(From Birmingham)
THE BIRMINGHAM STUDIO AUGMENTED
ORCHESTRA
(Leader, FRANK CANTELL)
Conducted by JOSEPH LEWIS
JOYCE ROLLITT (Pianoforte)
THIS Ovorture is not the Prelude to anything; it is a separate Concert piece-a tone picture of Autumn in Norway, of its calm moods, of its sturdy winds. A short introduction, with a wistful little tune shared by oboe and flute, leads to the principal quick section in minor, in which the first main theme is soon heard—a strongly rhythmic measure. This has a large say in the course of the movement. A calmer section brings us to the second main tune, played by horns and clarinets-a more gracious and :heerful melody. There is another theme, played by the strings simple and innocent; like many )f Grieg's tunes, it suggests a Folk song. Towards the end there are ochoos of the quiet )pening, and the Overture closes, with a majestic ration rising to a mood of animation.
More than other members of the modern Russian school of composers, we think of Arensky as having carried on Tchaikovsky's tradition, though without so rich a share of poetic ideas, and without Tchaikovsky's gift of dramatic force., His mastery of orchestral resources, too, is less facile, and less versatile than Tchaikovsky's, but ho has at command a fund of pleasing melody, and many of his pieces are no doubt destined to enjoy a lasting popularity. But he was so industrious a composer that there is a good deal of his fresh and tuneful music which is hardly known in this country, and this Pianoforte Concerto, the first of his instrumental works to be published, while ho was still quite young, will no doubt be new to most listeners.