SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23748, 30 August 1940, Page 12

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

ATTRACTIVE PROGRAMME Orchestral playing of a high standard, particularly in the works of modern composers, was the feature of the concert given last night in the Town Hall by the Auckland Symphony Orchestra, under the conductorship of Air. Colin Muston. The programme, although 'hardly representative of the best of symphonic music, covered a reasonably wide range and deserved a much larger audience than was present. There was a' marked improvement in the general playing of the orchestra, most capably led by Miss Edith Whitelaw, but the brass section is still uneven, with occasional uncertainties of intonation. Weber's Overture to "Der Frcischutz" opened the programme. This highly-coloured romantic work demands extreme finish, and its performance last night was a good one, the rushing string passages and the brilliant climax being especially well done. The "Scotch" Symphony of Mendelssohn was the major work. The broad lines of the opening were well played, the final movement, of large dimensions, developed well,and the imposing conclusion was impressive. Bach's choral prelude, "Jesu, -Toy of Man's Desiring," is not for a symphonic programme, and it gained nothing by its transcription for full orchestra. Considerably more finish was revealed in the second half of th 6 programme. There was perfect unanimity in tho impetuous opening to Victor Herbert's "Irish Rhapsody;" This is a work ol much interest, of original scoring and violent contrasts, and the orchestra handled it extremely well. Two Aubades bv the French composer Lalo wore undoubtedly the feature of the programme. The second of these, in D Minor, was particularly attractive. The national flavour of the Mendelssohn svjnphony and the "Irish Rhapsody" was continued in the final number, the "London Suite" of Eric Coatos. The first movement of the Quartet, in A Minor by Brahms and the first movement of the "Lark" Quartet of Havdn worn played by tho Apollo Quartet (Mr. W. M. Dimcry, .first violin; Mr. G. C. Frith, second violin; Mr. S. Slater, viola; Mr. R. Pawson, violoncello), second prize winners of tho recent Centennial musical contest. Both in the comparative austerity of tho Brahms and the lyric charm and simplicity of the Haydn their ensemble •was good, but the need for the more intimate surioundings which chamber music demands was apparent. Their encore number was an arrangement of Pinsuti's "Good-night Beloved."