CITY ORGAN RECITALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18118, 16 June 1922, Page 8

CITY ORGAN RECITALS.

«• ( .- i INCREASED ATTENDANCES. ! CHOIR ASKED TO TOUR. The success of the City Organ Recitals , during the past financial year and of the ! performances of the Municipal Choir at the i Saturday recitals, was dealt with in a report submitted by the city organist, Mr. 1 Maughan Barnett, to the City Council at its meeting last evening. The city organist stated that the total attendance at the evening recitals was 21,131, an increase of 5883 on the previous year's figures, and, as compared with.the first year of the recitals (1913-14),, the substantial increase of 12,780. The average attendance was 571. As a comparison, he instanced the city of Birmingham, with , its very large population,' where the atI tendance at recitals varied from 400 to '600. . ; In view of the year's results, continued I Mr. Barnett, seemed no doubt as • to the public's sympathy with and interest \ in the present scheme of municipal nusio, the chief object of which was to provide 1 tho people with regular opportunities of 1 hearing good music at reasonable charges 1 for admission. Fotfr recitals, given for the children of : the primary achools, were largely attended. . Prizes donated by Mr. Henry Brett 3nd Mr. S. Adams were awarded to 18 of the i scholars for the best essays on the recitals. The Municipal Choir performed at nine of i the Saturday recitals. The large audiences i present on those occasions seemed an indication of appreciation n6t only of the i choir's work but also of the British music i in which it specialised. Mr. Barnett added that the Palmerston ■ Borough Council had forwarded a very cordial invitation to the choir to visit that town, thinking a short tour is worthy of consideration. s Be was of the opinion that such a tour could be carried out provided a sufficient ! number of members could undertake the trip and that adequate financial guarantees could be obtained from the towns proposed to be visited. _. The report was received, and on the motion of the Mayor it waa decided to give the city organist power to act in connection with the suggested visits of the Municipal Choir to southern centres, providing that the centres concerned guaranteed the expense involved. .