MUSICAL IMAGERY

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 232, 27 June 1932, Page 7

MUSICAL IMAGERY

Moiseiwitsch Triumphant PHILHARMONIC CONCERT It is always. a privilege tp hear a pianist of the artistic eminence of Mr. Benno Moiseiwitsch, but to hear sue!) a very line artist play two notable concertos with full orchestra in one evening is one of those occasions in our musical history rendered rare through lack of opportunity. It can be said that the Wellington Philharmonic Orchestra, so ably, led by Mr. John Bishop, is seeking to make such occasions less remote, but however gracious and alert the executive of this orchestra may be, the opportunities- of doing so are few. This must have been realised by the discriminating ■ public on Saturday evening, .as there was a 1 brilliant audience at the Town Hall to appreciate the combination, and there ensued a scene of enthusiasm'at the . conclusion of the playing of the Tschaikowsy concerto, the like of which has never probably teen witnessed at. a similar concert in Wellington. There were shouts and huzzas from every part of the Town Hall, until .the pianist. after bowing his acknowledgments, resumed his place at the keyboard to further illustrate bis superb art. ‘ ' Majestic Concertos The concertos selected for, performance were the great ’‘Emperor” (No. 5 in A flat), never called that by Beethoven, be it said, and yet happily enough named, for there is a majesty of conception as well as inspiration in melodic utterance that bespeak in no uncertain tones the composer’s nobility of mind. It is scarcely necessary to describe this great concerto in detail, as 'it is fairly well known to musical people, but one cannot escape the thrill that follows those three great chords from the orchestra and the brilliant cadenzas for pianoforte which follows, as they give a royal keynote to the splendour of the march which follows; not perhaps a march in simple, but a grandiose movement, with a festal march as its central theme, from which the soloist breaks away in the freest mariner, with divergences of almost primitive simplicity yet beautiful always in their relation to the ‘orchestral background. In time the allegro movement returns to the sweeping chords and cadenzas in brilliant finality. There is possibly nothing more beautiful in this form of music than the adagio movement —a simple cadence for the solo instrument against, a background of muted strings. The result is a hymn-like music depicting in the

sweetest form ecstatic adoration of a quiet • unlmpasSioned order. It is this theme—comprised in the first fifteen bars—which pervades the whole weft and wbof of Beethoven’s lovely tapestry in this movement. When this movement at length dies down to the faintest of whispers, comes the final joyous rondo which may be some old country dance which Beethoven has idealised ‘ for the purposes™of ah exuberant and wholly delightful conclusion to what is a wonderful work. To M. Benno Moiseiwitsch all possible , credit is due. There was a wealth of delicate expression and virility in his superb playing; and one can imagine the impression which must be created when the orchestra is Imbued with the same vitality and elasticity in musical feeling as the soloist.

. The Philharmonic Orchestra is a fine body , of, musicians, measured by local standards,. but there were, instances where its work lacked vitality in attack', and a certain delicacy in general approach. Notably was this the case in that passage in the Beethoven concerto where the delictas pizzicato of the strings to a light pianoforte theme •was divergent in tempo, a fault .that was remedied on the repetition of the passage, when its radiant beauty became apparent. On the whole, the orchestra and Mr. Bishop fairly shared the honours with the soloist.

■ The Tschaikowsky “Concerto in B Flat Minor” is another obelisk in . pianoforte music, differing entirely in character with the Beethoven, which preceded it, This concerto was played here last year, with Mr. Mark Hambourg as.soloist, when it created a marked impression,’ . M. Moiseiwitsch is far more delicate and resident in his, approach to this mighty work, with- its broad flashes of primal music colour. He can be every bit as dynamic in touch as Hambourg where occasion calls, but there are cases of tonal beauty and refinement in .Moiseiwitsch, as evidenced in the playing of this number, that last yeqr’s soloist did not reveal. In this concerto, too, the orchestra played with real knowledge and abandon, and the result was a triumph nil round, and a thoroughly deserved one. The Wild Cossack Dance. The final movement is. a wild Cossack dance of a most exciting character, which whirled the audience along with it. creating almost a frenzy of enthusiasm. It was the real thing, and the people present realised'it. There were shouts and huzzas, and the soloist had to play several encores. The encores were, the cool, fragrant “Berceuse” of Palmgreii, which Moiseiwitsch plays with exquisite tenderness, even to the broken notes of the croon, as the babe falls asleep, and the melody fades almost imperceptibly into silence. The pianist’s uncanny art was further exemplified in the brilliantlyplayed “Bourree” of Sairit-Saens” (for left hand only) Further enchantment came with a Chopin waltz. ' The other numbers on the- programme were the overture to Weber’s “Oberon.” This overture has in its make-up more than an-indication of the fantasy which cloaks the fairy subject of Weber's opera, and there is a good deal of gossamer light-

lies required to catch the spirit of the enchanted woods which . was not always secured by the orchestra; still there is much old-world beauty in Weber's music, and its performance was enjoyed. A much sounder performance, and one for which Mr, Bishop and his orchestra deserves great praise, was the “Russian Easter Festival” of Rimsky-Korsakov. This.is great music on a broad palate in garish colours. It possesses in rich abundance those garish alien effects, in which the idioms of Russia —a pre-war Russia—and the nearer east, are woven into a carpet of dazzling hues. It is the Easter festival of a people at one time regarded as the most religious in the world, and in the music may be detected the ecstatic exuberance of the people singing “Christ the Lord is Risen To-day,” at a time when all the world is springing into new life, for Easter in Russia is spring-time, and against this starry-eyed happiness is thrown the solemn chanting of the priests. Gregorian in character, given out sonorously by the trombones, but even the call to worship cannot quench the fire of the souls of these people, and the bizarre clamour • the alien musife ever breaks out as a contrast to the heavy chant. This is remarkable music. It might be repeated at some future concert, as it is aglow with imaginative pictures, and was played with rare fire and abandon.