SINGERS AND PLAYERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 28, 1 February 1913, Page 14

SINGERS AND PLAYERS.

A Home band journal aa-ys:—lt would be a grand thing if all who study harmony based -heir afcudies on .the compositions of John Sebastian Bach, who wrote the last word in harmony over two (hundred yearns ago, amd yet in the ordinary sense of the word did not write harmony ait all—only counterpoint. But counterpoint includes harmony, while one may know a great deal of harmony and next to nothing of coui-terpoinit. There is nothing in Wagner that is no* in Bach. The difference is only the different way in which each man uses his materials. Wagner dwells on a discord for twenty beats, wlhere Baoh dwells on the same combination for one beat- Ever since Bach wrote his celebrated "Fortyeight Preludes and Fugues, in all Keys" the work has been looked upon as the musicE-n's Bible. It w_6 this work that Beethoven's drunken father dtrove the boy to practise every day with many beatings, until the iron entered the soul of ithe boy and he grew morose and discontented. But such became his proficiency in counterpoint, that he could add counterpoint extempore to any melody and play with it at the pianoforte, so ■hhait he could entrance all who heard him for a full ten minuites with a melody of sixteen baas. This readiness can come only from one thoroughly steeped in oountorpoint. Melba, as mentioned last week, is to receive £40,000 for her autumn tour in America and Canada. One reason advanced for the payment of such enormous salaries is the large receipts of American houses compared with those of Europe. The Paris Opera averages about £650, out of which it is, of course, impossible to pay a tenor £400, whereas ithe Manhattan, or Metropolitan easily makes from £2,000 to £2,400 a night. Mme. Sarah Bernh-urdt was the first French star to go to America under the management of M. Maurice Grau, who paid her £200 a night, with all expenses, including special trains. Tbe illustrious tragedienne made nearly £30,000, and next time she was her own manager, and paid Coquelin £120 a night to play Flambeau. Mmc- Re jane followed with £80 a day, end Mme. Jeanne Granier asked for and received a good deal more, which entitled her to demand and obtain an engagement in Paris on her return of , £32 a night for 100 nights. At the Coleridge-Taylor memorial concert, given recently at the Albert Hall, London, the audience completely packed the auditorriu_n, from the floor to the topmost drier of the gallery. A enoruand orchestra of 1,250 assisted, and among the soloists were Mme. Ada Crossley and Mass Esta d'Argo, and Messrs Robert Radford and Ben Da-vies. "Lancelot," of the "London Referee," says, that there was extraordinary evidence of the popularity of the departed composer's music, that it received a demons-ration of popular esteem which a king might have envied, and that as he looked at the wonderful audience as-embled he could not help thinking that something was rotten in the State of Demm-urk, when the widow and orphans of a man whose music should albtnaot such a multitude of people should be left in straitened circumsrt-inces. But mow that he has left us we shall became more famiiiiar with his music, fojr "death is the greatest of _idVer_isers. <, ' Mt A. Perceval Grave 3, the author oi "Father O'Flynin," while lecturing ait the ! University College of North Wales on "Songs of Old Ireland," told how the song : oame to be written. Mr Graves said -hat his name was already too much identified with "Father O'Flynn." While a clerk at the Home Office he happened to be flkrolliing across one of the London parks, when th« words of the song came into his head- He wrote them out and sent -them to the "Spectator," where <fchey were published. Ten years afterwards they were set to, music, and Sir Charles Sanlbley made -he song the success it became. "I have been worried by the song ever since," added Mr Graves, "and I believe they called mc Father O'Flynn, as though I knew nothing else but 'Father O'Flynn.' "

Arnold Schonberg appears to be the most severely modern of the postimpressionist school of music. His latest work, designed as an accompaniment to the recitation—or declamation —of some fantastical poems, entitled, "The Songs of Pierrot Lunaire," appears to have set the Berlin critics by the ears. While an actress recited the •poems, a musical ("or, rather, unmusical") ensemble, consisting of a piano, violin, viola, 'cello, piccolo, and clarionet, stationed behind a back screen, "discoursed the most ear-splitting combination of tones that ever desecrated the walls of a Berlin music-hall." Schonberg in this music has, it seems, thrown overboard all the sheet-anchors of the art of music. Melody he eschews in every form; tonality he knows not, and such a word as harmony is not in his vocabulary. He purposely and habitually taikes false basses, and the screeching of the fiddle, piccolo, and clarionet baffle description. One critic prayed that, if this were "the music of the future," he might not live to hear any more of it. Progress, what crimes are committed in thy name! A leading novelty at the Milan Scala this season will be Robert Schumann's Scenes from Goethe's "Faust," to be produced on the stage for the first time. The Schumann score is by no means unknown in England, having been published by a London firm more than forty years ago, and frequently heard since at concerts in London and the great provincial musical festivals. Arnold Schonberg appears to be the moat severely modern of the post-im-pressionHt school of imusic. TTi« latest work, designed as an accompairiment to the recitation —or declamation—of some fantastical poems, entitled, "The Songs of Pierrot I__n_ire," appears to have set the Berlin critics by the ears. While an actress recited the poems, a musical ("or rather immusical") ensemble, consisting of a piano, violin, viola, 'cello, piccolo, and clarinet, stationed behind a back screen, "discoursed the most earsplitting eombi—aitions of tones that ever desecrated the .walls of a Berlin music halL" Schonberg, in this music, has, it seems, thrown overboard all the sheet anchors of the art of music. Melody he eschews in every form; tonality he krro-virs not, and such a word as harmony is not in his vocabulary, ne purposely and habitually takes false basses, and the screeching of the fiddle, piccolo, and clarinet baffled description. One critic prayed that, if this were "the nmsic of the future," he might not live to hear any more of it. Progress, what crimes are committed in thy name! Why, asks "Musical Opinion," do people with impediments in their speech or any other peculiarity of utterance sing serious songs? I found myself asking the question recently when a gentleman who was unable to manage the letter R essayed to sing "The Three Fishers." All went well until the end of the second verse, and -then the poignant tragedy of the poem changed to farce when he heard: "The nightwack came wolliug up wagged and bwown."