"MIX IT A BIT"

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2533, 6 August 1915, Page 3

"MIX IT A BIT"

THE CITY ORGAN RECITALS ARE THEY POPULAR ENOUGH? There was some lively criticism at the meeting of the City Council last night, on the following recommendation of the Finance Committee "The committee have to: report that they have received a communication from Councillor Fiillo- suggesting that the City Organist .be induced to introduce more popular' selections into his weekly recital programmes, and also that a trialbe given to Sunday afternoon and evening recitals after church hours. The committee ha,ye arranged for the Mayor, City Organist, and the Town Clerk to confer on the subject." Councillor M. F. Luckie did not think the matter should be taken up by the i council. He knew 'Tiis friend Councillor Fuller was an opposition showman," and his only interest was in filling the hall, and not educating the. .popular taste. •He did not think Councillor Puller ever gave a thought to "educating the popular taste.', "You : know,, w© don't want to play Tagtime on an, organ," he added. , ( Councillor J. Fuller said that he was not, antagonistic to Mr. Page, but in the words of Councillor Bush,- he should "mis it a bit-." .He was in real earnest in-, suggesting that some improvement should be made, and the - public educated gradually. Councillor, J. Godber 6aid that they all. recognised, that there was not a better organist in Australasia than Mr. Page. The reason why he .supported the motion was that he thought the Sunday afternoon recitals would be appreciated. Councillor ,'L. M'Kenzie said that many of the councillors* were,'looking at the matter from a monetary point of view. They should not do that, but Mr. Page said that lie wanted to educate the public. The way to do that was by getting the public there, and he thought Councillor Fuller'was to be I commended on his action. Councillor AV. T. Hildreth thought! that marches would ,go very well on ' the organ., ■ . , . Councillor R. A. .Wright said; that it was not the least , use disguising the fact that the organ recitals were a failure. Something was. wrong; either the people were unable to appreciate good music, or something along the lines suggested by Councillor Fuller-was-necessary. He objected ,to everything being given for nothing when : they .could not afford it. ; Councillor Hutcheson: "So long as these classical prolamines are ' continued in their entirety about 10p05 of the people enjoy them." He did not suggest. ragtime or "pop-goes-the-weasel" to Mr. Page, but thought that I ' classical melodies .could be introduced id place of the .Wagnerian noises they had at the recitals. Ho would rather, he said, be tied up '.in a room with eight bagpipes than hear some of ; the wretched "classical" recitals given. . The Mayor defended Mr. Page, but ' gaid' that if "the public could not appreciate the music he gave it.would be all the better- to allow the Mayor and the committee, suggested to see him. .'■The recommendation was adopted (.without further.discussion. '