ORGAN RECITAL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 199, 27 September 1909, Page 4

ORGAN RECITAL

BY MR. It. NEVILLE REXAUD. It is to be regretted that more organ recitals are not given by the organists of the local churches than they do, because there is no more (beautiful instrn- ; ment than the organ when well played. Similarly one may regret that the local choirs do not attempt more recitals of vocal Vnusic. If is trite, yet true, to say that good music tends subtly and unconsciously to refine the community, and a fair indication of the general level of artistic appreciation in any place is given by the amount of practical interest shown in music. For music excites possibly a broader and more immediate interest than any other form of art. If, therefore, we desire to see the standard raised, there must be more public recitals by the choirs and organists and more stimulation and education of public interest than we find. In a church, service, naturally, the music is incidental and should not obscure the straightforward object of the service; but choirs and organists do not discharge all their artistic duties when they fill in the gaps between prayers ov help the congregation to give expression to the elementary instinct of worship. Organists an<l choirs accordingly should be encouraged to give public recitals more frequently than they do. ami the ultimate result will be not merely l-i ! remove the present stigma of musical | slovenliness From our church services, but also to create in the community more intelligent appreciation of the . divine gift of mu«ie. On Friday one was glad to see a goodly nuiner of people gather in St. "Mary's C'hureh to hear a recital of organ music givp n by Mr. R. Xeville Henaud. tlio church organist, assisted by Mr. II Spencer Salt and the choir. Tt was an excellent recital, and the programme was well chosen, neither conceding too much to merely popular taste nor inflicting on the audience music requiring a more than ordinary capacity for appreciation. Opening" with a* brilliant rendering of Chopin's famous Polonaise Militaire (in A major), the organist followed it with the magnificent Larghetto from Beethoven's Symphony in D (No. 2), arranged as for full orchestra. The effects produced by the combination ol stops adopted were admirable, and as a whole the composition was excellently interpreted. Smart's restful "Evening Prayer" was-played with the shnpiu broadness which it requires, and in some respLcts it was the most satisfactoiy rendering of the whole programme, In a small church the gentle softness and smooth beauty of the organ arc most appreciated qualities, and Mr. Renaud, as also any other organist, is possibly much happier and more sure of being understood thus than in the more pyrotechnic displays of ability. Lemare's Andantino In Mat is a charming composition, and Mr. Renaud played it well, though one could have wished it more crisp in places. Widor's -wonderful Toccata from the Organ Symphony No. 5 is a most original composition, abounding in striking effects. It was played brilliantly, and the brightness of the sort of moto perpetuo running against the air a« given by the pedals was well accomplished. "Mr. Renaud also played 'he accompaniments for Mr. Salt'sS viol'n soli with marked success. Mr. Salt made two appearances. First he played f.ounod's "Meditation on Bach's Ist Prelude" (known more familiarly as the "Ave Maria") and Maseagni's groat Intermezzo, and subsequently the bril-' liant Andante from Mendelssohn's concerto for violin and orchestra. All three were played with quite exceptional ability, and if Mr. Salt can learn to make the technical skill lie possesses his servant rather than his master, he will be able to stand unashamed before any audience he is likely to face. llis playins is strong, crisp, and accurate, and though it it lacking in color and personality as yet, it was entirely creditable in the difficult pieces he submitted. Tlie choir was not in its best form, and it sang rather indifferently Mendelssohn's setting of the 42nd Psalm, in which Miss Raker, who has a voice of pleasant quality, toolc the solo.