THE EXHIBITION ORCHESTRA.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 27, 1 February 1907, Page 8

THE EXHIBITION ORCHESTRA.

The Exhibition Orchestra gave its filial performance last evening to an audience which crowded every part of the Town Hall. It was a veritable triumph for both band and conductor, and it is 6afe to say that such an orchestral concert has never been heard in Wellington before-. The music was clean good 6tuff, ! and the execution was beyond praise. One item stood' out, and that, we are glad to say, the best music in the programme, namely, Schubei«t's Unfinished Symphony. The, band excelled itself, and the tempo of both movements was all that it should be. Criticism cannot be applied to euch a work. Both band and conductor revelled in i\, as if they loved it. Next to the Unfinished Symphony in importance cam© the Peer Gynt Suite by Grieg. This was most delicately played, "Ases Tod" and the last movement standing out above 'the Test. The last movement, with its fine opening for bassoons and basses (pizzicato), had to b© repeated. This was Grieg as it should be played — with delicacy and yet with verve. As a finale to the first part Mr. Hill gave a Haydn symphony (The Farewell). It is full of melody, and was beautifully played, each player putting out his candle in a darkened hall as he went out, leaving at last only a qua-rUJfct, which again dwindled to only a first violin, and finally he left, leaving only Mr. Hill conducting. Mr. Monk's solos were most effective in. Ithe- first part, and weTe encored, as were Mr. Bell's in the second Nicolai's tuneful overture to "The Merry Wives of Windsor" was very beautifully and delicately played by the band, and to this succeeded a clanone't duet, which showed off both the tone and execution of the two players. As a finak — and a most exquisite finale it was — Mr. Hill gave two movement of the ballet music from "Le Cid" (Massenet). Both excerpts were grandly played, and made a most fitting last remembrance of the orchestra. , A soene of enthusiasm $ook place at tho end of the concert. Tho band and their conductor were cheered to the echo, and Mt. Hill had to return thanks and bow his acknowledgments. Three cheers, were given for the orchestra and Mr. Hill, and finally Mr Hill called on the orchestra to give three cheers for tho Wellington public, which they did most heartily.

, Thc-excursion to Day'.s Bay this evening in connection with tho Demos performance has been postponed on account of the wild weather. The next excursion will take place next Wednesday* (•evening. Third-olaas Championship. — Karori v. Collcro A, at College ground. Karori — Spiers (2), Pearco (2), Read, Clark, Spcnce, Rote, Hill, Finlaysou, Lowe, Atkin. Oaltes's shoo store, Cuba-street, adver»tises "special values" for to-morrow. The Secretary of tho Wellington Gas. Company notifies in another column that a dividend of 5 por cent, is now payable for the lix months ended 51st Dccombor, -1906, upon coupon No. 27 of share warrant* Nos. 1-16, 20-29, 31-34, 46, and 51-54. Meoßrg. Macdonald, Wilson »nd Co. ,announco that they will noil on Monday next, «t 1 30 o'clock, at tho rosidenco, No. 2, Knigge-avenue, opposite Bkating Rink, the . aarhoje _g£,tUo h.9Mjpholcl.furn < vtu y re )l eto«