MUNICIPAL ORCHESTRA.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1195, 2 August 1911, Page 2

MUNICIPAL ORCHESTRA.

Thu Municipal Orchestra did very well indeed at its concert in the Town Hall last evening. It is true there aro 'imperfections here and then: which might be remedied were the players available, but", as they aro net, it is of small avail lo cry out that this or that is lacking. Perhaps tin greaiest treat of the evening was Handel's Seventh Concerto in B Flat (with Mr. J. Maughan Barnctt nt the organ), which was played with delightful verve throughout. This is a most vivacious and beautiful work, written in the true Handel spirit, with a wealth of harmony wedded to divine melody. The orchestra (limited to the strings and oboe, and conducted by Mr. Herbert Bloy) played with a freedom begottA of confidence, picking up those passages in tho andante movement which reflect the solo with rare precision, and playing each one with admirable suavity. In the hugo they produced a hue sonorous tone, and, in the lively bouree which concludes the concerto, the orchestra quite excelled itself. Tht strings have never been heard to better advantage than they were i'.i this number. Mr. Harnett played tho solo part with a vivacics facility altogether charming. The concerto should certainly be heard again in the near future. Another welcome number was the andante con mcto movement from Beethoven's Fifth Symphony (C Minor)— a very difficult number which makes great demands on the conductor owing to the fantastical incident of the work. X trickle of solo melody- implicates four or five instruments, which .have to pick up their single notes in rapid sequence, to preserve tho rhythm, and the commendable exactitude displayed in these passages showed careful rehearsal. Nicolai's overture, "The Merry Wives of Windsor," opened rather timidly. The woodwinds were not so smooth and round in tone as they might have been, 'but, ns the melodious themo opened out, the band became more sympathetic, and gave a go«l account.of itself in the latter half or this very attractive overture. In the cccond half of. tho programme the music took a lighter tone. This was initiated by three movements from Massenet's "Scenes Hongroisc," a work inspiriting, bizarre, and....thoroughly characteristic of the French composer's lissom style. Tschaikowsky's waltz, ' "Doruroseken" (from the ballet of that name) was also included in the programme. As organ soli, Mr. Bavnett contributed Dnbris's "Adoratio et vox Angelica," and Bcndel's delightful little pastorale, "Dornroschon," which is a favourite with Mr.' Harnett's audiences. The next orchestral coucert is set down for August 29.