"DIFFERENT WHEN YOU'RE THERE"

New Zealand Listener, Volume 15, Issue 380, 4 October 1946, Page 28

"DIFFERENT WHEN YOU'RE THERE"

Sir,-I attended the concert at the Civic Theatre, Christchurch, by Solomon, mainly on the recommendation of your article "It’s Different When You're There" (by A.A.). I agree with the writer of your article, but would like to say something about the behaviour of some of the audience. Four people in the same row of the circle as I occupied myself did their best to spoil the recital for me and for everybody else, within rows of them. One apparently only paid half price for her seat, as she used only the front half, giving me most of her shoulder. While Solomon played Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in C Minor she told her neighbour that Professor was just along the row. "Oh yes, and there’s Dr. with him." "I say, do look, there’s Dr. just behind them." During Bach’s "French suite" she spent so much time looking at other people that she lost track of the sequence and had to argue with her neighbour as to whether Solomon was playing the "Bourree" or the "Minue*." To cap it all off, during the playing of the Chopin Sonata ene of them said in a loud voice,

"Wonderful, dear, so like Chopin, don’t you think?" One remained quite inactive until the "Prelude Aria and Finale’ by Franck, when he decided to have supper, so while I tried to listen to the "Prelude" he fought with a cake of chocolate and much silver paper in his pocket. Then I heard the "Aria" to the accompaniment of a sound which took me back to my Uncle’s farm when old Daisy got into the turnips. As you can imagine it was wonderful to hear the "Finale" clearly minus the accompaniment. It seems that we are going to be treated to visits of many famous artists in the future, and this letter is written in the hope that by the time we next have a famous artist performing for us we shall hear him without such annoying interruptions.

A31

(Christchurch).