MUSIC

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2812, 1 July 1916, Page 6

MUSIC

(By "Treble-Clef.")

The P«triotic 'Song. As the war lengthens out so does tho patriotic £)ong fade away beyond the horizon of the actual, it was ever thus. The first few months of the war witnessed a flood of patriotic-songs .'from known writers, as well as from': the. most unexpected 'quartets.' Every' person with, an idea worked it out into .verse ami commandeered tho assistance of someone else to set it to inusic. Somo of these effusions were actually sung, some were sung for a month or two, but none of them lasted, and not ono obtained 'a fraction of tho "Tipperary," which, is not a patriotic song at all. A year ago London audiences .banned the low-flash patriotic song—they simply , would not stand for them—and now they have. practically disappeared from the vocal sphere here. , It was inevitable. Tho crude veraes (usually couched in_ a boastful tone) and cruder music, could not hold out against the surest judge and keenest crftri of allTime. Only tho intrinsically good lasts in all things. That is why we still hear. ■'Edgar's "Land of Hope and Glory" and Frances AUitzen's ■ "There's a Land," both written ten. yfcara ago, and still heard, whilst the baual productions have long since been forgotten. It may bo that: some great national song will bo born of the war, but it is quito sure tlimt-99 peroent of the patriotic songs,. -hurling death and defiance (in so many sharps or flats) are as dead as mutton. May they rest undisturbed! Card from Germany, Writing under the heading; "Ki-icg.v gofangciiensendung, Englahderlugor, JiuV leben, via Berlin, Germany," Mr. Horace Hunt, of Wellington, now in' durance' vile, writes cheerfully to Mr. Walter Gorham, of this city, as follows:—"Was awfully delighted—esouse the Ibsenism— to have your letter with its oheoring tono and interesting Wellington news. Did not know that you wore fathering some of my things. Thanks, old friend. - Sent you a programme of a lecture-concert I gave recently—hope it arrived. Am help-ing-one Jones, of Cbristchurch, in a Maori evening soon. Getting a certain amount of piano now, .but was quite ,without for many long months. Glad Bloy was in such good form, physical and musical, when you wrote. Look forward to more joint concert work one day. Remember mo to Brookes, Frank ■ Joliinstone, Musicians' Sdfciety, Orphans, Savages, and good friends on the Press. All good tilings to you who flourish," I hope." , 1 "Faust." A French statistician has proved that more compcsers havo been inspired, by "Faust" than by any other secular piece of literature whatsoever. Ho gives a list of no fewer than 19 operas written on t!*e subject, beginning witli the 1810 section of Spohr, and ending. with tho "Faust" of Lassen, produced at Weimar in 187 G. To these might be added Berlioz's fantastic "Damnation of Faust," Liszt's "Faust" Symphony, arid a Faust overture written by Wagner in 1849. It is snid thiit Beethoven thought of crowning his career by a Faust. To oneragoers, however, there is but ono "Faust," and it is that which figures in the Frenchman's list as by Charles Gounod, Paris, 1859. Every artist has his crowning masterpiece:'' Mozart his "Don , Giovanni,". Handel his "Messiah," Moverbeer his\ "Huguenots," Bizet his "Carmen," Maseagno his "Cavalleriai" Tscliaikowsky his "Pathetic Symphony." Gounod's masterpiece is "Faust." Before its production he was merely, as a critic put it, "a- distinguished musician, ■ n clever artist who gave promise of a great composer to Franco." In "Faust,' 1 whatever may be said for his other works, lie most assuredly fulfilled the promise. The public of Wellington will have an opportunity on Tuesday, next, July i, of Hearing this fine opera performed in ' the Town Hall by tho Wellington Choral Union, with a chorus and orchestra of 320, together with the following principals:—Tho soprano part of the Margarita-. is to be taken by that popular Melbourne soprano, Miss Elsy Treweek; the .difficult,tenor,;role, Mr.. Prank' Graham,of Dunedin, will undertake; "Siebel" by Mi6S Eileen Driscoll; "Mephisto" by Mr. Hamilton Hodges; "Valentin©" by Mr. Frank Charlton; while Mr. .Chas, Moove will sing Wagner's. music, and Miss Rene Goyder tliat of Martha. Prima Donna Sues for Divorce. v W)ien the last mail left Amoricn, 'Anna Fitziu, the operatic prima doimp, was suing for a divorco from hor husband, Dr. John J. Harty, of Kingston, Ontario, treasurer of tho Canadian I/icomotivo Company. It appears to be-a case of utter incompatibility of temperament, Miss Fitziu charging that her husband is a man of cold, reserved, and haughty mien and bearing, priding himself iipoii his "impregnable hedge of' reserve' of' manner and bearing, justifying tho sc.me by reason of his descent from a long line of noble ancestors," and that i:o "by a courso of coolly calculated and studied hauteur and neglect of even the ordinary courtesios sought to impress upon her her her inferiority of birth." A Handsome Bequest. From Chicago -comes the news that 1 under tho will-of Hryan Lathrop nt that city a trust fund of 700,000 dollars, has been bequeathed to the Chicago Orchestral Association, which maintains Hie Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The legacy is coupled with the direction of tho testator that "it is very desirable that an institution should bo founded in connection with the orchestra maintained by the Orchestral Association in which an education con be obtained .in higher branches of. music and musical composition not inferior to that provided in cities of Europe." It is provided that a part of the income be devoted to the maintenance of the orchestra and the rest be used for founding and supporting the music school.—"Musical Courier." Cherniavskys in America. This is how the Chemiavskys aro permitted to advertise themselves in America:— "We sometimes hear great artists wK'en the frenzy (as a scientist lias c.illed it) of inspiration is upon them," writes an authority, "and at such moments we are indelibly impressed for life; definitely quickeued in our understanding of beauty, but such moments are rare and can be counted upon our fingers. In tho case of the Cherniavskys, who have been termed tho 'high priests of the beautiful,' by Annie Besant. this inspiration, this 'frenzy,' is ever there. In the 31IC0 concerts given in twenty-eight dil'erent countries by these young geniuses, the secret of their extraordinary drawing power is the enormous flood of iispiration which pours out from them. Critic after critic tells us of {lie enraptured faces gazing from the audience at tho young artists who never fail to hold their listeners spellbound. It is as though their music lot loose from tho prison 'if the brain the imagination of the auditors, which, when freed, soars on wings of harmony."—"Now York Musical Courier." Tho trio are to appear in New Tork in October. Notes. Miss Ciarice Buckmaii,' a sister of Miss Rosina. Buclcman (who recontly crowned her meteoric grand 'operatic career by singing the rolo of leoldo in Wagner's wonderfully beautiful opera "Tristan and Isolde" in London), is at present in Wellington. Miss Clarico Buckmau is also a fino singer, having studied for over a year under Madamo Weidcrm'ann, of Melbourne. A fow months ago Miss Buckiuan toured New Zealand with tho "Bought and Paid For" Company, since wheli she has been resting in New Zealand. Sho hopes to be ahle to go to London later on in the year, Madamo Clara, Novello Davies, tho noted London teacher of voice production, has token up her permanent residence in New \'ork. Madamo Davies is a teacher who believes that anyono "with an ear" can be taught to sing entertainingly. ■ ■ . i