MUNICIPAL CONCERT

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 298, 8 March 1928, Page 16

MUNICIPAL CONCERT

AN EXCELLENT PROGRAMME A large and enthusiastic audience greeted the first of the season’s municipal concerts which was held at the Town Hall last evening. Under the capable conductorship of Mr. Christopher Smith the Municipal Band has attained considerable fame, and this season, judging by last evening’s performance, promises to be a good one. The Adagio movement from Beethoven’s .Fourth Symphony, Opus 60, was excellently played and received the popular acclamation of the audience. Mr. Smith had undertaken the scoring of the number and the band treated it in an excellent manner. The whole of the movement was the result of careful thought. Mendelssohn’s overture, “Fingal’s Cave,” a tone picture of waves crashing on a rocky coast, was treated with the imagination it merited. “Slavonic Rhapsody” (FriedmanX. is an admirable composition, full of kjolour and lively movement. “Reverie du Soir” (Saint-Saens) was artistically played, the various instrumentalists handling their parts with skill. “Marche Militaire,” by the same composer, is well known, but is always a popular piece, and never loses its charm. Among the lighter pieces were Leach’s march, “The Light Dragoon,” a lively, lilting thing, Godfrey’s “Reminisences of England,” suggestive of the spirit of England, and “Pray Goody,” which affords special notice for the horn and clarionet. A flute solo by Mr. H. C. McLennan. ‘Pastorale Hongroise,” -was received with enthusiasm, and he played “The Carnival of "Venice” as an encore. Madame Irene Ainsley, the wellknown contralto, was in good voice last evening, and her solos, “Kjiow’st Thou the Land,” from “Mignon,” and “35ivinities du Styx.” from Gluck’s “Alcesw"era sun S with spirit and tone. Mr Maurice Ballance had chosen his numbers with good taste. They were Thchaikowsky’s “To the Forest.” Shaw s 'Down by the Salley Gardens ” and Ireland’s “Sea Fever.”