THE WORLD OF MUSIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1937, Page 8 (Supplement)

THE WORLD OF MUSIC.

NOTES OF THE DAY. FROM FAR AND NEAR. (By ORPHEUS.) An eminent English critic has suggested that there may be many people who, like himself, go to concerts just to get away from music for an hour or two after a long day's work. The celebrated tenor, Tito Schipa. is to make a concert tour of Australia, and the Dominion next year under the direction of J. C. Williamson. Ltd. Although his fame rests principally. on his prowess as an operatic artist, iie is an accomplished concert singer. Miss Evelyn Hall, the young Australian singer who made her first Auckland appearance in Gilbert and Sullivan opera this week as the Duchess of Plaza Toro, in "The Gondoliers,"' is not unknown to audiences here, having been one of the soloists of the J. C. Williamson Imperial Italian Opera Co., which visited New Zealand in 1932. Writing from Sydney, Mr. Paul Vinogradoff, the well-known Russian pianist, sends seasonable greetings. He mentions that he has been broadcasting for the Australian Broadcasting Commission, and expects to do some more; nevertheless he hopes to return soon to New Zealand, accompanied by Madame Vinogradoff. The Auckland Chamber Music Society has already arranged its recital date for 1937, an example of foresightedness and enterprise which might well be followed by many other musical societies in this city. The dates are as follow: April 28, June 17, August 19, October 21. With the exception of the first night, which is a W'ednesday, these recitals will be given on Thursday evenings. Although nothing has yet been definitely settled, it is the intention of the Society to present, if possible, Rachmaninoff's Trio and the Elgar Quintet at the first concert. This versatile artist has also sung with considerable success in oratorio, notably in the performance of "Elijah," given in Sydney several years ago under the conductorship of Sir Hamilton Harty, her singing of the contralto solos receiving warm praise from the critics. Miss Hall accomplished recently a somewhat remarkable feat, having," in barely six weeks, studied and assimilated nine principal contralto roles for the present tour of the Gilbert and Sullivan company throughout the Commonwealth and this Dominion. The result of a questionnaire issued to patrons of the Birmingham City Orchestra recently asking for suggestions likely to improve the programmes or the attendances showed a majority of three to one in favour of classical music in preference to modern, and the inclusion of a solo instrumentalist in preference to a vocalist. Suggestions for attracting larger audiences included "more comfortable seating on the floor." As an experiment the Public Works committee will allow smoking in the upper gallery at both Saturday and Sunday concerts for next season. Some of these suggestions might be considered by local musical organisations. In an interesting letter to the writer, Mrs. Jascha Spivakovsky gives some information about recent activities of her husband, the pianist, and his brother Tossy, the violinist. Lately they have been associated in doing sonatas, as well as solo work, for the Australian Broadcasting Commission. Jascha, she says, has just returned from a successful season in Perth, where the critics were I most enthusiastic about bis plaving in a Beethoven concerto performed with the Perth Symphony Orchestra. Mrs Spivakovsky adds that Jascha and Tossy are combining to do a cycle of Beethoven and Brahms sonatas for the Australian Broadcasting Commission early in the New Year. The most enjoyable feature of the November issue of "Music in New Zealand is the selection from "The Wit and Wisdom of 'Diogenes the Younger.'" Hi view of the approaching visit of Horowitz to Australia, an article, "Two Pianists," by Frederick Page, comparing this pianist with Rachmaninoff is of particular interest. That apparently indefatigable writer, L. D. Austin, quotes extracts from correspondence received by him from "many and variously distinguished correspondents . and a numerous array of less renowned persons." Some of these are interesting, others not. An article by Trevor Fisher on new gramophone records criticises some of the latest releases of classical music by various companies. "News in Brief" deals with musical doings in Wellington. Christchurch, and Dunedin, such as they are. Max Scherek contributes reviews of pianoforte music. Should there be applause during the nerformance of a work such,as "Messiah?" The writer can remember the time when it was considered "bad form" to applaud in oratorio; those were the days when the Auckland Choral Society gave its concerts in its own hall in Symonds Street. In the programme for the Royal Wellington Choral Union's "Messiah" concert appears the following request: "In order to preserve the continuity of the work patrons are requested to refrain from applauding between the numbers." From this, one gathers, the request is made more upon artistic grounds than religious. It was most noticeable in the performance of "Elijah," given in Wellington recently under Dr. Malcolm Sargent, how the conductor managed to keep the audience from applauding until the completion of each division of the work, thus adding immensely to the strength and dignity of the performance.