MUSIC

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2982, 20 January 1917, Page 11

MUSIC

(By "TreWe-Clef.")

A Notable Concert. The Italian Opera Company gavo a most wonderful concert in the' Auckland lown Hall last Sunday evening. Any one of the twenty items sung would havo been a stellar contribution to an ordinary concert programme here, and though the pick of tho soloists contributed, the big hall was not filled. Who says we want good music? To begin with, the orchestra played tho overture to "Mignon" and tho "Danco or tho Hours" from "La Giaconda." Capclli, the lonely tenor, sang "O Paridiso" from "Africana," the romance Vloni" (Dcnza), and "Heaven and Sea," from "CJiaconda"; Belboni sang the romance "Ho Una Ferita" (Tosti), and "Dove, Dove," from Tschaikovsky's "Onegin." Lois sang "La Donna c Mobile" (which ho does not do full justice to); and Count Fillippini sang "0 Divino Medaljon," from "Faust." Scaimmi sang tho cavatina from "The Barber of Seville," the Prologue from "I Pagliacci," and "Eri Tu." from "Tho Masked Ball." Signorina Gonzalez sang two Neapolitan songs, Signorina- Russ sang "0 Mio Fernando," from "La Favourifca," and "Non Credere" (Lissu), and Signorina Visoni sang Gounod's "Serenade" and "I Will Not Go Far," and an aria from "Mignon.' In addition, the famous quarter from "Rigolctto" and tho Gostclle from "Lucia" were sung. This should stand out as the finest operatic concert ever given in New Zealand., The only artist we would have liked to have seen included was Cacinlli, the basso, and possibly the most artistic performer in the company.

Sousa and Composition. Asked in Boston, U.S.A., under what conditions ho did his best work, Mr. John Philip Sousa- had this to say:— "I believe in inspiration. It is to 1110 what religious dissertation is to Billy Sunday. It gives 1110 poiver." Asked what ho considered his best march, tho composer answered quickly. "The Stars and Stripes Forever. " He then illustrated his statement regarding the power of inspiration by tolling how his most successful march was composed. "It was conceived on board the Atlantic liner loutf-Huc," he said. "I laad' been in England, and liad been homo-sick. Liko all returning Americans I found thc.iiro of patriotism burnincr strong within me as the ship, .headed home" ward. I conceived the title and form of the composition while pacing the steamer's,dock, and in the courso of the voyage, as I paced back and forth, with my being full of the music, the march played itself ill my brain fully 500 times. Before I landed in New \ork it was perfected. No change was ever made in it." Tho story of this composition led to talk of others. "I get tho best results when I do not hurry," said Mr. Sousa, "and let tho promptings of inspiration follow their own course. Take, for example, my 'Boy Scouts' March,' that I am at present playing in Boston. I had long intended t-o produce such a march, but it could not be done until the tliemo had shaped itself sub-consciously in my being. Tlion it found expression as I would have it do. It absolutely breathes the boy; it.visualises the supplo step of the boy marching, and not tho heavy tread of tho man. Such a Tesult could not. havo been obtained by hurried work." ' '

Russian Composers Anti-Revolutionists. Not long ago I suggested to a. prominent Russian eomposor that lie nso as a theme the Bloody Sunday, the fights of Moscow, the- barricades of Odessa, Father Gapon, Kalaeff, or Azc/f, for operatic or instrumental treatment. Tho Russian revolution is crowded with dramatic and inspiring events, gripping in details and haunting in pathos. J'lie tragedies of Russmu horoinos, tlieir courago and endurance, tlinir ■sufferings in the Siberian wikis, are beyond overy description. .-Tho composer became indignant- over the suggestion, and Las never forgiven mo. . . . The late Rimsky-Korsakolf was tho only Russian composer wJur really intended to write an opora on the revolutionary theme, but death prevented him from so doing. As far as I have como in touch with any prominent Russian musical figure, eithor at homo or abroad, ho has always expressed'himself a bitter foe of revolution. —Ivan Narodny in "Musical America" (New York).

Notes. Miss Kate Campion, a popular Auckland singer, gave a recital in Aeolian Hall, London, oil October .31, which was at once short, concise, ami to the point; most of its length, in fact, was derived from tho long intervals. The "Daily Telegraph" says: —"There <s, perhaps, no particular beauty in the soprano voice itself, but tliero is i a very great .deal' of intelligence observable in its use. "Pleurez mcs yenx," for example, was excellently sung, and the reading of Purcell's 'Thy Hand, Belinda," was distinguished, while Dunhill's "Tho Clotlis . of Heaven," Scott's "Lullaby," and Quilter's "Blackbird's Song," were/given in precisely tlieir right spirit. Miss Campion is to be congratulated, bv tho way, on placing her English group in its lawful place, second ill a series of four, and on singing so well Rachmaninov's "Enchanted island" and Tchaikovsky's lovely "Bcrccuse," both given clearly in tlie original Russian text."