PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA.

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 99, 27 April 1923, Page 3

PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA.

The Wellington Professional Orch-* estra, under the baton of Mr. Frank' Crowther, opened its .1923 season with an excellent concert of seven items at, His Majesty's-Theatre last Sunday-even-i ing. Out of respect to the : late Mr.j Herbert Bloy, a former conductor oil the orchestra, who died some weeks-, ago, the opening item was -Chopin's' Funeral March, played very feelingly; with nice gradations of expression';".the audience stood while the sorrowful mus. ic was played, and the conductor's, stand was. draped. Goldmark's Over-? ture, "Im Fruhling" • ("In Spring"),! which has not been performed by tha' orchestra for some yearfl, and which re-*' calls memories of the mourned com' ductor, was perhaps an ambitious work' to present after no more than three rehearsals, but the item reflected credit/ both upon Mr. Crowther and his band.,' Bucalossi's characteristic "Grasshopper's Dance," in which a dainty effect was produced by the use of quills. ih. placa' of the bow by the first violins; was aA very popular item, and. was, demanded in encore. Other items were tha rhythmical valse from the ballet, "Lai Belle au Bois Dormant" (Tschaikowaky). Pierne's pleasing "Serenade," for; strings only, and the dramatic "Ruyj Bias" overture of Mendelssohn. The orchestra was assisted by Mr. David Gill, a visiting tenor, who was enthusi-d astically encored after singing' "L<d There, My >Luto" (Hamish MacCunn™ and "A Devonshire Wedding" (Lyalf Phillips), accompanied by the orchestra