N.S.W. ORCHESTRA

Southland Times, Issue 18817, 10 May 1920, Page 7

N.S.W. ORCHESTRA

CONCERT IN SYDNEY.

AN INVERCARGILLITE ON TOUR. (Contributed.) We had the pleasure of renewing acquaintanceship with Mr Verbruggen and members of the State Orchestra in Sydney. On arriving at the hall we found a great concourse of people gathered in front unable to obtain admission. I went to the back of the building and fortunately met Mr Verbruggen, who with his good memory foi faces immediately recognised me and was most cordial He took me amonget the Orchestra, and from the members I had numerous enquiries about Invercargill. He also way kindly gave orders that our party was to be admitted to the auditorium. This was a matter of considerable difficulty, but ultimately it was arranged. The audience was an immense one, every seat being occupied and numbers standing all round (the concert being in the suburb of Burwood). Over 2500 people were present, but the charges were only 3/-, 2/-, and 1/- as compared with 10/- and 1. 1 /- in Invercargill. There were quite a number of new faces in the Orchestra, and Mr Cyril Monk (who did not tour New Zealand) was in his position as leader. His playing of the polo violin part in Saint Saen’s prelude, "The Deluge,” was something to be remembered. The programme played was of a much lighter nature than an} - performed in Invercargill, and probably on this account would lie more popular with the vcner-l nuLlk,

of "Lohengrin.” winch wa.- even lucre magnificently played than when 1 hut hear!! the I’krchestra. The brass wind of the Orchci tra seemed ever so much richer and mote sonorous and the bright brilliancy of their tone more subdued. This was moat noticeable in the Wagner number, where the brass gave the theme with no uncertain sound. This effect may have been owing to the fact that the Orchestra were- all sitting on the same level and so the tone of the bre.-s, win were at- the back, would be "filtered” before rev.-ning the audience. The string v/ork in all Uf.partments was wonderful and the playerc must have settled to their work in real earn-wt to reach such a stage of perfection. In my opinion our New Zealand audiences showed more enthusiasm and also more dricnraiiitition in their applause than the audience in question, lu addition, Mr Verbruggen had much less reason to complain in Invercargill at all events of extraneous aoitM (Una was a sore point in New jusdaad* than at this concert. With the first roll of the. tympanl end drums in the National Autbt-m a baby in the very Tout row just on the conductors right hand "gave voice” ami an old lady summed up the situation in a trice, grabbed the bawling infant and darted under Mr Verbruggen’s raised dais where she was immune from attack. The beautiful tons of the wood wind instruments at the Line "Send Him Victorious” mast have had a soporific edict on the babe, for with the anthem’s concluding note, peace reigned. I consider that if this old dowager had be«u a man she might have been a distinguished general owing to her ability to see a strategic position at a glance and, what is more, to seize it. Later on in the evening when the tenor soloist was ringing Gounod’s “Lend me your aid,” with full orchestral accompaniment, there was another episode. The singer had just finished the recitative and started the air with the words “Lend me your aid,” when another baby (again close up to the front) instantly responded to the appeal and gave al! the help in his (or perhaps her' power and the solo was turned into a duet. The conductor wheeled round and pave a truly “Verbruggen” glare directly at the offender, but he might as well have been blowing the sweetest of kisses in the direction for all the effect it had. Mr Verbruggen stopped the soloist and orchestra, laid down his baton, bent his head and stood in the attitude of silent prayer (I don’t think). The next half minute seemed to me on eternity of time. The baby, evidently surprised to hear nothing hut the sound of his own (or more likely her own) voice made a beautiful diminuendo, which dissolved in nothingness and all was still. A benediction seemed to have fallen on all alike. The conductor's hand stole out, for the baton and. once more the stream? of Gounod’s music were filling the air. At the concluding note the mother and father of this, babe marched straight for the exit. I think I see the latter’s face yet. He looked not "left” and he looked not "right,” But. he up said loosed his collar tight And low swore he. I must say that babies seemed to be at this concert in battalions, Afi-r the above incident a drove of five of them were taken out by the door alongside which I wa standing near the centre, of the hall. At the conclusion of the concert we had a chat with Mr Verbruggen anti that most unassuming of violinists Miss Jenny Cullen, clso some of the principal members of the orchestra and they one and all expressed their unmeasured delight with their New Zealand experiences. All the "minor’ difficulties and discomforts of their tour which at the time seemed "major” had faded from their memories and nothing but the joys of recollections of happy day? remained. Many enquiries for Invercargill friends were made by the players, also information about the band contest (that which I gave surprised them). There is to be a big Beethoven concert in the ConsTrvatorium on Thursday evening at which we have received Mr Verbruggens strict injunction to be pre-ant and afterward? we are to be shown through the Oon“crvatorium.