MUNICIPAL ORCHESTRA.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1428, 1 May 1912, Page 6

MUNICIPAL ORCHESTRA.

Tho inhospitable character of tho weather last evening no doubt was mainly responsible for a diminution in the attendance «t the Municipal Orchestra's concert in tho Town Hall last evening, which was rather a pity, for the absentees misled an altogether delightful concert. To mention two items alone, .tho beautiful "Valso Lente" of tho Swedish composer Sibelius, and Beethoven's First Symphony—in "C"—gave to the programme i> high quality. Added to these were Rossini's overturo to "Tancredi," a characteristic "Turkish March" from Beethoven's "Ruins of Athens," two "Hungarian Dances" from Brahma, Gillet's exquisite "Loin du bal," Tschaikowski's now familiar "Dornroschen" valse, and Mr. C. H. Stephens's cultured tenor singing. Tho Sibelius valse i 3 a graceful measure of great beauty, played by tho strings, with a phrase here and there by the flutes, and its interpretation by tho orchestra left nothing to be desired. The Beethoven Symphony was an ambitious effort, but careful rehearsal was apparent in tho performance, and tho orchestra and its conductor (Mr. Mnughan Barnett) were heartily applauded at the close of the finale. The soloist of the evening was Mr. C. H. Stephens, whoso singing was most enjoyable. He contributed "Threo Clown Songs" (Walford Davies), "Zueignung" ("Consecration"), from the album of Richard Strauss —sung in the German—and the charming idyll "When Maidens Go A-Maying" (Edward German). Miss Ina Gow played his accompaniments.