THE WORLD OF MUSIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 225, 23 September 1933, Page 7 (Supplement)

THE WORLD OF MUSIC.

DIAPASONS AND ECHOES.

PROM FAR AND NEAR.

(By ORPHEUS.)

COMING CONCERTS. LEWIS EADY HALL.

September 2."—Bunty Stewart Recital. October *I—Helene Dykes Itecital.

Mr. Raymond Lambert, the pianist who toured the Dominion with Mr.-John Brownlee, is a member of the "Pro Arte Trio" heard frequently from 3LO, Melbourne. The other two members of the combination are Edouard Lambert (violinist) and Elford Mack ('cellist).

Sir Hamilton Harty, the famous Irish conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra and Halle Orchestra, whose intended visit to Australia next year was announced by cable last week, will remain there for three months, during which time it is intended that he will conduct twelve concerts.

The performance of the Beethoven Piano Concerto in C minor from IYA last week by Mr. Paul Vinogradofi", with a string quintet and second piano providing the orchestral portion of the work, was a great success, this latter feature being very satisfactory. It is to be hoped that other concertos will be given later in a similar manner.

There will be an interesting innovation at the Auckland Chamber Music Society's fourth concert on November 13. Besides a 'cello sonata and a trio, there will be several numbers played by Mr. Harold Baxter's chamber orchestra. These will include Grieg's "Lyric Suite," dances from Borodin's "Prince Igor," "Air and Dance" (Dclius) and "Japanese Suite," by Gustav Hoist.

There is every probability that the next annual conference of tho Music Teachers' Association will be held in Auckland, possibly late in January. At tho last meeting, which was held in Dunedin, the visiting delegates were treated to a feast Q>f music, and it is to be hoped that the Auckland musicians will rise to the occasion and return the compliment in a suitable manner.

Miss Bunty Stuart, an artist who hails from overseas, and who is tho possessor of a rich contralto voice, is to give a recital in the Lewis Eady Hall on Monday, September 23, at 8 p.m. Miss Stuart will give a very interesting selection of items, including classical, operatic, oratorio and folk song numbel's. The assisting artists will be Miss Catherine Wallace, L.A.8., L .It. A.M., who studied in Vienna and lias won gold medals for her piano work, and also Mr. Vincent Aspey, tho well-known violinist.

How many people who have listened to Schubert's beautiful compositions are aware that this inspired musician was not at all satisfied with the extent of his knowledge as a composcr, and that shortly before his death he determined to take lessons from Sechter in counterpoint and fugue? Scehtcr was the greatest authority in Vienna on the subject. and to that city Schubert trudged on foot to see Scchter and arrange the lessons. Sechter actually gave Schubert one lesson. Those budding composers who imagine that all there is to it is simply to think out a pretty tune might well ponder over Schubert's decision.

We have received for review the September number of "Music in New Zealand." There arc the usual notes on musical doincrs in various parts of the Dominion, and also several interesting articles, these being:—"Competitions," by T. Vernon Griffiths; "Musical Examinations —A Few of the Advantages," by Anderson Tyrer, F.R.C.M.; "Piano v. Organ," by L. D. Austin. Mr. Austin contends, in his article, that the oldfashioned idea that playing the organ spoilt tho player's touch for piano playing, was quite wrong. He says: "Even the finest pianist has something to lenrii from organ playing, and, conversely, to bccome a first-rate organist it is iirst necessary to be a good pianist. No one can play the organ really well without a thorough grounding in pianoforte technique." Again, "Ixobert Schumann once wrote: 'Nothing lielps to cure a young pianist of slovenly habits so much as regular practice on the organ —which has no sustaining pedal to covcr up a multitude of sins!'"

