Music in Town

It was good to settle down to an evening's programme of Beethoven: good to enjoy a programme without qualifications. And I have come to the conclusion that it would be better if the orchestra would devote entire evenings either to classical (what I mean is "serious," but both words don't ring true) or to popular music. The mixing of the two always leaves me, together with many others, I think, dissatisfied. The orchestra is definitely playing better than last year, and all honours should go to Michael Bowles. It is a pleasure to watch him conducting; there is nothing showy about him, his movements are economical and his understanding of classical music appears to be high. The orchestra played the Eroica Symphony so much better than during their last performance In Wellington that one cannot doubt Mr. Bowies' ability any longer.

And it appears to me that, apart from sheer lack of concerted playing, the players needed nothing more badly than someone who could weld them together for the playing of more solid music than "A Shropshire Lad" or similar musical niceties.

I was not thrilled with the Coriolanus overture, because I thought it too uneven in places, and sometimes shrill in the phrasing. In fact, the most serious grievance I took home with me from the entire evening, already showed itself in the first Item: the brass section. Is there no remedy against this strikingly poor section of the National Orchestra? They make decidedly unpleasant and shrill music, and their contributions (and there are so many, oh poor Beethoven) in the Eroica were the only blot on an otherwise really fine and sensitive performance of that great work.

The highlight of the evening, as far as I am concerned, was the incredibly beautiful rendering of the Violin Concerto in D Major, op. 61. played by Alfredo Campoli. I do not wish to indulge in accumulated superlatives, but as I happen to know this work quite well and have heard it played by several outstanding violinists, I venture to say that Campoli's playing was near to what one could call "excellent" or even "perfect." His intonation, understanding and delicacy of rendering were on a level with his technical mastery, the latter never becoming predominant (as it might have easily become in the cadenza's: for this you need but listen to the latest Menuhin recording). If there is any slight adverse comment to be made—is this the critic's duty, my conscience asks?—I would say that of all the three movements it was the second which perhaps could be given an additional touch of delicacy; in this respect I think the late Bronislaw Hubermann has never been excelled. But Campoli's playing, together with the most sensitive and never obtruding accompaniment of the orchestra (three cheers again to our new conductor!) was a really moving an stirring musical experience. Thanks, Alfredo Cam-poli, I hope to hear you again when you come back to Wellington.

—H.B.