MADAME ARABELLA GODDARD'S CONCERTS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 412, 28 November 1874, Page 2

MADAME ARABELLA GODDARD'S CONCERTS.

(From a OorrespoTidenL)

Dunbdik, Nov. 28rd.

The great event of the past week has been the visit of Madame Arabella Gtoddard to Dunedin. In our little musical world the excitement \of course is intense, while all those whose particular forte was other than a study of the lyric art, yefc possessing sufficient taste and capacity to enjoy a treat, equally participated in the desire to see and hear the Queen of Pianists, and who has supremely held sway in Europe for a period of over twenty years, as the first in her profession. On Thursday morning almost within an hour every stall ticket was sold, and it became necessary to reserve a large portion of what is termed the ordinary reserved seats, the tickets for which were almost as readily disposed of. When the doors of the Queen's Theatre opened at half -past 7 on the following evening, & large number of people for all parts of the house had already collected, and the sittings, filled up rapidly. At eight o'clock the interio? of the house presented a brilliant appearance, every seat being filled with a well dressed, well behaved audience. Such a magnificent turn out is not oftentimes to be witnessed in Dunedin. The stage disclosed a parlour scene, to the right frontingtheaudience stood the famous iron grand, made? by Messrs Broadweod and Sons, of London, and eitibitcd »t tbo "Vienna Exhibition. On the left was placed a second grand pi&no, by Collard and Collard, on' which the conductorMr. Harcourt Lee performed while accompanying the vocal portion of the programme. The " iron grand " is a magnificent instrument, its proportions completely dwarfing the- " Collard." In form the instrument is the same. When enclosed in its stout -wooden case it must be an awkward package to travel with. It required the united efforts of eight men to unload it from the lorry at the door of the theatre. It is, however, a sacred: object ; no one but Madame Goddard is. permitted to touch its magic keys ; its pare appears to devolve upon Mr. Lee, who. reverentially after conducting Madame Goddard off the stage after each performance, dusta the keys with his white pocket handkerchief and closes the instrument. At precisly OHO~ minute past eight after a brief prelude by th© conductor, commenced the trio by Stevens, "Sigh nomoreladies/'whichwas tastefully executed by Mrs S myth c, Mr Skinner, and Mr Rain^ ford. This was followed by that popular basso singer Mr. Rainfoid who sang the "Wanderer" with grand effect. That portion "In silent grief the world I roam " told immensely. Mr. Eainford was never in better voice. Expectation had now worked itself up to the highest pitch, Madame Arabella Goddard was about to appear on the scene, which she quickly did, smiling and bowing to her audience, as she was led on the stage by tho conductor Mr. Harccourt Lee, while continuous applause greeted her until she became seated at the instrument. This, however, appeared not to be so very easily effected. Madame Goddard seemed very particular upon all occasions that the adjustment of her dress and her position should be perfect. Having performed this little office Mr. Lee seats himself at the left hand corner of the piano, his duties being to turn over the leaves of the music as the performer runs through the passages. A period of breathless expectation has taken passession of the audience when after a rapid run over the keys, Madame Goddard commences Beethoven's magnificent sonata in A flat, opera 26. A very few bars are struck in the beautiful Andante movement when the attention of the audience is riveted upon the player, and it becomes plainly apparent that a large number of the Dunedin public if not connoisseurs in music are at least susceptible to its influences. The instrument appears completely under the control of the performer, and the attention of the auditory is riveted to the magnificence of the theme; its gay, grave, and joyous passages, carrying them with it by its inspiring word breathing sounds. InthethLrd movementwhen the minor key is substituted for the major, and the player astonishes her listeners with the solemn strains of the glorious Funeral March, the moment is almost sublime. You could scarcely imagine that a touch so light and yefc so strong could call forth such majesty of expression. The finale in an Allegro movement brings a relief from the solemn strains of death, and joy and gladness take possession to the finish, when a feeling of awe and wonder appeared to have so riveted the attention of the listeners that a stillness for the moment prevailed, which afterwards broke out into a storm of applause, accompanied by a shower of bouquets, to which Madame Arabella Goddard repeatedly bowed her acknowledgments. Madame Goddard wore a magnificent pale pink silk dress, moderately well up in the neck, with train magnificently trimmed with lace ; around her neck, she wore a pearl and diamond necklace, from which pended a small but handsomely-jewelled broach ; and her arms were bare and devoid of jewellery, their plumpness and symmetery of form needed no artificial ornaments. Her entrances and exits on and off the stage were graceful and queenly, and in keeping with the majesty of her performances. Mrs. Smythe, a very engaging soprano, and what I must term a sweet pretty singer, sang an Italian air by Tito Mattei, which was vociferously applauded, and a well-earned shower of bouquets followed. The next grand feature of the performance was a magnificently-executed violin solo — a fantasia from II Lumbardi — by Herr Doehler, which fairly drew down thehouse, such instrumentation on the " Prince of musical instruments" had jtorcr before been heard in Dunedin ;. n»J it would be daing Herr Doehlc- -" injustice to say that he is other than a thorough master of the violin. j n me enthusiasm which greeted the conclusion "of tne fantansia, some person from the stalls threw ahandsome bouquet, wMchHerr Doehler gracefully possessed himself of and acknowledged. To the unanimously-demanded encore, he gave someskilfully-played variations on " Yankee Doodle." A duet, " A word at parting," by Mrs. Smythe and Mr. Skinner concluded the first portion of the programme. In the second part, Madame Goddard opened the ball with a fantasia on airs from Don. Giovanna, the beautiful music from which opera is so well-known that it would be useless to describe the pleasure the audience derived from this skillfully-executed fantasia. •A genuine burst of applause followed its conclusion, and a shower of bouquets, larger than before, greeted tho gifted player ; and one of Chopin's valses was given as an encore. " Tell me, Mary, how to woo tb.ee," by Mr. Skinner, a tenor singer, was scarcely up to the mark.'- Mr. Skinner's voice is of but very moderate compass, and he is barely up to the mark to be found such a company of Tritons in the art of music. Herr Doehler followed with a diversified solo performance, "Air Varie" ("The Carnivel de Venice") by Rhodes, which again drew down the house; and to the tumultuous demand of an encore gave tho second portion, which was applauded as heartily as ever. Mrs. Smythe, who had become quite a favorite, eung in her cool and refreshing style, "Come to the Dance." which commanded an enthusiastic encore, when she gave very prettily, " Hobin Adah-," which brought her another shower of bouquets. Henry Russell's famous song, " The Old Sex* ton," by Mr. Rainford was feelingly and artistically sung, and his deep base voice applied to the concluding lines of the verses, "I gather them in," was almost sepulchral, though melohous. Rapturous applause concluded the song, and demanded an encore, which was responded to by "We were boys together." Madame Arabella Goddard again appeared for the third time ; this, like the second, was an extempore performance, or rather playedfrom memory. It consisted of a fantasia on Scottish songs, and included " The Blue Bells oi

