I MUSIC AND RECORDS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 17, 14 October 1933, Page 19

I MUSIC AND RECORDS

(By 1

C.J.M.)

Stray Notes.

Mr. John Bishop, who has been absent from Wellington acting as musical adjudicator in Adelaide, left Sydney on the Marama yesterday on his return to New Zealand. The Royal Wellington Choral Union will commence rehearsals on "The Messiah” on October 21. The oratorio will be performed on December 6. with a chorus of 400. Miss Alma Clegg has been engaged to sing the soprano solos, and Mr. R. .1. Laurenson will be the baritone soloist.

Madame Winnie Fraser, the wellknown soprano, is due back in Wellington next Tuesday by the Marama. Mr. Harold Prescott, of Greymouth, has been engaged to sing the tenor solos in "The Messiah,” for the Dunedin ami Auckland Choral Societies

Percy Grainger, the Australian pianist and composer who became a naturalised American, left Copenhagen with his wife in the barque Lavenir for Australia on September 5. The voyage will occupy 100 days. Gordon Goldswain, English violinist, who spent a few months in New Zealand is now on the 20,000-ton liner, Arundel Castle, trading between England and Africa, on which he is conductor and leader of the orchestra. He recently concluded a summer season as conductor of the Ealing (London) Professional Orchestra. 96 Joneses in Welsh Choir. There were 96 people named Jones in the Welsh Eisteddfod Choir recently, or one in every five members. The actual composition of this amazing Jones choir in itself was: sopranos, 33; tenors. 18; altos, 23, and basses, 22. Other names which were prominent in the choir were Davies 43, Evans 31. Williams 40, Lloyd 22, and Hughes 22. There were also more than 20 each of Griffithses, Robertses. Thomases, and Edwardses.

Madame Josephine Ottlee, a musician who was well known in Christchurch musical circles, recently arrived in Melbourne, where she will start teaching. Madame Ottlee was at one time the conductor of the Harmonic Society in Christchurch, and, before coming to New Zealand, had sung at the Queen’s Hall, Royal Albert Hall, and with chor/al societies throughout England and Wales. Master Desmond Casey, the Auckland boy soprano who recently returned to New Zealand after a most successful Australian engagement, is to give a recital in the Auckland Town Hall on October 12. Master Casey, who is only 13 years old, was engaged by the Australian Broadcasting Commission for a series of recitals, which attracted great Interest and won him very gratifying comments from critics (says the “Herald”). He also sang at Manly several times, and on one occasion to an audience of nearly 25.000. While in Sydney the young singer made several records, which have since proved popular both in Australia and New Zealand. The announcement that Messrs. J. and N. Tait have arranged for a tour of Australia and New Zealand by the world-famous boy violinist. Yehudi

FIELDING’S LEGAL CAREER

“Henry Fielding. Novelist and Magistrate.” by B. M. Jones (London: Allan and Unwin).

It was once the fashion to sneer at Fielding, not for any literary deficiencies but for his reputed lack of moral sense and ignorance of the law. Dr. Johnson. Charles Lamb, nnd Horace Walpole have all in their time thrown mud at him, and it is not surprising that some of it has stuck. Mr. Jones, however, studying the great novelist's legal career, has done much in this book, not only to clear his name, but to add lustre to it.’ He shows him as a great lawyer, a courageous magistrate, and a learned classical scholar. Mr. Jones’s researches have established beyond doubt the value of the work Fielding accomplished after taking office. He knew the right way to go about extinguishing crime, and he was a very hard worker. His suggestions seem undoubtedly to have influenced subsequent statutes formulating the criminal law and its administration.

This is a book which, particularly in the second half, will appeal to more than those interested immediately in Fielding himself or in legal reform. It contains some well-drawn pictures of eighteenth centur.v London life, especially of its more seamy side with which Fielding as magistrate had so_ much to do. Mr. Justice du Parcq writes an interesting foreword. NEW PUBLICATIONS “Sununar> of the Fulfilment of the First Five-Year Plan for the Development of the National Economy of the U.S-S.R.” (Moscow: The State Planning Commission of the U.S.S.R.. London: Allen and Unwin). This is the report, of the Russian State Planning Commission and its object is to provide factual and statistical material on all aspects of the first Five-Year Plan in the course of four and a quarter years from 1928-29 to 1932.

