BRITISH MUSIC SOCIETY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 18, 16 October 1943, Page 7

BRITISH MUSIC SOCIETY

Wellington Concert

Standards are everything in music. The admirable one set by the Wellington branch of the British Music bociety wtib fully maintained m the.concert given m the St. John Ambulance Hall last evening to a large and most, appreciative audience. This concert saw the prsappearance as soloist at these functions of Miss Leela Bloy, a violinist of distinct ability (daughter ot the late Mi. Herbert Bloy, violinist and conductor, ot Wellington). Miss Bloy produces a strong, vigorous tone, gaining a sympathetic* appeal by the manner of her shading and general intellectual approach. Her breadth of tone was nicely exemplitied in the Kreisler arrangement ot tee largo movement from Dvoraks New World” symphony, graced in the second part by a double-stopped setting of thlovely air, and concluding in a high hatmonic, tenderly expressed. J-"*' ll ’ parting from the legato mood. Miss Hioj gave a deft and lively reading of the “Tambourin Chinois” (Kreisler), whicfi calls for considerable technical skill and abandon, both well displayed. In tin second part Miss Bloy, witli Miss Iherle Oswin at the pianoforte, played delightfully the "Sonata in D Minor” (opus 121) of Schumann. ... Another gifted performer was Miss Shirlev Craig, a pianist of some brilliance and no little character. Miss Craig rambled pleasantly through some Chopin preludes, showing amazing strength and vigour in the G minor. She also showed her versatility in tonal control in the Etude in F Major, aud her sense of the' opulence and beauty of Chopin in tne hard-working Ballade in G Minor (opus 23). Later tho modern aud near-modern schools, were represented by Cyril Scott 0 exotic “Danse Negre,” and his quaint “Water Wagtail,” and a sound performance of Dohnanyi’s "Rhapsodic m G. The vocalist of the evening was Air. Ken Macauley, baritone, who displayed his fine voice aud vocal elan in two brackets and one solo appearance. l.ne first bracket included “I Will Grieve” and “The Wanderer s Song (both by Schumann), the plaintive ■Hurdy-Gurdy Man” (Schubert), and tne gentle “Thou Art Like a Flower” (Liszt), all sung with marked expression. JI'S second bracket was' “Within Those Sacred Bowers” (Mozart). "Vulcan» Song” (Gounod) and “The Lacerated Spirit” (Verdi), and the “Toreadors Song” from “Carmcii” (Bizet). In a sow appearance Mr. Macaulav declaimed wit|l proper vehemence the ballad, “There 1* el; a King” (by Beatrice Tombs, a local composer). During the evening Miss-Valerie Corliss. organizer, announced that there were prospects of a pianoforte recital by Mr. Lloyd Powell, the distinguished English pianist, during December.