Scotland," "Kelvin Grove," and"Whawadvm fechi for Charlie." An encore was rapturously demanded, when Madame Gk>ddard followed by a fantastic ronderlng of "Auld Eobin Gray" and « Bonny Dundee." As is almost usual with popular music, when the time is strongly marked, some few commenced keeping *ime with their feet to the •nlivening straius of " Bonny Dundee " ; but this was quickly suppressed by demonstrations of disapprobation by the majority, which plainly signified that such a vulgar-apprecia-tion of soul-stirring music was at least out of iilace on this particular occasion. Applause, ong and continued greeted the player, amidst » third shower of bouquets, larger than ever. Madame Goddard, possessing the floral trophies, gracefully bowed her" acknowledgements to a delighted audience. A duet to Donizetti's music, "My sufferings and sorrows," by Mrs. Smythe and Mr. Rainford, concluded the entertainment, and these two favorites left the stage amidst the ringing applause they had so meritoriously earned. The concert was one of the most successful held in Duneditt. The volume of sound, power, and clearness of tone of the "iron grand" is something extraordinary, while the notes strike upon the ear, clear, sharp, and distinct. A slight metallic sound is discemable, particularly ib the lower notes ; but this peculiarity is rather agreeable than otherwise. The instrument, I fancy, was scarcely toned up to the mark, or with that correctness it might j have been : but so much knocking about from travelling was undoubtedly the cause. This j delect will possibly be remedied by the next i concert. \