GRIEG EVENING

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 192, 31 August 1937, Page 8

GRIEG EVENING

Hastings Towns women Music Circle Members of the music circle of the Hastings Townswomen's Guild spent a very delightful evening at their monthly meeting last Thursday in the G.F.S. room, when a very fine programme of Grieg's works was given by three Havelock North ladies, ,Mrs Blair, Mrs Bond and Mrs Eddy. Tho visitors were, welcomed by Mrs Whetstone, who acted as chairman in the absence of the circle leader, Miss McHutchon. Mrs Bond was the speaker for the evening, and she outlined in a very graphic manner the early life of the great composer, Edward Grieg. Of Norwegian birth, he had very musical paren ts. and quite early he turned his thoughbs to the work of musie -eomposition. He was, however^ constantly handicapped by ill-health, as he sufiered with chronic lung tfouble. He was spurred to greater elforts in his earlier years, when he was sent to the Leipzig Conservaiorium to study. Later, his wife, a talented singer, inspired many of his most beautiful songs, and herself intorpreted them with great feeling. The soloist for the evening was Mrs Eddy, and she rendered some of Grieg's loveliest songs in a very artistic rnahner. "Solvoig's Song" and "I Love Thee" were particularly well received. Mrs Eddy also played " Butterfly " very beautif iilly — a number which v was heartily applauded. Mrs Bond and Mrs Blair selected the outstanding nuipbers from the "Peor Gynt" suite,. which they ably executed as • piano solos. These were excellent numbers, and gave the audienco a greater appreciation of the wide versatility of the great composer. In further lllustration pf some of the more difficult works of, Grieg, Mrs Blair played some piano solos from the Holberg 6uite which had been written as a special wedding celebration. These were very ably interpreted by the player. Mrs Bond also contributed two or three of liis lighter piano pieces ' very pleas: ingly. The whole programme was a real delight^ and was greatly appreciated by the music circle members, who passed a very hearty vote of thanks to the performers for providing such an enjoyable evening.