Orchestra for Adelaide

IMPORTANT PROJECT LAUNCHED.

ANNUAL CONCERT SERIES ARRANGED

For months a number of leading orchestral players in Adelaide have been discussing the formation of a permanent orchestra in the city. Several meetings have been held and the proposal form the outset has received enthusiastic support. Music has made strides during the past 10 years in Adelaide, and the general opinion is that the time is ripe for establishing a permanent orchestra in our midst. It is a gap of years since that memorable series of orchestral concerts was given in the Town Hall under the direction of Herr Heinicke. They were of an educational and at the same time popular character, and invariably drew crowded audiences. Requests have been made from time to time to Herr Heinicke to organise an orchestra of this kind again. Making enquiries among musicians, he received much encouragement to do so.

Enthusiastic Players.

A committee was appointed to go into the question and a report was considered on Monday night at a meeting, at which a large number of orchestral players were present. It was decided to ask the Attorney-General (Hon.H. Homburg), who is an enthusiast in musical matters, to accept the position of President; and Mr Homburg consented. The result of the meeting is that arrangements have been completed and Adelaide will shortly have a complete and thoroughly representative orchestra, which will be composed of the highest talent in the city. A strong committee was formed , consisting of the Hon H. Homburg, Mr F. Basse (as Vice-President), Herr Hienicke (Conductor), Mr H. Brewster-Jones (Secretary), Messrs. Alderman, E. Farrow, F Homburg and J. Wright. Rehearsals will be begun as soon as possible, and early in the new year the first concert will be given.

Generous Support Assured.

The committee has also been enquiring into the means employed for maintaining the permanent orchestra established in Melbourne under the conductorship of Professor Marshall-Hall. The public of Melbourne and musical enthusiasts in particular have made generous contributions towards a trust fund, the purpose of which is to assist the orchestra in carrying on its work. Trustees are appointed who hold the subscribed funds and apply the income towards furthering the purposes of the orchestra. The Adelaide committee has been encouraged by several patrons to adopt the same system here. Already generous support has been promised and the players too are heartily assisting with the proposal. The have agreed, irrespective of monetary consideration, to offer their time to rehearsals and performances in order to give the movement a good start and help to make it a pronounced success.

The President’s view

Interviewed on the subject on Friday, the Hon. H. Homburg said the movement had come from the orchestral players themselves, who were enthusiastic in their support. As a lover of music, he had been afforded pleasure in associating himself with the proposal. Orchestra; music was very popular in Australia as well as on other parts of the world, and in most of the large European cities permanent orchestras had been established.

The musicians of Adelaide saw no reason why the same thing should be done here. Judging by enquiries from many quarters, the proposal should meet with success, particularly since the services of such as efficient and popular conductor as Herr Heinicke had been secured. He looked to the hearty support of the public.

The Conductor

Herr Heinicke expressed to a reporter on Friday, his enthusiasm for, and confidence, in the scheme. He said it would indeed be a joy for him to have orchestralmusic in full swing again in Adelaide.

Adelaide’s Opportunity

Mr Brewster-Jones (the secretary) remarked:- “having been starved orchestrally sice my return from Europe three years ago, and the time being opportune for the establishment of an annual season of orchestral concerts by a permanent body, upon a scale which good music demands for its legitimate production, I am throwing myself into the movement with vigour. The best Adelaide instrumentalists have entered into the formation of a permanent orchestra, with splendid enthusiasm. They are determined that the scheme shall not fail for want of financial support, and they have guaranteed donations themselves. I have full confidence that the popularity of the concerts will be so great that the players will be well rewarded for their efforts. I am sure that Herr Heinicke’s Orchestra will become the coveted mark for all good South Australian instrumentalists, in the same way that Sir Henry Wood’s and the London Symphony Orchestras have become in London, and Marshall-Hall’s in Melbourne.

The Work Proposed

“Herr Heinicke has demonstrated in the past his ability to satisfy a mixed audience, for it will be well remembers how popular his concerts became both with the musical and the general public 12 years ago. While aiming for a higher state of proficiency in the performances and a better class of music generally than has hither to been given, there is no intention to make these concerts classical in the sense that unknown and uninteresting symphonies will be foisted upon the public because they have the signature of some great one. These will be reserved or at least the best of them, for the one symphony concert we propose to give each season. The bulk of the programme will be chosen from works which while being excellent music have become so popular that they can be heard in any English centre at least half a dozen times a year. These works the Adelaide public are anxious to hear and the opportunity will be afforded them. It is intended to engage two or more of the best public performers, vocal and instrumental each concert. This will give local performers more facilities for public appearance, and the public more opportunities to listen to its favourites. When you consider that as many as 20 concerts will be given during 1913, you can see what an undertaking the orchestra has set itself.

The Register November 23, 1912