PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10561, 12 April 1920, Page 6

PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA

PIRST CONCERT OF SEASON. It is perhaps inevitable that on hearing, a. tocal orchestra one. should compare it with tho' N.S.W. State Orchestra, and if tho comparison is not entirely to the advantage of- the Jocal players, nevertheless there seems no reason why. in time, they shoujji not attain to a measurable distance of tho Australians. Tho Professional Orchestra gave the first concert of its ISWU season last night at KNs Majesty's Theatre under the experienced baton of Mr Honry Moschini, and beforo a crowded house. The orchestra has improved immensely since last year, both in number (especially strings) and in execution.' The programme opened with the march from Berlioz's "Damnation, of Faust,'' a most exciting comOo»ition, of which the orchestra gave a good rendering, though the players somewhat lacked the necessary firo and spirit towards the end. 'Che interpretation of the Good Friday music from Parsifal hardly came up to the. programme note; one »b grateful, however, to hear a masterpiece played, oven if it is not played with absolute genius. Tho orchestra is undoubtedly at its best in lighter music, and the rendering »>f tu» mtormezao, i,a Paloina (Vradier) certainly met with the approval of tho audience. Schumann's Evening \Song, scored for etringa only, was one of the successes of tho evening, but it was in German's Three Dances from Henry VIIJ that tho orchestra surpassed itself. tho Morris Dance and the Shepherd's Dance were both played wits great precision, and tho nidus Torch Dance wns most enthusiastically encored. The rest of tho programme comprised a very long and not very interesting Fantasia •on Dolioes a Lalcma and Svendsen's Norwegian Oarnhal, a piece of clover orchestra' tion, in which the solo flute once especially distinguished himself. It is to bo hoped the other concert* ol the season will meofc with the same support and success as tho fisrt.