DUNEDIN ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2390, 21 December 1899, Page 51

DUNEDIN ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY.

It is not customary to consider an orche3« tral society in the light of a philanthropio institution, but tho fourth concert of tho twelfth season of the Dunedin Orchestral Society, which was lield in the Garrison Hall' on the 14th, might, judging from (.he audience, bo taken as being at any rate prima facie evidence of the beneficent effects of good music on the human being — moral and physical. The hall was crowded in every part, and the attention paid to, and tho interest evidenced in, every item of the programme was creditable to the musical intellect, equally, of tHe pel-formers and the audience. The arrangements in connection with the performance left nothing to be desired from anyone's point of view, and it was only a few minutes after eight when the programme was opened witli a, serio3 of inarches — " Vienna folks," " British Grenadiers," and " Rule Britannia," — which were performed with a crispnesa and vigour that at once gave an indication of what was to bo expected during the rest ofthe concert. The reputation already attaching to Miss Amy. Murphy's name was sufficient to induce anticipation of a " good thing " iit her singing of a song of Meyerbeer's from '" Lei Huguenots," and tha performance wasin no way short of the promise. In this number her power was particularly noticeable in run and cadenza, and she sang .both -this and her other solo, " Summer," with great purity of tone and. power of resonance. Miss Murphy's method shows evidence of careful and skilful training and admirable appreciation o£ expression. The orchestral numbers included, after the initial overture, an overture from "La Ponpee de Nuronburg " (Adam), Mendelssohn's "Italian" symphony, Kreutzer's " Nachtlager in Granac'a " ovorture, and Meyerbeer's " L'Eloilo dv Nord." Of these numbers the last-mentioned was conspicuously the best for erispness of execution, instrumental balance, and refined discrimination of paxfeage value 3. In saying this, however, it is not to be understood that the other selections were in any marked degree deficient in any of the qualities referred to. A very prominent characteristic of the whole of tho orchestral performance was an admirable attention to light and shade and a rigidness of discipline in regard to the conductor's baton. Mr Jas. Armstrong, who is the possessor of a light tenor voice of admirable quality and sweetness of tone, sang Blumentbal's "Acros3 the far blue hills, Marie," with good expression, but a taste in phrasing at the end of the refrain, which is at any rate open to discussion. His singing of Balfe's "Si tv Savais " was sympathetic and forceful, and tho ■ tender passages were treated in an artistic manner. The waltz "Ma Vie " (Tunlye), witli which tho programme concluded, was played with a verve and accuracy of execution which reflects the greatest credit on the worlc and method of the members of tho orchestra, ■ individually and collectively, no leas than on. tho command of the canductor (Mr .Tames Coombs), who 13 to be highly complimented on the thorough command ho has over his " team," and tho working members of the society are to be congratulated on the mannerin which they evidently work together for tho common musical good, which is furthered and foatered by the energetic work of the hon. secretary (Mr W. 0. Millar).