UNIVERSITY CONCERT

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31327, 25 March 1967, Page 14

UNIVERSITY CONCERT

New Theatre Passes Test The University’s lunch-hour concert on Thursday was held in the Ngaio Marsh Theatre on the Ilam campus. The John Ritchie String Orchestra, and Anita Ritchie as soprano soloist, were the performers. One purpose in having the concert at Ham was to test the acoustic qualities of the highly attractive little theatre, and excellent they proved to be, except for some extraneous noise from some, as yet, unfinished ventilators in the roof. In one way it could be said that the theatre had a “dry” sound in that there is excellent clarity of detail in the sound. However, there is just enough echo to give life and spread, so that the sound can grow with a richness of bloom on the ensemble. The cellos and basses come through with body of tone, and the upper strings have a carrying brilliance that is unforced. For the voice, the building allows clarity of outline and of words without any dampening of brightness of tone. The opening Passacaglia by Handel was played with a polished dignity in keeping with its classical shapeliness. Balance, giving most pleasing sonorities, was sensitively maintained, and artistic phrasing gave individuality to each variation. Mrs Ritchie’s vital soprano tone was skilfully varied in each of the three songs by the American composer, Samuel Barber. Interesting little songs they were, and Mrs Ritchie interpreted them with artistic finesse, moving in its sincerity. The balance between the singer and the orchestral accompaniment was cleverly maintained. Alan Rawsthorne’s Concerto for Orchestra once again had strongly attractive qualities. The slow movement made a deep impression and was played with subtle changes of colour. Throughout the work the interpretation had * mark of authority, and the Players responded splendidly to Professor Ritchie’s clear apd imaginative. use of polished detail. —C.F.B-