ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 1, 1 December 1931, Page 9

ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY

FINAL CONCERT OF SEASON. For its final concert last night of the thirty-seventh season the Palmerston North Orchestral Society presented a lighter programme than is usual. It was a “popular” programme really, with tho proceeds for such a worthy object as the Central Relief Fund, and the public response was most gratifying. Tho recital was interesting in its briefness, and tho orchestra played as well as ever under the able conductorship of Mr George Elhvood, although numerically weaker. There were selections from Gounod, Saint-Saens, Von Suppc, Sir Edward Elgar, R. Jalowicz, and Andre Massger, and much of the melodic skill thgso composers employed was well brought out. The recital, opened with the overturo to “Miroille,” one of Gounod’s now forgotten operas, but a composition with a charm which was far-reaching ill its day and typical of a composer who will ever rank high in the French school —one who was a curious compound of music of theology. This selection with its threo movements was well played and proved a striking introduction with its colour and warmth of expression. Tho capabilities of the orchestra and the solo pianist, Miss Eileen Woodfield, were fully exploited in tho Saint-Saens Concerto in G Minor, a very beautiful work and something outstanding in the composer’s .long opus-list. The audience really appreciated the concerto, also the soloist. Miss Woodfield always displays a great deal of technical proficiency and understanding as a pianist, and the combination of orchestra and soloist in the playing of music that is full of feeling and sentiment was well applauded. Tho work was presented to tho society by' Airs C. W. Peach, and a more attractive selection could not have been included on the programme. It was really an outstanding performance on Miss Woodfield’s part. Tho “Poet and Peasant” overturo of the Belgian. Von Suppc, the society has played on a number of occasions, but it is always acceptable. It ha 3 been played so often the world over as to be very well-known, for it was something reaily worth while that Von Suppc accomplished. Sir Edw'ard Elgar’s “Chanson de Matin” and “Chanson do Nuit” the society also revised, and presented the music of the Empire’s greatest composer as attractively as on the previous occasion when these expressive compositions wore programmed ; his lovely music, . particularly' the. Sea Pictures and the beautiful oratorio “The Dream of Gerontius” are distinctive and exprossivo enough for any’ orchestra. Then there were two modern descriptive pieces ontifcled “Ride in Hydo Park” and “Around the Bandstand,” tonally depicting a phaso of life in the metropolis, the work of R. Jalowicz. They wero short and bright, tho latter work appealing to tho fancy of tho audience. A tuneful conclusion was tho selection from “Veroniquc,” a light opera of the days before tho war, and one 'that enjoyed much popularity in English-speaking countries and in Franco. Andro Mcssager’s melodics arc seldom heard nowadays, yet the scoring of tho French composer who was conductor of tho Opera Comiquo in Paris in the golden era of tho art is. refreshing and ever welcome. The music is as graceful and attractive as all of Messager’s music has been—“Veroniquc” was his masterpiece—and the orchestra recalled pleasant memories for many by its playing of “The Garden of Love,” “Take Estelle and Veroniquo,” “While I am Waiting”- and “Tho Letter Song.” There were two vocalists. Miss Hilda Chudley, of Wellington, and Mr E. G. Seeker, of Palmerston North. Miss Chudley has a contralto voice of good quality and wide range. It is not a big voice, but it is used to tho best possible advantage by tho singer, wdio is very well known in Wellington. Miss Chudley chose most siiitablo songs in “A Little Bird” (Delius), “Whene’er a Snowflake Leaves the Sky” (L. Lehmann), “Down in the Forest” and “O Lovely Night” (Landon Ronald), and Cyril Scott’s “Lullaby.” They were all delightfully sung, for Miss Chudley has voice plus interpretative powers. Mr Seeker was as satisfying a vocalist as ever, and sang pleasingly “The Wanderer” (Slmbcrt). Massenet’s “Elegie,” “Trade Winds” (Keel), and, most expressively, “Had You But Known” (Denza). Miss M. Murihead, L.A.8., F.T.C.L., and Miss D. Stevens, A.T.C.L., played the accompaniments.