ORGAN RECITAL AT ST. JOHN'S.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 25, 29 July 1898, Page 2

ORGAN RECITAL AT ST. JOHN'S.

♦ Mr. Maughan Barnett's skilful fingers glided over the keys of St. Johu's Church organ in selections from the works of eight different composers last night, and gave pleasure to a fairly large audience, in spite of the unpropitious weather. Opening with a*' Festive March " by the English composer Henry Smart, the performer followed with a dainty " PriSre " item by the latelydeceased Frenoh composer Leon Boellmann, the exultant air and solo " Great Dagon Hath Subdued the Foe," from Handel's " Samson, " a charmingly melodious air, "In Paradisum," by Dubois, organist of La Madeleine, Paris (in which the effect is as if an afar-off chorus was accompanying a singer in a beautiful hymn of praise, the melody given out on the new vox humana stop), and Mr. Barnett's own "Berceuse," adapted from the piano score. The chief item of the second part was the Mendelssohn " Sonata No. 3, in A," with its two so widely divergent themes, full of iuspiring music. Wagner, so seldom heard from the organ, was represented in a prelly " .Romance" and an iuspiritidg "Introduction," and tbe Frenchman Wely found a place with a swinging "Allegretto" and fine " Olfertoire." The whole recital was delightfully entertaining, and both organ and organist were in excellent form. The proceeds of the recital go towards the organ fund.