The lecture given from IYA last week by Mr. Karl Atkinson upon "The Jew in Music" was most interesting, and an excellent example of how such a lecturerecital should "be presented. The information given about the various composers mentioned in tho course of tho recital was erudite, whilst the musical examples were well chosen. The evening before the writer had listened for a while to a lecture recital given from a B station which was an excellent example of how it should not be done. The lecturer had taken a well-known Italian opera for his subject. That is to say, the opera was well known to everybody except, apparently, the lecturer, judging by the order in which the records were played. Tho first record was one of an intermezzo, which comes, as may be imagined, in the middle of the work. Then came a tenor solo, sung just before the tragic finale, after which the second side of a record, giving the orchestral introduction to the opera, was played, and then the disc was turned over and listeners heard the side which should have been put on at the start of the recital. That finished the opera for one listener at least. The lecturer, it might be mentioned, had some trouble with the pronunciation of the Italian names in the course of his lecture. "Where ignorance is bliss," etc.

To get information about the country in which we live, it is sometimes necessary to sect: abroad for it. 1 bus it is rather pleasing to find, from the "Musical Times" of April last, that this little country of ours leads the world so far as the matter of the musical side of broadcasting is concerned. In an article entitled "The Musical Profession and the 8.8.C.," Dr. Harvey Grace says: "What is bting done on a small scale in New Zealand might surely be done in more comprehensive way in this country." Dr. Grace bases his comments upon information supplied to him by a Mr. W. If. Dixon, whom he describes as "a prominent New Zealand musician who was for ten years well known in East Anglia as conductor of the Ipswich Choral Society." It seems that this Mr. Dixon is "now closely connected with broadcasting in New Zealand." and "I obtained from him some particulars as to the way in which the broadcasting authorities thero co-operate with local organisations." It would also seem from the particulars quoted that Mr. W. H. 'Dixoii is somewhat out of touch with broadcasting in New Zealand, for the information supplied by liim to Dr. Grace describes the scheme which was abandoned over a year ago "Sic transit gloria Novae Zealandiae."

Dr. T. de Clive. Lowe and Mr. Leo Whittaker will be the recitalists at the fortnightly meeting of the Auckland Piano Students' Association on Monday evening. Included in their recital will be Cesar Franck's sonata for 'cello and piano.

The soloists for the Municipal Band's concert to be given in the Town Hall to-night will be Mrs. Hal. McLennan, soprano, who will sing two numbers, with a flute obligato, these being "The Swallow" (Del Aqua) and Benedict's "The Gipsy and the Bird." The other soloist will be Mr. Tom Moffit, tenor. The band will include in its numbers selections from Auber's "Fra Diavolo" and Wagner's operas, and dances from German's "Henry VIII. Suite."

In a letter in the September number of "Music in New Zealand," Mr. Ernest Jenner replies to a criticism made in a previous issue by Mr. L. D. Austin about Mr. Jenner's article in that paper on "The Fetish of Memorising." Mr. Jenner says, inter alia, in defence of his contentions, that "the repetition of stock programmes by touring virtuosi is certainly sufficient evidence of what audiences have to suffer because of this convention of memorised programmes. The musical public would welcome programmes of lesser-known great works, even thouh these were played from the score." Mr. Jenner summarises his ideas about memorising thus: "If you possess natural music-memory, use it by all means;' if you don't, and yet feel that you have interpretative gifts, use these. Do riot bury your one valuable talent because you do not possess two, and most certainly do not bury it because of. discouraging remarks. Tho gifts of 'musical understanding and imparting,' together with hard work and sincerity, are sufficient to enable their possessor to defy any petty convention."

A fortnight ago there were quoted in these columns the opinions o£ several well-known English musicians, regarding liow radio was affecting music. The following cxtract from a letter received recently by Mr. Walter Impctt from Mr. Haydn Wood, the noted English composer, expresses another interesting opinion on this debatable question: "Trade is better in this country, though I cannot-say that the sale of sheet music has shown any signs of improvement. lam suro the wireless is responsible for this, as people generally are ceasing to make music for themselves. I have a theory (I don't know whether I am alone in it) that a. few generations hence it will be almost a novelty to crcato music for oneself. The charm of doing this will be rediscovered, and it will probably becomc a fashion to have musical parties once more. Even if home-made music is not up to the standard of tho mechanised variety, thero is a peculiar fascination in endeavouring to entertain one another by individual efforts. The younger generation of to-day seem quite unaware of this, but let's hope that their children, or even their children's children, will becomc more enlightened."