APPEAL FOR NEW CONCERT HALL

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27396, 8 July 1954, Page 7

APPEAL FOR NEW CONCERT HALL

Conductor Criticises Civic Theatre

INTERVIEW WITH MR BRAITHWAITE

"It is time Christchurch built a new concert hall; the Civic Theatre is neither big enough nor good enough for giving first-rate orchestral concerts,” said Mr Warwick Braithwaite, guest conductor of the National Orchestra. in an interview in Christchurch yesterday. Mr Braithwaite is visiting Christchurch for the last time as guest conductor of the orchestra which, he said, had improved fantastically both technically and in musicianship while he had been with it.

“The New Zealand National Orchestra has come to stay, and it is much better than any of the English or Scottish provincial orchestras, with the exception of the Halle Orchestra in Manchester,’’ Mr Braithwaite said. “The players’ interpretation of music is very catholic; they seem to be able to get inside most compositions that they play, and are really superb in romantic or lyrical works. They do modern works very well, too.’’ Visiting Artiste’ Praise Visiting concert artists had greatly appreciated the quality of the orchestra’s accompaniments, he said. The eminent pianist, Solomon, had told Mr Braithwaite in Auckland at the end of a rehearshal with the orchestra of the Brahms D minor Concerto, that he had never had such an easy re-

hearsal. “I asked him to turn round and tell the players. This he did. Mr Braithwaite said. It had been an interesting experience to see the progress made in music, particularly orchestral music* in the years he had been away from New Zealand. Mr Braithwaite said. Orchestras pin-pointed rhiblic attention on music, and consequently the public gave music some place in their lives. The more music people heard, the more they wanted to hear. “I have very much enjoyed my stay in New Zealand, and I am sorry to be going away,’’ he said. “I particularly regret that my term with the National Orchestra has finished, but I am very glad that Mr James Robertson will be taking over, tor I have the utmost confidence in him as a conductor.” Modem Composers Asked for his opinion about the work of modern composers, Mr Brai-

thwaite said he felt that music was either good or bad, no matter whether it was ancient or modern. “Any modern composition that has something the peonle can get- hold of is worth while playing. Melody is the great thing in music,” he said. Much modern music had melody, but it was of a different kind from what listeners were used to, said Mr Braithwaite. It was only a ..matter of listening often enough to be able to appreciate modern works. He recommended Stravinsky, Bela Bartok, William Walton, and Katchachurian as composers who were worth listening to often. . . New Zealand had many promising musicians, including a young Christchurch pianist. Miss Julie Clark, he said. “Miss Clark is marked out for success, and I do hope that she will be able to take up concert work as a career,” he added. Mr Ken Spiith. the Dunedin cornetist and conductor of the St. Kilda Band, was another New Zealand musician of outstanding ability, Mr Braithwaite said.