AMADIO-SELINSKY CONCERT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3013, 26 February 1917, Page 3

AMADIO-SELINSKY CONCERT

ENTHUSIASM AT THE TOWN HALL The distinctly favourable impression created by the Amadio-Selinsk-y Concert Company in Wellington at the New Year stood them in good stead on Saturday evening, when the first of their return concerts was given boforo an audience that filled nearly ovory seat, and which was extraordinarily enthusiastic from start to finish. In Mr. John Amadio wo have tho finest flautist in Australasia, and possibly' ono of tho finest in the world, for this artist appears to exhaust the possibilities of tho instrument, and that with an ease and amazing executive facility that compelled admiration of no ordinary kind. It is perhaps not known that Mr. Amadio was a resident of Wellington as a youth, and was a pupil of Mr. Chas. Hill. As a boy flautist he showed promise of the great brilliancy that matiffity and. experience has brought. To tho ordinary equipment jof a solo flautist—good intonation, sound phrasing, and a suave style— Amadio adds a rare and sweeping vitality and a temperament that is keenly alive to a sense of olimax. Ho is a master of the technique of the instrument, and the artist in him accounts for the beautiful nuances of tone, and }he realisation of all that is dramatic or romantic in the music. He played Dopplers "Rhapsodic Pastorale Hongroise, which fairly tests the soloist. As is customary it is melody and variations of the melody, and each phase of the theme was excellently played. Then followed the familiar "Carnival de Venico," with variations, so suporblv fingered and faultlessly intoned that a furore of applause followed, and the swinging "Marche" Encore" had to bo added. In the second

part Amadio played the de%lit_ful morceau "Spring" (Terschak), in which he answered the season's call more sweetly than ever a shepherd piped in tho meadows of Arcady. This • was followed by a selection of national airs, commencing with "Ye Banks and Braes" on the flute, and concluding with "The Marseillaise" on, tho piccolo, a shrioking embodiment of the fighting spirit of France that roused the audience like a trumpet blast. Another _ demonstration gavo us Amadio's idea of pure legato playing, a very beautiful old English air perfectly played. Max Selinsky made many friends and admirers when last in Wellington.. On Saturday the Russian, though slightly troubled about perfect pitch _ owing to the atmospheric conditions, gave great pleasure. Ho played the Mendelssohn 'Concerto in E Minor" 'in the first part, losing somewhat in effect by his perfunctory style. Truly lie is a fine technician. His tone- has a glint of hardness that is sometimes repellant, but, muted, appeal to tho heart was immediate. 'I'here was an almost entire absence of harmonic playing in tho solos Selinsky selected. These included the popular Kreislcr variations on a Correlh air, the gravely sentimental Auer transcription of, Chopin's "Nocturne in E Minor," and the delightful "Zigueunerweisen" of Sarasate, which the Russian played particularly well. With Miss Masson, who as an accompanist is an artist comparable to any in the company, Selinsky and v Amadio played 0110 of Brahms' gripping "Hungarian Dances" with rare spirit. It is to be hoped that we shall hear moro Brahms in trio form during the season. Miss Elsy Traweek, who is well known here, sang the waltz song from "Romeo and Juliet" (which was graced by a lovely flute obligato by Amadio), "Still as the Night," tho prayer from "La Tosca" (Puccini), a beautiful number which Miss Treweek sang correctly enough, but without emphasising tho roverential. As an encore she sang "Cuckoo" delightfully, ,and a further call produced "Comin' Tliro' the Rye." Miss Masson is an artist. Her accompaniments gave as much pleasure to tho audience as they- must to the performers. The writer thought she was a little over-weighted to give the fullest • artistic expression to the "Drum Polonaise" of Chopin (one of tho best of the twelve), but in the exquisite Brahms Waltz and the Schumann "Novelette" she was deliciously tender and forcefully expressive. A second concert will be given this evening in the Concert Chamber, vhen Amadio will play Paganini's "Witches' Dance," Schubert's "Cradle Song," and the Air. Havanse" (Reichart). M. Selinsky, with Miss Masson, will play the Greig "Sonata" in C minor, which will be a very special treat, and Miss Treweek will sing the unkillable "Ah Fors E Lui" from "La Traviita"), and "The Songs My Mother Taught Me." Miss Masson will play Chopin's "Fantasia Impromptu."