AUCKLAND BALLET ORCHESTRA

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27375, 14 June 1954, Page 3

AUCKLAND BALLET ORCHESTRA

Conductor Replies To Criticism

APPEAL FOR “SENSE OF PROPORTION”

(New Zealand Press Association,) AUCKLAND, June 13. ‘ Mr Warwick Braithwaite, conductor of the National Orchestra, and guest conductor of the Auckland Festival Society’s ballet orchestra, today replied to criticism of the Auckland orchestra’s playing which culminated in the refusal -of Miss Rowena Jackson to dance in a second performance of “Les Sylphides.” “I feel it would be well to retain a sense of proportion in regard to the deletion of ‘Les Sylphides’ from the ballet programme last week,” said Mr Braithwaite. “True, it was a poor exhibition of orchestral playing. But no-one at the rehearsal five days before the performance had had the courage to decide against its inclusion. That was the correct moment in which to delete this work.

“I had decided not to conduct the Beethoven ‘Pastoral Symphony’ because of the incorrect tempi adopted by the choreographer, as well as the most unmusical cuts.. On top of this, no-one <yes, including myself), had the courage to upset the ballet schedule further. “All that has been said about the new orchestration, the bad lighting on the stands of the players, and the late arrival of the music is true; but nothing has been said about the difficulties of the festival committee, who got the best orchestra available, and engaged me to conduct during the only week’s holiday I have had,” Mr Braithwaite said.

“My dear friends, Rowena Jackson and Bryan Ashbridge, expected far too much of a part-time orchestra. The Covent Garden Orchestra, which I conducted 4or four years before I came to New Zealand, is an orchestra of 85 virtuoso instrumentalists. Even the cheapest ballet music can be made to sound brilliant when played by such an expert orchestra.

“It is sad but true that people who are in business all day. and come to the theatre to play at night, cannot be of the same standard as instrumentalists who give their whole time to playing,” said Mr Braithwaite. “The same would apply to ballet dancers, and one must not forget this difference. “But one should not forget also that there would have been no ballet at this festival but for these part-time players and ballet dancers—and everyone, including the orchestra, gave of their best. “I feel the festival committee has shown great courage in bringing the two guest dancers from London. That these two guests should feel the absence of brilliancy and expertness in the orchestra after dancing with the Royal Opera House Orchestra is something which should have been expected by them, and left at that,” Mr Braithwaite concluded.