MR. HORACE HUNT'S CONCERT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1538, 6 September 1912, Page 6

MR. HORACE HUNT'S CONCERT.

The unfavourable weather seriously affected the attendance at Mr. Horace Hunt's concert at the Town Hall last night. Mr. Hunt, a sincere and gifted student, succeeded in demonstrating the considerable advance he has made of late as an organist. His touch is more suave and confident, he displays a greater daring in his selection of combinations in manual work, and his foot-work is a deal more facile than it was. His opening number was Mendelssohn's "Sixth' Sonata," a comparatively simple one, based on the old German chorale, "Vater TJnscr in Himmelrich," which is richly embellished with attractive variations. It opens with the hymn-like chorale, worked up by variations of that theme to a short but fiery fugue, and dies away to a quiet, restful finale. The Bach "Prelude and I'ugiio in A Minor" tested the organist's technique, and found little lacking. It was played with commendable smoothness and clarity that betokened careful studv and diligent practice, -without which", of course. Bach is impossible. Dubois's "Fiat Lux " a gradual crescendo from the first to the last chord, found Mr. Hunt at his best and earned tho player hearty applause' Tho "Romance in I) Flat" of Lenmr* was gracefully played, and a somewhat rushfill iniernretation of the well-known Prelude to the third act of "Lohengrin" was well done. Liszt's "Sposalizio" and Hollinss attractive "Benediction Nuptiale" were included in the programme. Miss May Donaldson, whose appearances on the concert platform are. ail too rare gave th o audience a. taste of her excellent, quality as a violinist in an exceedingly difficult Patranini "Capriccio" (the twenty-fourth). Sho has a. light clean touch, a fairly sympathetic tone, and bows with easy grace, and in the Paganini number easily overcame its technical difficulties. If Mies Donaldson could cultivate a little mere reserve—tho concealed art which would tend to check the suggestion she gives of being desirous of "getting through" as quickly as possible, her playing would gain. a. quality at present just a little deficient. Perhaps it was nervousness which made her hurry and clip unnecessarily last evening. Her talent for ambitious music was further in evidence in a capital interpretation of the difficult YVilhelnij transcription of Schubert's "Avo Maria," in which she displayed delicacy and firmness in the harmonics" and doublestopped passages. Her encores were "Sclum Eosmarin," a melodious composition by Fritz Kriesler, and a "TCuinorcsko." Mi'. Barry Coney, of Auckland, a robust, baritone, gave a fine interpretation of the "Eri Tn" solo from "tin Ballo in Mfischora" (Verdi), a number replete with highly-coloured emotions which tho singer very admirably reflected. This was bracketed with Richard Strauss's vivid song, "The Lover's Pledge," sung in tho original German. As an encore Mr. Coney raged fiercely through Alfred Hill's "Waiata. Poi," shouting at times in a manner which is far from the composer's intention. Mr. Coney also sang willi good effect ".When the King Went Forth to War" (Koaneman), "Life's Glorious An-. them" (Rao), and as an encore "Invitation In Arise" (Graham Peel). Miss Gertrude Hunt, sister of Mr. Horace Hunt, is a much improved soprano. Her voice is light and flexible, and would be heard to greater advantage in a smaller hall. Plie sang Romberg's charming song "Nymphes et. Sylvains," rather well, though obviously nervous, and for an encore sang a "Lullaby." composed bv her brother. .Her second bracket consisted of Cvril Scott's "Lullaby," and Max P M'?W' s /,' JDamon >',' Pretty soncUts Wl BUited to tha juigej'/a pwacitv " " >