“Leninism, Volume 11., by Joseph S.tnlin (London : Allen and Unwin). Consists mainly of speeches delivered on various political occasions and answers to questions asked by members of the Communist Party. Like the first, volume, Volume 11. gives a very good outline of Stalin’s beliefs and policies. “’t he league of Nations in Theory and Practice,” by ('. K. Webster (London: Allen and.Unwin). This book provides an interesting, partly historical sketch of the range of activities of the League, including the work of the International Labour Office .and the Permanent Committee. Additional chapters on international co-operation are written by Sydney Herbert.

“The League on Trial,” bv Max Beer, translated from the German by W. 11. Johnston (London: Allen and Unwin). An indictment of the League of Nations, ably written from the viewpoint that it is an instrument to perpetuate the Treaty of Versailles, and an undesirable one for the pacification of the world. “Problems of Peace. Seventh Series” (London: /Vilen and Unwin). This volume consists of lectures delivered at the meeting of the Geneva Institute of International Relations in August. 1932. The lectures are all by experts and all are connected with the general topic of the world crisis. “Grant and by J. F. C. Fuller (London: Eyre and Spottiswoode). An examination of the influence of personality upon generalship set against the background of the American Civil War. The author’s opinions on Grant and Lee are very different from those generally held. “Rugby Football.” by D. R. Gent (London : Eyre and Spottiswoode). An excellent volume of the “Aldin Series” of books on sport, now issued in a cheap edition.

"Milford Sound,” by It. W. de Montalk (Wellington: 11. 11. Tombs). An ecstatic description in booklet form, inspired by the beauty to be seen on the walk from Milford to Te Anau and Mnnapouri.

According to John O’London, every poet, worthy of the name has a time limit. He enn write poetry worthy of himself only for so many years and between certain ages.

Menuhin, has caused widespread Interest. He will open his tour in Sydney in May, 1935. Though only 14 years old, Yehudi Menuhin is one of the greatest musical geniuses the world has ever known. Recently the concert given by him with orchestra at the Salle Pleyel, Paris, in itself a brilliant feature of the Paris season, became an historical event through the fact that it included the first performance in Paris of Sir Edward Elgar’s “Concerto in B Minor” for violin and orchestra. To cap the significance of the occasion Sir Edward himself conducted the performance. A New Concerto. In a letter to Mr. Walter Impett, the well-known Auckland musician, Mr. Haydn Wood refers thus to his latest composition, a violin concerto: “I am pleased to say the concerto seems as if it will eventually become popular with violinists. I have conducted it for Brosa myself on two occasions. First at a Bournemouth symphony concert with Sir Dan Godfrey’s orchestra, and recently at Douglas, in the Isle of Man. Brosa also played it at his London recital soon after its first broadcast, so it has had quite a number of performances for a new work of this description.” The “Star” (London) says: “Here is a work by an Englishman which is worth the while of any violinist adding to his or her repertoire. It is extraordinarily tuneful and is orchestrated in really rich style, and, as the saying goes, is ‘violinistic,’ for it lies under the hand of the soloist.” Perhaps one of our own orchestras might consider the idea of importing this work by a British composer for performance here. Soloist and Accompanist.

