ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY

Southland Times, Issue 19519, 19 May 1922, Page 6

ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY

* AN ENJOYABLE CONCERT. The Invercargill Orchestral Society’s Or chestra gave its first concert of the 1922 season in the Grand Theatre last evening before a large audience, which enthusiastically displayed its appreciation of the work of the orchestra and vocalists alike. The Society is setting out under especially advantageous circumstances and the orchestra i is probably stronger numerically than it has been in any other period of its history. ■ With such a strong orchestra at his command the conductor, Mr W. J. Ferguson, ’ will probably be able to undertake more ambitious works later on in the present season. The concert given last evening was • a thoroughly enjoyable one and the general effect of the orchestra was decidedly pleasing. With such a full orchestra it is more difficult to detect minor defects, but it was noticeable that in passages confined to any one section of the orchestra, the playing was , not quite finished, while a little more free- < dqm of interpretation would make for improvement. Last evening’s programme was composed of selections whilch have all appeared on former programmes, owing, it is , understood, to delay in the arrival of new ] music ordered from the Old Country. Nev- ; ertheless, the conductor displayed a wise choice and each number played could not fail to appeal to Possibily on account of the originality of their composition and the quaint harmonies contained in them, Massenet’s suite, “Le Cid,” of which each number represents the dance of a province in Spain, were among the most popular selections given. Both parts of the suite were given by the orches- , tra and of the two, the second, comprising “Catalene,” “Madrilene” and “Navarraise,” takes pride of place. In “Madrilene,” the i duet by the clarinet and flute was particularly pleasing, although in each number the heavy calls made on all sections of the orchestra were capably responded to. In all of their numbers the unexpected and unusual endings, were one of their most enjoyable features. The first suite, which comprised “Castillane,” “Andalouse,” “Aragonaise” and “Anbade,” were. also very popular. Another of the orchestral selections, “Praeiudium,” is written in the form of a round, the first section of the orchestra commencing two bars ahead of the second, and so on until all sections are included. The result is a harmonious blending of the full orchestra in a number which has a particularly attractive air. In this the orchestra were highly successful, and in response to the insistent- demands of the audience the number was repeated. The orchestra was equally successfully in the selection “Mignon Gavotte” (T®^nas) r in which the light and lilting air, played by the first violins requires deliberate treatment. This it received, and although a slight raggedness was noticeable at times, it was not sufficiently pronounced to rob the number of its effectiveness. This, to, was repeated as an encore. The clarinet solo played by Mr S. Kelly, in the selection “Morning, Noon and Night” (Suppe), was artistically given, and the number as a whole was a most enjoyable one. The attacks and releases in this were cleanly taken and the brass and wood-wind sections were used to advantage. Other numbers played by the orchestra were “The Magic Flute” (Mozart) and “Serenade Lyrique” (Elgar), and in both the treatment given them was highly creditable to the conductor and orchestra alike. The Society was also fortunate in its choice of soioists. Mr F. Taylor has previously appeared at the Society’s concerts, but Miss M. A. Steele has seldom been heard locally. She has a very pleasipg contralto voice of wide range and good quality, and treats her songs artistically. Her words were at times difficult to hear, but to some extent, this may have been due to the acoustic properties of the theatre. She sang “Divinities du Styx” and as a recall “Youth Has a Happy Tread.” In the second half she sang the bracketed numbers “I attempt from Love’s Sickness to Fly” (Purcell) and “When Daisies Bud” (Arne). She was again recalled and sang “John Anderson My Jo,” in which she was unaccompanied. Miss Steele was presented with a beautiful * bouquet. Mr F. Taylor also gavea very pleasing performance and the numbers he sang were well suited to his nicely modulated baritone voice. In the solo “A Pauper’s Drive,” he was particularly successful and was recalled, giving as his second number a cowboy ballad,. from the suite by Lisa Lehmann. His other programme number was “A Wanderer’s Song” and as a recall “Willie’s Prayer.” i Mr J. Todd, who has been a member of , the orchestra for many years, contributed - the violin solo “Reverie” (Vieuxtemps), and treated it most artistically, his technique i also being excellent. He was enthusiastical- . ky recalled and played “The Swan” (Saint Saens). —l =g