MUSIC

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3006, 17 February 1917, Page 13

MUSIC

CBj "TreMe-Clef.")

VYoung England." Messrs. George H. Clutsam (formerly of New Zealand) and -Captain Hubert Bath have'successfully colaborated in the light opera "Young England," which is a reversion to good, solid, and tuneful nineteenth century comic opera. The "Observer" says: "After witnessing a performance of the new light opera, 'Young England,' those of uii who have for long hoped for a turn of the tide in taste from the ragtime revue and its perpetual nonsense, to the infinitely moro wholesome and more truly humorous light opera form, may, indeed, take heart of grace and hope for the best. 'Young England' is very nearly genuine opera comique. The music is on a level far above_ that in vogue in recent English musical productions. Mr. Clutsam has provided here some of -his very best music. The duet, the delicious quartet, and moro especially such ensembles as the finales, show a real command of all the resources that go to make a composer —variety of rhythm, a gift-of fresh melody,,and a mastery of technical resource among them. With two composers so admirably equipped, it seems, and is, ridiculous/that any return shall ever be made in our theatres to the bad old days of'imported light opera, save and except only when a genuine masterpiece occurs from which something may be learnt." The "Daily Telegraph": "Between them, Messrs. Clutsam and Bath fairly divide the honours, alike in-respect of quantity and quality. Only once or twice has Mr.: Clutsam discarded, as it were, tho mantle of the period, and with charming grace hc_ does so. ' On the other hand the spirit, of 'young fresh England' is reflected with a sure touch in his expressively written dnet for Betty and .Toan, as in the jolly quartet, 'There Wer.o.Two Sailors' and rightly may the composer plume himself oil his admirable finale to the first act, and on such things as Oxenham's song in praise of England and Courtenav's littlo cent of a ballad, 'The Aoril of My Heart,' a song that Sullivan himself would have been proud to sign."

Our Most Mustcal City.. Christchurch has good cause to plume itself. It went to hear the Italian Opera Company in larger numbers than Was tho. case of any other city in-New Zealand, and wfll doulrtless now claim to be considered tho .most musical town, and not without some show of reason. AVhat constitutes a musical town P Tho nuostion is hardly correctly put, though that is the usual form 'when something entirely different is meant. The most musical town, T suppose, would be one where there are more musicians,, professional-and amateur. resident, and where the largest number of teachers aro kept busy all tho year through. No one ever moqns that, however, when the most musical town is mooted. The usual meaning is —AVhero do tho opera and concert companies take the most money? IJiatc to admit it, but I cannot nominate Wellington for the position. It is an excellent city for comedy, musical comedy, and vaudeville, but as a rule it is not partial to mnsical shows of any quality. The'' Italian Opera. Company must bo acccpted as a good test, and it did not do well in Wellington, a good deal better in Auckland, much better in Christchurch, and even Dunedin—the much nialignpd—is showing receipts that make Wellington's jnsig-.' nificant. Piastro and Mirovitch', fine artists both, .played to skeleton audicnccs here last year, "iand few concerts given during the twelve months under review made serious demands upon the capacity of the halls. Paul I)ufault did vcrv well indeed, but ho did better ill Christchurch, I believe. Seeking for a loyal excuse for AVellington's at-, titude towards ■ good music, it might be suggested that AVellinirton becomes more and more of a garrison' town as the war lengthens out, and while the boys in khaki aro particularly partial to anv form of light entertainment, they fight shy of an evening at good, music. Wellington is not peculiar in that regard—it is the same in London, and all centres that . are dappled with khaki.' The soldier boy, as a rule, would far sooner listen to Violet Trrvenyon chirping about the "Good Old Summer Time" than they would hear Mr. Page play Tscliaikowskv's "Svmphonie Pathctique" on the frraiid organ in the Town Hall, and would make no bones about admitting it. The war has bad a 'curious effcct on l'fo here and elsewhere. Instead of the trend being towards the sober, quiot, religious life, as tlio churches anticipated, the exact reverse has been the case, and that very drift has not' tended to cultivate a passion for the better class of music, or the better class of anything,, for ( that matter. It is to bo dvoutly hoped that the ultimate influence of the pliastly era the nation is now passing through will lead to' tho purification in tasto in music as in all other elevating forms of. art.

Influence in Music. In an articlo published in "The Craftsman," Frederick A. Stock, the successor of Theodoro Thomas' as conductor of the Chicago Orchestra, says: "Even tho greatest musician of all times, Johaun Sebastian Bach, was strongly influenced by the characteristics of schools which existed before and during his time. This also applies to the art of Haydn and Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, as well as Wagner and List. While Gustav Mahler followed closely in the foosteps of Schubert and Bruckner, Richard Strauss still exploits the futuristic tendencies of Berlioz and Liszt. Vincent d'lndy's fine art is a radiant reflection upon the inspired and loft.y offerings of. his great teacher and friend, Cesar Franck; and Debussy found in Moussorgsky's genial creations a very fino incentive for tho creation of the so-called now French idiom in modern music. It is only in tho works of hyper-modern writers wo find a radical departure from everything that has gone before; Schonberg, Stravinsky, Scri.Vbine, Busoai, etc., have in most'of their works' severed all connections with conventionalities and traditions. AVheiher the efforts of these ultra-moderns will prove of lasting rather than passing meritnobody can as yet determine. Wo .must not forgot that the present deplorable conditions in TSurope cast their reflections upon nil artistic productiveness.'throughout tiic world. What conditions will prevail after the conclusionof this terrific struggle for world supremacy, whether we .will in our "artistic endeavours, return to simpler, more natural and therefore more sincere moods and forms of expression, no one can. tell."