MAKERS MUSICAL IN WELLINGTON

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2894, 5 October 1916, Page 7

MAKERS MUSICAL IN WELLINGTON

Sir, —I wish to draw jour attention to tho most deplorable state of affairs existing in. this City in regard t<> matters, musical. Particularly do I wish to make mention of the, . Wellington Professional Orchestra. Having heard various reports of high-flowing and praiseworthy nature of .-this organisation, I attended their last concert, attracted by a very good programme and expecting an enjoyable evening. But; no! It was one of tho worst con-' corts of tho.kind I have listened to, and I have heard a few! Let us take the principal item on the programme, tho overture to "Tannhauscr," tho per-, forroanco of which took over twenty minutes —taken at the correct tempo it should last no- longer than .twelveminutes, this according ■'. to AVagner's own testimony. • Why this terrible dragging of tempo ? During thowhole oven-1 ing this was tho prevailing fault. I should like to know who is responsible i ioKthe rearrangement of the beginning of the Overture—it was.most ill-bal-anced and was nothing' less than sheer ■ugliness. Then, again,, the intonation of many instruments in-tho orchestra was palpably false, a fact which would not havo passed unnoticed oven"'by'the veriest tyro in music. Why was not all this corrected before coming on the platform? Is it always necessary to include in orchestral proarnmmes pieces of the like calibre as Schubert's "Serenade," and played as a trumpet solo? 'Are there not enough legitimate orchestral trumpet works to choose from equally .capable of apncaling to the lighter tastes of an audience? I could name several. No doubt Mr. Bowman, tho soloist, made the work of his solo and all tho rest, of it, etc.. etc., hut doos not tho including of -such n number in a programino of more serious a nature Tather cheapen the effect, and lying tho orchestra down to tho level of a tawdry.circus band? And I did not caro milch "for the arrangement. 'Altogether it was a most uninteresting

'oonoort. Thore was no light and shade, no well-dofined crescendos, no olinmx— nothing I Only one dead, dull, and lave] forto. Thoro is ovidonco of promising matorial to work upon among different sections or tho orchestra, but it will need all the efforts of whoever may be in charge of it to bring it out and to raise tho orohesto to as near a standard of excellence worthy of the City as is' possible to bring it. Hoping that this letter'will ba the means of awakening the,dormant faculties of some responsible members of tho orchestra to the fact of how thoy really stand, and directing their energies towards tho way in whioh tho material advancement of tho orchestra may bo best realised, I will draw tbis letter to a closo, with many an apology for using so much valuable space.—l am, etc.. SLAKGANDO.