MUSIC

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2970, 6 January 1917, Page 11

MUSIC

(By "Treble-Clef.") Handel in the Strand. Londoners have beou delighted with what tho "Westminster Gazelle" calls "an amusing and effective clog dance, 'Handel in tho Strand, by Mr. Percy Grainger, the success of which was unqualified. The' whimsical title suggests the character of the work, which is_ just another of those exhilarating essays in musical high spirits expressed in terms of catchy rhythm and audacious polyphony in which this young composer excels. The surprising thing is that more of his contemporaries are not stimulated by his success to experiment on similar lines and give expression to that sense of humour which, though so deeply rooted in the British character, so rarely finds reflection in our music. It is tho spirit of tho music winch makes all the difference. In the case of this piece of Mr. Grainger, for instance, an equal amount of complexity in a serious work would probably have made our tedium and tho result would havo been a failure, instead of what it was, to wit, a rollicking success." "The Pearl Fishers," by Bizet. Tho opening opera of the metropolitan season in i\ew York in November was "The L'earl Fishers,' 1 by Bizet, whose "Carmen" is the most popular of all operas everywhere.. While it is, of course, not equal to "Carmen" or tho adorablo "JVArlesienne," which Philip Hale considers even greater than "Cannon," it is described as a work which will give pleasure to all who have ears line enough to detect budding genius. The plot tells the story of two Cingalese pearl fishers who are in love with the priestess Leila; some of the details recall the libretto of Spontini's once famous opera, "La Vestalo." The first performance was in Paris, on September 29, 1863. As in the case of "Carmen" some years later, the music was too original to please the audience altogether, although it betrayed the influence of Gounod here and there; and it was not till the opera had been sung in other cities that the Parisians took to it. The best number in the opera is the duo between Zurga and Nadir, which is oftcu sung in.French concert halls. It is a genuine Bizofr. The tenor also has a lovely melody. "Je erois entendre encore," which Caruso will sing. There are only two other parts, Leila and the High Priest, which will bo taken iby Frieda Hempel and Leon Piothier.

In France the war has particularly affected musical study. The situation of musicians and teachers of-music is becoming very serious. With the greatly increased cost of living the reduction in incomes due to the presence of soldier-earners at the front, or in _tho hereafter, thousands of students liavo heen compelled to abandon their lessons.