RECITAL ACCLAIMED

Southland Times, Issue 22159, 30 October 1933, Page 8

RECITAL ACCLAIMED

CIVIC BAND’S SUCCESS. BRILLIANT ASSISTING ARTISTS. Sunday evening band concerts have reached an exceptionally high standard in Invercargill. In fact it is questionable if any other entertainment in the Dominion provides such value for money as these popular recitals, since the only admission fee is a silver coin—and too often the smallest silver coin is tendered. But that is by the way. The Civic Band’s recital in the theatre last evening drew a capacity house and set a fresh standard of excellence from a musical point of view. Not only was the band, now acknowledged as one of the foremost in the Dominion, in excellent form, but the assisting artists were of such merit as to grace any platform. The gifted New Zealand pianist, Howard Moody, received such applause at this, his first appearance in Invercargill, that he must have realized the public will not be content until they havp heard him again and yet again. Miss Adelaide Holland, of Gore, was also making her bow to a local audience and by her sweet contralto voice and her admirable interpretation scored a marked success. Misses Mary Gilbert and Janet McStay, pupils of Miss M. O’Byme, showed almost flawless technique and perfect understanding in their pianoforte duets, while the ever popular Wills brothers enhanced their reputation with their brilliant playing of the cornet duet “Ida and Dot.” Mr Moody’s programme numbers were “Study in D Flat (Lizst), “Refrain de Beceuse” (Palmgren) and “Rigoletto Paraphrase’ (Lizst). Miss Holland sang “Hena Hena,” a charming Maori song, and “The Little Lullaby.” The outstanding item by the band was a selection from “The Hying Dutchman” (Wagner).