THE WILHELMJ CONCERTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6491, 16 December 1881, Page 5

THE WILHELMJ CONCERTS.

Herr Williolmj has every quality that a great violinist sho'tld posies*. Nature hoe gifted him with the exceptional musical organisation, art ho* given him the necessary completeness of skill. He hoe power and depth of tone, delicacy of touch, clear rapidity of execution, perfection of style, and be i# a -mooter of all varieties of expression He is, in short, the completest artist whom this Colony has over seen, and clearly has a place in the first rank of the violinists of tho world. On hearing him for the first time, it is pleasant to realise that fame has not exaggerated bis merits. Last night’s programme by no means enabled him to exhaust the whole range of his art. For instance, be did not enter at all into tho groat classical world. But his performance was a very fine test of his grand qualities. Tho music of the Paganini school has not the depths of the ocean. It is more like the delicate play of a frothy stream over rooks and pebbly bottoms —a character which this artist realised very completely with tho “ Grand Concerto ’’ last night. Chopin’s Nocturne, which followed (as an encore piece), he treated with the appropriate fantastic delicacy. His own “Romance” wae a gem, and Schubert’s beautiful 11 Avo Maria "ho played (on encore again) with wonderful feeling, velvetty richness of tone, and in the grandest classical manner. Erast's arrangement of Hungarian airs showed hi* easy mastery of some of the most difficult work of which the violin is, in the hands of a master, capable, and “ Iho old folks at home” followed (another encore piece) a* an example of simple, very touching pathos. Altogether it was a magnificent display, and of course every item was demonstratively acknowledged. We need only odd that few opportunities of hearing such a master can be expected to ooonr in Colonial life; when they come they should be seized. Mi** Marie Conron has one of (he freshest and a purest of mezzo-soprano voices. Her singing is characterised by perfect beauty of style, ihe has plenty of power, she sings very sympathetically, and in a manner the chief merit of which is perhaps that it is easy and natural, without a trace of affectation. She has evidently studied in a good school, where it ie well understood that the great object of the singer’s art is to attain to the appearance of perfect spontaneity. "The Snowy Breasted Pearl," by Bobineon, wae as good an example of easy flowing expressive ballad singing ae one need wish to nearj and her rendering of Osgood’s “Down the Shadowy Lone” (an encore piece) was another. Her bright beautiful singing of Hatton’s “To Anthea” (an encore in (he second part) was most exhilarating. With (he fine air “ Com’ e Bello” from Lucrezia Borgia (her firs(item) she established herself completely in the favour of her audience, a feeling which increased with every item she gave. Mr Togrich is a pianist of very considerable talent. As a solo player he has great delicacy of touch, muon power, and rapidity of execution. As an accompanist, he is simply perfect. Two examples of Liszt’s music (the fantasie on the “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and a “ Bhapsodie Hongroise,”) received fine treatment at his bands, the second, which ie far more characteristic of the famone Abbi than the first, more especially so. In hi* interpretation of Chopin’s “ Impromptu ” with the Funeral March, he showed himself equal both to the depth and the graceful elegance of this most original and brilliant composer. Braga's beautiful trio the “ Angel's Serenade ” —miss Conron, Herr Wilhelm] (violin), Mr Yogrioh (piano)—brought a beautiful concert to a beautiful termination. Of this we need say only two things. The first is that the performance was magnificent; and the second, that if the violin could have been a cello (the instrument for which the music was originally written) the performance would have left not even a little to be desired. For to night an attractive programme is announced by the managers of (hie first-rate concert company. We hope the drew circle will be as full as it was last night.