THE WORLD OF MUSIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 253, 24 October 1936, Page 8 (Supplement)

THE WORLD OF MUSIC.

NOTES OF THE DAY. FROM FAR AND NEAR

(By ORPHEUS.) Miss Christina Young (Wellington) has been engaged by the Christchurch Harmonic Society to sing the contralto solos in "Messiah" on December 3. ' The New Plymouth Choral Society gave its second concert of the 1936 seaeon last week when Dvorak's "The Spectre's Bride" was presented. Miss Winnie Morrisli and Mr. Russell J. Laurenson will be the soprano and baritone soloists, respectively, at the Royal Wellington Choral Union's next concert on November 5. Dr. Malcolm Sargent, who will arrive back in London early in December, is to conduct some eight performances of "Messiah" between the time of his arrival and Christmas. The following soloists have been engaged by the Royal Wellington Choral Union for "Messiah" on December 10: Contralto, Miss Christina Young (Wellington); tenor, Mr. Joseph Battersby (Hamilton); baritone, Mr. Ernest Short (Christchurch.) The soprano soloist has not yet been selected. Many admirers of Madame Galli Curci's singing will be interested, and, no doubt, surprised, to hear that the famous coloratura soprano, who underwent an operation on her throat sometime ago, is to make her debut in Chicago on November 18 as a "dramatic" soprano. This information was supplied to the writer by Mr. Richard Crooks, who received it by the last mail from America. Criticisms of her performance at this concert will be awaited with interest. We have to acknowledge the receipt of a song, entitled "Dear Old English Moon," words by Chief Petty Officer J. E. Evans, of H.M.S. Philomel, music by W. Humphreys, A.C.Y. The sentiments expressed in the lyrics, which will have tlie approval of all true lovers, extol, inter alia, the allegedly superior educational powers of an English moon, so far as love-making is in question, also its considerable capacity for casting a long-lasting spell. This number, sung by Leading Seaman Lonsdale of H.M.S. Dunedin goes with a good swing and has been received well at the mid-day community singing. The Auckland Town Hall is notorious amongst musicians for a most disconcerting echo, which is more particularly in evidence when the auditorium is only partly full. Although Mr. Richard Crooks sang under the best conditions, the hall being packed to the doors, he j was considerably perturbed by the way the sound of his voice came back to him, and, so he informed the writer, was afraid to let hiinself'go in forte passages. He remarked that in some halls in America, where the same trouble has been experienced, an improvement has been effected by a scientific arrangement of overhead wires which break up the sound waves. It will be remembered that flags were hung in our hall, with the same object in view, some years ago. Further experiments should be carried out.

There is to be an interchange of conductors between Christchurch and Dunedin for the annual performances of Handel's "Messiah" to be given in those two cities shortly. Mr. Victor Feters, conductor of the Christchurch Harmonic Society, will conduct for the Dunedin Choral Society on November 24, and Mr. Alfred Walmsley, the Dunedin conductor, will officiate at the Christchurch performance on December 3. This is a practice which might well be carried into effect in other musical centres in the Dominion. In view of the performance of Handel's "Water Music" to be given at the next Bohemian concert, the "romance" of this composition, as history relates it, may be of interest. It is as follows: In 1715 the strained relations between the King (George I.) and Handel had reached such a pitch that Baron Kielmansegge decided to step into the breach and patch up the quarrel. As it happened, the King had organised a triumphal procession in barges down the river from Whitehall to Limeliouse on August 22, for which Kielinansegge was charged with the arrangements. This was the Baron's chance. He went to the Earl of Burlington and arranged for Handel to write certain music, which should be played under the musician's own direction and from a barge which followed the King's so closely that the monarch, on the stillness of the river, would hear every note. Everything chanced as the Baron decreed. The King, charmed by the music, sent for the Baron and," congratulating him, asked for information concerning the composer. What more could the Baron do than drag Handel from his hiding place on the second barge, and lead him to the King's feet?. Then ensued excuses, apologies, the Royal melting, and, ultimately, the Royal clemency and congratulations. We have heard the romantic version of how Handel's "Water Music" came to be written, now here are some bare facts. Really, the sovereign and the composer were the best of friends at the time, and the king had asked Handel to compose this suite to be played at a subscription concert on the river. At the performance the Royal barge had alongside of it one containing musicians to the number, of 50, playing the following instruments: Trumpets, hunting horns, oboes, bassoons, German flutes, French flutes a bee, -violins and basses, but without voices. It is said that the concert was a great success, numberless barges and boats filled with people following the royal procession. Professional musicians may be interested to know that the musicians alone cost £150, which works out at £3 per head. History does not say anything about "tax." In those backward days the genius who conceived the' bright idea of taxing music had not been born. (Note. —"Genius", is hardly the right word, but those who agree with Dr. Malcolm Sargent that music should be subsidised, not taxed, should be able to substitute a more appropriate epithet.)