ORGAN RECITAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3108, 5 February 1909, Page 5

ORGAN RECITAL.

ON KNOX CHURCH NEW INSTRUMENT.

BY MR MAUGHAN BARNETT,

NOTABLE MUSICAL EVENT. The opening performance on the magnificent new pipe organ just installed at Knox Church, Masterton, took place last evening, Mr Maughan Barnett, of Wellington, giving a recital. The spacious edifice was crowded to the' doors, and included in the audience were members of every musical organisation in the town, and leading musicians, vocal and instrumental, from a wide district around. Naturally great interest was centred in the quality, power and general features of the flew instrument, and it is safe to &sy that those who expected the utmost of an organ its size were not disappointed. In tone it is remarkably fine, in power it is admirably fitted for the building, and in size and appearance it constitutes an ornament to the interior of one of the handsomest and largest churches inland in the Dominion. The organ was not placed where it is without the difficulty usually presenting itself to enterprising but exchequer-bound congregations, but undaunted effort, worthy organisation, and an altogether commendable spirit of advancement overcame troubles multiplied through building extension—and there the organ is, a monument of progress. The instrument is substantial in appearance, the pipes being tastefully but quietly tinted and picked out to match the oak body. It possesses the following stops:—Great organ—Open diapason, Bft, 58 pipes; rohrgedact, Bft, 58 pipes; salicional, Sft, 58 pipes; principal. 4ft, 58 pipes; wald flute, 4ft, 58 pipes, Swell organ—Open diapason, gffc, 158 pipes; clarabella, Bft, 58 pipes; gamba, Bft, 51 pipes; vox celeste, Bft, 46 pipes; octave, 4ft, 58 pipes; mixture, two ranks, 116 pipes; cornopean, Bft, 58 pipes. Pedal organ-Open diapason, 16ft, 30 pipes; bourdon. 16ft, 30 pipes; ba3s flute, Bft, 12 pipes; the remaining 18 pipe? taken troja kurdon by tubular transmission. Couplers Swell to great sub-octave, 1 to gT©f!\i to pedal, great to pedal. Accessories— T! r:e combimtion pedals to gieat, and three to swell, balance crescendo pedal, pedal board radiating and concave to c ll'-ge o' organist's s??le.

Th; opening iteirjwaS Bach'tf ''Toccata and Fugue in D Minor." The rich tone of the open diapason was at once apparent, while the occasional use of the conopean produced a very fine effect. The effect of the item was toigive tfis audience a fair ! idea of the capabilities of the organist and the povfrsra of the instrument. Ti.e cont?fefing portion of this number callfetf forth the full power, but in no'wise was the effect unpleasantly loud. The next item, '"Am Meer" (Schubert), was daintily handled. The storm effects were brought out, and full use was ma 4 e of the swell organ, particularly the vox celestes,- resulting in a splendid imitation of the vox humana, a 3top which it i=? verv difficult to obtain successfully. Perhaps one of the most popular items was the succeeding number Boccherini's wellknown minuet. This was exquisite, and being of a lighter description was a complete contrast to the preceding numbe-s. The pianissimo passages appeared to be reduced to such an extent that absolute silence amongst the audience was imperative to enable the theme of the composer to be followed to the fullest extent. Almiift inaudible on occafions were the dulcet notes produced by the alternate t-s a of the clarabeila, gambu (a beauvifi.l stop), and voxcelsstes stops, by rb- manipulation of the swell. Next cam* quite a different composition in Handel's bright "Concerto No. 5 in F." This w?s treated in a masterly manner, as /also was St. Clair s "Melody," the solo work in the latter number displaying how excellently the various stops,used therewith were adapted for solo purposes. The salicional, was particularly pleasing and coupled wich the gamba produced a very fine effect. But it was in Mr B? r ett's "Improvisation" that_ the many and vsr ous musical effects capable of being produced on the splendid instrument were made apparent. .Mr Barnett "played" on a theme of a particularly bright chai*acter, displaying the qualifications of every stop on the organ, the item being a thorough treat. Equally successful was the organist in a "Berceuse," of his own composing, a dainty sixeight numbed with a haunting counter melody of exquisite sweetness. The well-known "Hallelujah Chorus" brought the programme to a close, and it was this number which showed the excellence of the work of Mr N. T. Pearce, in the way of the tuning of the instrument. The sustained passages were perfectly in tune, and no matter what combination of stops was used the tunefulness of the number was not interfered with to the slightest degree. Mr Pearce deserves hearty congratulation on his success in this most important direction. A vocal solo "Arm! Arm! Ye Brave," from "Judas Maccabaeus," was given by Mr F. J. Hunn, in his usual excellent style, the item being much anpreciated. A feature of Mr Barnett's performance was the dainty improvised preludes to every number. Mr Barnett's forensic experience has doubtless shown him long ago how effective such a step is in preparing the audience for the item itself, as frequently very quiet passages herald the commencement of a number.