TOWN HALL ORGAN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21018, 6 May 1930, Page 13

TOWN HALL ORGAN.

RECITAL BY DR PRICE. Ths cold wssther and coantcr attraction* in many directions were no donbft accountable for a, limited attendance mi the organ recital given by Dr W. G. Price, the city organist, in-the Town Hall lasi night. The educational value of' these recitals can scarcely be overestimated; for there is not alone the excellence of the playing and the fine toned instrument, but a class of music which, it is scarcely believable,- can ever die. . The recital last night, as usual.-opened with the National Anthem, the first programme item being\ a march by Petrali. The sharp staccato opening was crisply played, and after it came the melody proper, which was given with very fine effect. What frould have been difficulties to many organists gradually increased, but these ■were merely matters to be ovencome with Dr Price, and did not trouble him in the least. The climax to the march was brilliantly played. “Meditation, a _ lovely melody by D’Evry, was very artistically treated, and was one of the most charming organ solos heard during the evening. It was delightfully rendered, and there was a delicacy about the interpretation’ that could not escape notice. The selection was very artisticaly mushed off, and was followed by lond applause. An andante by Haydn, based on a famiMar hymn tune, was another example of how delicately music may be interpreted by the organ .when an able exponent of the instrument is m control. Inere are slight embellishments introduced J DbO the andante, but the main theme is generally followed. The andante wae treated in the simple maner that most became it. The finale of Vierne’s No. 1 Organ Symphony was the next solo heard, the grand opening of which wait played with masterly skill, while the qui/ter U® 1 ?® . . succeeded? it left nothrh,e audience evidently appreciated the admirable treatment t difficult selection had received at the hands of the organist. The finals was magnificently worked up to. After T.l e V r n ef retirement. Dr Price gav* Leon Boellmanns Second Suite” for ■na»-i++ an ' the pastorale, the allegretto con moto, the andantino. and the final-marche being played. The prelude was exquisitely rendered, and was given itg true characteristics. The allegretto was another success, and the andantmo, a smooth -flowing melody -of great beauty, was an exceedingly welcome addition to the two preceding movements, and wae interpreted with an obviously dear perception of the treatment it required. Ihe marche was introduced with a great outburst from the organ, which gradually softened away, thereafter rising and fdt m K. i? cadence. In the finale tbl organist excelled ■ himself, and gave hie andienee a demonstration such as is not likely to be easily forgotten. The finale was brit bafitiy rendered throughout. ‘ The most critical could scarcely take exception to the manner in which it was On resuming his eeat at the organ for the second time, Dr- Price’s first solo wS* Danse Orientals," by Lubomirsky. This, as its name suggests, belongs to'a quaint order of music, and is decidedly Oriental in. complexion, and the organ lent itself particularly well to the interpretation of such a composition. Dr Price gave a very picturesque performance of the dance., “Romance,” by Arensky, differs widely from the dance, and possesses a beautiful dreaminess that is very attractive. _ The player quite caught the spirit in which the composition was written, and gave an admirable interpretation. Like the dance, the romance waa very short. Nothing more, attractive, in many respects at least, was heard at' the recital than the oyertnre to “ Stradella." The airs from the opera, of which the overture to FlotowV work is composed, . were all exceptionally WCH rendered, varied in character as they, were.