ORGAN RECITAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8735, 18 May 1914, Page 9

ORGAN RECITAL.

Mr Bernard F. Page, city organist, gave has weekly organ recital on Saturday night. The programme was well selected, and was listened to by the audience with much enjoyment. A favourite item was an intermezzo by Tschaikoweky from the “Suite for Orchestra” (Op. 13). The piece ischarg ed from beginning to end with that peculiar melancholy which is so characteristic of Tschaikowsky’s music. That popular composer Lemaro was represented by “Ooncertstuck” (Op. 80). Like many of his brilliaiit organ works, this concert piece not only shows technical skill and exceptional knowledge of the resources of the modern organ, but also gives ample proof of the composer’s musickunly powers. The piece is dramatic, and is written in the form of a polonaise. Its rhythm is extremely striking. A ‘TViirtabi-k l ’’ section is introduced some way through the piece, leading up to a return of the opening theme. A work of great teob nical difficulty was Bach’s “Fantasia and Fugue in G minor.” The spontaneity and naturalness of the fantasia are so striking that the listener perceives little of the wonderful skill displayed in its construction. Difficulties are made subservient to the master’s will, and the piece as a whole is one of the most powerful of Bach’s works. Other pleasing items on ,the programme were “Contemplatidn Improvisation” (Kheinberger), “Scherzo” (Qigout), “Melodic Cantilena” (Salome), and Handel’s “Concerto in F major” (No. 4). There will he another recital next Saturday.