THE CITY ORGAN.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20612, 30 July 1932, Page 11

THE CITY ORGAN.

t>.' ;nr, suttob o>- the rases. s iv.—Your correspondent. "Xon-Ex-roi'i" :i y s in l'is reply, that I might have added the Cathedral organ to my list of those divided. 1 did not do so. as Ihe Cathedral organ is not divided. H has been proved conclusively that "Non-Expert*' is not careful to make sure of his facts before making a statement, and this, in my opinion, rather detracts from his merits as a critic. "Xoti-Expurt's'' lady vocalistis in no worse position relatively to the organ at the Civic Theatre "than is the choir at Chnstebureh Cathedral, Liverpool Cathedral, St. Paul's Cathedral, or Westminster Abbey. Admittedly -and liere lies tho whole crux of the question—the Civic 'theatre acoustics are bad for the organ. "-More Expert" hits the nail on the head when he raises this point. The Cathedral organ in the Civic Theatre v.-ould sound no more Miccesstul than does the present instrument. The City organ in the stop 111 the organ," put "Non-Expert." by its real inherent beauty. Sweeping assertions, like '"lliero is not a pretty stop in the organ, " but " Xon-Expert" completely out of court as a eritic. 1 imagine •'•'Xon-Expert refers to the Glockenspiel -when he alludes to a sound like striking a tumbler with a table-knife. Dr. Bradsiunv did not disdain to use this "'tawdry jingle" most charmingly in the Tschuikowsky CasseXoisette Suite. However. I must say I do not like to hear the Glockenspiel used to imitate church bells. The reason for poor attendances at the Civic, recitals lies ■ farther afield than in Dr. Bradshaw's playing or the merits of the organ. The Auckland civic recitals have been disastrous financially; so also have those at Wellington, Our own Cathedral recitals arc not so well attended, and I do not think the Dunedin reeitals are any more successful. The man in the street does not know Bach from a Bourdon. Why not tell him? The lecture-recital is more interesting to the common man, and once ■ he is told, what a fugue is, once ho has the argument explained to him he will frit up and take notice, instead of sitting bored stiff until "William Tell" comes on. " Liebliclx's" letter is the most constructive we have had on this subject, and I think something of the sort could be arrauged. The proposed club could get the Council interested and perhaps gain concessions in regard t<? the expenses involved in the hire of hall and organ. Jt could invite organists from other centres at long intervals. It could assist in the arrangement of programmes (if its advice ivero sought) and perhaps insinuate a concerto occasionally to brighten things up. It could also take hold of advertising. If Dr. Bradsliaw gave tho first lecture-recital under those conditions ■with, say, Mr Empson taking the pianoforte in .the Schumann Concerto, and admission to all parts of the house no more than one shilling, I am convinced that the theatre would be as full as it has ever been. I am grateful for the opportunity of a second reply to "Non-Expert," but I do not intend to write more on the subject.—Yours, etc., AD MISERTCORDIAM. July D9th, 1932.