PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY’S CONCERT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18735, 13 December 1922, Page 8

PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY’S CONCERT

The many musical societies in Dunedin, great and small, have all their supporters and admirers, and amongst the most favoured in this respect is the Dunedin Philharmonic Society, which gave - the fourth concert of tlic ciffliteentli rghsoii lost ca Going 1 in His Majesty’s Theatre to an audience that left no seating accommodation unoccu_ pied. The programme was composed .of music of a fairly popular order-' and gave promise of an enjoyable evening, which was realised to a modified extent. Uniformity of excellence was not a conspicuous feature of the evening, hut there were instances ot really good playing. The audience was, very impartial in the matter of applause’, and pronounced in favour of everything played or sung, even to the extent of redomanding several of the items, which was a generous recognition of the ettorts made to entertain. Without wishing to slight or disparage public opinion, it may bo permissible to point out that an overgenerous course like that may not always be judicious, as it is apt to create an impression in the mind of the performer that there is not much more to be learned, and thus interfere with further study, ihore .is always something more to learned in music, as in other arts, and it is to be hoped that such a liberal bestowal of honours will not bo misunderstood by amateur musicians and cause them to relax their etioits to still further improve themselves. Ihcre is. jus" the danger 'hat this might happen. The concert opened with a remarkably well-played march by Martell. It was “Iho Night Patrol,” and was quite appropriately commenced pianissimo and was gradually swelled until there was a splendid body of tone and swing imparted to the music, which finally died away again. It may bo said that the march and the “Slavonic Rhapsody ” with which the concert terminated were about the best played items heard during the evening. The rhapsody was by Friedeman. and was performed by'the J hilharmonic Orchestra for the first time. It is composed of Slavonic folk-songs, and excepting for an occasional want of unanimity amongst the instrumentalists was decidedl I well played. There was, however, just a little tendency to straggle. Of the two movements the quick portion rnschka was to be preferred. The overture to Verdi’s tragic opera "La Forza del Destino” was another number in which the orchestra scored a success, more particularly where tile incidental airs were met with. “Modro Pictosa” and the pastoral melody were both well played. It was only in the connective music that anything detrimental to the performance of the overture was noticeable. The overture to Wagner’s opera “Dio Meistersinger” cannot, he regarded as a success. The orchestra opened very well, but became disorganised, and tho effect produced was anything but agreeable. A recovery was made at the eleventh hour, but it was not sufficient to banish from the mind what had gone before. A most creditable rendering of the music in tho finale of Act II of the opera of “La Forza del Destino” was given by the orchestra, the Commercial Travellers’ Entertainers, Miss B. Baird, and Mr E. C. Service. The feature was the singing of chorus of brothers by tho Commercial Travellers’ Entertainers, who evidently have some good basses in their ranks. Mr Service sang tho music of the rather Superior very well, and Miss Baird was quite equal to singing tho small portion of the music that fell to her, while the orchestra materially assisted in ’ what was a praiseworthy performance. Amongst those assisting was Mrs John Hamer, who was at one time a prominent professional vocalist. Mrs Hamer first sang Ncvin’s “ ’Twas April,” for which she secured a decided recall, and was rather overwhelmed with gifts of flowers. Later Mrs Hamer gave Tubman’s “ I Hoard a Thrush at Eve” quite as pleasingly, and was again recalled and presented with several handsome bouquets. Miss Doris Frazer played Max Bruch’s violin concerto, “Adagio and Finale,” to the great enjoyment of those present, and on being recalled gave a small item quite nicely. The remaining number was a concert solo for oboe and orcheslia by Klnghardt, tho solo being admirably played by Mr H. F. Pnirman. His performance was highly creditable and well deserving of the demand for a repeat. It