CONCERT IN DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 28, 10 April 1891, Page 7

CONCERT IN DUNEDIN.

Thk third Chamber Coocert, given by Signor Squariae and Uerr Barmeyer, and whi h took place in the Choral Hall, on Friday evening waa also maikedly successful. A trio from Beethoven for piano violin, and 'c Ho, was the opening performance. It consisted of four movement*, allegro run hrio, andante, mimictto, and prestissimo, each of wl.ic ) wai very i ffectively played. The andante especially was of exquisite bj.u y, dera aiding great powers of expressioa, both in the fianist a-ul wolimst. The perfo mauca of the other movements, especially thtr of ihe prestissiiw, was remark»b!e for its ombinei brilliancy .and d<* icacy. The other cone ;rted perfornaanca was a trio from vienuelssohn, which was also delightfully played. The violin solo played by Signor Squarise was a fantaisic on " Faust" by the f«mouß violinist Sirasate. fha piece was one evidently composed with a view to bringing out tb^ powers of the instrument by the hands of a mister. It bristled with technical difficulties and needed a very full production of tone. To deal wit'i it, as Signor Squanse did, required the qualifications of a thorough artist. Indeed, no other need attempt tne composition. A Polonaise and Cracovwnne, by Rubinstein, were n o t so satisfactory as others of Herr Barmeyer's solo performances. Not that the player failed to do tDem justice, or to display ihe brillUnt execution required of him. The music, however, was not of \ very high order. The Polonaise seemed faulty in rhythm, and might almost ba characterised as grotesque. The Craeorienne hardly rose abave the level of the common-place. la listeniug to some of the passages one was inclined to wonder if a Russian, as the composer is, dealing with Polish themes, thought some thade of ferocity, with perhaps a little approach to coarseness appropriate to his undertaking. A sensible relief was the performance of Liszt's " Marca Tannhauser," given as an encore — which the merits of the performer well deserved. The vocalists were Miss Cooper, and Messrs. Reuncrt and H. Smith. Mr. Reunert sang Schubert's " Der ErlkiJ iig," giving a very fine rendering of the splendid song. Miss Cooper, both in a solo and in a duet with Mrt H. Smith, 6a ng charmingly. Mr. H. Smith was also as successful as usual. The hall wa9 fairly filled, and the audience were appreciative and enthusiastic, but, were the attendance what the performance merits, it must ba thronged. In a town like Dunedin, where there is so much musicil aspiration a-nonjj the young peiple, it seems strange that an opporuiity like the present of becoming acquainted with clissical works, and forming the taste, is not more numerously taken advantage of.