NOTABLE CONCERT

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 185, 2 May 1940, Page 6

NOTABLE CONCERT

Centennial Musical Festival SINGERS AND ORCHESTRA TRIUMPH The good opinion formed of the singers brought from England by the Government for the Centennial Musical Festival and the orchestra assembled by Mr. Anderson Tyrer, the English conductor and comimser for the same lofty purpose, was firmly endorsed by an audience which filled every seat in the Wellington Town Hall last night. It was only fitting, too, that such an occasion should have been graced by the presence of their Excellencies Lord and Lady Galway, and Sir Harry Batterbee, the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom in New Zealand, as if will stand out as one of the inest concerts given in Wellington for many years. Buch orchestral playing .has not been heard in Wellington since the appearance here of the New South Wales Orchestra, under Henri Verbrugghen many years ago, Mr. Try er has in a few weeks been able to assemble a compact and competent band, capable of giving a high degree of artistry to music within its compass (for it is uot a hull symphony orchestra). That was evident by the sound performance given of the overture to "Die Meistersinger,” played with such delightful elan that soinetluinig of the majesty of Wagner’s music was brought home to a wondering audience. The festal glamour of the opening ensemble, the spirit in which the Halfing orchestral colouring found sparkling play "with the “Fnzc Song” theine, and the braive .pomposity of tiie brass in the more ilaanibuoyant passages, were impressive. There was quality, too, in the performance of the third movement of Tschaikowsky’s ’'Symphonic Bathetique,” which is by no means simple music. In lighter vein the orchestra iplaiyed with elfin fancy the dainty “Eraeludium” of Jarnefeldt, the buzzing ‘‘Flight of the Bumlbte Bee” (Rimsky-Korsakoff), so skilfully accented, and the “Shepherd Eenmel Hance” (Gardiner). Then to those who love their Tsc-ha ikowsky sugar ■sweet, there was the dainty “Casse Noisette” (The Nutcracker) suite, with its quaint dances and alien cadences that seem to jump to the palette of this Russian genius. Compared with the example of Wagner, the music of Weber as illustrated in the "Der Freischutz” overture seemed somewhat puerile iml watery, though veined with refined melody. The orchestra also displayed nice versatility

in nuance in the accompaniments to many of the songs, another triumph for the ■conductor. The singers scored an even greater success than on Saturday evening, rising in some of the numbers to higher peaks of votal excellence. The opening lady soloist was Miss Isobel Baillie, who disappointed her audience initially by being unable to sing "Elsa’s Dream” front “Lohengrin” (Wagner) because some of the orchestral parts were not available. “La Mero,” an aria from Mozart’s "The Shepherd King” was substituted, a .beau-

tiful number but one that was caviare to the general. Her second number was "Elizabeth's Greeting” from “Lohengrin” (Wagner), which she sang in high spirit, though her charming voice is not of the

timbre usually associated with Wagnerian opera. Miss Baillie scored best with a lovely reading of Mascagni’s “Ave Maria,” most reverently intoned, and captivated her audience in Martin Shaw's delicious little song, “The Cuckoo.” Miss Gladys Ripley sang with greater freedom and even fuller voice than on Saturday evening. There was genuine feeling in her interpretation of that song of despair, “None But The Weary Heart” (Tschaikowsky), which gave fine scope for her rich velvety tones. Then, escaping from the lachrymose in song, Miss Ripley sang very brightly the “Seguidille” from “Carmen” (B.izet) in English. Her power in legato music was best displayed in Granville Bantock’s impressive “Lament of Isis.” The encore numbers- were the charming song “Leaves And The Wind.” and “Bird Songs at Eventide” (Eric Coates).

, Good bass singers are as rare as tenors of distinction anywhere in the world. Mr. Oscar Natzke appears to be blessed with a super organ, and brains to give it interest. His opening number was the aria “La Calunnia,” from “Tiie Barber of Seville,” in which the evil effects of a base calumny is philosophized upon in the Rossini manner. Mr. Natzke was quite at home in this narration, giving full meaning to each phrase and sentence in comprehensible Italian. Bracketed with th e aria was. strangely enough, Mourssorgsky’s “.Song of the Flea,” originally made famous throughout the world by Feodor Chaliapin. This song is a grim satire that calls for humour and cynicism, and both were imparted in a moderate degree. Mr. Natzke reserved his biggest guffaw till the end, when it made tiie roof tremble. His encores were “O Could I But Express My Love” (Malachin), and a roguish ditty, “The Miller” (Dadgomichsky).

No artist so completely won his audience as did Mr. Heddle Nash, the tenor, who was in wonderful voice and humour. “Onaway, Awake,” from Coleridge Taylor’s cantata, “Hiawatha,” is a solo which has found out the weakness of many a striving tenor. Mr. Nash sang this lovely number with poetic relish and a rich resonance that gave peculiar beauty to Longfellow’s lyrics. Wellington has never heard “La Donna e Mobile,” from “Rigoletto,” sung so well as it was last night. The tenor sang the catchy trifle with a lilt and a laugh that was positively bewitching. After that he summoned up enough passion to sweep the audience off its feet in the “Flower Song,” from “Carmen.” There was further witchery in his readings of the “Dream Song,” from Massenet’s “Manon,” the Neapolitan ditty, “O Mina Che,” and “Bonnie Mary of Argyle.” Mr. Harold Whittle displayed infinite sympathy and strength in accompaniment to the encore numbers.

During the evening Lord Galway thanked the artists, the orchestra and all who had been concerned in arranging these wonderful concerts, entertainments which he said helped to divert the attention from the troubles that at present beset the world. A point his Excellency made was the catholicity of the programme, containing as it did works by Russian and German composers, great men who had composed music for the enrichment and enjoyment of the whole world. Culture would in time lead the nations of the world to thoughts of peace, and he expressed the hope that the time might not be remote when there would be a general return to the development of that culture for the happiness of people generally. He thanked all concerned for tiie help they were giving to raise money that was so urgently needed to win the wa r.