WORLD OF MUSIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 217, 13 September 1930, Page 8 (Supplement)

WORLD OF MUSIC.

GOSSIP OF THE STUDIOS.

FROM FAR AND NEAR.

(By ORPHEUS.)

COMING CONCERTS.

September 25.—Bohemian Orchestra, October 9. —Auckland Choral Society. November 13. —Koyal Auckland Choir,

- During the past year no less than 300 gramophones, 104 pianos, and many hundreds of records were supplied to the State schools in New Zealand, and there are about 2600 schools.

A caustic comment by Ernest Newman:—"The waltz in its heyday was written by people of breeding for people of breeding; whereas jazz was mostlywritten by people of little breeding for people of less." .

Although earlier reports stated that the loss of "Music Week" in Wellington would be fairly heavy, it now seems that accounts have just about balanced. However, the next "week" will not be held for two years. Perhaps, after the successful slaving Auckland lias made, Wellington may be encouraged to try again next year.

Mr. Barry" Coney, who has just returned from Wellington, where he was adjudicator for the vocal section of the Wellington competitions, was very much impressed with both the quality of the voices and the high standards of interpretation generally in-all classes. In the soprano and contralto, sections there was , a good level standard*. Also there were one or two very fine tenors and several excel]ent v baritorieß and basses. The competitions were a financial success.

Lovers of good music who possess radio sets had the opportunity of receiving some very fine programmes from Sydney during the Music Week held there recently. One of the most enjoyable items was the Schubert string quintet in G major (Opus 163), played by Gerald Walenn, Lloyd Da'vies, Alfred Hill, Gladstone Bell and Rosamond Corn ford ('cello), played at the Conservatorium of Music. This came over beautifully.

Quite a number of the secondary schools in the Dominion have their orchestras. From the "Christ's College Register," the school magazine, we learn that "the work of the orchestra has been greatly helped by a grant from the Rhodes Trust Fund, with which "a 'cello and two clarionets have been bought.

\ . . At the present time, when mechanical music of all kinds is-trying to usurp the place of individual music-making, it is encouraging to find that we can gather together an orchestra of some twenty members.".

How often does one nowadays hear the words of a song, as sung by the average singer, either from the concert platform or "over the air"? The trouble is that too often diction is sacrificed in the endeavour to get a good tone. Some songs have words worth listening to, and it ie rather exasperating to hear the singer emitting indistinguishable sounds in place of .the words.. Faulty production is the root of the evil.

From the recently-issued report of the Minister of Education we notice that "during the year there has been a very real, if somewhat slow, progress towards better conditions in music in New Zealand schools,".and that, "it is anticipated, however, that progress in this direction will.be'accelerated when the students at ! present receiving musical education in the training colleges under the lecturers in ' music - pass into our schools as teachers." The report goes on to say that "in general, the quality of actual singing performances is improving in our schools," which is good news.

Rehearsals for the past "Music Week" cut into the time allowed for the practices for its next concert, consequently the Bohemian Orchestra has been obliged to make a considerable alteration in the programme, which will now bo as follows: "Cleopatra," march (Mancinelli), "Anacreo'n" overture (Cherubini), "Irish Rhapsody" (Victor Herbert), Haydn's famous "Clock Symphony," "Rienzi" overture (Wagner), Alfred Hill's "Waiata Poi," "Shepherd's Hey" (Percy Grainger), and the "Naila" waltz (Delibes). Miss Joan Laird (soprano) will assist and the boy prodigy, little Harold Taberner, will give violin solos. ' ,

A correspondent aske what qualification must a female singer possess to entitle her to the use of the appellation of "madam." This is,a hard, question to answer. The use of this appellation is becoming as common as that of "professor/, which ie applied to a teacher at a seat of learning, as well as to an instructor of dancing or gymnastics. According to the dictionary "madam is "a courteous form of address given to a lady, especially an elderly lady." In the face of this it aeeme safe to suggest that the appellation should be given to lady vocalists over the age of the writer (say 60), and then they shouldn't be singing at all. We'll leave it at that.

The following paragraph, taken from Hie -"Christian, Science Monitor," will be of particular interest to organists, as well as to others:—"Not the least Glorious achievement in the recently restored St. Paul's is it organ, which has been entirely rebuilt, and is electrically driven The musicians who were present''at the thanksgiving service there all apparently came away deeply impressed by the organ's performance. Indeed, it is,declared. 4>y them to be one of the best musical instruments in the world, capable of combining rare beauty of tone with imexampled power of sound. The largest additions to this organ are a 32ft bass pipe in the dome section of the pedal'organ, Bft pipes fashioned to the scale of the French cavalry trumpet, and a group .of tubas secreted in the north-east quarter gallery of the dome. The power of the organ is so great that it completely drowns the sound of all the bells in the tower. But it is at the same time of so soothing a quality that inside the cathedral one is hardly aware of .the tremendous volume of its sound." NEW MUSIC. ••

We have received the following new songs for review from Messrs. D. Davis and. Company, Limited, Sydney:—"Just Like in a Story Book," 'Titi in the Market for You," are two taking foxtrots; "Eleanor" has a lilting waltz refrain, while "High Society Blues" is a slow fox-trot. These four are from the musical movietone "High Society Blues," recently heard here; aleo two foxtrots from the Vitaphone picture "Spring Is Here," these heiug "Cryin" for the Carolines" and "Have a Little Faith in Me," the first of these being perhaps the Lest i of the eix.