MENDELSSOHN.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 517, 26 May 1909, Page 8

MENDELSSOHN.

LECTURE BY MR: PARKER. Sydney Street Schoolroom was well filled last, night,-, when Mr. Robt. Parker delivered an interesting lecture on "Mendelssohn," the centenary of whoso birth is being celebrated this year.' The lecturer mentioned that the centenary of the birth of a gifted man was a fitting time to honour his .memory, and early in August a fairly, representative selection of Mendelssohn's works reould'be given in Wellington. Musiclovers 'were, ho continued, indebted to the genius of Mendelssohn for many great works. Although he only lived to the age of thirtyeight years, the results of his labours wero truly astonishing, measured by those of ordinary men. No one could fail to be impressed with the number and infinite variety 1 of his works. He considered) it idle to speculate how much Mendelssohn might have done had lie lived to the allotted span. It was, he said, not open to many men to win so much affection, and givo so much pleasure to others. Next, Mr. Parker proceeded to detail the chief events in the great composer's life. Referring to the long list of great personages who had accepted the hospitality of. Mendelssohn, ho remarked that it was. doubtful if'such a lißt could be found in connection with the annals of any other house. Mendelssohn's nine visits to England did much to stimulate the ratjier sleepy condition of musical life there in the ,30's and 40's. . Residing in the Wellington district was a lady who was present when Mendelssohn's great oratorio "Elijah" was produced at the Birmingham Town Hall,'in 18-10. The workß which Mendelssohn had left.behind him were a heritage still precious, in spite of many changes of fashion. Of late years there had been a tendency to deprecate Mendelssohn as a composer. "But the music of Mendelssohn still lives," added Mr. Parker, "and will live long after his detractors havo been forgotten." During the evening a number of selections from Mendelssohn, which wero highly appreciated, wore rendered. They were as follow:— Pianoforte solo, Overture to "A Midsummer Night's Dream," Mrs. Caehemaillo and Miss Martin; pianoforte solo, "Variations in D Minor," Mrs. C. M. Hector; songs (bracketed), (a) "A Garland," (b) "A Gondola Song," and (c) "Resignation," Mr. C. Stephens; andante and finale to Concerto in E Minor. Miss G. Kennedy (violin) and Mrs. Cachomaillo (piano);' Prelude in B Minor, and two songs without words,-Mrs. Hector; andanto for 'cello and piano, Mr. F. R. Johnston and Miss Montague; songs (grouped), "On Wings of Song," "A Voice from the Lake," and "To the Absent Ono," Mr. C. Stephens; and the tenor solo, "Be Thou Faithful until Death," from "St. Paul," by Mr. Stophens, with '"«Uo obbligato by Mr. JoJUUtoSt . ,