BOHEMIAN ORCHESTRA

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 20, 14 April 1927, Page 14

BOHEMIAN ORCHESTRA

FORTHCOMING CONCERT The fourteenth season of the Bohemian Orchestra will be inaugurated on Thursday, April 28, when the following programme will be submitted: March, “B B,” Robert Haine; overture, ‘The Bartered Bride,” Smetana; symphonic poem No. 4, “Orpheus,” Liszt; overture, “In Memoriam,” Sullivan; lhapsody, “Irish Rhapsody,” Victor Herbert; melodrama, , from “Piccolino,” Guiraud; overture, “Solennelle” (1812), Tschaikowsky. In addition to the orchestral items Miss Jean Grant will sing Debussy’s “Recit et Hir de Lia” (“L ’Enfant Prodigue) and Sanderson’s “Spring’s Awakening,” while Mr. B. O’Malley will give “Che Gelida Manina” (Your Tiny Hand is Frozen) from Puccini’s “La Boheme.” A feature of the performance will be Tschaikowsky’s “1812” overture, which will be given in conjunction with the Artillery Band. Mr. Colin Muston, L.R.A.M., is again conducting the orchestra with Miss Edith Whitelaw and Mrs. R. Singer as leader and deputy-leader respectively. Accompaniments will be in the hands of Mr. Cyril Towsey, hon. accompanist.

I think I should have no other want if I could always be filled with music. Life seems to go on without effort while I am listening to it.-—George Eliot.

For the presentation of Haydn’s “Creation” at the latter end of next month the Auckland Choral Society has secured the services of Miss Naomi Whalley, of Palmerston North, for the soprano role, while Messrs B. O’Malley and A. S. Colledge, of Auckland, have been engaged to sing the tenor and bass roles respectively.

At a recent meeting of the executive of the Auckland Operatic Society it was decided to secure “La Mascotte” and “The Belle of sjfew York” for the society’s next productions. The annual meeting of the society will be held on Saturday, April 28, after which a start will be immediately made with rehearsals of “La Mascotte,” which is expected to be produced early in September.

Mr. H. C. Borradale, who has been appointed elocutionary adjudicator for the Auckland Competitions Society’s forthcoming- musical festival was at one time one of the best - known elocutionists in New Zealand. During the past 13 years, however, he has resided in Queensland where his services have been greatly in demand as a judge at musical festivals.

Up to the present Mr. Borradale has not acted in that capacity in New Zealand.

“Paderewski scored a great triumph at the Sydney Town Hall,” said a New Zealander, who has just returned from a visit to Sydney. One of the leading Sydney papers described it as the most sensational episode in the musical world, while another gave a splendid pen picture of the packed audience listening enraptured to a rare feast of melody—unparalleled in the musical history of the State. • * *

The piano on which Chopin composed his funeral march, on which he played at his last concert in Paris in 1848, and on which the Countess Potocka played to him as he lay dying, has been brought to America to be shown on a tour for the benefit of the unfortunate French musicians wounded in the World War. This is probably the only occasion on which it will leave I’rance.

During the last few years of Handel’s life, during which he was unfortunately afflicted with blindness, it was his oft-ex-pressed wish that he might breathe his last on Good Friday. Strangely enough it was on Good Friday, April 14. 1759, that the great composer of oratorio passed away. To the Eng- j lish, Handel’s name j is probably more familiar than any | of those inscribed i

Handel on the role of the master musicians. It is a name that has been immortalised with most of the grand narratives of Holy Writ by the sublime music he has added to them. “The Messiah,” “Judas Maccabaeus,” “The Passion,” “Israel in Egypt,” “Saul,” “Samson,” “Solomon” and “Jeptha,” to mention only a few of his works will perpetuate his'memory in the ages yet to come.

Although not to the same extent as is the case during Christmas week appropriate music will be given in a number of the Auckland churches during Easter week. At St. Patrick’s Cathedral Rheinberger’s “Mass in C” will be presented and at St. Benedict’s, Gounod’s “Mass Solonelle.” Rheinberger’s Mass is a particularly beautiful work, and like most of the composer’s works shows marked individuality. Rheinberger was born on Marcli 17, 1839, and died on November 21, 1901. He is -considered to be the greatest composer since Mendelssohn, and one of the foremost theorists and teachers of his day. At. St. Matthew’s, Gaul's “Passion” was sung on Wednesday night. This beautiful and very little known work is divided into six parts: “The Traitor at the Table,” “The Denial at the Palace,” “The Unjust Condemnation,” “The Mocking on Calvary” and “The Holy Sepulchre.” Gaul’s work was sung at St. Matthew’s last year for the first time in Auckland. * * *

Rowney Priory, near Ware, in Hertfordshire, England, where Balfe spent his last years, and died in 1870, is offered for sale. Which recalls his “Bohemian Girl,” which in an earlier generation was so enormously popular. Rowney Priory is a more or less modern house built on the site of a twelfth century Benedictine nunnery; and in its charming environment the composer wrote many of his later works.

A good story of a man who went to sleep at a recital is told by Ignaz Friedman, the distinguished Polish pianist, who is to visit New Zealand in the near future. The sleeping man was awakened by the usher. “You re snoring,” said the usher; “stop it. “Do I disturb the artists?” asked the man. “No,” replied the man, “but you’re snoring so loud you’re waking up the rest of the audience.”