Music Concerts

The two concerts forming the musical contribution to the Arts Festival were held on Saturday and Tuesday. August 12 and 14. It is Interesting to note that, of a total of 17 items for the two concerts, four were provided by Auckland, one by Massey, and the remainder by Victoria. So much for South Island culture.

The first concert was attended by a reasonably substantial audience and began with items by the Victoria University String Orchestra (conductor Robin Maconie). They opened with Handel's "Arrival of the Queen of Sheba," which was competently enough played, although in places enthusiasm exceeded accuracy. This was followed by Ray Twomey's "Two Songs from John Donne." As the vocalist was unable to perform, the vocal parts were played by Ann Hinds on the flute, the orchestra accompanying her delicately and yet with precision. The Andante from "Cassation" K33 No. 1 oy Mozart was played, followed by what the conductor evidently considered the piece de resistance of the evening—"Two Pieces for String Orchestra" by Robin Maconie. Although the performance was not as appalling as that which had evoked the wrath of Owen Jensen a week before, it did not quite come up to the standard set by the earlier Items.

Victoria followed up this promising opening by unleashing one of Its big guns in the shape of Nelson Wattie, who sang two songs by Douglas Lilburn, which were well received by an audience now ready for anything.

Auckland made its first appearance on the programme with Trio for Clarinet, Viola and Piano" K498 by Mozart. The local paper summed this up aptly, although possibly unconscious of its own irony, as a "clarinet solo with viola and piano accompaniment." A duo for mandolin and piano by Ray Twomey was played by the composer and Robin Maconie, and earned tumultuous applause and an encore. Unfortunately, on the second time through, the mandolin was rather disgustingly out of tune. Alan Rae, the sole Massey representative, played the Schubert Sonatina in G minor for violin and piano, accompanied by R. Mathews. The next Item was "Toccata" by Poulenc, played with considerable virtuosity by Rae Holmes of Auckland; and Guy Dods, Jenny McLeod and Sue Smith gave a polished performance of Haydn's sixth piano trio. The inimitable Maurice Quinn was in splendid lung and gave us an exhilarating Handel recorder Sonata, accompanied by Jenny McLeod, and the concert concluded with an exciting off-beat clarinet sonata by Arnold, played by Gloria Findlay (clarinet) and Margaret Neilsen (piano).

Student Art

During Tournament, an exhibition of Student painting, sculpture and photography was displayed in Palmerston North Art Gallery. Many of the exhibits showed promise, but in general lacked finish. There was little realism, a large proportion of the work displayed being experimental.

Vibrant Red

R. Newman's Red Woman was a strongly expressed piece of painting. There is something compelling in the tragic intensity of the glimpse of the unbeautiful woman, stark against an inferno of red; dull yet vibrant. There Is a strong use of line, and communication of character was well conveyed—in Portrait by R. Cambell—an interesting study in blue-greens and complementary yellows.

G. Patterson's Haast Landscape was neatly executed; the picture composing an arrangement of interesting shapes. The river bed and the suggestion of shadow on the valley well deserves mention. B. E. Dew's Wedding Breakfast sequence is horribly revealing in expression of character. These are morbid paintings but ones which have a shrewd comment to make. The irony is apparent in the artist's cynical portrayal of the joyful occasion.

May Day in Auckland by D. H. Binney was a work which did convey an air of joyful celebration. A colour progression from blue through white to oranges was full of life.

J. Carter's Sadness is Growing and Interiors showed a maturity noticeably lacking in certain other artists' attempts. Subdued or cool tonings were used in an interesting pattern and the expression of form was good.

Lack of Originality

Other paintings I found disappointing. Granted, many of the painters were very young and still yet experimenting with widely differing styles—my chief criticism is, there was no great originality displayed. A few of the paintings hardly deserved serious consideration. Are we to accept as Art, canvases consisting of a flat surface of dirty daubings? Some of those hung were but little more. What purpose are they supposed to fulfil? What justification is there for their existence? They are neither useful nor decorative; there is no aesthetic beauty here; they have nothing to say. Neither colour nor form is any justification for this effort.

Afterthought—in the painting sphere only the two Fine Arts Schools were represented. What happened to the student artists in other centres? It would have been gratifying to see some independent contributions.

—M.B.