ORGAN RECITAL.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2296, 2 November 1914, Page 3

ORGAN RECITAL.

1 Of all modern soliools of music, Russia >; possesses the greatest force, virility,' 3 purpose, and originality. , ; Neither Germany nor France, nor Italy has a tour 9 de force in niusic such as Russia has in Scriabine, Rachmaninoff, Serge Taneieff, I Rimsky-Korsakoff, Liapounoff, Aronsky--7 niedtnor, R'ebikofE, Stravinsky, and Gla- , zdunov. This formidable arrays of, rioh- :, ly-gifted composers represent R/ussia'e ■ entire independence in musical thought. J Their works do not savour in the least ' degree of the weird exaggerations' and 1 unwholesome contempt for melody and , classical forms of structure that are the ' dominant characteristics: of contemporary .Gonnan music, nor do they reflect . tho anaemia of such modern ■'Frenoh • writers as Debiussy and Ravel. The modern 'Russians ■ bid fair to follow, tho . high standards set by Tschaikoysky, Giii, . Glinka, and Borodine,names that, arc 2 revered' wherever there is a> thought for ' music. But modern Russian music has ■ 'travelled slowly over the; world, and it V is only during, the last five years or so that it has received the, attention in.tbe ' Western .world that' it deserved. These \ remarks are apropos of the inclusion in' ,' Saturday evening's'organ recital pro--1 gramme by Mri Bernard- Page of Gla- , zounov's sole and. only composition for ; the organ,.his Prelude and Fiigue in D ' Major.' Here is a'man who has been ■ engaged in writing symphonies all his l! days, turns his attention momentarily , to. the organ, and.gives us a work that '■ at once commands attention and grips ! the imagination,-whilst:still adhering'to; I severe classical form. /There is.' no bar of \ music in the Prelude aid Fugue that is not interesting. It opens with the crash . of a estic chords, which die down i into'a subdued, dignified, and plaintive L melody, which calls for light . basic • support from the pedals. .; Then there:is • a graduated work-up .to. a fiery clamant I passage ; marked by strong and original !:■ narmonies, which in. turn'mergos into 1 an almost dainty fugue, .with the pedal , -organ prominent. i.Theuoe back to the ; early melddy and to the finale, which ' terminates charmingly .in., three soft, ■ sweet,chords. Needless Pre- • hide and Fugue was encbred, : and Mr. • Page very considerately played the !. whole number through again,' ,to the de--1 light of everyone. The programme was 1 distinctly an international one, judging ' from the composers selected. With. Hol- ; Way (in his "Suite Ancierine") and Edwin Lemaro ("Summer Sketches") ! representing England, the audience were j , given, a- 'series of sketches by, Edward ; MacDowell, entitled "In Passing' Mood," ; very beautifully exhibiting the resource of the late American composer, to whom i the public of the States is'now erect- > ing statues. Then, there was the great • Cesar Franck (with his "Finale in B ' Flat") to represent the desolated Belgium, Wagner ("Siegfried,ldyll") to re-. I present the soaring, ambition of ■ Gcr- ! many, and Glazounov to uphold the prestige of Russia. Altogether a very interesting and delectable, programme, artistically interpreted from first to last. There will:be another , organ recital next Saturday evening, when'many will hope that Mr. Page'may Jbe induced to play the Glazounov number once more.