THE WORLD OF MUSIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 123, 26 May 1928, Page 8 (Supplement)

THE WORLD OF MUSIC.

GOSSIP "F THE PLATFORM. infl* 1 FAR AND wear. COMING EVENTS, ®l~Hoyal Male Choir (First Concert). jofl6 *.8 Bohemian Orchestra (.Second Concert). Haydn's "Creation" is to be given by the Christchureh Harmonic Society in tho first week in August. The Palmerston Choral Society's performance of "The Rpbel Maid" has been postponed to Juno 28. It is pood news indeed that Sir Benjamin Fuller, pleased with the support accorded liis grand opera company in Australia, is contemplating the establishment of a permanent company to continually tour Australia and New Zealand. Let us all fervently hope that his aspiration will bo realised. Morn than ordinary interest is being taken bv musical circlcs in the Royal Wellington Choral Union's performance of "Klijuh" next Saturday, as this will bo tho first concert under its new conductor, Mr. John Bishop. A prominent Auckland musician who was present at one of the rehearsals recently was very much impressed with Mr. Bishop's ability. Professor Ran ford Terry lias completed a biography of Bach, which will bo published shortly by tho Oxford UnivcrHity Press. Illustrations will be an important feature! they will number over seventy, and will consist largely of reproductions of photographs of Bach localities taken by the author himself. Perhaps the most novel of proposed memorials to Schubert (says an Ameriran paper) is that contemplated in Vienna, a "Schubert Road" to connect two resorts outside the city, "Himmel" and "Kahlenberg." The road would wind through tho woods and fields in which much of tho composer's work was conceived. Western music appears to be gaining ground in Japan (remarks an American writer). Tokyo has two symphony orchestras and several choral societies. During the current season two Japanese singers achieved considerable success. They were Yoshio Fujiwara. tenor, and Tosiiiko Sekiya, soprano. On the productive side, Koschak Yamada has orchestrated various Japanese airs. The principal works to be given at the Bohemian Orchestra's second concert at tlio end of next month will be Elgar's "Enigma Variations," which will be the first performance in New Zealand; "Malajuena" (Spanish Dance), by Moskowski; "Dance of the Hours" (Ponchielli); "Welsh Rhapsody" (German); "Valso Triste." In addition to the above numbers items will bo given by the children's violin choir, which, it will be remembered, was a very popular feature of tho final concert of 1927.

Among Schubert centenary observances (says the "Christian Science Monitor") may be listed the publication by Appleton of a paper-covered volume entitled "Franz Schubert at Home," which contains a brief account of the composer's career, with some of his piano works, and piano arrangements of other compositions, including some of the most familiar songs, the "Unfinished" Symphony and the Andante of the C major Symphony. These are linked by paragraphs of historical and critical comment. This is the first volume of a proposed "Master-Composer Series."

Tho modern musical hall tunes have ono great and common merit. They leave nothing behind; they make no impression, says an English writer. For all the recent progress of publicity nnd of the enterprise of some Sunday publications, not one modern song has had the vorrue of "Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay," or ot' "After the Ball is Over." Modern tunes come (chiefly from America) uninvited; they (possibly back to America) unlamented. Music hall patrons, large-hearted and unsophisticated, applaud everything and everybody, but remember only that which possesses real merit. They do not store up debased coin.

The programme for the Auckland I Municipal Rand concert on May 30 will include, in addition to the Leonora overture and the Valkyrie selections mentioned last week, tlie following items: "Sylvesterlied" and "Traumerie" (Schumann); "Les Millions d'Arlequin" (Drigo); overture, "Jubilant" (Galuska), and a musical impression, "Treasure Island "(Fnrman). Miss Beryl Smith will sing "Will o' the Wisp" (Spross), and Mr. James Simpson "I Heard You Singing" (Eric Contes). The two vocalists will also sing duets, "O Lovely Xiglit," (Laridon Ronald) and "Island of tlie Purple Sea"' (Oeehl).

By li«t Binsring in "Elijah" last week Miss Alma Mcflruer conclusively proved tliat sho has "arrived," and henceforth sho must lio, considered to bo one of tlic foremost (1 ramatic sopranos in tlio Dominion. The pleasing way in which this youn" soprano attacks her notes fairly nnd squarely in Hie middle, together with her purity of lone and diet ion, is a shilling example to oilier local singers, who aro often far too prone to sin;.' off pitch, wobble, Scoop, arid exuberate vowel Bounds and consonants. .Apart from her dramatie capabilities, Miss McGruer sings a ballad with a sweetness and freshness which very few manage to achieve, and her items over the air would bo worth waiting for even if we were compelled (as mercifully we are not) to sit through a whole evening of banjo and steel guitar solos first. And that is saying something. Tho writer has had something to say on several occasions about the question of singing in foreign language. The following remarks are from the pen of the American critic, Winthrop Tryon, after lie had heard Cfialiapin sing in "Hons (Jodounoff":—"What charmed me beyond anything else was Chaliapin's voice in his own language; his precise and ciihv enunciation, his impressive yet unforced sirens of ryllables to which the proso - gives prominence, his brilliant yet. ili<criM!t colouring of vowels that carry chief significance in noun or verb. Though I had heard Chaliapin sing an aria from 'Don Giovanni' in what Beemed o mo like first-rate Italian, had known lnai o ° lntr ' r P I '°t "Leporello's 'Madam - not e 'I'icsto' in what I could ttov CTtheU.« t / rom a "thiont.ic Tuscan, Mbr to Hi. « myself, when lisn«n»ai* ° Boris, on raat of understanding question of -rs np - rmp drtma