ORGAN RECITAL.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 1106, 10 February 1910, Page 4

ORGAN RECITAL.

MR M-AUGHAN BARNETT IN

WESLEY CHURCH

Feikling continues to add to .the facilities of culture and shows in--1 creasing signs of advancement worthy of the centre of a prosperous district. A marked advance in the art of music has been made for the town through the enterprise of the members of Wesley Church, who havo provided an up-to-date two-manual pipe organ, manufactured by Mr A. Brake, who has spent some two years in erecting it. So fine an instrument lias it turned out, that, the trustees of the church decided that it should be officially opened by the most talented player in the Dominion, and they deemed themselves fortunate when Mr Maughan Baxnebt, Wellington's municipal organist (and of St. John's Presbyterian Church) accepted their invitation to give two recitals. The first of these was given on the new organ last night, before a congregation that comfortably filled the church. Mr Barnett had spent the day rehearsing on the instrument, finding its bringing out its tones, and getting Fnto touch with its possibilities. Asked his opinion by the I3ta.ii critic, Mr Barnett said it had some beautiful tones, and would prove a fine instrument when completed. The programme given by the city organist last night comprised items well within the range of the Brake organ, and it was certainly a compliment to the maker that Mi , Barnett chose a more ambitious selection of items than he usually provides for the opening of similar instruments. The first item was the majestic and tuneful March in F, containing . the principal theme in the cantata, "A rioiig of Empire," written by Mr A. H. Adams (now of Sydney) and set to music by Mr Barnett for the celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of .Wellington province. The second item was Schubert's delightfully melodious "Am Meer," known and beloved of other instrumentalists than organists. Bach, the master of the fugue, and therefore a favourite of Mr Barnett, was next _drawn upon, and it goes without sayfng that the Toccato and I<\igue in D Minor was skilfully played. Hand el's Minuet in G, an ideal composition for that old-time and stately measurCj captivated the congregation, and in response to the prolonged applause the Minuet was -repeated. Why the organist gave us Wolstenholme's "Answer" without first giving "The Question", it is hard for a mere critic to say; but ib was a pleasure, anyway, to get such a tine example of Wolstenholme's work. By way 01 variety, and to end the first portion of _/the programme, Wesley Choir sang the Hallelujah Chorus, with Mr Barnett at the organ and Mr H. Temple White wielding the baton. The congregation rose to the occasion, and the choir gave an enjoyable rendering of Handel's noble chorus. Ite.turn.ing to the instrument after a short interval, Mr Barnett surprised his admirers with a really splendid bit of improvisation. Opening his theme on three notes, he worked it out in, variations, and his third phase, the finale, was a surprisingly good development. It was hard to believe, and certainly very few of his listeners realised, that this was an original item, composed literally on the spur of the moment to bring out all the powers of the organ. Mr Barnebt should give it permanent form, and call it the FeiFdiug Fantasia. In response to an emphatic demand for an encore, ho played Gounod's "Le Soir," which requires the vox huniana stop to ; bring out all its beauties. A dainty Berceuse by Faulkes and a majestic Fanfare by Lemmens concluded a unique experience for Feilding—the first organ recital given in this town. Some particulars regarding the history of the organ and tlie present gWiuiJ'l I^a^°"-. of ? given dimng thellev.' C. Jh. Beeerof't, -who also praised Mr Brake's work and eulogised the church organist (Mr "White). , F° T r llis nnal recital this evening Mr Barnett has arranged another tasteful programme, drawing upon the- works of Bach, Widor, Handel Grey. Boccherini. Woodward Welv' a lid Mendelssohn. Mr Barnett will give another improvisation, and especially good should be Wiuor's "Andante Cantab'ile" and Wely's Pastorale. The organ fund should benefit very substantially by these Burnett recitals, and it is qivite an education to hear the instrument played by such a master.