CHORAL HALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13483, 9 May 1907, Page 3

CHORAL HALL.

"■-'.'' I ' ♦■ "' ''"■"■'■ ■■• EXHIBITION ORCHESTRA. The splendid orchestra which had up to the time of closing the Christchurch Exhibition delighted many . thousands. of listeners in* that city, has "completed with much success its tour of the colony, prior'- to disbandment. Last night's concert at th« Choral Hall was; the first of the final four concerts that will be given, and it is gratifying to note-that".a..: numerous 'and intensely enthusiastic audience was present, ■ The most powerful organisation of its kind over , formed in the polony, it is not to be wondered at that much was expected. ' li- ii questionable, however, whether many pre* sent anticipated such a revelation in orchestral playing. This body of players, comprising executants, of no inconsiderable merit, are now giving tho public" ah opportunity of hearing what painstaking and:frequent rehearsal for fix months "under a musician of Mr'. Alfred Hill's' reeognirod abilities can achiove. Mr. Hill in * conductor of great magnetici influence, and such is tho control he possesses over his forces , i that the .most trilling dynamic indication upon '■ the score is given effect to, «a well , as the broader shadings. The orcha«tr« itself is composed of some 45 players, and every department is ; well represented. The, strings aro' especially good, and their uniformity of bowing, as well us their pure intonation, may bo cited as outstanding features. . Mr. Geo. Weston is the leader, and his work at all times approaches the ideal i standard. ■ ■•-.," ... I Herold's familiar " Zampa " overture was I tho first number on the programme, and its i rendition from first to last was listened to : with rapt attention. >; Tho .bigness of the ' ensembles and'executive crispnes* in fcho i first and, last, movements made .a powerful impression, while, the familiar. Grayer ■■■;,;,; | theme Vwas-sympathetically played. fho beautiful Vorspiel to "King Manfred. I (Beineoke) was exquisitely played, the the- . matic beauties being : greatly enhanced by the expression effects obtained. lor extreme delicacy of treatment it would bo difficult to surpass Gillet's intermezzo, "Loui du Bah in which only the strings participated. Iho •■; , number was- deservedly recalled and repeat- '■■-%• ed. Grieg's "Peer Gyrit"-suite inoluaM*-~ (1), "Morning Voice*;" (2), "Death <k Ase;"'(3), "Antra's Dances" and (4), In ;....; the Hall of tho. Mountain Kings." Tho playing of these was finished to a degree. ! In " Morning Voices "the, responsive phrases I by tho flute and ; oboe " were tastehilly declaimed, while the string phrases ware faultlessly given. The .sustained har- ! monies of '"The Death of Ase"gav© the . • ! orchestra opportunity for varying degrees - | of tone power, while "Anitra's Dance was artistic in every way. , The pizzicato string i effects were given with requisite shading I and precision, as well as the answering ,y ! phrases'- by the first" and second violins. In ■ %ho Hall of the Mountain Kings ' was an astonishing tour; dc force, and tho single ' weird theme on which the § composition I is based- received its prebroimvry d»» . jclamation at the bands of tho bassoon executants. From this the tone, was i gradually built" up by the other . in»tru- ! mente, and hastened at the same time, until/ as the final bars were reached the musical fulminations became fiercer in thour intensity, and the final chord-* baqnonioiui shriek—came, almost with; bewildering sud- A denness. Cries of " encore'. and-.tremend-ous applause greeted the conclusion of the item, only to bo assuaged by a repetition of ; the number. ' The joyous vigour of tap prelude to the third act of "Lohengrin was : keenly appreciated, and the 'powerful declamation of the.theme by the brass wind, i to - the accompaniment of the strings tr,e- ---• molando was a truly magnificent ■ effort, pregnant with much emotional force. Aftee i tumultuous ' applause, lasting ' for ,' a con- ; suWablo time, Mr. Hill returned to the ; stage, and conducted a highly-skilled rench- ! tion of tho - fanjiliar "Turkish Patrol | (Michaelis). ,', , . ,-, The second part of the programme included Wagner's "Tannhauser Overture, Massenet's ballet music to "Le CM," and Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2." The performance of these was on tit© sanio high piano, as tho selections of the first part, die performance in each case proving a liberal education in the possibilities of orchestral playing. The violin solo, "The Deluge" (Saint Saens), was played with much taste by Mr. George Weston. ' His interpretation throughout not only met all technical demands, but tho evidence of poetio insight was forthcoming.. Tho orchestral accompaniment, though forming an integral part of tho whole ee'.oction, was appropriately subdual in tho solo ; portion®. ' Mr. John ProuAo was the vocalist of the evening, and it was pleasing to . renew acquaintance with t/liis popular" and cultured singer.- He was.in. excellent voice, and his programme numbers wore listened so with rapt attention;- In the first part ha contri- * buted a thoughtful and powerful reading of Rossini's "Pro Pecoatis," and in the second portion, ho. was well suited in the magnificent aria, "Why Do the Nations," from Handel's "Messiah." ■■. The florid diatonic passages and intervals were broadly ■ given, and with fino declamation. Mr. Prouse was hoartily recalled for each of his numbers, his; encore selection'' being "The Lost Chord" (Sullivan) aw* "My. Fairest -Child" (Alfred Hill). An orchestral accompaniment was provided for each of the .vocal ■■■■■■:' items, the effect being considerably enhanced thereby. - . , ; To-night's programme at frhfr Choral Hall will include the overtures "Poet and Peasant" (Von'■.,; Suppe) and"; "Flying Dutchman" (Wagner), as well as Massenet's %* " Scenes Pittor&squcd."