MR HELLER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 729, 23 September 1870, Page 2

MR HELLER.

«. We are assured that the programme presented at the Mußic.Hall yesterday evening, and which is announced for repetition to-night and to morrow, is the last which will be issued in Christchurck. We are really sorry to hear it, as the last week has made us even less inclined to part with Mr Heller than we were a week since, And we are sure that many besides ourselves will miss the opportunity they have had every evening during the past fortnight of dropping into the usually dreary building for an hour's real amusement and enjoyment. Even now the audiences show no sign of diminution; the sixth programme was welcomed last night by almost as full a house as any we have seen during the series. The graceful trick of the silver rings— which we noticed in a former performance — pleased us as much as anything in the first part; indeed as much as anything we ever saw in the way of magic. We were very glad to see it again. But all the other illusions were so admirable that we can hardly select any single one for praise as being better than its companions. The last item, in which a hat was made to disgorge a wonderful variety — and quantity — of articles too numerous to be mentioned, created very great amusement: indeed thewholeof thispartwasmostsuccessful, and most bewildering. Chopin's Impromptu v a very delicate piece of pianoforte writing, and was delicately treated by Mr Heller, but we fear we must say that it was too good for the audience. It was succeeded by a selection from Don Giovanni, arranged by Thalberg, and, we may here say, one of his very best arrangements. > ext to Liszt's Wedding March, we must record this as Mr Heller's greatest success (in our judgment) on the pianoforte. The difficult succession of chords in the first movement was played with wonderful accuracy and precision, while the delightful alkqretto movement, with its mandoline accompaniment, was given with all the grace and delicacy which it requires. So was the minuet movement which closes the selection, and in which the principal melody is interwoven throughout with scale passages which were executed by Mr Heller with exquisite neatness. His performance of this piece gave us unalloyed satisfaction and pleasure. We wish we could say the same of the sensation piece which followed it, but we can never take kindly to descriptive music of that class, and with letter press descriptions of its principal movements, too. Jt carries us irresistibly to the '' Battle of Prague " with its "cries of the wounded " and other intended effects, with their names printed over the notes which are supposed to represent them. More strictly speaking. Mr Heller's " story " is modelled in some measure on the immortal Pastoral Symphony of Beethoven. But the storm with which that is darkened is awful and tremendous, and its subsidence into the Shepherd's song of praise is one of the s *blimest effects in all music. It wants no descriptive letterpress any more than do the figures in a real work of art. Mr Heller's storm suffers very much by comparison with its great prototype, and its transition to the country jig of the village fiddler has an effect the reverse of sublime. Having said this much, we would state that the pastoral movement with which t!-o "story" open-

is exceedingly pretty, and the execution of the whole was, of course, perfect. We are only sorry that Mr Heller allowed us to receive our last impressions of himusical performance from the work in question. In summing up our reviews of these entertainments, we can only say that our task in criticising Mr Heller has been a most pleasant one. It must always be so, when there is bo much to praise, bo little to find fault with. As a pianist, we can only say as we have said before, that he is incomparably superior to any we have yet heard in the colony. As an entertainer — well, let the unprecedented success of his performances speak for him in that respect. To-night he takes his benefit, and we wish him an audience that will not leave standing room in the Music Hall. To-morrow afternoon he gives an extra performance for the young folks, and the evening will bring him before us for the last time. We shall take leave of him admiringly and regretfully.