THE WORLD OF MUSIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 260, 2 November 1929, Page 9 (Supplement)

THE WORLD OF MUSIC.

GOSSIP OF THE PLATFORM.

FBOM FAB AND JJEAB.

(By ORPHEUS.)

John McCormack is making a special Irish talkie picture. The music is being written by C. W. Cadman. Wagner letters, scores and documents, in large quantities and of inestimable value, have been discovered in a London safety deposit valut, says the '"'Etude." The Anglo-American Music Confer - ference met for the first time this year on August 6-9, at Lausanne, Switzerland, under the presidency of Sir Henry Hadow (England) and Mr. Walter Damrosch (U.S.A.). It represents a most important movement for a practical plan of co-operation between the artistic and musical educational interests of Great Britain and the United States.

"The rediscoverey of old composers goes on steadily/' says the "Musical Times." "From" a Scottish newspaper report of a musical service at a church near Berwick we learn that the programme included examples from the works of Descant. Faux, and Bourdon. We hope the choir will now turn its attention to those neglected masters Gymel, Organum and Diaphony. We tiiink, too/that the time is ripe for a performance of the best works of Hocket."

Mr. Hubert Carter and three of his leading pupils, Mrs. Olive Tarrant, of Wanganui, and Miss Mary Barnes and Mr. Harold Ackroyd, of Hawera, have been engaged by the New Piymoutii Choral Society for its performance ox "Merrie England" in November. Mrs. Tarrant and Miss Barnes have also been booked for the Napier Choral Society's production of "Tom Jones" on November 13.

A memorial to Cecil Sharp, who restored the folk songs and dances to common usage in England (says an American paper) is to take the form of a building in Regent's Park vicinity, to be the headquarters of the English Folk Dance Society. The corner-stone was laid on June 24. There will be an openair theatre, and the plant will become a natural centre for the traditional arts and accomplishments. Nearly fifty-eight years ago the grandest and best-loved Italian opera. "Aida," was first produced at the Teatro Kediviale, at Cairo. Verdi had been commissioned' to write a spectacular work to bring distinction on the repertoire of the theatre, which was then about two years old. The news has now come that this historic theatre is to be demolished and reconstructed, at a cost of 20,000,000 lira. "Will the veteran opera, 'Aida/ be chosen for the gala openingf asks "Music in Australia, "or will a contemporary writer be commissioned to create a new work?"

If certain schemes are successfully hatched out, the nest Bohemian Orchestra concert should be a memorable one. Some weeks ago several entertainments were given by the Professional Musicians' "Association, in order to provide funds for unemployed musicians, and Mr. Colin Muston was very largely instrumental in making these concerts successful. I hear now that some of the musicians, in gratitude to him, have offered their services for the forthcoming Bohemian concert. This means that the orchestra on this occasion will consist of 100 to 120 players all told, and the concert should on. that account prove an unusually good one.

The nest concert of the Eoyal Auckland Choir will take place on November 21„ when the soloists of the evening will be Miss Beryl Smith (contralto), Master Taverner (violinist), and Mr. Stan. Pritchard (baritone). The chief item to be sung by the choir is the "Chorus of Bishops and Priests," from Meyerbeer's "I/Africaine." This will be new to many who hear it, for it has been performed by the choir only once before, five or sis years ago. The remainder of the choral programme will be made up as follows: "Wno Sails with Drake," "Freely Blow. - ' "To the Stars," "The Retreat," "The Village Wedding," and "He Who Trusts in Ladies Fair."

The Academic Club ■will meet agaiu on Monday evening, November 4, in the lecture room of the Unity Hall. A good programme has been arranged. Mr. John Tait will give a lecture on a musical subject, and there, -win be other items, as follow: Piano solos-by Miss Lilian Quinn and Miss L Blewden; violin solo by Miss D. Eiglam; songs by Miss L. Phillips; and a dramatic recital hj Miss Hilda Morse. The programme for November 21 will include numbers'by the club orchestra and the choir, and. a feature of the evening will' be the playing by Mrs. A. Morris of the Chopin Concerto in E Minor, with orchestral accompaniment. The complete programme will be announced later.

There has been a bunch of festivals in England during the last few months, the most important of the recent ones having been the Haslemere Festival and the Canterbury Festival. The former gatherincr owes its existence to Arnold Dolmetsch, whose devotion and sacrifice have led to the growth of a much bigger and more important organisation than he ever dreamed, of. The Canterbury Festival this year was a very big affair, and the performances were of a much higher standard than ever before. Gustav Holst's "Planets/"' Delius' Rhapsody for Orchestra on the Old English folk tune "Brigg Fair," and several excerpts from '■"The Mastersingers" were performed in the nave of Canterbury Cathedral. Other recent English festivals have been the Three Choirs' Festival and the Triennial ; Festivals of Leeds and Norwich.