THOSE OTHER DAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 305, 26 December 1928, Page 11

THOSE OTHER DAYS.

WAS MUSIC BETTER THEN?

DECAY OF CHURCH CHOIRS

THE MUSICAL CLUB

Mr. A. H. Norman, who for half a century has been devoted to music and musical life in Australia and New Zea-

land (mostly in Australia), is revisiting the Dominion, says the "Wellington Post." He was last here 20 years ago, and he finds, as he quite expected to find, many changes—old familiar faces

gone, new and unknown fates everywhere. And yet Mr. Norman has a deep affection for his own New Zealand, and in particular for Duiredin, where his musical career began, full of hope, full of promise, as a solo violinist. Now he has reached the late afternoon of a musical life, and in looking forward he some-

times turns his head to look over his shoulder at the past. And those other days were the days, the snows of yesteryear. In conversing with a representative of "The Post," Mr. Norman (who was staying with Lieut.-Colonel Corrigan, his brother-in-law), turned over some leaves of his illustrated book of memories. "Take church choirs,"' he said. "They have gone down musically; they arc HDt what they were. That is my experience in Sydney." "Catholic Church choirs?" he was asked.

"I make no exceptions." he replied. "I don't know where the material has gone to. I suppose-—speaking of Sydney —week-ending, surfing and • Saturday night jazzing accounts for the sad falling off of many young people from which church choirs used to be recruited. But there it is. Complaints come from nearly all the churches (and they are justified) of the poverty of choral singing to-day compared with what it was."

"What, if any, are the effects of radio?"

"Decidedly against good music. It would be ridiculous for me to say the music as performed in the radio studios is not good. Of course it is-or ought to be; but it cannot reach the ear through a medium so well as direct and in a concert chamber. This stands to reason. The same applies to the gramophone. Both these mediums of transmission, no matter how well the music may be rendered in the first instance, are unsatisfactory as compared with j direct hearing.

"Well, the wireless and gramophone may—as is claimed—have stimulated a caste for better music; but when the best music is offered by the best and the most accomplished artists, the public in Australia—and, I'm told, in New Zealand also—shows its appreciation by its absence from the concerts and recitals. At a Low Ebb. "With what result? Musical appreciation is at a low ebb, visits of great artists are becoming fewer and fewer; and one is compelled to feed on memories of 30 years ago. "Do you remember Johnny Wallace? Of course, you wouldn't."

"Well, his name is not unfamiliar." "His nanjj|! .. Why. he is. living at Mosman to-day. He's 87, but as active as ever. With Emily Soldene —a name to conjure with in New Zealand over 30 years ago—Johnny Wallace was a tremendously popular comedian. He was the first to introduce stage business and movement in the chorus in comic opera. With Nellie Stewart he played in 'The | Belle of New York' for Musgrove at the

Shaftesbury in London. Well, Johnny as I said, is at Mosman, and there he has produced for the Mosman Musical Society, of which Alfred Hill is a member, and I have the honour to be conductor —an honorary and honourable position, too. Johnny, who will still be affectionately remembered by old play-

goers in New Zealand, was not long ago leaving the ferry boat at Circular quay. He was in a hurry and stepped into the

harbour instead of on the gangway. They fished him out unhurt, firmly grasping his twopence for the ferry turnstile. The ruling Scot's passion for the bawbees.

"Johnny Wallace was the 'original chief of police in 'Genevieve de Brabant' on its first production in London. He popularised 'We run 'em in!' Bless me, you sometimes hear that air hummed even now. Then Johnny was the original 'Elusive Bambini' in 'Le Tambour Major.' Theatre Music. "But we hear very few real comic operas now, and very few good theatre orchestras if you except Williamson's fine musical comedy orchestra under McC'unn. So you see if people want comic Opera they must provide it' for themselves. That is what we do at the Mosman Musical Society. 'Katinka' was our last performance.'' Continuing, he said the operas performed by the Mosman Musical Society included "Maritana," "Martha," "Lily of Killarney," "Les Cloches de Corneville," "Fra Diavolo," "Boccaccio," "Girofle Girofla," "Tambour Major," "Paul Jones," "Grand Duchess." "Monsieur Beaucaire," "Chocolate Soldier," and, of course, Gilbert and Sullivan operas. People, he said, still found tuneful works like "Maritana." "Madame Angot," "The Lily of Killarney" attractive ind "rolled up" to their performance. A Fruiterer Entrepreneur. Mr. Norman, in recalling musical memories of Dun«.-din and the days when the public of New Zealand demanded the best in music—and got ii.—referred to Dunning's Opera Company. "Dunning was a fruiterer in Dunedin, with a soul above his shop. He got together an excellent operatic company and went through New Zealand, making money. I He favoured comic operas, and they were i exceedingly well done and were very ' popular. Among them were 'Les Manteaux Noirs,' 'Manola' and 'Boccaccio.' But poor chap," Mr. Norman continued, "Dunning took his company to Australia. He put on excellent productions looked at it from every point of view— singing, acting, orchestra, costumes, scenery —but he lost there what he had made in New Zealand. But he was a brave man and sincere in his love of art." A Promising Movement. There was a new and promising movement in operation in Australia—a movement that might be successful in New Zealand. It was the Musical Club. This organisation was designed to give good music and at the same time provide opportunities for the genuine local artist. The president is Mr. Alfred Hill. Concerts are given monthly in the suburban centres by the very best talent available.