NEW SOUTH WALES STATE ORCHESTRA

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 95, 16 January 1920, Page 5

NEW SOUTH WALES STATE ORCHESTRA

GREAT SUCCESS IN AUCKLAND. ' Interest' increases at the approach of Ihe orchestra concerts to bo given by the New South Wales State Symphony Orchestra, which commence at the large Town flail on Thursday next, January 22. Reports are daily coming »to hand of the great success of the Auckland season, which terminated on Tuesday evening last, when, it is .estimated, about two thousand people desiring admittance could not-he accommodated in the largo Town Hall. Never before, in this Dominion, has such interest, and enthusiasm prevailed, and tlu( receipts of the afore-notcd concert arc said to constitute a record for th's orchestra for Australasia.' The orchestra, consisting of eighty players, is favourably compared with Sir Homy .T. Wood's Queen's Hall Orchestra, known to . all music lovers throughout the 'English-speaking world, and the performances of the great symphonies of Beethoven, Brahms, Tschaikovsky, Dcrlvoiz, Schubert, and Mozart, overtures and suites by Wagner, JTerohl Mendelssohn, Tiossine, Weber, St. Saens, and others, arc slated lo be uoth'ng short of marvellous, and altogether, a revelation, especially t:> those'who have not vi-;ifc<l' the musical centres of the Old World. Tlu( orchestra is conducted by Henri Verbrugsrhcu, a conductor of worldwide repute, who has a magnetic personality. There are included in the orchestra several specially gifted soloists for tholr respective instruments, amongst whom, for the pianoforte, are Messrs. Henry Penn and Frank Hutchens, and for the violin Misses Jenny Cullcn and Dngmar Thomson, and llr. W. J. f.'oad. (Most, if not all, of these artists will be heard in pianoforte and violin concertos along with thuf orchestra. accompanying the orchestra as soloists are jfilme. Alice Goosons-Vicerpy (soprano) nml Monsieur Albert Gcossens (baritone), who will be associated with the orchestra in some of the great arias from celebrated operas, and ns theso artists have been performing with the orchestra in Australia for several months, the various scenes and airs to be given are expected to receive the most perfect and finished treatment. Concerning last Saturday evening's performance, the Auckland "Star" reports as follows:—"Apart from the technical interest of its playing, what gives the orchestra a particular distinction is the magnificent quality of tone produced, the beautifully soft finish of the pianissimos and the elegance of phrasing. In the mighty and weigh ly bursts oft sound there is never an earsplitting rawness of tone by the brasses. Such purity of sound a.s the trumpets, horns, tub", and trombones d splay is seldom met with, and it is always refined. The wood-winds had many opportunities for display, and the performers rose lo the occasion, making the. most, of'their chances. The strings were particularly rich and effective in their work; it is ii'fino sight to sec all the fiddlers bowing tho same way, and to hear Hie strident music played with distinctness by all executants. The performance on the instruments of percussion g've unalloyed delight, and does not fail lo call the listener's attention lo tho «tn>n?'v mniked accentuations in the dramatic music. Mr. Vcrbrugghen plays'upon his orchestra with the skill and finish of an accomplished organ : >t, securing any deI gree of force or effect which comes in ! to his mind at the moment. Tlu) boxplan for the; first three concerts is now open at the Bristol, where the 10s. and Cs. seat.ninny be booked. The committee specially requests that intending patrons book their seats early, as a great rush for seats is'expected as the season-pro-ceeds. _ ...