The Municipal Orchestrit's concert on Sunday was especially Interesting inasmuch as it Wis entirely devoted to th. northern music of Europe, whilst the programme included pieces by composers not widely known to the average British audience.
Naturally, such a programme would be incomplete without an example of the great Norwegian master, Griez, who was represented by the famous Suite No, 2. to Ibsen's 'Peer Gynt.' This and the fine symphonic poem Finlandia" by the Finnish comp?ser Sibelius were probably the best known pieces on the programme. The orchestra interpreted with real feeling the mysticism and melancholy atmosphere of th" latter piece and conveyed with extraordinary effect a sense of thr deep silent woods and long dark winters of sombre Finland. Two fine compositions by Svondsen—"Romance for Violin with Orchestra" and "Legende Zorahayda" for Orchestra.—sympathetically rendered, completed the first half of the programme.
the "Suite (in old Style)"
Halvorsen are two themes brilliantly wor out in the "Tntrata," there being five movements in the suite. the most tmportant of which is the eecond—"Air with variations." The suite es a fine opportunity for individual effort on the part of many different instruments. The part played by the harp in one movement gave a beautiful elflike effect to the interpretation. The suite closed with a cheerful rapid movement—in two parts which are repeated.
Alfren's "Swedish Rhapsody." which elésed the programme, was a fine combination of—tonal colours, vigorous and with the true peasant atmosphere. These qualities were brought out with taste and discrimination by the orchestra.
A word of praise is due in respect of the programme, the "analytical notes'? of which are exceedingly helpful; at the same time ib is Tegrettable that for the past two Sundays there have not been enough programmes to go round and we hope that this will be remedied as the printed programme adds materially to the appreciation of the concerts.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.