ORGAN RECITAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18851, 2 May 1923, Page 8

ORGAN RECITAL.

It is not often that m a programme for a recital there is so little ot the trill organ music, introduced as was the case in tiia selections presented by Mr VY, Paget Gale at Knox Church last night. It was not to be expected that on sucn a cpld night there would be a large audience, but it was certainly an appreciative and sympathetic one. 'ihe recital opened With the evergreen overture to ‘'William Tell” (Rossini), wnicfi Mr Gale has played before and always with taste and expression. It is a selection that is popular with organists, because it give an opportunity for, the display of a knowledge of combinations of stops. The strong contrast between the quiet of the opening andante movement and the turbulent moods of the storm was dramatically brought out by the player. The selection finished with a joyous burst of music. Zitterbart’s “Romance” is a very attractive composition, opening with' a piano passage, in which a Contralto stop plays a prominent part: A duet on soprano stops follows, including a very delicate passage, to which full justice was done. A Celtic suite, “From Hybrid Seas” (Nesbit), presents something distinctly new by an Aberdeen composer. It is divided into four movements —Sea Croon, Sea Fret, Sea Surge, and Sea Plaint—and is a very fine piece of descriptive music. It sets forth most graphically the several moods of the sea, so that they might be picked out from the music, and because of that it resembles Coleridge Taylor’s “Hiawatha,” being a distinctly original work. Its beauties and peculiarities were ably brought out by Mr Gale, the contrasts being admirably marked while the harmonious relation of each to the other was artistically shown. Pierne’s “Serenade,” a light and short composition, is one that is a great favourite with violin players, and its beauties were emphasised by the organist. Faulkes’s “Pedal Etude” was evidently placed on the programme to show the part that the feet play in organ wort It is a showy and difficult piece, and received full justice at Mr Gale’s feet and hands, for it is not all pedal work. The opening movement was 'entirely for the pedals but subsequently an organ accompaniment, first on tile softer stops and sdbsequently with full organ effect, made a most attractive composition. A cycle by Vodorinski (“Chant Solennel,” “Reverie Dramatique,” and “Pastorale”), which has been highly spoken of Wv Sir Frederick Bridge, the eminent composer, proved on© of the most enjoyable items of the' night. The titles of the movements sufficiently indicate their character, and their leading features were all emphasised by Mr Gale. It would be difficult to say in which movement he excelled, though perhaps the finer passages, which demanded delicate treatment, were the most finished samples of organ playing. The programme concluded with Kuhmstedt’© “Fantasia Eroica,” a very good work, with plenty in it to do for both hands and feet. The soloists on (the occasion were Miss Alice Wilkinson and Mr W. N. Satterthwaite. The former was in, excellent voice, and was , heard with considerable pleasure in Fiddle’s “How Lovely Are Thy Dwellings” and Evil la’s “Bow Down Thine Ear.” Mr Satterthvraite has sung very much better, as he was evidently suffering from a severe cold, and it was with difficulty that he got through the trying reci- , tative and aria from Mendelssohn’s “Elijah”: “Te People. Rend Your Hearts” and “If With All Year Hearts.” A collection was taken up at the door in aid of the Floods Relief Fund, and was contributed to liberally.

Hitherto New Zealand has not been represented at conferences of the International Labour Bureau at Genieva, and other dominions have also found it difficult to send a. delegate. This week (says our London correspondent, writing on March 17) a meeting, which was attended by Sir James Allen, was held at the offices of the Ministry of Labour, the object being to arrange for a scheme whereby opinions expressed by the delegate for Great Britain at the international conferences, should not conflict with those of the dominions. It was agreed, if any dominion did not intend to be represented, that the subjects for discussion should first .oe submitted to the High Commissioner representing that dominion. He would thus* have an opportunity of acquainting the British delegate of any special opinions on the subjects held by the dominion in question, and a common •'"■Unv would bo axrived at.