Poor Night At The “Proms”

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30477, 26 June 1964, Page 12

Poor Night At The “Proms”

The Civic Theatre was filled last evening for the concert given by the N.Z.B.C. Symphony Orchestra, the third in the series directed by the Czech conductor, Eduard Fischer, whose work has been of such interest to his hearers and inspiration to the players. The programme at this concert fell far below its predecessors In musical interest, and the playing generally lacked the elan and polish so apparent last week. Mr Fischer did his best, but the playing seldom rose above an adequate standard. In fairness to the players, it must be said that there was little in the music to rouse much enthusiasm. A poor night at the “Proms” would sum it up. Mendelssohn’s overture “A Calm Sea and a (fairly) Prosperous Voyage” began the proceedings. The flaying was rhythmical, and some pleasing

effects were heard in sustained passages with effective contrasts in timbres. Two movements from Bizet’s suite, “Roma”, followed, and it was all very dull. Bizet must have arrived in the Eternal City during siesta hours. Things brightened somewhat in Dvorak’s “Scherzo Capriccioso”, and there was some breadth and warmth in Verdi’s overture to “The Sicilian Vespers”. For just a few moments it seemed that the old sparkle was going to be heard in some “Dances from Polonina”, by Milan Harshta. A knowledge of the people in Polonina, a mountainous district in eastern Czechoslovakia, would be a help in understanding this music, but it would suggest that the district is so mountainous that no level ground can be found for the dancers and that this has discouraged them. The only building up

which could be noticed at a first hearing was that each succeeding movement seemed more unattractive than its neighbour. This concert will be remembered for the glorious singing by Ella Lee of arias by Mozart, Beethoven, Puccini, and Verdi. Her lovely soprano voice is so skilfully controlled that every fine point of expressive nuance would carry through the largest auditorium without any loss of clarity or warmth of tone. She has superb mastery of style and of dramatic character. Every phrase was a gem superbly matched to its fellows. Much could be written about her interpretations and of the great pleasure she gave her audience. But the Minister of Finance was also performing in another hall last evening, and space in today’s paper must be limited. —C.F.B.