BOHEMIAN ORCHESTRA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18202, 22 September 1922, Page 8

BOHEMIAN ORCHESTRA.

A NOTABLE CONCERT. Upstairs and down, the Town Hall was a sea of faces last evening, when the popular Bohemian Orchestra submitted the third programme of the present season. Mr. Colin Muston was, as usual, the "driving force" of the large and welibalancod body of instrumentalists, and his methods invariably elicited a ready response from his players. Among items not previously given at these concerts was Coleridge Taylor's pictOTesque ballet suite " Hiawatha." This tsonsisted /<&>[ five numbers cleverly scored this master of rhythmical device and abrupt modulation. The first of the set, " The Wooing," was brimful of beautiful ideas, and a prominent employment was made of the flutes and muted strings in the quieUvr measures of the opening and closing sections. A spar* ing use was made of the biwss contingent, yet their quota materially added to the desired effect. "The Wadding Feast" movement, though not exactly inspired music, possessed many features of interest. It was, however, in the brief, though en trancing " Bird Song;" with its delightful skirling passages for wood-wind, and par ticularly flute and clarionet, that such an impression was made that the excerpt had to be repeated before proceeding with the rest of the suite. Many bizarre orchestral effects were to be noted in the remaining -portions, "The Departure" and " Reunion.'* A novelty which found an acceptable place upon, the programme was Percy Grainger's clog dance, "Handel in the Strand," arranged for string orchestra and two /• pianos. The duplicated k»yboard score of extreme difficulty, consisting largely of " thick " chords for botb>hands, and brilliant passage flights, was handled with much resource by Miss Evelyn Wyman and Mr. Cyril Towsey. The pace of the dance was not so fast and furious that the attentive listener was deceived as regards frequentpianoforte allusions to the well-known "Harmonious Blacksmith-" theme. Brass fanfares, haunting string motifs, and crashing yet tuneful .ensembles were a feature oK Mancinelli's triumphal march "Cleopatra," while the many beauties of the score of Beinecke's overture " King Manfred'* were frequently in evidence. In this fine work, broad melodic sweeps for most of the orchestral departments alternated with many rapid passages which demanded the utmost exactitude on the part Of the first violins. Tho testless nature of the music of the overture was very skilfully portrayed, the whole forming one. of the successes of a notable programme, - That exciting tone-picture, the overture Solennelie-—" i8l2" (Tschaikowsky), caused such an ovation that the latter portion of the work had to be repeated. Here the orchestra wag ably assisted by the Auckland' Artillery Band, under Lieutenant <|.' F. Cater, and the combined efforts of the, two. forces were employed to.such good purpose that few, if any ? of the composer's intentions' escaped notice. Other programme successes were Mr. Colin Mwston's deft arrangement for strings and dulcitone of Schubert's " Cradle Song" and Hosraer's popular " Southern Rhapsody." Miss, Edith Whitelaw lent invaluable assistance as orchestral leader. Mrs. Cyril Towsey was in excellent voice, and was first heard in a finely phrased and expressive rendering of Gounod's " Ave Maria" with violin _and harp accompaniment by Miss Edith Whitelaw and Miss D. Poolrs respectively. Later. Mrs. Towsey displayed well judged vocrtl powers in •■ Mother Bong" (Densmore) and " My Lover, He Comes on the Skee"' (Cloufih-Leighter). Hfer recall songs were equally interesting. , Tho singing of Mr. Kenneth Impett, the baritone vocalist, was characterised by distinction and refinement. ! A natural talent of interpretation was displayed in Schumann's fine song "The Two Grenadiers" as well as »n H the subsequent prolamine number "To-morrow" {Frederick Keel). Mr. IrapeH was warmly recalled. Ab pianoforte accompanist Mr. Cyril Towsey contributed much to the success of tho vocalists.