Symphony Orchestra

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 188, 7 May 1931, Page 7

Symphony Orchestra

Sir,—A good deal of interest, in my opinion, attaches itself to your entirely gentle and well-constructed report of the concert given on Saturday evening by the Wellington Symphony Orchestra. It seems to me that your critic, following the usual custom, dealt very mercifully with the performance. For my own part 1 consider that the Brahms work was marred time and time again by moments or minutes in which all grip seemed to have been lost of the true spirit of the symphony. Instruments were out of tune, phrases often had rough corners, and the various sections of the orchestra were badly unaware of each other, and the effect was anything but pleasing. . . Brahms is a composer who makes hard listening -Occasionally, but, when put across intelligently, rewards, his hearers with superb musical satisfaction. Your kind and well-constructed review of the concert raises an interesting point. It has been the custom, and perhaps at some time in the past a wisA one, to deal in New Zealand with native musical endeavour in gentle terms. Harsh criticism might discourage the enterprise; but in view of Saturday’s concert I feel like urging that newspaper critics should adopt the tactics of the surgeon and cut deep instead of applying a warm poultice, pleasant and mildly curative. Perhaps that most important thing, the spirit for music, is affected at times like these. But that is another story.—l am, etc.. MARIOWellington. May 5.