‘KING ESTMERE’

Evening Star, Issue 21784, 28 July 1934, Page 24

‘KING ESTMERE ’

It is a fitting tritium to Gustav Holst, who died last- May. that the Otago University Musical Society,should Jiave chosen his 1 King Estmere ’ for performance at the concert to'be given in the. Town Hall Concert Chamber nest Saturday. Holst, despite his name, was an Englishman, and a keen student ot the folk song and of rural England, which features appear in his music. During the war he served as director ot music to the British forces in Salonika, and on his return added ■to Ins many teaching ; posts a professorship at-the? Royal College. But it was only after the composition of his greatest master pieces, the ‘ Hymn of Jesus/ lor double chorus, and a superb cycle of orchestral tone poems entitled The 1 lanets, that he came into his own and was recognised as one of the greatest ot contemporary composers. , . In ‘ King Estmere, which is tor chorus and orchestra, . Holst has taken an old English ballad .and set it to music which is both (plaint and cleligntfully fresh. The society has a strong, well-balanced choir, and under the coiiductorsbip of Dr V. E. Galway wi) present an interesting performance ot this work, which has not been sung in Dunedin before. In addition to King Estmere’ the ladies of the chorus will be heard in Wagner’s ’ bpinning Chorus,’ and the men nr Handel s stirring . two-part chorus. ‘ Tbe_Lord Is a Man of War.’ Miss Ethel Wallace and Mr N. F. Sansom have been engaged as violin and vocal soloists respectively, while the orchestra will play Mozart s ‘ B Flat Concerto,’ with Miss Mania Service as solo pianist, and the B Minor Suite ’ of Bach for flute and strings, Mr L. Rothwell playing the flute part. The programme will be commenced with the Song of Otago University,’ written by Dr W; Carmalt Jones, with the music by Ur baiway. The box plan opens at Begg’s on Tuesday next.