THE NATIONAL ORCHESTRA

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26264, 8 November 1950, Page 3

THE NATIONAL ORCHESTRA

WAGNER AND BRAHMS In the presence of their Excellencies the Govtrnor-General and Lady Freyberg, and a large audience, the National Orchestra gave the second of this present series of four concerts in the Civic Theatre last evening. The first half of the programme consisted of works by Wagner, and in the second half Brahms’s Symphonv in E minor was played. Those members of the audience who yesterday had “put their trust in chariots and in horses” must have found that such works as the “Ride of the Valkyries” and the Overture to the Flying Dutchman could provide a continuation of excitement for them in the evening, while those needing consolation could find a soothing balm in The Siegfried Idyll. Mr Bowles directed with a telling sense of the atmosphere inherent in the music, held his fortissimi for the great climaxes, and kept a lively interest both rhythmically and colourfully in the intervening passages. Interest was never allowed to flag and, while, to some, the music offered in the first half may no longer have much attraction, the performance of it held the imagination. In the Flying Dutchman Overture the balance at times was not perfect, but Wagner lays it on with a spade, and what he called for in the way of expression marks was given. At relatively close quarters in the Civic Theatre, however, some of those brass passages were unpleasant. Although sections of “The Ride” were just as noisy, the balance was much better. Both works were played with rhythmic exhiliration. The intonation was not at all times up to the standard in this respect shown at Saturday’s concert. The Siegfried Idyll was played with tender sensitivity, excellent sense of balance and correctness of dynamic weights of tone, very beautiful legato style, and a really thoughtful and beautiful interpretation was the result. Mr Justus Bonn, a visiting Dutch tenor, sang Siegmund’s “Liebeslied” from “The Valkyrie” and Walther’s Prize song from “The Mastersingers.” He has an operatic voice of good quality, resonant, well-placed, and even throughout its range. He obviously understands the music well and one regrets not being able to record that the performance was highly successful. It gave the impression that there had not been sufficient rehearsal by the orchestra with the singer. Both parties to the contract knew their work well and both gave interesting interpretations. However, it is one of those deceiving tricks of the Civic Theatre that, when an orchestra is on the stage and a singer with a resonant voice stands near the conductor, it is no easy matter to decide on the right weight for the accompaniment. In this case the accompaniments are heavily scored, but Wagner, intended the orchestra to be in a well and covered over at that. Under the conditions prevailing last evening the orchestral part was often far too heavy for the singer.

In 1947 we heard the National Orchestra play the Brahms E minor Symphony under the conductorship of Mr Warwick Braithwaite. The work was new to them then and, of course, thev were not the experienced team that they are to-day. It was a fine performance, nevertheless, and highly creditable under the circumstances. Last evening’s performance showed what advances have been made in cohesion of playing. There was a more sure sense of climax, of power in reserve, and precision in attack and release. There was a finer shading from an ending of a phrase to the beginning of another. In interpretation one does not wish to make invidious distinctions between the conductors, for Mr Bowles now has a much more technically efficient orchestra, one far more trained to respond; and memory can play tricks about a performance heard three years ago. Mr Bowles gave a clear-cut reading, faithful to the directions, imbued with vitality, and brought out the majestic roll of the superb Passacaglia with nobility and breadth of grandeur. There will be further concerts by the orchestra on Thursday and Saturday evenings. C. F. B.