THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Evening Star, Issue 21750, 19 June 1934, Page 11

THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

TO-MORROW NIGHT’S PROGRAMME For the first time in its career (if memory serves) no work by Beethoven is listed for the Dunedin _ Symphony Orchestra’s concert, to be given in the Concert Chamber, Town Hall, to-mor-row evening. It is none the less a delightful bill of fare, diversified and full of interest to all musical tastes, fully maintaining the mission of the orchestra, in its symphonic type and making heavy demands upon the prowess that has won tho combination so high a reputation. The order of performance of the compositions chosen is: Preludes to Acts 1. and 111. ‘ Lohengrin ’ (Wagner) ; valse song from ‘ Tom Jones ’ (German) , Miss Florence Pacey; * Symphonic Variations,’ piano and orchestra (Cesar Franck), with Mrs B. R. Nees as soloist; symphonic suite, ‘ Scheherazade ’ (Rimsky-Korsakoff) ; ‘ Scherzo,’ op 16, No. 2 (Mendelssohn) ; ‘"Adagio .Pathetique ’ (Godard) ; ‘ Gopak ’ (Moussorgsky) ; songs, ‘To the Angels ’ and ‘ Lament of Isis,’ Miss Florence Pacey; and excerpts from Mascagni’s ‘ Cavalleria Rusticana.’ Merit and diversity are both attested in this record. The enormously difficult and impressive ‘ Scheherazade ’ suite, a narrative epic in four highly-contrasted movements, is the chief offering. It is noted for its felicitous and often inspired orchestration, and is an excellent foundation for any programme. If the orchestra fulfils tho promise of tho rehearsals, its performance will be a veritable tour de force. The Wagner items are amongst tho richest and most expressive of his flamboyant art, and among the smaller compositions patrons are sure to appreciate the ravishingly beautiful Godard piece and the stimulating—not to say rollicking—Moussorgsky item. The appearance of Miss Koa Oliver (Mrs Nees) us solo pianist will be hailed with pleasure, and nothing more suited to her pianistic talent could have been chosen than the brilliant Franck composition.