MUNICIPAL ORCHESTRA.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 999, 14 December 1910, Page 5

MUNICIPAL ORCHESTRA.

Not yet has Wellington awakened to the fact that in the Municipal Orchestra the city possesses a source ot rich musical delight. Though the prices of admission have' been fixed at what must be regr-xded as tho irreducible minimum, it will evidently hot be'before it gives Sunday concerts, at silver coin auujission, tliat it will attract audicnces of the dimensions which it deserves. There was a fairly large attendance in the cheaper seats last evening, but there was only a sprinkling in the front seats below and tho gallery, parts of the hall, that should, ono would think, bo taxed to tho fullest capacity at the prices. The programme was quite interesting,' and its performance moro than creditable. In some of the pieces programmed which wero familiar to the . orchestra, the interpretations were characterised by a broad freedom, jawing,, and finish that wero wholly pleasing. This was noticeable in the Wedding March from Rubinstein's opera "Feramors," which gains in its joyous appeal with familiarity, and the popular Prelude, to Act 111 of Wagner's "Lohengrin." This number was played with rare spirit and confidence last evening and earned a deserved encore. A number of great musical charm and sweetness was the Largo . Cantabile movement from Haydn's Fifth Symphony, which calls for delicate ■ treatment by the strings and wood-winds. With a touch< of liumour Haydn gives a good deal of solo work to tho bassoon, .which in certain passages is placed in. peculiar relation to tho attenuated song of the violins, and the one garish' which the bass instrument blares out in a tender'interlude towards the end is quite comical'in its effect. To acuto ears the first bassoon soundcdslight-. ly out of tune last evening, but not sufficiently to. mar the .beauty of the number. Tho "Minuetto" from the, same Symphony is bold and rhythmical and was not interpreted with that atmospheric daintiness" of Haydn's "patch and powder" minuets. Ignacoj • tj\i\ Polish' virtuoso of the pianoforte'.'dhd' composer, was representeu by • a Melody from his "Chants du Voyageur," which has..been scored for 'orchestra from the original composition • for the pianoforte. It is a rnelodious ! composition with • a bizarre touch hero and there, but is, by no means marked by any special orches- . tral grace. Delibes' "Pizzicati," is tinklingly pretty and always popular. It was admirably played—crisplv and cleanly. Tho solo flute was excellent, in this number. Tscliaikovsky mado his dobut with the Orchestra last evening in • the form of, a' couple of trifles that wera hardly impressive enough to show tho strongly-marked character and force of tho great Russian. The "Yalse dps Jleurs" promised well at the opeiiing--ii\ which tho horns were densely-foggy—hut did not' develop further .than the pretty stage. The "Trepak" dance movement, with its 1 wildly-esciting accelerando at the end, was agreeably Slavonio.m character and found immediate favour. It is to be hoped that the Orchestra will cultivate Tschaikovsky in the New Tear with his famous "1812" Symphony as an objective next season... . „ ' Mr. Barnett, who. controlled tho Orchestra closely and conscientiously, was heard in' some well-selected organ ■ solos, the chief of which was Handel s "Concerto" (No. 5), rich in Handelian graces; of the broader order. Lemaigre s * Capriccio," with its ear-tickling tin-whistle effects, was an attractive number, and Schubert's "Cradle Song" was replete with tho purest musical charm. Mr. Barnetp also played a melodious "Berceuse" of his own composing, n"'l tho sparkling- Postlude in B flat of Wely's.