SATURDAY AFTERNOON CONCERTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1848, 22 April 1887, Page 16

SATURDAY AFTERNOON CONCERTS.

The large and critical audience which assembled at St. Matthew's schoolroom last Saturday afternoon may be taken as evidence that Herr Benno Scherek's winter concerts are recognised as important factors in the development of the musical art in our city. The novelty of these Saturday afternoon concerts has now completely worn off, so that the present series may be relied upon to attract audiences solely on account of the intrinsic merit of the class of entertainment which Herr Scherek provides. The majority of those who attended last Saturday's concert may fairly be presumed to be subscribers for the series, and there is every prospect of such patronage being accorded in the future as will encourage Herr Scherek to make his concerts a permanent institution. Their, advantage from an educational point of view cannot be over-estimated, their aim being to place before musicians and all who take a deep interest in the divine art selections from the classics which are seldom heard at ordinary concerts, and we should be sorry indeed if Herr Scherek's honest endeavours did not meet with the success they deserve. Probably the initial programme put forward last Saturday was hardly so interesting as some of those of last year, but no doubt there will be many equally successful in the course of the series. The chamber music comprised Mozart's trio in E fiat for* piano, clarinet, and viola; and a trio in B flat (op. 37) for piano, violin, and viola, by Lachner. These were thoroughly well performed, Herr Scherek having* as his assistants Miss Rich (violin), Mr G. H. Schacht (viola), and Mr G. A. Martin (clarinet). Besides taking part in these trios, Mr Schacht contributed a viola solo, Mozart's favourite Larghetto movement from a quintette beißg bracketed with a scherzo by Kalliwoda. Mr Schacht is a thoroughly capable player 1 on the tenor as well as on the violin, and while Mozart's music received excellent treatment at his hands, the scherzo wag gracefully executed. Herr Scherek played two piano solos, one

of which was Beethoven's sonata in D minor (op. 31, No. 2). The three movements of this important work received such an. interpretation as to reveal all the" beauties in harmony and counterpoint. Herr Scherek explained beforehand that the^ concluding allegretto movement was supposed to have been suggested to the great master by the cantering of a horse, and it was made clear to the audience that some such idea must have ruled its peculiar construction. Herr Scherek's second solo comprised three short pieces, which lent admirable contrast to the grandeur of the composition which preceded. They were a simple but thoroughly effective transcription of an air of Pergolesi, by Scharwenka— a very quaint little Scherzo by Schubert, and Beethoven's " ContreDanse," arranged by Seise. Thedistinctcharacter of each piece was w4l portrayed, and Herr Scherek was heard in a class of music in which, he is par excellence. Miss Lily Mason, whose well-cultured soprano roice it is always a pleasure" to hear, sang a romance from the opera of "William Tell," and made a most favourable impression on the audience, and she also took part with Mr Edward Towsey in the well-known duet from " Traviata." Mr Towsey makes his reappearance after a long absence from Dunedin, and as he has won laurels in the past as a tenor vocalist he ,wiU be warmly welcomed back by a large section of the musicloving public. His songs were "Thou, my Queen" (Brahms) and "Beside the clear Manzaneres_" ( Jansen). He was apparently not in good voice, but he nevertheless displayed good taste in his treatment of the songs.