HERR CARL SAUER'S RECITAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1871, 3 October 1913, Page 8

HERR CARL SAUER'S RECITAL.

At the recital given in the Concert Chamber last evening, Herr Carl Sauer, a newcomer to Wellington, who was recently appointed conductor of the resuscitated Wellington Musical Union, nob only figured as solo pianist, but as a composer of songs, pianoforte pieces, and instrumental music. Indeed, with 0110 exception only, every number oil the printed programme was announced as the creative work of Herr Sauer. The exception was a " Tannliauser " (Wagner) fantasia, which embodied most of the best-known avis from that famous opera. In the main Herr Sauer's musio is of the simple, unaffected order, which makes no great technical demand upon those concerned in its rendition, and perhaps is best suited to the requirements of young students rather than for those who find intellectual pleasure in interpreting the works of the masters. Horr Sauer haß a certain gift for light melody of a somewhat conventional order, as was witnessed in his songs "Summer Night" and " Slumber Song," which were rather nervously sung by that usually sweet singer Miss Eileen Driscoll. " Sunshine and Shadow," nicely sung by Miss Gladys Watkins, was also a laudable attempt at poetic song-writ-ing. The composer himself played his own " Ailomaude Varice," variations on a simple theme, which was played spiritedly. His playing of the " Tnnnhauser" fantasia lackcd distinction, and that element of temperamental exaltation without which the musio of Wagner suffers. He also played a solo entitled " Parabel No. 1," another effort of his own composing. Miss Pickerill (a recent arrival from England) was not very happily suited in Amy Woodforde Findon's pretty song, "Oh, Flower of All. the World." She has a soprano voico of some power, but was inclined to sing sharp. She has yet to learn the nicer delicacies of phrasing and interpretation, so essential in giving full value to tne composer's poesies of song. As an encore she sang " The Wattlo Tree" (Sauer). Perhaps the best example of Herr Sauer's musio was the " Suite," an _ instrumental trio (two violins and pianoforte), played bv Misses Konnedy. Hoby, and Lewis, with fair success. Tlie same ladies and Mr. Hellikcr also played an instrumental quartet, and Mr. A. Szenes, on the violin, a " Ballade," both composed by Herr Sauer. Miss Lewis played the accompaniments.