THE NEW SOUTH WALES ORCHESTRA

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 104, 27 January 1920, Page 8

THE NEW SOUTH WALES ORCHESTRA

A REMARKABLE AUDIENCE

END OF A BRILLIANT FESTIVAL

There was a record mutionco at tho concert civen last night by the Vcrbrugcrlien Orchestra, the last of tho series to be iriven in "Wellington. The big hall was full in every part, even the organ loft seats being crowded, and some threo hundred or four hundred people had to bo turned away. There w»fo only a verv few seats in the auditorium not occumed, and they were all seats that had been reserved, no doubt by people who found it impossible subsequently to Iw .nresent. Needless to say, the orchestra and tho ureal conductor U'ore accorded most generous appjause by tho audience. It is ouito certain that if this wonderful combination could stay in Wellington for n considerable time longer there wouM still be crowds t.a go to hear them,

Ths programme for tho evening was made un wholly of works of the greatest, masters, and was indeed rather heavier than some of the others have been. It oncne dwith the overtruc "Froischutz" (Weber), which is in'ejTect an epitome in music of the opera. The composer endeavoured in this and other.of his works to develon a theory or article of faith which he nroFcsscd, that in opera tho music should not be-dominant to the almost; exclusion of all other features, but that the work should l>e a drama of some real interest, so that the wholo should owe'something to the arts other than music. There is much beauty in this overture, and it was played with cxi ouisite skill and taste. It seemed that numbers of people in the ball heard the orchestra for the first time in this piece, for the enthusiasm was remarkable when the conductor turned to the audience to bow his acknowledgments. Miss Jenny .Cullsn was the violin soloist in Saint fiaens' Concerto in B Minor. Miss Cullen scored a triumph in this brilliant comnosition. which makes tho heaviest demands on the- executive ability, of the soloist. Equally in tho emphatic brilliant passage of tha fir* <md third movements and in the sweetly melodic Andnntiun second movement/which introduces the most beau* tiful of all the themes in this remark, able composition, the soloist showed amazing skill and complete understanding. The orchestration, in which Saint Sacns is considered to lie the most talented ofall French composers, if not among the greatest of all time, is in this composi. tion masterly, and none of the fine talent of the author is missed by tho Verbrugghen Qrchcstra. Symphony No. sin 0 Minor (Beethoven) would probably ba voted by most of those who heard it the best item of the wholo programme, or at any rate the best of the new itjins, for at the end was repeated the incomparable Wagner overture, "Tamihauser." In this symphony, full of such beautiful and interesting themes, tho master has dealt with tlw deepest emotions with such truth and force that the music must compel attention even from the barbarian. There is much.'Speculatioa about the in-, twition of It, x said by some commentators that in it llecthoven has told in music his own love story, a sad story ns it happened. So it conies that he tells first of his low, of the period of unhapptness during 1 which the lovers were separated, and then of the final parting. This theory is not accepted :is orthodox, but it is at least a workable hypothesis to discover something of the meaning of the music The symphony is one in which all teclions of the orchestra have prominence hv turns, introducing- perhaps a , new u.cme, oi taking ut> one already introduced and developing it with i,omo efi'cc tivo variation, The symphony is accounted ;the greatest of tlio greatest composer. Its alternating ideas of turliThoncc and tranquillity, its original and supremely beautiful little, duets and trios, its eerie passages, and its climaxes ot superb grandeui, demand for their full interpretation first of all a conductor of intuitive comprehension, and a ski!lul. and faultlessly drilled company of players, It was undoubtedly one of the best efforts of the orchestra, in . the series of concerts here. Tho overture "Carnaval Homain" (Berlioz), with which the second half of tho programme was opened, was a lighter piece of music, but one possessing strange dualities of its own. It has in it music which is by turns of romantic suggestiveness, of the sweetest charm or, wildly fantastic. Last of all tho orchestra played the "Tannhnuser" overture, and aga'in tho people gavo freely of their praise, some even shouting their excited approbation. . . Owing to sl-ght indisposition, Madame Goossons-Viceroy was unable to appear, and her husband, M. Goossens, appeared in her stead, lie repeated' the air "Eri Tu" from Verdi's "TJnballo in Maschoro, i which ho had previously sang on Friday evening, and in the second part he sang Alfred Hill's. "Tangi." For Ill's he,was most insistently recalled. He courteously shared tho honours with Mr. Hill, taking him from his seat in the orchestra to the front of the stage, but still tie people would hear more of him, and he hod to repeat the number. _ The orchestra will play to-night in the production of "The Messiah" by the Choral Union.

AT TRENTHAM. \ ' A TREAT FOR THE SOLDIERS. The Orchestra gave a concert at Trentham yesterday afternoon for the wound, cd and sick soldiers who are-still in tho institution. All the eighty members of the combination were in the parly, including tho conductor, Mr. Henry Ur> . brugghen, all being motored out to the cami) in a string of twenty-two motor, cars. The programme chosen contained all the. items which have proved to. bo most lxmular with audiences of nil eons, If, was an audience to raise m the minds of vi-itors sad memories. Some of tho lads were still very ill, some bore in Vlioir bodies the marks of hard .conflict, pome had even to bo wheeled into tho hall in their cots, but they a 1 enjoyed themselves. The "William .Tell overture, and Berlioz's Hungarian J.aiolt from "Faust" were exceedingly popular items, but it .was Mr. Verbrugghcn s arraneenicnt of "British feoa few »<«* lifted them to the greatest heights or en, thnsiasm. Sir James Allen. Mi uste of 'Defence, who was present, rose to »mk immediately after this iteiil- and ho (hanked Mr. Verbrugghcn not only for tho great treat he bad given to the solHer*i and all the staff of ho. hosmtai, J,„t for tho education'ho hadgiven them hll bv the pav ng of the National An- . rhom Never had ho heard the iiithem played in such fashion before. It v«3 grand; majestic! tin. tins Sir .Tame? Allen, expressed a sentiment heard very often since the orchestra has played tho Anthem at the beginning and the end ot even- concert.) . • lUy C M Luke seconded the vote ot thanks 'and said (hat Mr. Varney had# had great vision when he arranged tor the visit of the splendid orchestra to TiTiithaiu. ~ . Mr Verbrugghen said, m reply, tnat "the boot was on. the other foot" .lho lads had been wounded in the light tor right against might, and the orchestra had voted unanimously to give, the concert, recognising their duty to bravo Afternoon tea was served in the clubhouse, after which tho parly drove oaelc to town. ■

VERBRUGuHEN STRING QUARTET. Lovers of music anticipate a rare musical treat to-morrow afternoon, when Mr. 'Ilenrv Verbrugghen's celebrated string ouartct will be heard lor the first ttnio in Wellington. This notable quartet has been in existence 1" years, and has played all over the world. Mr. V c-rbrußKheH. tho distinguished conductor of the Now South Wales Orchestra, plays the first violin, Mis? Jcimv Cullcn the second vinlm, Mr. 1") O Nichols viola, and Mr. Janus Jlwsens 'cello. The instruments to be iiwl on this occasion are valued at jnn.'.KX). V splendid programme of chamber musio wi'l be nresenlcd\taken from the works of' Schubert. Mozart, Beethoven, and Mf'rcd Hill. &<ds may be reserved at tho Bristol, and lovers ot high-class music will probably not miss tin* raro opportunity of hearing Ihe lanioua ouartct.