N.S. WALES ORCHESTRA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17985, 10 January 1922, Page 7

N.S. WALES ORCHESTRA.

AUCKLAND SEASON ENDS. The concluding concert of, tho New South WaJes Orchestra's season in Auckland was given before a very largo audienoe at tho Town Hall last evening. Considerable enthusiasm prevailed during the concert, and generous encores were accorded to the orchestral pieces. The most ambitious item was "Death and Transfiguration" (Strauss), while the symphonic poem, "Finlandia," was another very fine number. Othor orchestral items played were "Fingal's Cave" (Mendelssohn), "Album Leaf" (Wagner), and "Le Rouet d' Omphale" (Saint-Saens). The vocal numbers were a great success. Mr. W. M. Croughey sang Gounod's " She Alone, while Miss Rosa Alba, who was in fine voice received a doublo recall for 'her Bong,' "II est Bon, il est Doux" After the last item, a prolonged demonstration was accorded the orchestra and its conductor, M. Henri Verbrugghon. • The string quartette of the orchestra, comprising M. Henri Verbrugghon (first violin), Miss Jenny Cullen (second violin), Mr. David E. Nichols (viola), and Mr. James Messeas ('cello), gave a recital of chamber music in the afternoon at tho Town Hall concert chamber. Tho attendance was good, and thoroughly representative of local musical circles. The programme presented embraced two severely classical compositions, Beethoven's "Quartette Serioso" in F minor and Schubert s "Death and the Maiden," these appealing specially to tho connoisseur. Each received a rendering entirely free from blemish, and altogether educativo and satisfying. Very much to the popular taste was The Allies," a quartetto written by Mr. Alfred Hill, the New Zealand composer, which was played for the first time in the Dominion. In this striking and melodious work-worthy of a place in any library of chamber music, if only for tho beauty of its first and third movements—Mr. Hill has cleverly translated into musical form his conception of characteristics of France, America, Italy, and Great Britain. The composer,.as woll as the four instrumentalists, bowed acknowledgements to insistent applause at the close of the number. M. Verbrugghen's preliminary talk on the compositions proved most interesting. Both at the chamber recital and the orchestral concert, Dame Clara Butt and Mr. Ken. nerley Rumford were among the appreciative listeners.