N.S.W. ORCHESTRA

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 122, 17 February 1920, Page 8

N.S.W. ORCHESTRA

-v A FAREWELL CONCERT. i':-!i.The : New South Wales State Orchestra /(under Mr. Henry Verbrugghen) gave a \faTewell : concert in the Town Hall last • night. A very large audience showed ■ how keen is the enthusiasm that the ■visit of this wonderful conductor and his •'orchestra, has aroused among lovers of ■'ljiUHPvin". this city. Mr. Verbrugghen ' with prolonged applause, .'.nnd'-'the tribute was renewed after each •ipimbcr, for-even the untrained ear has .'no ■difficulty' in discovering, when, he yvields'thg'baton, that an orchestra, how- ' ever, capable its members may be, is . merely, an instrument when it is eontrolled by a truly great conductor. _ The '. triumph is'- always his. Last night's ; programme was as brilliantly successful 'as the programmes of earlier concerts Jhad/'beon. The first .part -insisted of three Beethoven i numbers, the overture "Egmont,".. an excerpt from the ballet music,, of "Prometheus," and the scena and aria, "Ah! Perfido!" It is enough '. that Mr. Verbrugghen gave to 'niany"Wemb"er9 of his audience a new conception of tho manifold beauties of Beethoven's, orchestral music. His .control was'perfect, his inspiration unfailing. Madame Goossens-Viceroy, who was an effective mezzo-soprano voice, sang the solo, and wasi very heartily applauded. Mr. James Messeas played a 'cello solo in the ballet music, his tone being de■lightftlTly rich and sure. Then 'came Mendelssohn's splendid "Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in E Minor," with 'Miss " r "Dagmar . Thomson playing ..the, l( solo violin. This was an '--exbomcly enjoyable number. Miss Thomson proved herself a worthy soloist, ..and tho orchestra, cbedient to every move of Mr. Verbrugghen's elo- ' quent_har.ds u seemed to lie lifting her to heights~6f puro music with a siireness of touch that supported her most vibrant -. 'Jiots and left uiisoatlied her tenderest Mone. , : The second part commenced with Liszt's symphonic poem, "Les Preludes," which was folldwed by tho prelude to "Le Deluge" (Saint Saens). Miss Jenny Cullen played the solo violin most pleas ingly; in • -this . M. Albert Goossens, whose lusty baritone had been heard-«at< an earlier concert, sang the aria from "Rigolctto" (Verdi), and the Si;ogramme was brought to a close with fr.' Verbrugghen's arrangement of Bri.tish sea songs. This fantasia, so rich -ahd.'inspiring, had been repeated in response to numerous requests and it was received with the greatest enthusiasm. The National Anthem, played gloriously ;-by tho orchestra, brought to a close a notable ".'concert. The conductor was given an ovation.