ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19350, 10 December 1924, Page 8

ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY.

Tho playing of the orchestra at the fourth concert of the Dunedin Orchestral .Society, given in His Majesty’s Theatre last evening, so fax as the earlier portion of the programme, at least, was concerned, is not likely to be forgotten by the very large audience. Unforlinately the very high standard set at the commencement of the concert was not altogether maintained. Had it been the work of the orchestra would have stood out as being of a most superior order, and tho concert the best th.o society has given for many years. It is not that what followed tho march from “ Tannhauser ” and a suite by Laoom« was' badly played, but rather that the two selections mentioned were so exceptionally well rendered. The work the orchestra split on was excerpts from “The Flying Dutchman,” and some of that was well played. Another selection, the performance of which was open to improvement, was the overture “ Egmont.” That is the concert summarised.

To particularise as to tho programme items to some extent, it is hardly possible to write in too high of praise of the way the march from Wagner’s opera “Tannhauser ” was played. It was a splendid rendering the orchestra gave, the only possible fault —and that a slight and infrequent one—that could be found was a tendency on the part of some of the brass portion of the orchestra to got a trifle /ut at the beginning of the march. It was not. however, sufficient to induce any modification of the term “splendid” being applied to the performance. P. Lacome s suite Airs do Ballet, “ Mascarade,” called for ability on the part of the orchestra of a very different description. Even tho five sections of which the suit© is composed differ from each other, but the suite as a whole is practically the antithesis of the march. Tho march with which the suite opens is of a very taking character, and was briskly and effectively rendered and played well up to time. Arlequin et Columbine, which is written in gavotte form, was well and crisply given, and the minuet La famille poliohinelle was daintily played, the emphasis being well placed. Les ma lolmistes, the serenade section of the suite, was nicely treated, and the final alia polaoca very brightly given. It was a fitting climax to a really well played item. Selections from Wagner's " Flying Dutchman ” was not a huge success, there being some "groping” amongst aorrje of the instrumentalists at times. The chorus of sailors, ‘‘Steersman, Leave the Watch.” Was the outstanding success, and was delivered with a great swing that was particularly enjoyable. On more than one occasion in other parts some of the solo instruments did not sound as if they were strictly in tune. With the exception of the sailors’ chorus the" selection did not go as smoothly as it might have done. But for the introductory portion of Beethoven’s “Egmont” the overture might have been included with the best played selections. As it was, there was a certain degree of uncertainty and even hesitancy, and the work up to the allegro was not too good. When that stage was reached the orchestra made a recovery, and from that on the overture was generally very well played, and brilliantly finished off. Tscnaikowsky’s suite, “Casse-Noisette,” was thoroughly enjoyable. The staccato character of the march was well sustained, and the quaint Danse Chinoise admirably presented The extremely pretty Danse des Miriltous was most attractively rendered, and the charming waltz with which the suite concludes was as well played as any of the sections. The “Coronation” march by Eilenberg was the final item on tho programme, and was given by the orchestra in spirited fashion. The warm recognition accorded tile orchestral playing by the large audience was quite deserved in nearly every instance, and it seemed on on o occasion as if the services of the orchestra were going to be extended. Miss Marjorie Roynoldson, who, it is understood, made her first appearance on the concert. platform_ in Dunedin, is certainly a, welcome addition to the ranks of vocalists here. Miss Keynoldson has not only a good contralto voice of a resonant order, but puts a lot of life into her singing. There is a slight indication of losing the pitch occasionally, especially when finishing off a phrase pianissimo. That was the only drawback in a very fine rendering of the aria “Softly Awakes My Heart,’’ from "Samson and Delilah.” In the second part of the programme Miss Reynoldson sang Nicholls’s “Dream of Delight” very nicely. She was encored on both occasions she appeared. Mr L. A. North’s vocal contributions were Coleridge-Taylor's “Life and Death” and "Sons of the Sea,” by the same composer. Mr North received a recall in the first instance and a double recall in the second. Mr Jas. Coombs conducted the orchestra, and Mrs J. D. Woods played the pianoforte accompaniments. ;