MUSICAL UNION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1252, 7 October 1911, Page 5

MUSICAL UNION.

"THE WEDDING OF SHON MACLEAN." In the presence of their Excellencies the Govern jr and Lady Islington and a very large attendanco of the public, the Wellington Musical Union under Mr. Eobert Parker, gave its second 6ubscriptin concert at the Town Hall last evening. The programme was of a miscellaneous character, and included two items of more than passing interest to students of contemporary coinposer6-"Sccnes from the Bavarian Highlands," a suite for chorus and orchestra (Elgar), and Hubert Bath's "Wedding of Shon Maclean, a. characteristic composition, for soli, chorus, anl orchestra, based upon Eobort Buchanan's poem of that name. There were also included in the programme Elgar's "Imperial March" for the orchestra, violi-i soli by Mr. Adolph Szenes, a musician of whom .nuch had been expected, and a song by Mrs. B. M. \\ilSpeaking generally, the work ._ of tho chorus and orchestra pointed to irregular attendances at tho rehearsals, >no ot the attendant evils of which is indecision m attack, in tho hour of trial. The choir and the orchestra were rather outot touch with each other, an impression sharpened by the fact that on occasions tho musicians rather overshadowed the. singers. It is certain that in Elgar s "Bavarian Scenes," iho orchestra failed to second the choir in its efforts to crenlo what may bo termed the atmosphere of tho piece. The Elgar suito consists of five numbers-'The Dance," "False Love," "Lullaby," "Aspirations, and "On the Aim"—and may be regarded as being something in tho nature of a eories of impressionist sketches. But the effort of conjuring from the actual performance some such impression was not easy last evening. . In "The Wedding of Shon Maclean,' which tho composer is pleased to call a "Scottish Ehapsody—there is a strong flavour of "orgy" about this rhapsody of Hubert Bath, who, by the way, must surely bo a Sassenach himself—tho popu-larly-recognised attributes of the burly Scotchmen of tho Highland counties aro rather cleverly treated. To tho Sasseuach mind, where the Highlander is there also, in the immediate vicinity, must bo a set of bagpipes and a bottle of whisky. Shon Maclean is a piper himself, and his wedding festivities are made the occasion of a great gathering of pipers—twenty all told—who como to the wedding, dance reels, partake of tho inevitable whisky, and depart—to sleep in divers restingplaces by tho wnyside, en route home. The music is bizarre, not to say "skirly," and regarded as a conventional expression of the accepted characteristics of burly Hielan'men, is successful in its suggestions. As interpreted by tho Musical Union, "Tho Wedding of Shon Maclean" was quite enjoyable, and whatever might havo been lost to art in tho reproduction of the work, really did not matter, for "Shon" is by no moans a classic. The solo numbers wore very light, and were sung by Mrs. B. M. Wilson (eoprano), and Mr. F. W. Laycook (baritone).

In Mr. Adolph Szenes, tho public was introduced to a. violinist whoso early association—in tho relation of pupil and master—with the great Hubay was regarded as justifying great expectations. Mr. Szenes was to hnvo played Mendelssohn's celebrated Concerto in 13 Minor, for tho violin, but owing to tho extreino scarcity of orchestra scores, ho had perforco to content himself with playing tho nndanto movement of tho Concerto only, to pianoforte accompaniment by Mr. W. M'Laughlin, adding a Hungarian Rhapsody and nn excerpt from Grieg. Mr. Szenos was disappointing. His instrument is an unusually good ono, ho produces a fiuo mellow lono, his bowing is more than satisfactory, but hie playing is marred by conspicuous defects in -tune, and some unsteadiness in rhythm. These arc major defects. Mr*.' Wilson's song "Orphens With His Luto" was an acceptable item on the programme. .There was an impression of incoherence about tho opening nnmber, Elgar's "Imperial March."