NEW CITY ORGANIST.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1843, 1 September 1913, Page 4

NEW CITY ORGANIST.

9 ; MR. PACE'S FIRST RECITAL, Congratulations to tho City Council, tho committeo it set up to select an organist, and to tho city on tho appointment of Mr. Bernard Pag", of London, as city organist. On Saturday evening, when .Mr. Page gave -his first recitnl in tho Town Hall, ho proved himself to be an artist of uncommon quality, an organist fit to take rank with tho very finest exponents whom wo have yet heard in Now Zeahai-l. To lovers of the best in music, and in particular to those who know the difficulties and delights tlio grand .organ presents, his performance gave pleasure bordering on rapture. As tho organist revealed new graces with each number, tho enthusiasm grew, until finally tlicro could bo no question that Mr. Pago had mado am immensely favourable impression, and' had established himself as an artist of ra.ro technical- capacity audi poetical intuition. Ono may play a pieco carefully and correctly, but owing to restricted knowledge of the resources of the instrument, tlie treatment- may bo flat and uninteresting;' another, as Mr. Pago, will take tho same piece and illuminate it brilliantly, with high lights and l soft shadows, until tho musical fabric is revealed in all its stereoscopic beauty to tho mind, and' becomes instinct with meaning. _ Added to a splendid technique, which gives him a mastery of tho manuals, Mr. Page is a tono-colourist of unusual resourco. 'Nothing is treated with indifference. AM his work is marked by that rarest of all virtues in organists—sympathy, soul, understanding, call it what you will that magnetic something that exerts an irresistible' cha-nn which n'-s all-compcl-ling. Not sinco the visit to Wellington of Mr. Edwin Lemare havo wo liad the pleasure of hearing so gifted l a player. . Mr. Page's first programme was a highly delectable one, albeit it mado no concession to the "popular." It opened with tho finale of -Tschaikovskv s "Symphonic Fathetique," one of the greatest examples of symphonic, music over written, which in orchestra is rich in gorgeous effects of a so : ul-s6arching order. Mr. .Page's transcription was profoundly interesting. From the tremulous haunting theme —a poijpiantly sad melody—arises an emotional tempest, which 'rises higher and higher, until it breaks into crashing chords, and then fades sobbingly away—pregnant with a grief past understanding, there is no questioning Mr. Page's aoility as an interpreter or such music. He held the large audience spellbound, and' as the. last throbbing notes of tho symphony died away to nothing there was a brief pause, followed by a great outburst of applause. The Samt-Saens "Rhapsodic" (No. 1) was now to ino.vt of those present. It opens with a bold theme, given out on the pedal organ, and afterwards taken up by tho softer reeds in various combinations. Tho harmonies of tiho "Rhapsbdie" are particularly beautiful. Another notably fino effort was Schumann's Fugue on tho name of Bach (tho note "h" in German is equivalent to our B natural). It tested the executive capacity of tho or-ganisit, and at tho same time drew out. fresh virtues in him. The contrast from the sweet placid refrain to tho firo and riot of'tihe tempestuous was as impressive as the colour-blonding was pleasing. Rheinbergor's "Improvisation," a cool, fresh, spring-like bit of melody, played on.tlje fluto and oboo stops, provided a striking contrast to tho "Fugue," and Wclstenholme s "Finale in B Flat" —a orashing £ iar " inonid paean of triumphant joy, such as might nave beon written for. the return of a victorious amiy-—-exhilarated'the delighted audience. Hofman's delicious ' "Scherzo" (Op. 70) proved a pertccrt cameo irrinciod^, -and an- encovo being demanded Mr-' Pago played tlie charming "Can&owi" of Wolsteiiiholme. Finally 0 tho Karg-Elert u Sonatino iji , A Minor," a gorgeously beautiful wort;, , nsoh in -musical surprises,' and ablaze with colour, was most spiritedly inter-, ! was enthusiastically ■ ap--plauded and recalled at tlie termination of the recital. Ho ,will give Ins next i recital on Saturday evening next.