About two years ago an Auckland musical critic had the pleasure of partnering in a golf foursome the wife of a celebrated pianist, who visited these shores with a well-known baritone, and, in the course of the round, ventured the remark that accompanists very often did not get sufficient credit for their share of the success of a performance. The lady replied, somewhat tartly, that, In her opinion, they always got too much! (Her husband was, of course, a solo pianist). Nevertheless, there is no possible doubt that an indifferent accompanist can nullify a first-rate soloist’s best efforts. A striking example of this fact was given quite recently. The soloist in this instance was a really fine player who appeared on two separate occasions, in the first of which, given with the usual accompanist, the performance was decidedly indifferent. The accompanist at the second appearance was an accomplished pianist, and this time the instrumentalist seemed to be a totally different player, so marked with the improvement. Christchurch Musician’s Success. A Christchurch musician, Mr. Hamilton Dickson, A.T.C.L., L.T.C.L., received wide recognition during Music Week in Sydney. At the concert of the Queen Victoria Club under the patronage of the Lord Mayor, he contributed solos with his ’cello and as a singer, in a programme arranged by Mr. Roland Foster, teacher of voice production at the Sydney Conservatorium and well known In Christchurch as a judge at the Competitions. Later in the week Mr. Foster selected him as assistant to the two judges in the vocal section at the Sydney Eisteddfod, at which the -entries were exceptionally large, 70 competitors turning up for the grand opera solo, with corresponding numbers in other classes. This was a great compliment to the young Christchurch native, as judging positions usually are reserved for men of mature years and long experience, so that Mr. Roland Foster, a recognised authority, must have been impressed by Mr. Dickson’s musical ability. Last week, at St. Jude’s Anglican Church, Randwick. Mr. Dickson assisted at an organ recital with ’cello solos. T 1145 numbers including “Sicilians” and “Arietta,” two of his own compositions, besides playing obbligatos for two solos sung by Miss Alma Davies. During the last few weeks he has been on the air with his ’cello, first from 2FC and later from 2BL, his solos on each occasion including some of his own compositions. Recorded Music.

Mischa Elman plays a very beautiful “Valse Sentimentale,” by Schubert, arranged by Franks. Marked by the rhythmic swing of Johann Strauss's waltzes, Schubert’s composition is really ‘‘sentimental” in its elusive wistfulness and atmosphere of sadness with which it is strongly pervaded. The lovely “Traumerei.” from Schumann’s “Kinderscenen” (“Scenes from Childhood”) hardly requires an introduction, and it is only necessary to comment on the compelling beauty of the tone of Elman’s violin, the artist playing the dreamy melody in utter repose. The piano accompaniments, played by two different pianists, are very well recorded. (H.M.V.) (- The Kneller Hall Musicians, conducted by Captain H. E. Adkins, play a selection of “Fanfares” in two parts, with verbal announcements. Most of them are by Britain’s prominent composers, such as Granville Bantock, Roger Quilter, Arnold Bax, Walford Davies. Lord Berners, and Dame Ethel Smyth. The “Fanfares,” which were composed for the Musicians’ Benevolent Fund, are for various occasions, and range from royal, heroic, ceremonial, to humorous, as. for instance, Roger Quilter’s “Fanfare for Fun,” which is based on the nursery rhyme. “A frog he would a-wooing go,” or Dame Ethel Smyth’s “Hot potatoes,” founded on a bugle call of the same name. The record is quite a novelty, and, as the reproduction is excellent, it should prove very popular. (H.M.V.)

The New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, conducted by. the great Willem Mengelberg, plays a delightful ‘‘Sinfonia” by Johann Christian Bach, one of the twenty children of the famous Johann Sebastian Bach. The work is in three short movements, opening with a very bright allegro Assai. which very little resembles his father’s style, but rather strongly reminds of Mozart in lightness and grace. The Andante Is very beautiful, and Mengelberg’s master hand Is unmistakably evident in the handling of the instruments, particularly the woodwinds. and in the delicate phrasing. The Presto is one of those irresistibly bubbling and bright movements made familiar by Haydn. The delightful principal theme, heard again and again, is pervaded with infectious humour and spirit. The splendid performance is notable for its artistic nuances and perfect balance. The “Sinfonia” is recorded in three parts, and in the fourth the orchestra plays the wellknown majestic “Air” from J. S. Bach's Third Suite in D Major, well known as the “Air on the G. String” for violin, arranged for the orchestra by Gustav Mahler. (HALV.)