MUSICIAN AND CLIMBER.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19818, 4 January 1930, Page 16

MUSICIAN AND CLIMBER.

♦ A VISIT TO THE ALPS. Dr. Markham Lee, of tlio Associated Board, R.A.M. and R.C.M.., has returned to Christchurch from Mount Cook, delighted with his holiday among the alps. Dr. L<-e was in Christ-church recently conducting examinations, but last night ho was not preparod to express to a representative of Tub I'kbss who called upon him his opinion of tho general standard of music in New Zealand. Dr. Loo is to deliver a course of nine lectures at Canterbury College, from January Gth to January 11th, on music as a subject ot education and on Baeli, Beethoven, class teaching and musical appreciation. Wagner nnd his operas, aural training, "unconsidered details," Brahms, modern music, and the child and music. Speaking of his trip to Mount Cook, Dr. Lee said that he did not. have sufficient time to get into training for the more ambitious excursions, but ho enjoyed several "s<'rambles'' on tlio lower glaciers. The main difference between the Alps of New Zealand and those of few itzerlnml was the. riiggcdiioss of the former. In Europe, all the lower lulls were richly cultivated and three crops of hay were taken oil every year up to about, l>otX)lt. Ifo nnssed tho fragrance <>l new-mown ] l:)v . nu j pmo trees which, on the European alps, grew at altitudes up to S()<X) tcct. .lie im-.M'd tho music of the cow and goai bolls of the Swiss Alps, Inard everywhere there on the lower reaches. Flo found the New Zealand mountains harder proportions t inn i tho climbei .s iMjint of view owing to the tact, that tegular tracks are .scarce ■ Mid painted rock.s, indicating direc-t-ions, are wanting. These were 1o be seen in plenty m the mountains of the 1..\r01. In addition to being a musician. Dr. Lee is keenly interest en m hiolngv and ho found flic mountain lilies, daisies, ami tlio delicate native hlneliella in (lower. Unfortunately, t lie oidelweiss. s.| piorninent among Sn «-v flora, was not in bloom, as it inflowermg this \e;ir much later than usual. l>r. Lee is ;i composer, author. I<Vt urer. and pianist. He w ;l> educated in the Per.se School, Cambridge, Of late ho has given much of his time to the composition of works of an educational nature. The majoritv of- Ins yoo published works are for the'pianoforte, designed to instruct as well as to mlerGstJ. fle is well known by his part-

souas, for oqual voices, fnieli as "The Dream Seller" nnd "The Shepherd's Holiday," and work's for the junior pianist.