ORGAN RECITAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 5, 28 March 1927, Page 11

ORGAN RECITAL

TOWN HALL CONCERTS GROWING APPRECIATION Auckland appears to be waking up at last to the value and interest of municipal concerts. At Saturday night’s organ recital the audience was much larger than usual, and made evident its enjoyment of the programme. Mr. Barnett’s chief number was the A minor Prelude and Fugue of Bach. This is one of the supreme things in organ music, and it is also among the most “approachable” of Bach’s greater works. Even the dullest pulse would be stirred by the splendid dramatic urgency of that Prelude; and the Fugue has such a divine clarity that any uninstructed listener, if he have but goodwill and imagination, may hear it with delight. Mr. Barnett’s rendering was worthy of all praise. There are mightily effective passages in Cesar Franck’s “Piece Heroique”; but its themes are essentially rather banal, one of them, by the way, being curiously reminiscent of a familiar Chopin polonaise, and the work, as a whole, is one on a far lower plane of . inspiration than the three chorales or the C minor Fantaisie. We may hope for an early performance of those masterpieces. Mr. Barnett played the andante with variations from Beethoven’s Septet, no doubt to mark the centenary of the composer’s death. A more appropriate choice might have been made in the great Funeral March from the ‘ Eroica” symphony. The “Forest Murmurs” from Wagner’s “Siegfried.” some of the most purely enjoyable pages of “The Ring,” can be transposed for the organ without too much loss of mobility and colour. On Saturday the registration appeared to be a little heavy at times, but the many charming passages for wood-wind were quite orchestra-like and admirably played. The assisting artists were Miss Margaret Stoddart, violinist, and Miss Phyllis Hazell, mezzo-soprano. Miss Stoddart’s broad tone and thoughtful style were well suited to the Beethoven Romance in G, and her other numbers were warmly applauded. Miss Hazell did not always make the best use of her enviable voice, but sang very finely in Hamish MaoCunn’s ’Lie There, My Lute.” Mr. Leo. Whittaker accompanied with hla usual ability. R.J.B.