ORGAN RECITAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1733, 25 April 1913, Page 7

ORGAN RECITAL.

A gocd deal of curiosity and interest was evinced in connoition with the first organ recital given by Mr. Christian Heilemann, the Royal Wellington Choral Sooiety's new conductor, at the Town Hall last evening:, und the attendance almost filled the hall. Unliko mcsfc other instruments, grand organs differ at times materially in the arrangement of the stops (sometimes oven in tho naming of them), and the action and use is a considerable factor as an aid to a performer. It i 3 therefore, with' some diffidence tha(. an opinion should be expressed at all on the occasion of a.first performance. The programme, too, was hardly a test one. The most consequential item musically was the Liszt "Ingue in C Minor," which was given a brood and forceful interpretation' by Air. Helleuiaiu, who showed a fair knowledge of the resources of the instrument, lie proved himself to be an agile executant, but left something to bo desired in the way of suavity of touch and cleanness of outline. Tho overture to "Euryanthe" (Weber) was an interesting number, and Borowski's charming "Elegit," with its brilliant contrasts, gave tho organist an opportunity to display a certain bright diversity in combinations, thoi-gh the blending wa3 hardly as smooth as could be wished, Tho "Elegie" is a very beaut'ful number, whicj would beur repetition. Holbrooke's "Souvenir do Printemps," another melodious number of tho lighter pastoral order, was very nicely played, end earned hearty applause. The organist's idea of the tempo of tho "Mignon" gavotte,- (Ambroise Thomas) was very muoh at variance with the accepted in-' terpretntioa. It was taken at about twice the speed of the gavotte in ordinary, and rather : lost in value on that- account; Finally, Mr. Hcliemann played tho familiar "Bridal March" from Rubinstein e "Ferramors," made familiar in Wellington by the Municipal Orchestra. Mt. Heilemann was assisted by Madame Carmen Pinsohof, tho Melbourne vocalist, who created so favourable an impression in tho coa:ert rendering of "Carmen" on Tuesday evening last. Madame Pinschof was not in nearly eo good voice as on that occasion, and her ballad singing only eeTved to endorse the opinion formed that a certain class of dramatic operatic music is perhaps the happiest metier for display of her undoubted talents.' She was probably heard at her best last evening in tho "Sequidille" from "Carmen," anil Liszt's fine song, "Lorelei'' (sung in German). In the "Lost Chord (Sullivan) sho lacked tho emotional and reverential qualities on which the song depends to produce the thrill at tho climax, and went ■ astray in the words and air in tho middle stanza. Her cncoro song was "Because." Finally, Madamo Pinschof song "The Itosaiy" (Nevin), in which number her vibrato had a distinctly flattening effect. Mr. Heilemann is to give another recital on May 1.