NEW PRESENTATIONS

Evening Star, Issue 22363, 12 June 1936, Page 6

NEW PRESENTATIONS

CHRISTCHURCH HARMONIC S6CIETY

Reviewing the first performance in New Zealand of Constant Lambert s ‘ Rio Grande ’ (given two years ago in Christchurch by the Christchurch Harmonic Society), the Press critic said: “‘Rio Grande’ exemplifies a phase of contemporary musical development. It demonstrates the manner in which the best in the popular art of any age flows into the wide main stream which has come down from the mountains of the past and mingles with it as it flows on into the future. For ‘ Rio Grande ’ has undoubtedly appeared as a work of art vitalised by the rhythmic characteristics of contemporary popular’ music.” This work appears as the main item in the highly interesting programme to bo given by the society to-mqjrow m the Town Hall. The choir has made it peculiarly its own; and, in the brilliant choral writing, the colourful orchestration, the highly original solo pianoforte part, and fabovo all) the compelling waywardness of the rhythmic features, listeners will find something delightfully new and yet perfectly easy to comprehend. . The programme allows for co-opera-tion from local Dunedin musicians. The Dunedin Orchestral Society will provide the orchestral accompaniment for ‘ Rio Grande ’ and for the other large-scale work, ‘ The River ’ (Alec Rowley), in which the part of the narrator will be taken by Mr A. G. Fleming, L.R.S.M. (chairman of the Dunedin Male Voice Choir.) By the offer of hospitality to the visiting choir members and in many other ways local musicians and musical organisations are working for the success of the concert. In Mr Victor Peters modern British composers find an enthusiastic champion. His interest in their music (and in contemporary developments generally) took Mr Peters to England to meet the men and to hear their works. The hriliant group of composers at the Royal College of Music (together with the fine performances of their music) inspired him to promote their cause with redoubled energy on his return to New Zealand, and. in meeting the technical demands of these modern compositions, Ins choir lias reached a standard of choralism of which onr whole country may justly bo proud. It is, therefore, not surprising that the programme to be heard at the forthcoming copcert reflects the standards and aims of some of the finest English choirs of our time. It is the critical opinion of competent musicians who have heard the Christchurch Harmonic Society that in listening to the choir’s work audiences arc hearing a choralism of a high English standard —a standard which many choirs at Homo would recognise as their own. The composers represented in the programme—Constant Lambert, Vaughan Wilburns. .Alec Rowley, Parry, Grainger, Roberton, and tlie rest—are amongst those whose works are constantly being selected by leading choirs in London and the provinces, and the visiting choir’s technical proficiency is worthy of the works ; thus chosen. The box plan is at Begg’s.