VERBRUGGHEN ORCHESTRA.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 5, 7 January 1922, Page 5

VERBRUGGHEN ORCHESTRA.

a The Verbrugghen Orchestra gave another delightful concert in the Town Hall last evening before the largest gathering of the season. The performance was a huge success. A splendid programme was presented, and artistic interpretations were given of the notable orchestral pieces. The con- ' duetor and instrumentalists were in high . mood and reached behind the crotchets j aad quavers, giving deliveries of the tone-poems which brought out the idea ' of the author, and executed the music as though one man was performing. Much interest was centred in the proceedings, and the utmost enthusiasm prevailed throughout. Dvorak's overture "Amidst Natrre" received a charm- j ing rendering, a beautiful tone was secured by the strings in the various melodic curves, and some delicious work was presented by the winds, tiluck's "Gavotte" received a graceful and poetic performance, after which Boccherini'g "Minuet"' was daintily played as an encore. Very delicately handled were the expressive phrases in Sibelius' "Valse Triste" and the clever instrumentation of Jarnfcldt's "PraeludiunT' received a performance delightful to follow. Wagner's Preludes to Acts Nos. I and 3 were magnificently rendered. Strauss' "Blue Danube Walts" was exposed in a etyle which charmingly reflectoed the fascinating nature of this famous dance creation. Liszt's "'Rhapsody No. 2" and Tchaikowsky's overture , "1812" were played in a style which adc- ' quately unfolded the characteristics of these great orchestral pieces, of special merit being the fine performances by the strings, winds, and the players on the instruments of percussion. Gounod's waltz arietta "Je Veux Vivre Rans cc ; Reve" was sung by Miss Rosa Alba in a | style which displayed the lightness, j embellishments and florid runs of the • music, which so pleased the audience that she returned and gave Dvorak's "Songs CVly Mother Taught Me." Mr. W. M. Croughey exhibited his flexible and well produced baritone to fine advantage in a graphic and telling ren- • dering of Bizet's "Toreador," after whicli 'he was enthusinsticaly encored. Tonight a popular programme will be sub- ' mitted, consisting of the overture to > "Mignon," Gun-and's "Melodramc" with violin solo by Miss Jenny Cullen, several 1 short orchestral works by Alfred Hill, leading numbers from Wagner's "Tannhauser," and vocal 6olos by Mr. W. M. Croughey. 1 Next Monday afternoon the Verbrugghen String Quartet, which is recognised as one of the finest in. the world, ' will give ft recital in the Town Hall.