VERBRUGGHEN ORCHESTRA.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 4, 6 January 1922, Page 6

VERBRUGGHEN ORCHESTRA.

It was an evening which will long linger in tbe memories of all who were .fortunate enough to be present in the Town Hall last night. The visiting orchestra and its maestro surely never achieved greater successes in their read-T ings than the one given of the gigantic •programme of instrumental workAfter the performance of each selection the conductor and orchestra received hearty manifestations of pleasure from the delighted audience, and at the close a hurricane of aipplause lasting several moments was hurled at the deserving musicians. Mozart's "Magic Flute" and "Figaro" overtures were given with remarkable finish and charm, strings, winds, and timpani putting forth their very best. Beethoven's famous "Eroica" I Symphony received a performance which | showed the work was thoroughly understood by the musicians. This great tone* jtpoem is a veritable rainbow of sound; and contains many themes character—tin of the celebrated composer. Some beautiful shadings and tonal pictures wen presented during the reading of the lAllegro. The Adagio, which is a sole—A dirge, was given with great impressiveneas and regard for the various degrees of tone and phrasing. The . "ScherßO", I revealed much playful and dainty playing by the strings, wihilst in the Trio the horns dieting—shed themselves. 'Cellos, violins, violas, and contrabasses i,*nyed magnificently the glorious music of the Finale, and some specially good work was achieved .by wood-winds and brasses. Very praiseworthy was the musicianship displayed by the wind family in the Andante, whilst the strings and winds swept everything 'before them in their splendid execution together of the briljliant music of tbe Presto. To really do justice to the rest of the performance :it would take more space than allowed; suffice to say that the overtures to : Wagner's "Die Meistersinger" and 1 "Tannhauser" were given with telling i effect, and the "Prelude and Love Death" from "Tristan and Isolde" reiceived poetic renderings, being treated with remarkable charm of tone-colour, phrasing and expression. To-nightV 1 ■programme contains Wagner's Preludes to Acts Nos. 1 and 2, Liszt's second j ''Biajpsody," Strauss' "Blue Danube I Waltz," Sibelius' "Vafee Triste," and the 'great "1812" overture by Tschaikowsky. Miss Rosa Alba sings the valse song | from "Borneo and Juliet," and Mr. W. Croughey will be heard in the Toreador from "Carmen." Next Monday afternoon, in the concert chamber of the Town Hall, Mr. ' Verbrugghen, Miss Jenny Cullen, and .Messrs. Nichols and Messeas will give a | chamber concert, the programme comprising works by Beethoven, Schubert, and Hill.