Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-11-23
Givaii
By Minneapolis
Orchestra Here

The Minneapolis symphony orches-
ira visited Grand Forks on Wednes-
day night, after an absence Of several
seasons and was heard in an extra
ordinarily fine concert, at the city
auditorium. s.5f
Henri Verbrugghen. celebrated con
'ductor, held the baton, and guided the
players through q remarkable pro-
gram. Grand Forks has been in the
habitSoft extending q friendly welcome
to.lthe. Minneapolis players, Whenever
they; have come here. but after the
first number had been played last
night. the audience. realized that there
vas an entire new atmospher about
their music and 1t seemed to call for
something, more than just a friendly
welcome. And thereafter. throughout
the program there wal, the most en-
,thusiastic appreciation shown. ~.
Mr.. Yerbrugghen- has inspired the
Minneapolis orchestra to what seems
remarkable. heights, and he has prac-
tically made over" the orchestra.
There are many familiar faces, and
also a good many new ones, to be
seen among the players, but Mr.. Yer
brugghen has gone In, with a bold
free and sure hand. and has given
them new patterns to weave the old
themes upon. He has a vital, COM
pelling personality, and he has gath
eredsthissbig family of musicians 'un-
der. his hand until they play as
smoothly and as unitedly as one big
instrument. -.
Emil Oberhoffer, who directed the
Minneapolis orchestra for 10 years,
and who was at the head OF the or
gunization' until this season, built an
excellent foundation, but it remained
for a conductor of MIR. Verbrugghen's
proportions to bring. the orchestra to
i highest realization of its powers.
Nothing could be farther from Mr..
i.Oberhoffer's methods of conducting
than those employed by Mr.. Verbrug-
Chen.
Perhaps this difference was most
marked in the Interpretation of the
Tschaikowsky "Pathetique" symphony
as given last night. 1t had a highly
colored, N dramatic reading, under
Mr.. Verbrugghen's leadership. The
their general theme of tragedy, were
done with expressive shading, and
phrasing, and in contrasting moods
was the second movement, which
takes on the character of a waltz. The
climax = although seemingly mis-.
placed;-is reached in the third move
ment, which had q breadth and a
%splendor, in Mr.. VerbrugEhen's in
terpretation, that it seemed must be
adequate In every way to express the
unusual harmonies.
The prelude to "Lohengrin' assum-
ed new beauty and mystery to those
who heard it last night, and the fam
iliar introduction to act three Of thfs
opera was no less finely done. To
many who heard them. these two
numbers stood out as the most artis-
tic of the program. sE@
Megerlin Plays.
"Omphale's Spinning Wheel Saint
Saen's symphonic poem was a thing
Of picturesque grace, and so insistent
was the applause following the play
ing of the melodrama. "Piccolino,"
by Alfred Megerlin, violinist, and the
strings, that a portion Of the work
had to- be repeated. Mr.. Megerlin is
q new member of the orchestra, hav.
ing come to the organization this fall
as the concertmaster. He - Il player
OF d;ft,nction, n gave a skillful and
delicate performance Of this orches.
trail excerpt. from the French opera
'l'.ccolino." ...A, rEi&f /:
In conclusion there was a most un.
usual Maori folk song. The Maoris
arc natives of New zealand, the pro
songs and melodies have been used In
has lived among them. Mr.. Verbrug.
CHEN orchestrated the "Waiata Poi
song-dance, which has a swaying AND
fascinating rhyme, and which has beer
done into a very effective orchestrs
#F..