ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY’S CONCERT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19615, 20 October 1925, Page 13

ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY’S CONCERT.

A very large and thoroughly pleased audience assemble! in His Majesty’s Theatre Inst night when the Dunedin Orchestral Society gave its fourth concert of the season. Those present could not be otherwise than pleased with the 'evening's music which was contributed by the orchestra, Miss Mary Wilson, Mr Sidney Taylor, and Mr J. A. Wallace. The' items contributed by the orchestra were not quite so numerous as usual but were certainly played up to the highest standard the players under the baton of Mr Jas. Coombs have yet attained. The concert opened with Kreutzer’s - “Xachtlager in Granada,” a bright pretty composition which was presented in a most attractive form. Some portions of the overture were not unlike the music met with in Weber's “Der Frieschutz.” An uuflnislie! symphony by Schubert, bearing the title “Unfinished,” was just; as well played. The rather heavy sombre; opening by the bass strings was impressively' given, and promised well for wnat was to follow, and the promise was fulfilled. . The time may have been a bit broken soon after the opening, but that was shortlived, and very soon disappeared, and a wonderful improvement took place. The main air which keeps, appearing and reappearing in the symphony was rendered very attractively, and emphases, where necessary, were always present. It Is rather remarkable how the oil masters seized upon a few bars of real melody and built all round it. The music of the French composer Flotow is never likely to be forgotten. It is far too tuneful for,That. He is probably best known as the composer of the opera “Martha,” but his “Stradella” is by no means unfamiliar to most people who even dabble in music. The overture to this opera introduces at least one of the principal airs’ in the opera, and the whole of the overture^—the air in particular—was very well played. It was a real pleasure to renew ap almost forgotten acquaintance with Flotow’s works, which are rarely heard in Dunedin now. It seemed to he an evening for renewing an acquaintance with the past, for the very next item revived recollections of Howard Vernon, Riccardi, and Verdi, and others. The item was composed of selections from Sullivan’s comic opera “Patience,” and conspicuous amongst the selections, which ■ were invariably very well presented, were Grosvenor’s song “Prithee ' Pretty Mtiden,” “The Magnet” and the Colonel’s song, the chorus, of rapturous maidens (“Twenty Lovesick Maidens Wo”), and _ some of Patience’s solos, in one of which the cornet came badly to grief for a bar or two. But that does not alter the fact that the Selections wore very well played indeed. - The orchestra put the finishing touch to a good evening’s work by playing Reckling’s “Hungarian” march in good style. Miss Mary Wilson gave a creditable rendering of the selection from Saint-Saens’ opera “Samson and Delilah,” “Fair Spring Is Returning.” Her recall item was better sung, and in both_ songs Miss Wilson gave evidence of having undergone training which is perhaps not yet complete. Later Miss Wilson sang again, and her singing met with equal recognition. Her second selections were Elgar’s “Queen Mary’s Song” and Gambogi’s “The Letter." Mr Sidney Taylor was the other vocalist, and chose two very attractive solos ■ when ho selected “Salve Dimora,” from Gounod’s “Faust,” Titto Mattel’s old song, “Never More.” He certainly sang both very- well. There may have been a trifling want of volume in the voice in both selections, particularly in “Never More,” but Mr Taylor sang his music undeniably well. The remaining item was a violin solo by Mr J. A. Wallace, who selected for perfonnanee one of'de Beriot’s airs, in this instance “Seventh Concerto.” Mr Wallace’s interpretation proved most acceptable, and he had to comply with the demand to add to the music he had already played. While on the subject of recalls, it should be mentioned that Mr Taylor’s best song was “Who Is Sylvia?” given as an encore item to “Salve Dimora,” The orchestra was, ea usual, conducted by Mr James Coombs, and the accompaniments were played by tho official accompaniste.