AUCKLAND STRING PLAYERS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 21, Issue 522, 24 June 1949, Page 8

AUCKLAND STRING PLAYERS

[N the field of music the string orchestra occupies a central position. It can possess both subtlety and power; and it can appeal to a large audience without sacrifice of -the finer qualities of musical expression. It is good, therefore, to see that there is in New Zealand a definite trend towards the establishment of string orchestras in the larger centres of population. Auckland had, for some years, an orchestra that played at lunch-hour con-

certs. For several reasons, which were the fault of nobody, it withered away. Last year an attempt was made to revive it. Several players got together and invited Georg Tintner, conductor of the Autkland Choral Society, to

take a ieading part in re-establishing it. He in turn found willing support among musicians of Auckland. The result was that last year an orchestra of over 20 players was got together, and began practising. The whole of the year was spent in rehearsing, in order to achieve a good standard of performance. And now, in, 1949, the Auckland String Players have appeared before the public, and have established themselves strongly. Their first public performance was made at a concert organised by the Auckland Chamber Music Society; and soon afterwards they broadcast a programme from 1YA. The second broad-

cast by this new group will be given on Saturday, July 9, again from 1YA. The programme will consist of two Mozart works — Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and "Five Dances." The orchestra consists of seven first violins, seven, second violins, four violas, three ‘cellos, and a double bass. Although some of its’: members are pro-. fessional musicians, the orchestra is on an amateur basis: all fees are paid in to a fund that is used to buy sheet music,

pay travelling expenses,- and meet rent and other charges. With Georg Tintner as its conductor and Ina Bosworth as leader, the Auckland String Players have made remarkable progress, The success of the Boyd

Neel Orchestra demonstrated the fact that there is'a large and appreciative public for good music of this kind, and it seems possible that this new orchestra will become a permanent institution in Auckland. Already it is receiving more invitations to play than it can cope with, and a concert is to be given at Hamilton shortly. The Auckland String Players intend to respect the conventions of music. There will be no ad hoc "arranging" of music that was written for other combinations — no "arrangement for string orchestra" of a

symphony, for instance.

A.R.D.

F.