ORGAN RECITAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 216, 7 June 1920, Page 6

ORGAN RECITAL

. —* Tlio city organist (Mr. B. F. Page) offered an interesting programme .of music to an attenuated audience at the Town Hall on Saturday evening. Indeed, such is the continuity of wretchedly mengro audiences at these organ recitals that it is a matter of wonder to many why the City Council docs not endeavour to make somo hind of innovation to see if the recitals cannot be made a source of enjoyment to nioro of tho citizens tliaa is the ease. If any private person or management wishes to engage tho Town Hall on a Saturday evening, the charge for tho hall alone is £18. whereas the total receipts at the recitals rarely riser aboyo 45 or JBG, out of which have to bo paid the wages of doorkeepers, ticket-seller, advertising, etc. The point for the council to consider is: Whether it is reasonable in the interests of the cilistens to refuse to allow the hall to be engaged on a Saturday evening.(for tho possible delectation of thousands'' _of people) at a fee of .£lB, or go on facing the loss occasioned by Mr. Pages recitals, excellent as they may be from a musical standpoint? On Saturdav evening the programmo included the Prelude to Act 111 of "Tristan and Isolde," in which tha impending fete of the two legendary lovers is foreshadowed with beautiful solcmnitv. Mr. Page is always happy in his Wagnerian transcriptions. In the realm of "big" music there was tho majestic "Finale in B Flat" and a 'TasT'o'Tftle" by Cesar Fraud-, wlinsn organ music vies with the work of tha recognised masters. There were also on the programme a "Tx>gow!" by Harl vev Grace, a Fantasia lr Silas, an "T'dvll" and "An Poir" by D'Evory, and "Gincoma" bv Johann. Pachelbcl 'a seventeenth century organist and composor of Nuremberg).