Stirring Beethoven

Press, 17 April 1978, Page 6

Stirring Beethoven

By C. FOSTER BROWN After a slightly shaky start, the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, conducted bv Peter Zwarft and led by Pauline Smith, gave an enjoyable performance in the Town Hall on Saturday evening. Mendelssohn’s “Hebrides" overture, the opening work, was occasionally unbalanced, ir. that the endings of phrases from one section were overshadowed by accompanying instruments. It seemed that

the players were taking a while to hear each other in the big hall. However, the performance was attractively atmospheric.

Patricia Lawrey, a soprano; with an interesting voice I sang some of Mahler’s “Des i l ’naben Wunderhom” songs. | Thev were marked by a * smooth and well-produced vocal line, sung with style.

; and feeling. There w r ere short periods when the balance was upset, but this was caused in the main by i Mahler’s orchestration. The j vocal part is florid and somei times lies fairly low. Here the orchestral part — the ' woodwind players rather than the strings — drowned out the voice.

I Mahler wrote for singers ' at the Vienna Opera — Lotte i Lehmann perhaps the idea! ! — who had voices which ! could cut their way with ease through a pea-souper fog, and he had woodwind players of phenomenal technical expertise who could I play with -upreme delicacy. Apart from this, both Miss 1 Lawrey and the orchestra gave nicely blended and expressive performances.

This orchestra is giving us in this series all the Beet-

i hoven symphanies. On Saturday it played No. 3, the “Eroica.” This began expressively and with splendid balance, giving life in well-defined accentuation. The light and shade in the phrasing was particularly well handled, and gave meaning and coherence. There was some beautifully soft playing. All the well known music throughout the symphony was given the greatest care, through erudite direction and by meticulous following. Balance was particularly good, and maintained through many and constantly changing levels. The funeral march was awesome and dignified, and the scherzo was stirring. Particular mention must be made of the splendid contribution of the cello section to the colouring of the playing throughout the evening.