DUNEDIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22069, 27 September 1933, Page 5

DUNEDIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Dunedin Symphony Orchestra’s concerts are now recognised as major events in the city’s; musical life, and M. de Rose should enhance his already enviable reputation with the programme he has chosen for to-night’s concert in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall—the fifth in this year’s series. It would be a memorable occasion .if only in the incorporation of Tschaikovsky’s “ Sixth Symphony,” so famous for its mournful intensity, but it also included the impressively dramatic overture “ Phedre ” of Massenet, the romantic and- melodious Saint-Saens barcarolle (“A Night in Lisbon”), Cesar Franck’s “Pastorale,” finely exemplifying fugal treatment, and. solos for piano and violin (with orchestral accompaniment). The piano composition chosen is the first movement of Tschaikovsky’s Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, a vivid and arresting piece of work in which Miss Sybil Baker is given the arduous solo part in what develops into a veritable duel between the orchestra and the piano. The violin solo, which will be presented by Miss Ngaio A. Garland, will be the “Fantaisie Appassiopata” (Vieuxtemps), a brilliant and intense solo that is one of the stock pieces with the greatest violinists: The vocal soloists will be Mr R, Duerdon (baritone), who will sing the “Volga Boatmen’s Song” and Massenet’s “ Elegie ”; and Miss K. Geerin (soprano), who is listed to sing Martini’s charming “ Plaisir d’Amour.” The principal attraction will be the Tschaikovsky symphony—“ The Pathetique,” as it is now generally called. It is a leaf from life, and a very sorrowful, leaf, on which are inscribed in the most moving fashion the tragedy and frustration of the composer, and i the tragedy of Russia, It has been said that it is impregnated with a spirit of despairing finality, and it is true that a week after its first performance 40 years ago, the composer was in his grave.