THE MUSIC WORLD.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14975, 23 May 1914, Page 14

THE MUSIC WORLD.

(Bt "Stead.") It is our own narrower music-world I feel constrained to discuss once more to-dey with special reference to tho recent competitions, flaking it a rule to abstain from criticising tho decisions of tho judges whilst they still officiate, I feel now at liberty to review the findings at least of the musical judge. Let it be understood that there exists no such thing-as a musical judge in the strict sense of the word. Judging proper implies the delivery of verdicts based upon tangible evidence and facts. In music it rests largely not -upon facts, but upon vanishing impressions, as well as the taste, ear, experience, and artistic predisposition of the judge. There is bound to be, therefore, a vast divergeneo'of opinions in regard to the selfS3me performance., and any attempt to condemn a. musical judgo because bis awards differ from your own or other judges, must consequently be regarded as -unjust and ungenerous. A writer of not© at Homo has recently collected the sayings of six "of the most eminent critics concerning tho voice of a famous singer, and found that they thus contradicted each other in describing it as "a voice of veiled beauty,"-of. "sublimated clarinet tone," of "soft bewitching notes," of "human timbre," with <; tho ring of shining, penetrating stool." -As it happened, they all admired, each in a different way. It was just as probable some would condemn, what others lauded to the skies. ''"Wβ judge." as tho same writer says., "by tho light of our own moods." Often very much ■ after the famous recipe: \ "J do not like thee, Dr. Fell, j The reason why I cannot teii." But certain qualifications can reasonably bo demanded from , a musical judge, based upon universally recognised principles. Ho should be a- broad-minded, experienced man, reliable on technical questions, gifted with a finely sensitive ear, and slow in rejecting as unsound, styles or interpretations by competitors,- merely because they happen to difter from his own conception. There is ample documentary evidence from his own notes, especially in referenco to singers, to show that tho late judge did not possess these qualifications. First and second prizes woro awarded . to some singers horribly and persistently out of tune. Occasionally any vocalist may be off for an instant, for ono thing because he loses touch'with the piano. But tho finest voice is worthless with a defective ear, and should never be recognised. Ono of the competitors received, above all others marks nearing perfection merely on the strength of a naturally fine ora;an, though quite imperfectly controlled. It is not tho accidence of a good voice, but the merit of the performance that should be rewarded in the first place. There were frequent illusions and penalties on account of violated tradition, mostly, it woufd appear, Melbourne tradition. Tradition in music is incompetence hiding under the I apron of its grandmother. Thero was a time when Bach and Beethoven were under the ban of so-called tradition. It was Richard Wagner who' took.tho.conductors of his time on his knee and administered viciously, the strap, all on account of tradition. How have the great conductors of our age made their j names. but by the originality .of their 1 readings? You may not agree with all or any, but at least give them credit for good and praiseworthy intentions. Many of our folk-songs have been , uttiroly spoiled by exaggerated sentimentality posing as quite nnauthenticated tradition. Composers themselves, Beethoven among, tnem, havo . often acknowledged the superiority of interpretations . other than their, own respecting their own works. I remember a striking scene also between Stephen Heller and Charles Halle" on that account. It is so easy to keep in the same old rut. Therefore, a fig for tradition! Then we find in the judge's notes such incomSrehensible terms as: Indirect tone preuctioh; off the key and at times out of tune, as if these wore not synonyms; petty objections to the pronunciation of certain words, in which he proved to; i bo utterly in the wrong; unwarrantable censure upon tempi, winch in one caso had been prescribed by tho composer himself; and nowhere a trace of constructive, helpful criticism. An amusing episode occurred when the judgo j disapproved of the Scotch of ono of tno competitors. "Hm!" said tbo victim humbly, "I thought I had it right. I've lived in §cotland all ,my life and haven't been out here long!" A specially written articlo for lasj Saturday'j. "Evening News" on the subject of theso competitions contained some forcible argumonts' and homotruths. But I cannot agree with some of its ultimate conclusions regarding the ''Festivals," and I would deplore their discontinuance greatly. With the writer I beliovo they are not needed to bring to tho front unrecognised" talont. But they are instrumental in promoting, if nothing else, a musical activity and' ambition among our young people formerly quite unknown, and parents are unconsciously takiDg a greater interest and showing more sympathy with the musical doings of their children, wheroas in most cases they looked upon them previously as a merely unavoidable and probably useless expense. And. thus tho growth of a musical atmosphere in tho homo is in. a fair way of being: promoted, tho scar-

ci.ty of which is at present deplored by ; every teacher out here. AU the examiners sent from Homo that., m proportion to its population, tlicro i& jm abundance of musdeal talent to be found ncre, comparing more than favourably with the Old World. These young people cannot all j aspiro. to become public per- i formers, many, in fact, shun the con- j cert stago in competitions under the \ present reprehensible practices of public exposure -.vhich 1 havo already dc- ! nouncod. And it may be eafcly as- \ £umcd that nine-tenths of thoso partici- I patina in public demonstrations never ! establieh their real standard owing: to j stage fright, which it takes years to neutralise, if ever. All the conditions are wore© hero than at Hotic. not only because of the immense population tb draw from in every centre, but for the vexy reason, mentioned, that there is too little honie-inutsic and intercourse be- ; frween our young music-mafcers that ! \vould help to reduoe the nervous afflic- i tion. A Home paper describee amiii- ! itigly the various pcciilaritics by which ' I the nervousness of Mr AMjuith. Lord : Hudi Cecil, Mr "Winston Churchill, the \ .Earl of Kosehery, Mr Balfour and even i the bold Chancellor of t bo Exchequer ! may bo reognised -when speaking in Par- ! liament. Prince Bismarck, it is wellkr.civn, orated for many years like a ; schoolboy stammering "end stuttering, j .What, then, of untrained young folks? j i Besides, it will require a copd many j more years of observation before tho ; value or tiselessness of competitions can I bo adjudged in fairness. Thoro are to bo met constant- sneers at the absence of the sportinct epirit I in these corr.notitions. Do yoiPespect. j it from girte? Why. the bra,ss bands arc rnado np of men with an admixture of sporting men and you don't find it anions thorn. They box up and almost blindfold their judges, distrust them, and change- them every senson and tako their defeats pretty badly. 111-feeling and bickerings are insepar- ! able from musical doings all the world ] over. They grow only more conspicuous, j perhaps more bitter, in our small com- j munities. 3iuch may be done to 1

diminish tho friction by tact and wisdom on. tbo part of tho Competitions Society," and in many other isaye. they may be improved. In my; review of last year's competitions I. urged the affiliation "with tho other centres, which would enable a better choice of musical jndges to be made. But a really eminent judge could only bo secured if a tenure of office were assured for some years in succession by of all societies. Australia is very com- I pared with, this country, but when it comes to employing men from Australia. I could pick more suitable mea here i than in the land of the kangaroo. i