Warm Response For N.Z.B.C. Orchestra

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31680, 16 May 1968, Page 14

Warm Response For N.Z.B.C. Orchestra

An unusual and antiphonal seating of the players, in accordance with the composer’s direction, was used at the beginning of the N.Z.B.C. Symphony Orchestra’s concert last evening when Bartok’s charming “Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta” was played. It began with a fugue played quietly but with impressive sonority. The music, meditative at first and then increasing in power and tension, was deeply moving in its calm and inexorable working out of the subject. The second part of the fugue had a lovely dying fall. Rather spiky rhythm and exuberant thematic material gave bright vitality to the second movement, suitable to its quirky humour. The third movement had the slow changes of colour and shadow as in sunrise. Sharp percussion threw unexpected highlights, and strange and eerily effective use of the strings demanded closest attention and appreciation of its sustained atmosphere. The last movement dashed away with the plangent uproar of rustic dancing and jollification, which quietened in its contrasting sections. Mr Matteucci directed this interesting performance so that there was cohesion and flexibility, and a maintaining of atmosphere. The percussion players were in fine form and appreciated their important roles. Miss Mattiwilda Dobbs, whose appearance as guest soloist will make this concert brightly memorable, has a voice with the flexibility and scintillating charm of a skylark. With beautiful clarity of line and effortless carrying quality, she sang Haydn’s “Aria of the Conflicting Spirit,” and his “Aria di Cardellina.” The first was accompanied deftly with precision, good balance, and expression by a group of woodwind players. Miss Dobbs has a tremendous range of voice and a breath control that gives her complete command in trills and in smooth turning of ornaments. Her ability was fully shown in Gliere’s Concerto for Soprano Voice which began with rich and smoothly moving harmonies in accmopaniment style. The singer entered with soaring melodic material and her securely forward production of voice gave entrancingly varied colourings to each part of her wide range. Subtle alterations of vowel sounds in the vocalisation (no words are used and the voice is treated as part of the orchestration) also brought forth most interesting colour changes. The second section of the work was gay and carefree, with effervescent sparkle giving swirling dance effects. This part of the work had more of the arobatic type of coloratura singing. In Miss Dobbs's singing her smooth attack and perfect control seem to make “technique” as a term almost cease to have meaning. The programme ended with Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4 in A. It is a happy work and Mr Matteucci, in the first

movement, gave to the players an atmosphere of southern (European) warmth, joy, and vivacity. The movement was played with striking elan and precision. The second movement began with a mellow aria-style melody from the violas against staccato playing for the cellos. The melody then wandered round the orchestra In friendly fashion, and did so very charmingly. The minuet moved graciously and the contrasting section, in more plaintive mood, had a poised dignity. The horn parts were beautifully controlled. The last movement had the gay abandon of a Neapolitan tarantella. It was played with gripping vitality and the whole work drew prolonged and warm response from the large audience. —C.F.B.