MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2723, 18 March 1916, Page 9

MUSIC.

— IST TBy Treble Clit.\ "Movio" Music, It is a moot point so far whether or not the music in a "movie" show should be as nearly the emotional colour of the picture being screened. While thero is no doubt that a, stirring march tune is of dramatic value to a picture of troops on the inarch, and a lew bars of "sliivery" music increases the nervous tension of most people whilst a murder is being committed by moonlight in the old castle, yet I confess that the laudable efforts of some of tlio conductors to "follow the picture" aro often more grotesque than convincing, which may only bo.the case when one is acquainted with the music. Not long ago I put in a spare halfhour one evening at a local picture house, and was entertained to hear the dainty Anitra's dance from the Greig suite "Peer Gynt," played as an accompaniment to a shrieking low comedy farce. But it is not always incongruous. There are certain broad lines that aro absolutely "safe" for the musical director of the pioture show. Soft, romantic music for love scenes, and beautiful scenery; gallops for chase subjects; "shivery" music for the dark deeds on the oross-roads"; and jolly rag-time or bright polkas for comic films. If fitting, the music to the picture, the director of resource may often see a chance of perpetrating a musical joke. -• Of this class, the most hard-worked joke is "We Won't Go Home Till Morning," played as an inebriate staggers homeward aoross the film. Special subjecti films of any length deserve the attention of the musical director, just as much as music can' be made helpful to a play. Some of the old minuets and gavotes of Mozart and Boccherini are always effective in "powder and patches" pictures, and country dance scenes in flavour when screened to the lilt of Edward German s "Henry VIII dances. - On the other hand, there are some directors who play a set programme almost irrespective of the subjects being serened above their heads, and when that music is g<rad—as it often is—l have found that it makes no difference to one's enjoyment of the pio'tures. •Personally, I don't know whether I don't prefer the set programme, where there is a. capable little orchestra,_ as one gets a chance of hearing the piece from beginning to end, without having to be content with broken bits, and a sudden jump from "Everybody's Doing It," to Chopin's "Funeral March." On the whole, picture patrons in Wellington have little to complain of in the music offered them of an evening, and even the pianola music of the daylight hour? is quite endnrable in the hands of an intelligent manipulator. Men Wanted. Men are not only wanted for the New Zealand forces —they are wanted, providing they can sing, for the chorus of the Royal .Choral Union's coming performance of "Faust." There must be many a good voice left in the land who would joy in singing the music of the fine old opera. All who wish to take part are urged to communicate at once with' the secretary (Mr. W. E. Caldow). The 6ame official would be very glad to borrow or even purchase vocal scores of "Faust," which are in short supply in Wellington.

Now Operas; Three English operas produced' in London during the first quarter of 1916 constitute an unparalleled event —oven if two of them are of duoiorts "economic" value. At Christmas there was Liza Lehmann's operatic version of "Everyman" at the Shaftesbury Theatre, and this was followed, at the same house by Stanford's setting of "The Critic." When the mail left Dr. Ethel Smyth had both written and composed an opera from W. W. Jacobs's story, "The Boatswain's Mate," the production of which at the Shaftesbury had been delayed! by the temporary illness of Mies Rosina Buckman, cast for the role of the landlady. .Three other, members of the cast have also been familiarly known in Sydney at different periods of their careers—namely, Courticc Pounds (Bonn, tho boatswain), who was out here for a year in comic opsra in the long ago, Frederick Ranalow (Trawrs, the mate),who supported Mme. Molba during one of her various Australian' tours, . and Arthur Wynne (policeman), a baritone and comedian, who sang character parts with tho Quinlan Opera Company. the only unf amiliaT name' is that of Mabel Rov (Mary Ann. tho maid), which. completed tho list of principals. The original tale dealt with a boatswain who sought to win the affections of a widow by protecting her from the attentions of an obliging amateur burglar.. The action of the libretto takes place in Mrs. \\ at-, ers's inn, The Beehives, a.nd tho rustio atmosphere will be reflected m th<> must-, which' includes an intermezzo basedl on old folk-tunes, "Bushes and Briars, "Lord Kendal" ''Tlie Ke^r, Cruel Mother," and "Hide a M« other directions there has been little music a-foot.

Beethoven a Belgian. Beethoven, the greatest of all composers, whose, memory en l°y® a ' { f like idolatry m Germany, was, it ap pears only a German geographically. Sthnologically. it will be learned. some surprise and not a Utlo pleasw that the Shakespeare of all nationalities— Belgian. Sir Georg Grove, in the admirable article on BeeEn in his ."Dietary of 3jgo and WeTorlkinaTlfto a village near I-ou-n thence in 1650, they moved to Antwerp, where, in 16S0, the name ap?V?ofT' 6 P 23 l T''For : KaUt^of 1680, liatharina Grandjean, who bore him eight children. Among these wa» a W, Henrich Adelard. Beethoven, who married Maria Kathanna. de Herat. His wife bore him twelve children, the third of whom was baptised on Decemhor *>3 1712, at Antwerp, as Ludwig. He was the'grandfather of' the great conwoser," who was born in 17/ U. S ho was born at Bonn, on the Rhine made him a German geographically, but not etbnologically. Grove calls attention to the interesting fact that the Dutch van is not, like von or de, a sign of nobility, and that in 1837 thero was published at Amsterdam "Lettre a M. le Bourgmestro de Bonn contenant los prenoms de Porigine liollandaise de L. v. Beethoven.

Miss Buckman's progross. Miss Rosina Buclonan, the New Zealand soprano, continues to achieve great successes in England. When the last mail left she had just made two brilliant appearances in "Cavalleria Rusticana" and "1 Pagliacci," tinder the joint Beecham-Courtneidge management at the London Shaftesbury. Her singing of "Santuzza" in "Cavalleria was very fine, and she also gave an accomplished rendering of "Nedda" in' Leoncavallo's popular opera.

Miss Gcraldine Fcrrar, the American grand opera artist, was married early in February to Mr. Lou Tellegen, a popular Broadway actor.