MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1108, 22 April 1911, Page 9

MUSIC.

*• (BT TIIEBLE CLEfJ 1 The Hunger for Melody. At a recent meeting of the. "Musical Association" in'London-the loading address was made by George Bernard Shaw, he of tlio hydrocyanic acid tongue, the incandescent mentality and the Dante-like foresight. It was expected that Mr. Shaw would throw oil' his usual shower of cpigiauimatic sparks. On this occasion, however, Mr. Shaw's verbal magneto was out of order, and everything ho said was as tame as the efforts of the tcn-shilling-a-wcck genius who grinds out jokes for alleged comic papers. In fact, if Mr. Shaw had not made a reputation as a writer of exotic musical criticisms we should iiucl.it dif-. ficiflt to understand just why ho should be among the assemblage of common and ordinary garden musicians, whoso subsequent remarks made the mooting memorable. Most sensible of all were those of Mr. James Glover, musical director of the classic Dairy Lane Theatre, who is known to all London as "Our Jimmy." Mr. Glover is an accomplished and able musician, and his remarks, which follow, are. worth reading any time in any music-loving country. Among other things, Mr. Glover said that.the world was crying for real melody, but the great composers would not condescend to write real melodies in the form in which the public could appreciate them. He endeavoured to supply what they wanted. The academic side of the musical world had kept apart. He tried to encourage .the better class of musicians to write for the small orchestra What did the mass of the people know of Elgar, except his "Salut d'Amour" and '"I'omp and Circumstance"? Elgar had to get his early work published in Leipzig by a German firm, and he gave it a French title. The hand parts of "Pomp . and Circumstance"- were not available for general use until they were scored for small orchestra. Gentlemen who'talked so much at colleges should sit down and do something. Drury Lane band played twice a day to 3000' people. The management wanted a melody that would run through the pantomino from 7.15 to 11.15. Why should it be by James Glover? He preferred to take reverently a beautiful melody from Tschaikowsky's Pathetic Symphony, and the audience would hear it 47 times, whether they liked it or not. Amen, Mr. Glover; let. us have more understandable music, music with a head or a tail to it. Oh, for a'Moses to lead us out of the wilderness swept by the bleak winds of discord and the blinding sands of stupefying counterpoint!—" Theatre Magazine." Attractions to Gome. The Taits have been particularly active of late in securing attractions from lands in which they grow thick. Among these are. Leonard ISonvick, pianist, who reaches Australia in June; the twelve Huddorsfield Hellringerp, duo in August; Mr. Ben Davics; and Esta d'Argo lato in the year. iNcxt year they intend introducing Madame Kirkby Lunn, the big contralto to these parts. f.lclba Crand Opera Company. A very important and interesting engagement in connection with the forthcoming Melba Grand Opera Company is that of Mdlle. Axarino, the young Russian prima do"-na, who has rapidly come to the fore, and is now known as the Russian Mclba. She was a pupil of Jean do Reszkc, and the world-famous teacher is very proud of his pupil. After she had passed through her courso of study she toured the whole of Russia in the prima donna roles of "Faust," "Higolctto,"- "Romeo and Juliet,'' "Traviata," and others of the grand operas that have become world famous. She is quite young, and, judging by her photographs, is prepossessing in appearance. A very marked rush of applicants Tor chorus work in the Melba Grand Opera Company has set in, and Mr. Henry Dracy Ts being kept busy in Melbourne hearing voices. Three days last week were given up to the sopranos alone, and there were some really fine voices amongst those who sans.