VERBRUGGHEN'S ORCHESTRA.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 January 1920, Page 5

VERBRUGGHEN'S ORCHESTRA.

THE NEW PLYMOUTH SEASON. AN ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION. It was a lamentable circumstance that the splendidly seasonable weather which has prevailed here for some weeks past should have repented itself yesterday for the visit to New Plymouth of the N.S.W. State Orchestra; and it was even more unfortunate still that the passage from Onchunga by the Karawa should have been made so unpleasant for the visitors, and their appearance when they landed betokened anything but a successful performance at night. Nature, however, is a wonderful restorer, and with their feet once more on terra funia, the hearty welcome of the local townspeople, and a ready adaptibility on the part of the orchestra to all circumstances, the effects of the night's tossing on the waves soon disappeared. The visitors and their hosts and hostesses were soon introduced to each other, perhaps not strictly according to the dictates of etiquette, but none tho less cordially and sincerely, and it was not long before all were comfortably settled in their rooms.

Many of the visitors availed themselves of the offer to conduct them through the park and some of the beautiful private gardens in the vicinity,. and there was universal admiration amongst them of the beauties of the places to which they were taken, and apprecintion of the generosity of the owners in throwing the grounds open for their inspection.

The weather in the afternoon, though at times it almost promised to clear, was anything but pleasant. Notwithstanding this practically the whole of the party of Australians turned out for the motor outing and the visit to tlio residence of Mr. and Mrs C. H. Burgess at "The Meeting of the Waters." The boat and hostess for the afternoon had planned to have the afternoon tea on the lawns, but this had to be abandoned, and the large pergola on the front of the house and the wide-opened sittingroom proved a pleasant place in which to partake of the refreshments and indulge in social intercourse. The sun did shine, however, and the. visitors were able to enjoy a short walk through the beautiful grounds, with which they were more than charmed. Before leaving, Mr. Gladstone Hill, the organiser of the New Zealand tour (in the absence of Mr. Verbrugghen, who had returned to town early on account of some concern he felt for one of the members of the orchestra who was indisposed) expressed the very hearty appreciation of the visitors of the hospitality extended to them by the citizens of New Plymouth, to the taxi and car drivers and owners, and particularly to Mr. and Mrs Burgess f or the splendid way in which they had been entertained Cheers were <?iven for. the host and hostess, and the orchestra sang "For they are jolly good fellows." Mr. Burgess, in acknowledging the remarks of Mr. Hill, said if pleasure had been afforded to the visitors he could assure them that it was an equally great pleasure to Mrs Burgess and himself to do the little they had done to make more enjoyable their short visit to New Plymouth.

The Mayor (Mr. James Clarke) also added a few words of general welcome to the visitors and expressed his pleasure that it had been possible for such a tour to be undertaken by the orchestra from a sister State. Cheers were then given for the motor drivers, and the party returned to town, which was reached about-5 o'clook. During the interval in the concert programme the Mayor took the opportunitv of publicly welcoming the orchestra to New Plymouth, and of congratulating Mr. Verbrtigghen on the state of efficiency to which he had brought the organisation in so short a time. He hoped the visit would be productive of some such organisation in New Zealand' and also that it would prove but a forerunner of other viists. He congratulated Mr. Alfred Hill, with whom the idea of the tour had first originated, Mr. Gladstone Hill, who had organised the tour, and also thanked the guarantors who had made the visit to Now Plymouth possible He thanked the citizens who had assistcc to entertain and billet the members of the orchestra and those who had done anything to help make the visit enjoyable and successful. (Applause.)

Mr. Verbrugghen acknowledged the Mayor's cordial welcome, and he thanked those who had so splendidly entertained the member* of the orchestra. JFfl gave a short resume of the origination of the orchestra, and said he hoped the visit io New Zealand, which was principally for educational purposes, would achieve its object, (Applause.)

LAST NIGHT'S CONCERT. Notwithstanding all the drawbacks of the decidedly unfavorable weather, and the discomforts of the improvised arrangements for seating at the Coronation Hall, there was a large audience present last night to hear the orchestra give its only concert in New Plymouth. The doors were opened early, and by this means undue crushing was avoided, though the major portion of the unreserved seating accommodation was taken up long before the hour for commencing the programme. It is estimated there were between 1500 and ICOO people present, and it was not long before they were raised to a high pitch of enthusiasm. There was an atmosphere of expectancy in the place, and though a warm reception was accorded the members of the orchestra and the conductor as they took the platform, there was a tense feeling which betrayed a feverish anxiety to hear the first strains of the I instruments as they played the National Anthem. All the members of the or- J chestra (excepting the 'cellists) stood for this Royal tribute. The roll of the timpani, by which the Anthem was introduced, was entirely new to a local audience, and the broad deliberation with which it was taken was something to which the majority of people were quite unaccustomed.

It could not be said that last night's programme was a classical—it was, in fact, a popular programme, and was intended, as Mr. Verbrugghen said, to provide the greatest pleasure for the greatest number. The opening overture was the well-known "William Tell" (Rossini), which was presented in a masterly fashion, with a strong element of originality and conception. The solo work was delightfully given, and the work of the orchestra in these passages was a revelation in accompaniments. The tempo of the familiar finale movement was terrific. The "Peer*Gynt" suite (Greig), which is always a popular orchestral number, was one of the host, items of the evening, but it was left for the Wagner numbers, "The Prelude"' and "The Prelude to Act III." (from "Lohengrin") to raise the audience to the highest pitch of enthusiajm during the even-

ing, and although the hour was too late to permit of an encore, it was Bome time before the applause of the audience subsided sufficiently to enable the orchestra to play the National Anthem. The other items included "The Tangi" from Alfred Hill's Maori Rhapsody, and although the applause was tumultuous, Mr. Verbrugghen very graciously gave the honors to the composer. A fantasia on British Sea Songs (arranged by the conductor) proved irresistible, and tho audience would not be satisfied until the final "Rule Britannia" had been repeated. A dainty lit* tie Minuet for the strings, by Boccheriiii, completed the list of the orchestra's items. Their work was most delightful in every particular. A splendid tone was maintained right throughout, the ensemble was as near perfection as coull be desired, while the wealth ot tone eot* oring with which their whole work wat invested left a feeling in the heart thai can never be destroyed. All section*.of the orchestra work so harmoniously together, and are so amenable to the slight* est movement or gesture of the conduc tor, that the most wonderful effects sees* to be produced at will. Mr. Verbrugfhea is a "live wire," and simply electrifies his players. At his will they can create a storm, or speak in the softest whisper, of the ending of which the audience h scarcely conscious. The soloist for last night was Mont. Albert Goossens (baritone), who has « voice of rich resonance, which he uses with much skill and a high degree of artistry. His first number was an aria from Verdi's "Dn Ballo in Maehera," Into which he infused much pathos. He later sang, as a contrast to his first solo, "Al Factotum," from Rossini's "Barber of j Seville." This was given with an aban-' | don and jollity which took the house by storm, and he had to come back and re* peat the item. The full orchestral accompaniment to these items was something to be remembered. The orchestra play at Hawera to-night and residents of that part of the district should not miss the only chance the*', will have on the present tour of hearing what can only be termed a wonderful' combination.