ORGAN RECITAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1916, Page 5

ORGAN RECITAL.

A FEAST OF .MUSIC. ~., A fairly large congregation assembled last night at St. Mary's church to listen to an excellent programme .of organ music submitted by Mr. R. N. Renaud. The. programme was well calculated io appeal both to the popular and to the cultivated taste. The lirst item was Mendelsohn's fifth orpin sonata, and consisted of three movement!—"(a) chorale, (b) andante con moto, (o) allegro. The chorale was played with ap» propriate dignity and well sustttlsed tone, the dinuieudo at the end of each phrase being effectively obtained by pasping from the great to the swell. In tbo manuals, striking use was made of the reeds, in introducing the various themes of the last movement, and to ft really fin« ending. In Lomairc's "Andantino" the organist was happy in ibis choice of stops, though an accelerando and rallentando in each bar rather tended to interrupt the even flow of the melody. The absence of a tremulant or i'ox Immana was, also noticeable.

The overture "Egmont" which followed. made considerable demands upon the organist's clearness of touch, and ability lo make sudden rapid changes. Mr. Rcnaud was quite equal to the occasion —his pedalling was clear and accurate, and In* showed particular skill in passing from one manual to another. In Padercwiski's ".Minuet" one missed the delicacy of touch which those who heard the composer will ever associate iWith the composition. To one who heard it ou the organ for the first time Uie performance of the "Turkish Patrol" was most interesting. Perhaps it was taken rather fast, and the retirement of the band was sudden, compared with the advance. Haydn's "Syrprise Symphony" consisted of a theme and variations.' The theme is given out on soft ?010 stops and is interrupted by a chord on the full organ, which gives its name to the symphony. Very pleasing contrast* were- obtained in the variations, particularly between a minor melody on the diapason, followed 'by- » major passage on the soft swell. In the last passage the clarinet stood out well against the flute harmonic, both being followed .by a soft swell. The organist ihoweil originality in his treatment of the •'Question and the Answer." ' A toccata of Orison formed an appropriate ending 1o a performance, which could only have been achieved by much conscientious hard work, and upon which Mr. Renaud is to be congratulated, The offertory was devoted to the Se». bian Relief .Fund.