ORCHESTRAL CONCERT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2790, 7 June 1916, Page 3

ORCHESTRAL CONCERT

The Wellington Orchestral Society, revived last year by Mr. Bernard Page,' gave its first concert of the season at tho Concert Chamber last evening, before an audienco.that included His Excellency the Governor and the Countess of Liverpool and Med every seat in the hall. Mr. Pago has succeeded in assembling a really callable little orohestra, the like of which, if it could be kept .in rehearsal, would be of immeasurable value to music in the Empire City, which, haa been so sadly lacking in this sphere of music for many years. Under the circumstances, the concert last evening was quite enjoyable, holding out the promise of better things to oome. Tho tone body was full enough to 1111 the hall, and in quality wok thoroughly satisfactory. Mr. Haydn Beck made a competent leader, aud made amends for tho restricted number of first violins. The 'cello section was surprisingly sound in its work, and the wood winds met every demand. The programme opened with tho slow movement from Beethoven's Second Symphony—this symphony was dedicated to Napoleon Bonaparte, but on learning that ho had accepted the title of Emperor of the Trench, the irate composer is said to have torn up the dedication. The .movement is suave and placid throughout, veined, with gems of. the purest melody, welded into a perfect harmonic whole by this great master or symphonic form. It could have been played with greater cohesiveness and polish, but nevertheless the intrinsic peauty of the music was altogether soothing to the artistic senses. The orchestra's second essay was' the' noted "Brandenburg" Concerto of J: S. Bach, which provides soio work for thc:piano (a formidable score), the violin, and flute. Owing to the indisposition, oi. Mr. Baxter Buckley, Mr. Page had at short notice to undertake the .pianoforte part, and his performance proved to ■ be a tower of strength to the trio. • To him fell the heaviest" work, and-'his-vitality and artistry was' the' chief factor m holding tha performance together. Mr. Hnydu Beck is, a brilliant "executant, but last evening, his work lacked distinctiveness, grip, interest. He appears to have au eiisy "command over his instrument, but •should give more attention to lone. His performance .iff '.tho trio wa.s a trifle perfunctory. . Mr. -Truda's llute was mt-lli-iluously effective in the disjointed little passages that fame-his way. The allegro movement with orchestra tilr. H. Tombi conducting,. was. only fairly well played. The-middle movement for trio only was charming, illustrating the perfect form of the composer in the graceful style ot his period, and the final allegro, which embodied all the joyous rush and romp ol' a jocund country dance, was played with a rhythmic swing that was wholly delightful. The "Berceuse" of Jarnefelt, for muted strings, with onlv an occasional incursion of tho wood winds, was charmingly played, and had to be repeated. Mr. Beck, as the solo violinist, was heard to distinot advantage in this number. Ho also played as soli three attractive numbers by ivreisler, namely, "Caprice Yen. nois," "Caprice Chinois," and, when encored, "Schorn Rose Marin."

Tho vocalist of the evening was Mr. Sigurd Lestrup, the Danish baritone. His big, strong-fibred voice was heard with fine effect in "Had a Horso" (Korbay), a Hungarian folk-lore song made familiar in ' Wellington by- Mr. John Prouse. His English was better than wo have ncard it before, and ho wont far to realise the dramatic potency of' the song. He was almost as good in the same composer's "See Thv Horse's Foaming Mane," and was in happy, mood in "Now I'm Married," also by Ivarbay. In the second part, Mr. Lestnip sung two sonaK by Greig—"l Love Thee" and "A Fair Vision," the latter distinctly attractive. It had to be repeated. Mr. Pago is to bo congratulated on the success of tho concert, which, it is hoped, is tlie first of a sories.

WOMEN WORKERS labour department reports a ■ SHORTAGE. TJib State Labour Department lias prepared the following table respecting the applications for oud from women workers last month:— WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT BRANCH. Applies- Applications tions from l'rom Workers Occupations. employers, workers, placed. Day workers 87 •1(>- ■ 43 Domestic workers 315 17 16 Lady-helps 6 2 2 Housemaids • 11 I ■ 2 Cooks It 3 2 Nurses G 5 5 Kitcfbenmaids .. 3 — — Waitresses 2 2 1 Laundresses .... ,4 4 1 Housekeepers ■ 2 — — Married couple ..1 11 Seamstress 11l Shop assistant . 1. — —' Ollico girl I — — 175 83 77 Thirtv-ono were married women, and 46 single or widows, with 45 dependants. They ail came from the North Island. The inconvenience still (continues of employers not notifying when they suit themselves elsowhere. The only way to deal with such people, the report says, is to. record a black mark to their names. Very few even take tilio trouble to notify when they engage a girl. In this way many engagements are made that the Department knows nothing of. i i