granville Bantock'a "Feast of Lanterns," also very quaint in character, and finally with very dainty ihflections was added Mr R. A. Home's popular son?, "Onco in the Long Twilisht." In ell contributions Mrs Gower-Burns waa as artietie an interpreter _as ever, and admirably eunnorted at tlio piano by Miss Ailoon May Warren. The whole concert may be regarded a-s ao j auspicious opening- of ,this year's eeasoc.