MUNICIPAL ORCHESTRA

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1153, 14 June 1911, Page 9

MUNICIPAL ORCHESTRA

Though the weather last evening was anything but enticing, there was a lairly large audience a( the Town Jl.'ill to listen to the Municipal (Jrcliostra. Those who deserted the glowing hearth ior sweet music's sake weie not disappointed. The concert was one of the mosc genuinely enjoyable that the orchestra has yet given, "bath in regards the programme and the manner ol its liertormauce. llr. • Harnett's v.oll-traincd band opened with three bracketed numbers ot quainrly-eontrasted characteristics —Aubor's overture to the old-time opera

"Jlnsnniello," a tuneful work which follows the old-fashioned form of embodying the melodies of the opera; the prelude to "King Manfred" (Iteinecke), a movement for muted strings—a composition of sustained chords, of plaintive feeling, most beautifully harmonised; and Mozart's minuet fiom the "Symphony in JO Hat,'' one of the best examples of this composer's graceful dance movements. Mr. Horace Hunt played the first movement of Beethoven's Pianoforte Concerto in C Minor with tho orchestra, and came cut with flying colours, llis flexible stylo, emotional delivery, and clean touch accounted for a most expressive interpretation of the movement, which should be ticked oft' for future performance. The orchestra, which was kept well down by Mr. Burnett, enhanced the performance. In the second half the tone pcem "I'inlaudia," by Sibelius, was again-produced. This is a very florid composition of the descriptive older, mast exciting to the imagination. It opens rather sombrely with a lament for the oppressive hand which overshadows the land. Following is tho call to arms, initiated by a long drum solo, which leads into a clash of martial music, with hurried trumpet calls ringing out amidst the clamour, which ends in a festal ensemble indicative of victory. This is succeeded by a hymn of praise, softly chanted by the wood-winds, and, as a grand finale, the battle music and the song of victory are cleverly synchronised. The composition is almost as showy as Tscliaikov,-sky's "1812," and will always be among the most popular numbers in the orchestra's repertoire when played with the spirit which marked last evening's performance. The orchestral programme concluded with Gillet's dainty

"Loin (lu Jlnl," in which the 'cello solo was admirably played by Mr. Frank .Johnston, and Sullivan's swinging march from his "Henry VIII" music.

ilr. Barnett played as organ soli, wilh his customary skill, Dubois' "Toccata in G," an "Ave Maria" by Heusclt, and the impressive "funeral March and Ilyinn of Seraphs" by the recently-deceased Parisian composer, (juilniant, one of the best-known of modern composers for the organ. As several members of the orchestra will bo touring with the Sheffield Choir during the next month, it is not likely that any performances will be given unfil the encl of July, other than the numbers to bo contributed to the programme of the Coronation Night concert.