MUSICAL RECITAL

Taranaki Daily News, 3 December 1926, Page 7

MUSICAL RECITAL

AN OUTSTANDING SUCCESS. DISTRICT NURSE FUNDS BENEFIT. That the large audience which thronged St. Mary’s Hall to its full capacity last night was appreciative of the fact that the musical recital to be given would take rank as one of the highest standard is hot to be doubted, but few were prepared for the feast of masterpieces handled with a consummate sense of dynamic control. The people of New Plymouth might well feel proud of having in their midst two pianists of the outstanding ability of Mies Constance Leatham and Mr. J. Dobson; who, assisted by Misses Mary Coleman and Vinnie Ross, had-generous-ly offered their sen-ices to assist the district nurse committee in relieving a distressed family and creating the nucleus of' an emergency fund from which drawings may be made to meet eases of necessity. ■ - ■

The choice of compositions made suited all tastes, and among the ten masterpieces presented many no doubt recognised some composition for which they had a preference. From the point of view of the sincere pianoforte student alone, there was plenty to engross and eharm, and it would not be surprising to learn that as a result of the recital the cause of music in New- Plymouth has received idde’d stimulus.

The Opening piece, a three-fours valse trio of Coleridge Taylor composition, Opus 71, No. 6( played by Misses Leatham (piano), Coleman t’eello) and Ross (violin), was disappointing, chiefly through lack of decision. The hall is certainly not a good sounding one, making authoritative renderings all the more necessary. There followed as an encore one of Grieg's popular “Norwegian Dances.” Two- compositions of Arensky, one of the leading composers of the younger Russian school for two pianos came next. The harmonies of “Romance,” from suite. Opus 15, -were developed most effectively. In this the subordinated orchestral effect played by Mr. Dobson was finely imbibed, but even more so in the valse which followed, affording full scope for executive finish, although the latter, when repeated as an encore later in the programme, was a far better exposition . Beethoven’s fifth symphony, a popular item, was given as an encore.

Preceded by an instrumental trio. Gurlitt’s “Allegro,” Opus 171, came the gem of the evening, Weber’s “Konzertstrich,” played by Miss Leatham and Mr. Dobson. The “Larghetto ma non troppo” glowed with a fervour that was unmistakable, while the “Allegro Appassionato,” with its captivating principal subject was extremely well done. Finally was the “Assai Presto,” taken at breathless speed, yet every detail of the figuration was faithfully presented. Follow ing one of Dvorak’s "Songs My Mother Taught Me,” known to everyone, came an instrumental trio, Haydn's “Gipsy Rondo,” which was undoubtedly the most finished of the evening. Mendelssohn’s famous concerto, Opus 25, by Miss Leatham and Mr. Dobson, was prominent for the excellent technical finish displayed by the former, attention being keenly centred upon those fleeting passages with their enchanting effect and tone transitions.

The final recital will be given at St. Mary's Hall on Saturday afternoon at 3 o’clock, when it is cert ain many of last night’s audience will again attend.