PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1705, 24 March 1913, Page 6

PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA.

His Majesty's Theatre was crowded last 1 ' evening with enthusiastic music-lovere 'when the AVollington Professional Orchestra gave its second concert of the season. The programme, though shorter. than usual—and at this few peoplo will ,tako exception, for a little pood muiao is preferable to a lot of mediocre "programme" —was a delightful oiio. Tho choice of items showed extreme taste, so it-is not to bo _ wondered at that maiy neojilo, discussing the performance whim leaving tho theatre, opined that it wis one; ci the best concerts that the P .•ofcssioiia] Orchestra has given. To a certain extent this may be put down to tlio 'net that tho items selected wore popular; and, although they were strictly classical, they were of such an order that even 1 hose who are not musicians but simply lovers of music—for every lover of music is net a musician—could enjoy them. Tho first item, tho overture to Weber's "ÜBoron," was the least attractive, and although rendered with precision seonied to lack that peculinr touch of unison which, for orchestral success, is imperative. However, the next two items, Von Blou's "Traumbild" and a gavotte—"Mignon"—of A. Thomas, were in the nature of a triumph for tho evening, and.effectually captured tho sympathy and humour of tho audience for what was to follow. The "Traumbild" was enthusiastically encored. Tho well-known and time-honoured overture to Herald's "Zampa" was tho next on tho list, and aptly followed tho former items, while it "cleared tho ah losphere,' so to s|)eak, for tho two pieces from Tschaikovskv's "Casso Noisette," which' canio immediately afterwards. These ivero quite the most delightful pieces of. the evening. Tho first—the Chinese Doneewas very well played indeed, and seemed to express in music something of tho weird nature of the East._ The second piece ffom tho "Casso Noisette" was Iho Russian Dance. It was a happy, thought to bring two such different pieces together. One's thoughts were transported, from the quaint and somewhat unintelligible melody of the Chinese to" the exuberant, exotic whirl of tho Russian dance, leaving one doubtful as to which of tho two was the more enjoyable. J.nis excellent programme concluded with Berlioz's "Damnation do Faust' march. It need onlv be said that it was a xood mid appropriate eliding to an admirable concert. There is no doubt yjat a part of tho success of. the Professional Orchestra is due to their conductor, Jlr. Herbert. Bloy.