“YOUTH LOOKS AT THE ORCHESTRA”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26709, 2 March 1948, Page 2

“YOUTH LOOKS AT THE ORCHESTRA”

Written for the Otago Dpily Times By Harcus Plimmeifc Wellington.

Included in the music to toe played by the National Symphony Ctrchestra this season, and for the first .lime in New Zealand, is Benjamin elegant and highly educative flash. "Yo uth Looks at the Orchestra.” When this joyful news was conveyed to Miss Cara Hall, the brilliant pianist newly returnecl from England (who has been engaged toy the Government to give a series of lecture-recitals throughout New Zealand), thajt gifted little lady clapped her hands with glee. ” You must know about this music,” she said with eager enthusiasun. "As you know Dr Malcolm Sargent has done ail immense amount of eduoo.tional work among young people by talking to them about the orchestra, the functions of the various instruments, and so ion. Well, at one stage, he became a bit ‘ ;fed up ’ .with these lessons to the uninitiated, and, in semi-comic despair, asked whether a film could not be made of the leature and sent round the country, instead of his having to do it with an orchestra as chance served. The idea was taken up, and the Gaumo’it-British studios agreed to make the film; but they wanted special music which would illustrate tlu> role played by the various sections of the orchestra, whilst the explanatory dialogue would be recorded by Malcolm Sargent. So they looked around, and found Benjamin Britten, who, in turn, agreed to compose the ■music. He took as a tjheme a Purcell composition, and created out of it some brilliant variations and a .fugue. The variations brought out ideally the functions and tone of the various instruments, and all were brought together gloriously in the tremendous Fugue with Which the lecture recital ends."

" So far as I know qopies of that film have not reached New Senland," said Miss Hall. “ I assume that what tjhe National Symphony Orchestra wifi play will be the Britten ' Variations and Fugue *>n a Theme by Purcell,’ minus the dialogue.- If so, it is a pity, for Dr Sargent’s talk is both instructive and pleasantly wif.ty, and is something that should be beiard everywhere in New Zealand, if it wiere only to attune people to the delightflul field of musical adventure which a sytjnphonv orchestra provides.”

The “ Old Time ” concert tio which so many ticket-holders failed to gain admission will be repeated in the RJ3.A. Hall on Wednesday, March 10;