Civic Orchestra In Inaugural Concert

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29984, 20 November 1962, Page 17

Civic Orchestra In Inaugural Concert

It has long been a fervent wish that we should have a civic orchestra, on at least a semi-professional basis, in Christchurch, so that there should be available for all purposes a body of players with a continuing standard of high technical competence. We now have such an orchestra, and it gave its inaugural concert in the Civic Theatre last evening under the direction of Professor John Ritchie.

The theatre was practically filled, and it was not a “papered” house. The work of the orchestra was received with prolonged and welldeserved acclamation. The mounting enthusiasm of the audience, as the programme continued, could be distinctly felt. It was, indeed, a happy occasion; and the importance of this orchestra to the city will be widespread in far more than merely musical fields.

The orchestra is managed by the Christchurch Civic Orchestra Foundation, which has been and is supported by financial help from the City Council, from most of the outlying borough councils, by the Civic Music Council, very generously by the Arts Advisory Council, by some business houses, and by private benefactors. That such assistance has been justified by the standard of work shown by the orchestra at this concert cannot be doubted, and all who have given generous help, both financially and by their faith in the venture, can certainly feel that the bread they cast on the waters has been returned as sandwiches.

This concert was a personal triumph for all players, but especially so was it for Professor Ritchie who, in a very short time, has welded the players into a sensitively responsive team capable of responding with unanimity to his finely-pointed requirements in balance, tonal qualities. expressive shadings, rhythmic impulse, and stylistic finesse in the interpretation of varied types of music. To Mr John Dodds congratulations must be given for the way in which he led the orchestra and drew from the strings delightful tonal quality and a delicacy of balance which never failed to have musicianly understanding and import. The woodwind section of the orchestra was highly pleasing and did sterling work as a group and in solo passages. The brass players, though at times unavoidably stronger than the finer points of balance would require, played with excellent precision and stirring verve. They were never strident, but, until there is a larger body of strings in the orchestra, it might be better not to have raised so high above the other players and to get them away from the resounding properties of the back wall. The tympani and percussion players were always adequate for their very busy task.

Naturally enough, there are improvements which can be made. A larger body of strings will be necessary to gain a rounded sonority, necessary for instance in parts of the Beethoven First Symphony. Experience will give the ability to combine care for the letter with tile relaxed joy in the flow of the music as was needed sometimes in the Schubert Overture in B flat. It will also bring the confidence in gaining the full impact of a final chord along with the clean shave imparted to its ending. And the pull and thrust which gets final intensity from every big climax will also come without' any inhibition. But whatever small weaknesses there were in the playing on this occasion (when all the performances were first performances) they were so heavily outweighed by the many and glowing virtues of the playing. Much was hoped for in this concert, but very much more was given. Mr Ken Smith, from Dunedin, was the soloist in Haydn’s Concerto for Trumpet His playing has excellent control and he draws, with a rare mastery, from his instrument a lovely quality of tone with smooth finish, lively vitality, and polished shaping of phrasing. Together with the orchestra, he gave a most stylish performance of the playing of Haydn which was a joy to hear. It is remarkable that such immaculate playing should have been achieved when it is remembered that Mr Smith arrived in Christchurch only late yesterday afternoon. Mr Heath Joyce was the narrator in the performance of Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf.” Every syllable was perfectly clear, and his voice has very attractive quality. A personal preference would be for a more straight rendering of the narrative more in keeping with the suavity of the music. The soloists and the orchestra gave an excellent rendering of the music, especially in the earlier parts. Towards the end it became a little tired at times and more joy and elan might have gone into the triumphal procession.

The concert ended with a most rousing and smoothly finished performance of Eric Coates’s "London Suite." This music, though light in character. is >y no means easy, and all its very attractive qualities were brought forth with a high sheen in the playing. One cannot forbear to say that the stage facilities offered by the theatre for this concert, especially in the matter of stage lighting, were crude in the extreme. To have a glaring spotlight directed straight at the audience is not only something which would disgrace an African village, but is physically harmful. It is one of the things which made the Gestapo disliked. —C.F.B.