WORLD OF MUSIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 199, 23 August 1930, Page 9 (Supplement)

WORLD OF MUSIC.

GOSSIP OF THE STUDIOS.

FROM FAB- AND NEAR,

(By ORPHEUS.)

Tlie rehearsals for Music Week have upset the regular practices of the principal musical societies. We are not to hear Florence Austral over here after all. The Australian soprano will go to South Africa instead. The Bohemian Orclicstra will start next week rehearsing its programme for the third concert, which will be held on either Stepember 18 or 25. The Auckland Choral Society will resume rehearsals for its third concert of the season. This will be given on October 9. Operatic choruses will predominate on the programme. Advices from Wellington state that a loss has been made on "Music Week" of over £400. The wet weather experienced has been held responsible to a large extent, for this. The late Mr. John Prouse was a model for young singers to listen to. Every syllable was clearly articulated, and there was never any doubt in the lis-1 tener's mind as to what language the song was being sung in. Miss Doris Grant Cowen, a young Auckland pianist, will give a recital at the Lewis Eady Hall on September 4. Miss Cowen, who is the daughter of Canon Grant Cowen, has recently returned from London, where,' for the

Miss Doris Grant Cowen, L.A.B.

last twelve months slie lias been studying at the Royal Academy of Music, under Mr. Felix Swinstead. Included in the programme will be the Bach "A Minor" Prelude and Fugue, and Beethoven's "Appassionata" Sonata. Miss Mina -Caldow will be the assisting vocalist. Now that "Music Week," which was inaugurated to combat the all-pervading influence of mechanical music, is drawing to a close, it is interesting to note that the discussions of the first International Congress of World Music and Glioral Societies recently held.in Vienna were devoted mainly to the problem of the mechanisation of music and musical life, through the tonefilm, gramophone, radiocasting, etc. In the 26 years of its existence the Royal Wellington Choral Union has given 135 concerts, and 45 works —cantatas, oratorios and opera, —have been performed'. The expenditure for that period has been the large amount of £27,000. The following figures give some idea of what it costs to run a choral society:—Soloists' fees, £0000; orchestra, £2500; printing and advertising, £2700; rent of Town Hall and practice room, £3000; purchase of music, £2000; conductor's fees, £2800. Already in these columns we have advocated "musical reciprocity" between the Christcliurch, Wellington and Auckland Choral Societies, and have suggested that these societies could, at least,, exchange conductors for the annual "Messiah" concerts. Such a course would give a decided fillip to public interest in musical matter's. The Royal Wellington Choral Union has for some years past,- helped the choral societies in' several of the smaller centres and, in return, the Wellington Society has had the aid of a number of choristers from these towns in its performances of the great and better known oratorios, such as "Messiah," "Elijah," "Creation," etc. Whilst Aucklanders have for many years past been able to hear good orchestral concerts at regular intervals, thanks principally to the old Auckland Orchestral Society and, more latterly, to the Bohemian Orchestra, music-lovers in Wellington have not been so fortunately situated. However, the last two years has changed all that, so far as Wellington is concerned, for in that space of time two very fine orchestras have been formed there, one under the conductorship of Mr. Leon de Manny and the other under Mr. John Bishop, who came out to take over as conductor of the Royal Wellington Choral Union. These •two orchestras put on works of a very high standard, much higher, it must be confessed with regret, than obtains here, where audiences evidently demand lighter fare.

It seems a great pity that, whilst the question of taxation on amusements was being debated in the House, no concerted effort was made by the combined musical societies of the Dominion to have the tax removed, so far as the receipts from tlieir concerts were concerned. In other countries music, and the arts generally, are encouraged and aided' by direct subsidies. Here, on the other hand, they are taxed Choral and orchestral societies, as well as other similar cultural organisations, are not run for private gain, and the least a Government can do is to exempt them from taxation. It is true that, where there arc no paid performers, exemption is granted, but, as everybody is aware, no really first-class musical organisation could do without the expert professional assistance of the conductor and leaders of the various sections of the, modern orchestra. At a time when "Music Weeks" are being organised to encourage individual, as well as combined "performance," as opposed to "listening," and whilst those very same societies that are doing their utmost to foster "flesh and blood" music' are struggling for their very existence, it seems the irony of fate that further taxation is to be imposed upon their meagre receipts. It would seem that governments, like corporations, have no soul-

Resolutions were passed summoning the legislative assemblies of all States to adopt measures for checking the disastrous rate &t which, the mecluvniscition of music is proceeding, and to introduce legislation for the protection of intellectual property, particularly by the extension of copyright to 50 years after the author's or composer's passing. A well-known Auckland musician has made the suggestion that musical festivals should be held once a year in the four largest cities of the Dominion, in rotation. This is an excellent idea and we hope that it will be followed up. Similar festivals are a feature of musical life in the Old Country, and do much to sustain public interest in the higher forms of musica.l expression. How often can one follow the words of a song, as sung by the majority of our local singers, both from the concert platform and over the air? Diction is too often sacrificed in the endeavour to produce a good "tone"; and even the endeavour is sometimes in vain. There is now available an apparatus whereby anybody can have recorded his, or her, singing or speaking voice. It'would be a blessing to the community at large if these "artists" could be compelled to record their songs and then be made to listen to their own voices "scooping" off pitch, and generally mutilating the words of some inoffensive littlfe song.