ORGAN RECITAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2631, 29 November 1915, Page 3

ORGAN RECITAL

.Oneof the most delightful programmes which the City Organist (Mr. Bernard P. Page) has given during the present year, \vas that selected for Saturday night's recital. In . anticipation o£ the musical treat promised, the public attended in larger numbers, the audience being the biggest for some months past. Included in the evening's items were the "Peer Gynt Suite" (Grieg), which is always a favourite, and the Siegfried Idyll" (Wagner), which had not been heard for some little time. In placing this latter number on the programme, the City Organist was no doubt mindful of the fact that Wagner has not, been banned in the Old Country. It is interesting to note that even in London at the. present time they are having their Wagnerian festivals. Mr. Pago has in the past placed quite a lot of' Wagner, and ■ne to' do more of these and other high-class works in order that the music-loving public may, by becoming absorbed in them, learn to appreciate them to the full'. A subject which was received with enthusiastic applause was the great "Toccat'a and Fuguo in D minor" (Bach). This is one of the numerous compositions written during the central period of.Bach's career, and to it was given the name "Dorian" to distinguish it no doubt from another Toccata and Fugue in the same key. Mendelssohn's "Concert Overture in. F' was repeated from previous recitals, and was remarkably well played. The other items were a "Fantasy by Ford, and "Melodie and Cantilene" by the French! composer, - Salome. >