THE WORLD OF MUSIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 126, 29 May 1937, Page 7 (Supplement)

THE WORLD OF MUSIC.

NOTES OF THE DAY.

FROM PAR AND NEAR.

(By ORPHEUS.)

The Royal Sydney Philharmonic Society is to give a concert performance of Bizet's opera "Carmen" on July 14.

Owing to the non-arrival of Madame Winnie Fraser in London in time for the rehearsals of the Coronation choir, another New Zealand soprano, at present resident in London, was selected to take her place.

The famous Handel and Haydn Society of Boston, which has now been in existence for over 122 years, ,r ave its 167 th performance of Handel's "Messiah" last December.

The Royal Auckland Choir will open its 1937 season in the Town Hall Concert Chamber on June 10. The assisting performers will be Miss Jean Clarkson, cellist, Miss Lilian Woods, soprano, and Mr. Lambert Harvey, tenor.

The entertainment to be given by the Deepdene Studio in the Lewis Eady hall on June 1 will take the form of a recital of "18th Century Verse and arranged in three scenes: "A Dish of Tea,' "A Dreamland Phantasy," an d Gems of the 18th Century."

A new work, "Flourish for a Coronation," written for the Coronation by Vaughan Williams, is to be included in the programme for the Royal Wellington Chori.l Union's second concert of the season. The orchestral parts for this have been presented to the society by a Wellington business firm.

Replying to a suggestion made by tlu> writer to the effect that musical societies should be exempted from the amusement tax upon admission to their entertainment, and that taxation, if considered necessary, might be based upon profits, if any, instead, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, on behalf of the Minister of Stamp Duties, writes: "Your suggestion will be borne in mind and will receive the consideration of the Government upon the return of the Rt. Hon. the Prime Minister and the Hon. the Minister of Finance from overseas."

A private letter received here recently gave the interesting information that Or. Malcolm Sargent had gone to Palestine to conduct the orchestra formed there by the famous conductor, Toscanini, from musicians who have left Germany owing to the anti-Semitic feelings displayed there. And it was through Toecanini, a personal friend of his, that Dr. Sargent was approached to go there to conduct the Coronation music. This orchestra, with euch a number of talented players to choose from, is said to be an exceptionally fine combination.

The soloists for the performance of Brahms' "A German Requiem," to be given by the Auckland Dorian Choir on June 3, will be Miss Gladys McAnenv, soprano, and Mr. Thomas Ellison, baritone. Several part-songs will also be included in the programme among which will be Dudley Buck's "Hymn to Music," and Schumann's "Good-night." The accompaniments are to be played by Mrs. Reg. Reed, piano, and the Vincent Aspey String Quartette. The organ accompaniments in the "Requiem" will be played by Professor Charles Moor.

At the next meeting of the Music 6 Club, to be held oil the evening of June 3, special reference will be made to the pianoforte nocturnes of John Field, the centenary of whose death takes place this year. Though but seldom heard to-day, these poetic works were conceived in' the terms of a pianistie method that was, at the time, a novelty, and which broke away from accepted classical traditions. More naive and diatonic than the nocturnes of Chopin, they undoubtedly served as a model for the Polish composer. The iuHuence of Field upon Chopin is beyond question.

• '"I am thankful I am ending- instead of beginning my professional career." said Horace Steven*, the Australian bass-baritone of "Elijah" fame, when he returned to Melbourne recently after a farewell tour of England. He said that the popularity of concerts had diminished and fees were small. A few very great singers might do well out of concerts, but, for a majority, prospects were not good. "Concent audiences have fallen away in the provinces and fewer concerts are being held," Mr. Stevens continued. "'lt is to the provinces that singers look to earn most of their money." The standard of critical appreciation in the highest circles of music was as good as ever, added Mr. Stevens, but a great majority of people preferred to listen to jazz or go to the pictures. Mr. Stevens intends to arrange a large-scale production in Australia of the opera and pageant "Hiawatha," which has been an annual event in London since 1924.

When Yeliudi Menuhin visited Auek-1 land, at one of his concerts he played! Bach's famous "Chaconne." More than j that, he played the whole Partita, a | wonderful exhibition of unaccompanied l playing, lasting well over 30 minutes. ! This great performance, however, was | far from being appreciated by the I majority of the audience to whom it I was "caviare," and there were many complaints; in fact the management were afraid that the young violinist had prejudiced the success of his tour by his "high-browed" action. August Wilhelmj, known to an older generation of concert-goers as "William J." was a celebrated violinist who once had • a somewliat similar experience. The ' story is told in a book, "Up and Down the Scale," written by one of his pupils. Mr. Dettmar Dressel. It is as follows: During one of his world tours Wilhelmj played at a small town in what was then the Wild West of j America. After the performance an old I farmer, who had travelled by cart for two days in order to hear Bach's "Clia- ! conne," complained that the piece had not been played after all. Wilhelmj, i sorry for the old man's disappointment, I told him if he would wait until all the 1 other people had gone he would play j the piece for him. Wilhelmj played hU . best. The farmer sat listening intently, • following every note from the music, j A profound silence followed the vibration of the last long D. Wilhelmj put down' his violin. Hie critical one-man audience stood up, banged the music down on the piano, saying: "Thank you! Xever do I want to hear that d —d piece again," and walked out.