HomeSharing Audio Freezing/Locking up iTunes

I have had trouble with Home Sharing ever since updating to iTunes version 12.7.3.46. And I'm hoping someone might be able to provide some insight as to what I could do to correct this with the current iTunes program.

This setup is at my work, where i use 03 AirPort Expresses / Airplay to stream the music to speakers around the workplace.

My music files are on a local hardwired server, which is a:

Mac Mini Server (mid 2010) intel Core2Duo 2.66Ghz, 8GB memory running Sierra 10.12.6 - iTunes on Server is 12.7.2.60. The version of iTunes on the server has been updated several times with no issue.

I’m attempting to access those files from a:

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2012) 2.9Ghz Core i7 with 16 GB 1600Mhz DDR3 running a just installed High Sierra 10.13.1

However, this problem has existed for several years now (back since Yosemite).

What happens is this - on the MacBook Pro I select the Home Shared library (which is large so takes a few minutes to load up). I will select a song and it will play through. HOWEVER, when the next track starts it will invariably freeze at about 3 seconds, and the "Beach Ball" shows up. After 30 seconds or so iTunes will either crash or will go back to the local library on the laptop. Selecting the Home Shared Library on the server will cause it to reload again, and will do the same thing over and over.

It might be of use to note that if when running the latest iTunes on the MacBook Pro and I don’t Home Share the library from the Server, but merely select it as a Shared Library, I don’t have the freezing/ lock up trouble that seems to persist when using Home Sharing the same library with the latest iTunes.

So my question is this - would anyone have some idea as to what is causing the lock up on the MacBook Pro with any version of iTunes past 12.0.1? Any way to remedy it?

Basically I just want iTunes to work as it did, where it plays music so I can get on with the business of doing other business on the computer, and not have the **** thing flake out on me.

Thanks very much for any insight, suggestions, or knowing nods of frustration you may send my way.

Respectfully submitted.