CITY ORGAN RECITAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 157, 3 July 1916, Page 9

CITY ORGAN RECITAL.

The fine organ in the Town Hall was 1 heard to dictinci advantage last isaturj day evening, and the attendance was ; encouraging to the recitalist. who sub- ! mit.ted a prosrramme of much interest ! ani merit. The principal solo was the ', fourth sonata o: the late able Boulogne organist, Alexander Guilmant. which is a work where-n the resources of modern i writins is amply demonstrated and i treated in the author's mast attractive style, while the capabilities of the solo instrument are elaborated with great I skill and freedom. Mr. Barnett gave an j intellizent and highly enjoyable perform- '■ an?e of this composition, which was ati tenlively followed by the listeners. The I rich, deep tones of the foundation stops ' were heard to advantage in the playing iof the initial pages, as was also the full i ortran and mixtures in the subsequent ■Stained harmonies and crotchet chords. ■ whJct the maaml changes leading to 1 the anrmato movement were adroitly i made, and the thirty-second and sixteen : feet notes in octaves on the pedal keyboard, and the massive chords on the c!av;er~ full organ sounded noble and i disnifiexL The diapason, string, flute, and reed pipes were effectively combined and : contrasted in the unfolding of the music lof the beautiful Andante, whilst the : vox humana. soft diapasona. and bour--1 dons sar><7 sweetly the harmonies of the I clos-n? measures." The Menuetto. with as' disturbed rhythms and playful trio, received adequate performance, and the 1 tuneinl and vivacious Finale was skii- ■ fully executed and effectively phrased; ! the p<*da! reeds, thirty-twos, sixteens, 'end four feet tones told well in the ' ,iuaver figures, while the scale passages • for manuals and pedals in imitation were delivered with facility and fluency. The diapasons and soft reeds were tastefully ' employed in the legato performance secured of Basil Harwood's expressive ■ Andante in C sharp minor. Elegantlyphrased and suitabry registered was h. d'Evrj-'s "Meditation." whilst the two- ' toned colour represented by oboe, smV • i octave, acd Sine on swell and great respectively, accompaoied by soft eignt--1 foe* on "choir-orgsa, received clear and , effective playine, and a brilliant reading ' i was given of the Toccata."