A WAGNERIAN FEAST

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2200, 13 July 1914, Page 4

A WAGNERIAN FEAST

MR, BERNARD P.- PAGE AT THE 1 . ORGAN.. • ".- Ail msdicncb slightly above'-'the-aver--agei m numbers : attended at .the \Town Hall 011, Saturday toifsten;.to AVagnerlan 6olectioiis- on, the.'.grand'.brgari:-' m Mr« ; ■ Bernard F;: Pago (city, organist)-has 'at' 1 ready established his claim in Welling-' ■ ton as a distinguished exponent of the exalted -musicr-of : . the great' " German' master, and tliere could have frolen. none •listening < ihtelligohtlyj'V-intTioiit:'. being profoundly impressed i witli' the : ;vory beautiful transcription's;.submitted by, I r *iv? a^e * All'these with a knowledge of. WagnerV music v hav«,beeii struct with .the wonderful effects obtained by the massed strings when used as an accompaniment to.a leading-motif. Used m connection with theu weird and wonderful old German legends of mythical tirn.es, tho shimmering' 1 - radiance, of .strings suggests something of unearth.ly.'beauty and power, making a 'wonderiul,/background in the musical .picturo limned. This common characteristic is noted here to draw attention to the art of tho city organist in - registering so close ..a '.resemblance'' to the. strings in such exquisite 1 passages. : This was particularly iioticeable in 'that magjcal : passage from" "Das; Rheingold" . (from, the "Ring of the Nibelung '), in the scene which depicts the entrance of the gods in Walhalla _by a rainbow which Froli (the God of Youth)'has''thrown across the valley of'the Rhino.: There is a •fascinating- aloofness ;• and' attitude in'ithe music which are .strangely appealing to -tho imagjnaliion—it- builds.tono pictures all the timo'like- a ..kinematograph .pic-, ture of the 'gods ait.-work, upon the dizzy prehistoric' mountain crags, forging- a world.' The .'grand march of : the i gods, which .closes the. piece rings with a.'fine, noto'of triumph, and would bo difficult to match throughout -the glowing gallery of the "Ring." Mr. Pago played once more tlio. melodious overture to "Die ' Meistorsingers," wjth its curiously oldfashioned meistersinger airs, born anew ■in the blaze of Wagner's, mighty orches.tration, ami .again those present had the pleasure of hearing Walther's prize song -from the same opera—a thread of golden melody of which one never tires. A notable innovation—aud one that, the city, organist must be induced to play again—was the "Waldweber" from the sccond act. of "Seigfried" (the. third opera of the "Ring").' The jewel of this work with most listeners (says one writer) is tho'wood music in the second, >tct, in which "the murmuring : sounds of' the forest, with its calling of; birds and'rustling of leaves, are reproduced in' delicate orchestral phrases that are interwoven to- form :a musical picturo of tho richest colouring."-. Mr. Pago approached a realisation ! of the picture, exercising a freedom of, thought, and getting tho effects in a broad, convincing manner, without loss of delicacy or refinement. . The second part of tho,; programme was dedicated to "Trista'i.iind Isolde;" that most' poignant - love drama; the music of which as described as "a tonal tapestry of superb v.ob and woof." From tins great music-drama, in which Wagner is heard at the supreme apex of his powers, Mr. Pace selected tho Prelude to Acts I and 111, and "Isolde's Liebe.stod" (death song). . The , music ,of "Tristan and Isolde" is majestically sad —its every tliemo is ' tinged with' a senso of impending tragedy, even ill the earlier love scenes and later gusts of passion, yet every element in the lover's muke-up, ■ every progression towards tlio consummation of..the great, love is mirrored in transcendcntally _ beautiful music that flows on and on as-inevitably as'life-itself. The-.Preludes give a very clear insight into" tho-general charact;er of tho music of "Tristan" and the "Liebestod" is a' masterpiece of dolorous melody. • . Mr.' Pago i deserves a word of commendatioirfor the .illuminating annotations that enrich tlio programme and help materially to ail understanding of the Wagnerian idea. At the next recital to be held on -Saturday, July 25, -the programme will be a. "by-,request" one. Tlio request is made hero and now that the "Das Rheingold" excorpt will'be included. .' .