GERMAN COMPOSERS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15657, 1 August 1916, Page 2

GERMAN COMPOSERS.

SIiOULIJ THEY BE DISCARDED?

The foolishness of attempting to do without the music of the great composers who happened to l>e Germans was asserted by tho Ormond professor of music, Mr \V. A. Laver, in the inaugural address delivered to tho conference of teachers of music in connexion with tne University .Music inanimation Board (says the Melbourne "Argus"). 'lJio address was entitled "Tho War and Its .Influence on Musical Education." Teachcrs had asked whether they should or should not cast aside German compositions. "Tho work of the great and true tone-poets," eaid Professor Laver, "tickings to the whole ivorid. True art knows no boundaries." He considered that he would not bo performing his duties as Ormond professor honestly if lie recommended that tho works of the German writers be deleted from the course of study. How could we, without committing suicide musically, rob ourselves of the' works of Bach* Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, and "Wagner? A regular and close study of tho classics, such as Bach and Beethoven,■» was of such import and necessity that no solid or true musical education was even possible without it. Tho study was a 3 necessary for a natural and _ healthy musical development as was milk for a babe. All our great modern musicians had been brought up on it. Some that he might name, including noted instructors. were Sir Edward Elgar, Sir Hubert Parry (director of tho Royal College of Music), Sir Alexander Mackenzie (director of the Royal Academy of Music), and Sir Charles Stanford. In America there was the_ late EdwaTd Ma&Dowell, the poet-musician, who held i the professorshin of Columbia University. All of these studied in Germany. So did tho late Professor Marshall-Hall, who had done so much by fosterinc a love for orchestral- music, and the late Professor Franklin Peterson, who performed a great service for our musical education by initiating the Music -Examination Board. None of these men •syould for one moment have suggested that we should delete the works of the masters. We should t take the good from the art of all nations, and, bv i j£S wise use, build up our educational institutions, and give our youth all opportunities for the development of their natural gifts. Thus we would make it unnecessary for them to go to Germany —as had been tho practice in the past—to complete their studies. This could be pccomplisVcd if the State Ministry would do its dwfcy by placing an n.motint on the Estimates each year for the further dovelo-iment. of its national institution, th« University Conservatorium of Music.