ORGAN RECITAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1861, 22 September 1913, Page 11

ORGAN RECITAL.

The City Organist (Mr. Bernard F. Page) gave an organ recital in the Town Hall on Saturday night. There was a good attendance. The opening item was "Praludien in G" (Max Roger), a piece strongly charged with modern feeling, demanding tho greatest care and choice in colour treatment. "Beve d'Amour" (Felce Corbett) followed. ' The next number. "Prelude, Fugue, and Variation," Op. 18 (Cesar Franck) was finely rendered. In a set of pieces written in 1863-65 authorities place in tho first rank tho Prelude, Fugue, and .Variation.' In this work Franck displays'the rarest qualities of genius, such as the freedom and admirable development of his themes. There is a justice of design, a perfect proportion, and the charm of ideas skilfully presented. An infinitely tender, mystic, and graceful character breathes from tho Prelude, which returns at the, close in tho Variation. "Feuillot d'Album" (E. d'Evry), and '"Rhapsodic (0 filii et filiae)" (Faulkes) wero tho concluding numbers in tlio first part of the programme. The Prelude ill C sharp minor, written by Rachmaninoff for tho piano, was next treated. This work has attained immense popularity. In arranging it for tho organ, new beauties of tono and expression are added, which seem suitable to tho character of the composition. Tile concluding work was "Peer Gynt-Suito, Op. 46" (Grieg), including "Morningmoodj" i "Ase's Death," "Anitra's Dance,',' and "In tho Hall of the Mountain King." A note on the programme says: "The music to . Ibsen's 'Peer Gynt,"* written for a performance of that play, was first published in tho form of a pianoforte duet, and afterwards turned into two orchestral suites of remarkably picturesquo character. Tho Suite (No. 1) for orchestra to bo played this evening is perhaps tho most popular of all his works. Tho work opens with a beautiful pastoral melody ('Morning-mood'), in which Grieg's music seems to carry the fragrance of his native pine-woods into tho concertroom. Tho strango haunting harmonies of 'Aso's Death' have an almost magical eifeet, and in 'Anitra's Dance' thero Is an Oriental character, very pleasing and attractive. There is p. remarkable individuality of design in the last movement, 'In the Hall of tho Mountain King.' The composer had no scruples as to form or design, but used a short theme of four bars and'developed his scoring until ho uses the orchestra to its fullest extent, ending with abrupt fortissimo, chords."