GOOD MUSIC FOR ALL

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 145, 23 June 1930, Page 3

GOOD MUSIC FOR ALL

PHILHARMONICOBCHESTRA

"That,settle's it," exclaimed one of the many well-satisfied listeners at the, close, of the concert given on Saturday night by the Philharmonic Orchestra. When asked what momentous issue had been disposed of, he explained that, in his mind at any rate, the question had been definitely settled about the continuation of the Philharmonic Orchestra. It would be a crime, he said, to allow such a musical organisation to go out of being after such an: auspicious start. Probably many, others feel , the same about it. , The first concert, a. month or so ago, was fairly well attended, partly perhaps out of sympathy with the out-of-work musicians who were in the orchestra. On that occasion the orchestra and its exuberant conductor, Mr. John Bishop, showed itself as possessing great possibilities. Last Saturday night* s audience, though hardly so large, included Hi» Excellency the Governor-General, Lady Bledisloe, and a vice-regal party, and if it came expecting good music it was not disappointed. ,' No one, of course, least of all the players themselves or the conductor, will claim that the orchestra is perfect. Ih.many respectß it has undoubtedly improved since the initial concert, but there is plenty of room'for •improvement still. Most of the faults, which are largely minor ones, • can probably be attributed to insufficient rehearsal. However good the individual talent (and much good talent is obviously there), the acquisition of homogeneity will only coma through rehearsal. Mr. Bishop is willing to give up his time to rehearsals; members of the orchestra," if they really had; its interests at heart, should be; willing $o do" the same.. Those'who have the interests of good music at. heart will agree that the Philharmonic Orchestra is too good to lose, and that it deserves, more support than, it is getting. It is a fallacy to say that its programmes are "highbrow and for the few only. Saturday night's programme, although the adjective "classical" might be applied to it, was in every sense a popular one. The majority of the items would be familiar to anyone who possesses a gramophone. It opened with "A Midsummer Night's Dream" Overture, Mendelssohn's enchanting bit of; fairy music which everybody knows and',appre> ciates. The spirit of this was caught by the players, ' the rendering being highly pleasing. Following this came a profounder test of the orchestra's abilities, Tsehaikowsky's "Symphony No. 6." This, the "Symphony Pathetique," is widely knowii through its second movement. Mr. Bishop* interpretation was scholarly and vigorous, and as a whole the orchestra acquitted itself well. That there were minor blemishes was inevitable, but they did little to detract from the enjoyment which the symphony gave to those present. The playing of this symphony showed that .Mr. Bishop has at his command efficient strings and woodwind. ■..,.■' ■ The second half of the programme opened with Wagner's "Prelude to Act 111., Lohengrin," in which the brasses and the rest of the orchestra* exulted. After this came'what was to many the gem of. the programme. Grieg's "Concerto in A Minor." The solo pianist was Mr. E. Jen- - ncr, A.R.A.M:, who too has long hidden his light under a bushel. Entire sympathy between piano and orchestra resulted in a most satisfying rendering, and it was small wonder that Mr. Jennef had to respond with an encore, in which he again stuck to Grieg. -The scena 'and aria, "Ah, Perfidio," from Beethoven's "Pidelio,"was impressively sung by Miss Alma Clegg, the orchestra again ': -being good. Two bright, and one might say popular, items concluded, the concert. These were Moussorgsky's "Gopak" and Schubert's "Marche Militaire." The fanatic fervour of the former,, a Russian, dance, seemed to appeal to audience and orchestra alike, and Jbad to be repeated.