TOWN HALL ORGAN RECITALS.

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 92, 19 April 1920, Page 3

TOWN HALL ORGAN RECITALS.

One of the most successful of the long series of recitals now standing, to the credit of Mr. Bernard F. Page, City Organist, was that of last Saturday evening. The audience was below this year's average numerically, but was lavish in its expressions of approval of the performance, Mr. Page being obviously "in the spirit." The programme began with the First Movement from Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony, and performer and audience alike revelled in its joyous expression of vitality. The beautiful melodic passages and the original and, in places, daring harmonies of Glazounov's Prelude in D /Flat deepened the very favourable impression made at last week's recital, and an encore was accepted. Mr. Page's transcriptions of Debussy are now well established favourites, notwithstanding, or perhaps because of, a certain touch of aloofness or inscrutability about them, and the two preludes played (from "La Damois'elle Elue" and "L'Enf ant Prodigue") were enthusiastically redemanded. Cesar Franck's Choral No. 2 in B Minor, which might be taken as expressive of the faith of a soul strong enough to recognise the sadness of the world and to rise superior to it, was a great triumph unfortunately marred by the appearance of a defect in the organ, compelling Mr. Page to finish abruptly at the beginning of the final climax. Fortunately the interval followed, and the defect was located and remedied without interfering with the second part of the recital, which consisted of the Prelude to Act I. and the "Liebestod" from' Wagner's wonderful tragedy "Tristan and Isolde." In these Mr. Page was heard at his verybest as a master interpreter , of emotional

music.

The final performance of " 'Possum Paddock" was given in the Grand Opera House on Saturday night, and a successful season was brightly concluded. A successful produce sale, conducted by the boys of the Stop-Out Club,, in aid of the club, funds, was held in St. Peter's' Mission Hall, Taranaki-street, on Saturday afternoon. The Rev. Mr. Dent, of Brooklyn, opened the- sale, and brisk business was ..done. Several cbmpetitions were held, and afternoon tea-• was provided' by a committee of ladies. As a result of the sale it is expected tbat the club ; will benefit by quite a respecta-ble sum. .. .