ORGAN RECITAL.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18399, 4 June 1925, Page 6

ORGAN RECITAL.

ST. JOHN'S CHURCH. ■ The . organ in St. John's Church,. Latimer Boua.ro, now .rebuilt,: and enlarged',- was formally opened last - night, v.-hcn a - recitkl whs givon by Mi* Arthur Lilly bofore a crowded congregation. The organ .has' an interesting history.. It was Built. in 1864 by Mr G. .11. Hol-aitch, of London, and was brought' out to New Zealand by the late Archdeacon Harper, who erected it in ' the eo'uth transept. In 1576 it was rebuilt, and considerably added to, by Mr Ji. !£I. Jenkins, and tho present organ chamber was built for tho enlarged instrument. A year or two later three more stops were added, to tho Bwoll, and some to tho great organ, by the first organist, Mr Landergan. In 1009 tho organ was taken down and thoroughly overhauled by Mr H. Brett, of this city. In 1923 Mr Brett commenced a.n extensive rebuild, which has now been completed, under tho specification and supervision of Mr Arthur Lilly, A.R.C.O. In the previous rebuild) the Bwell-organ was placed over tho great organ, which caused a loss of tono to tho full great. Tho swell has now been lowered 6ft on to a new building frame behind the great organ, also pneumatic action installed to. swell and pedal organs. Tho old pedal . organ contained only twenty-seven notes, but this , has been replaced by a new concave and radiating pedal board, PC.O. pattern, thirty notes, and uprto-dato pneumatic action. The swell organ has been provided with three composition pedals and two couplors. Tho front pipes of tho organ havo been re-designed and rc-decorated, and arc a great improvement. Tho organ i 3 now blown by a IJh.p. electric fan-blower. . Tho markod improvement in the tone, capacity, ajid manipulatory equipmont of- tho instrument' as it stands now was made .'quite evident during tho course of tho recital, and the organ becomes a noteworthy addition to tho very few superior instruments in churoh use in • tho city. It has an advantageous setting in every wry, and nothing is lost in tho production oi its very fine tone qualities. Tho programme for the recital was not made too heavy, and many. charming compositions were played most ably by the organist. The items were:—Prelude in ' G Major (Bach); Prayer ' and C'TadJo Song (Guilmant): (a) A Curious Story (from Childhood Scenes) (Schumann), (b). Dreaming (Schumann); I'inalo from First Organ Sonata (Mendelssohn); (a) Variations on "As Pants tho Hart" (Spohr), (b)' TTiestlces Nights" (Heller), (c) Lullaby (R. A. Horne); Fanfare in D (Lemmens); Spring Song (Mendelssohn); Bridal Chorua from "Lohengrin" (Wagner); OfTertoiro in G, Major (Welyl; March Solemnelle in C' Major (Maiily).

Two vocal numbers were sung—"Watchman, Will the Night Soon Pass?" (from Mendelssohn's "Hymn of- Praise"), by Mr Greg. Russell, whose tenor, voice accommodated itself well to the exertions of the composition, and "God Shall Wipe Away All Tears" (Sullivan), by Miss Carrio Hoare (mezzo). '