THE NATIONAL ORCHESTRA

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26856, 8 October 1952, Page 7

THE NATIONAL ORCHESTRA

Seventh Subscription Concert A large audience enjoyed the seventh subscription concert of the National Orchestra in the Civic Theatre, Christchurch, last evening. The most important works were Beethoven’s Second Symphony and ; Debussy’s “Le Mer.” Mr Norman Walker, the English bass, sang three Mozart operatic arias and Stanford’s^, “Songs of the Sea.” The programme opened with the overture to “Benvenuto Cellini” by Berlioz, and ended with Ravel’s choreographic poem, “La Valse.” There was, therefore, plenty of colour and variety, and it was a programme which' made no great demands on the listeners. As a matter of balance, the inclusion of both the Debussy and the Ravel together is open to question. The orchestra played splendidly, and Mr Michael Bowles’s unerring sense of style was clearly shown in his interpretations of such varied works. He drew from the players the fitting quality of tone at all times; his tempi and his high and low levels of volume were precisely judged to suit both the music and the hall in which it was played; and there was vitality throughout the whole performance. Excent for a few moments in the Mozart accompaniments, there was clear evidence of careful preparation, and confidence marked all the playing. One enjoyed Mr Walker's sihging best in “See these Dandies Hither Roaming” in his Mozart group, and “Homeward Bound” and “The Old Superb” in the Stanford. There was warmth in his lighter and more lyrical type of tone. “O Isis and Osiris” calls for smoother and more unbroken phrasing than one heard last evening The Beethoven Symphony in D, so pleasant in itself, is highly interesting in its foreshowing of the great symphonies which followed it. The force of them is all here, held under strict control and without so much pressure showing on the gauge. The shapeliness of the first movement and. the embracing tenderness of the second were finely realised in the performance. The exhilirating effervescence of the third movement and the vivacity of the final rondo were a great joy to the listeners, and it seemed as though the orchestra enjoyed them also. We have heard many excellent performances of Beethoven from the National Orchestra, and this was fully up to previous standards. In a completely different style, Debussy’s “La Mer” was equally a triumph for Mr Bowles and for the players. It demands great attention to balance of both volume and timbres. Whether in calm or stormy weather, this interpretation was faithful to the music, and it was a finely-poised and well-integrated rendering of a beautiful and thoughtful work. One would have found the concert quite satisfying had it ended with this work. The Ravel, similar in some respects in orchestration, but very different in spirit, tended to blunt the fine edge of enjoyment created by the Debussy. It was, however, very cleverly played. The overture to “Benvenuto Cellini’’ ’ is not one of the best of the over- • tures by Berlioz. After a bright and . effective opening it contains many ■ stodgy passages which should come up for more air. and the work lacks a firm grasp of logical continuity. • The National Orchestra and the . Christchurch Harmonic Society will be ■ heard in Elgar’s “Dream of Gerontius” on Thursday evening in the St. James’ ■ Theatre. . --C.F.B.