MUSIC AND RECORDS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 146, 17 March 1934, Page 19

MUSIC AND RECORDS

(By

C.J.M.)

Stray No(os. Tlie Dunedin Choral Society is presenting “Faust” on April 17 next. Mr. llarison Cook, the well-known Wellington bass, Is to take (lie part of Mcpliistopheles. ■

“Hiawatha” (Coleridge-Taylor) js now being releiised by the Auckland Choral Society.

The Christchurch Choral Society is rehearsing Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” for its next concert.

On Monday evening next Mr. W. Lawrence Haggitt will give an organ recital at St. John’s Church. The programme will include compositions by Bach, Rheinberger, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Elgar, WalfordDavies, Wagner, Liszt and Easthope Martin. Tlie vocalist will be Miss Edna Parton. There will be a silver coin offering on entering the church.

Leliar’s New Operetta. Franz Ixihar had the crowning triumph of his career last month, when his new operetta, “Guidetta,” was produced for the first time in the Vienna Opera House. He conducted himself from a rostrum decked with laurel wreaths. The conservative management had broken its unwritten rule that no operatta can be produced in the Vienna Opera House until the composer has been dead for a number of years. Even “Fledermaus” was no exception. The house presented all the brilliance of the old Imperial days. The operetta was broadcast from 120 stations, including American stations.

Choir’s Fight for* Life. The Auckland City Council’s decision to discontinue support of the Municipal Choir has occasioned much disappointment among musical circles, which have seen the gradual removal of civic recognition of musical activities during the past few years. Members of the former Musical Choir, however, have decided not bo disband entirely, and there are possibilities of the formation of a new choir. A committee of about 25 members, it is understood, is at present negotiating wibh the City Council concerning the use of the choir music formerly at the disposal of the Municipal Choir.

Was Galli-Curci Self Taught? Mme. Galli-Curci has publicly confirmed what critical listeners must have suspected—namely, that she has never received instruction in the art of singing, the London “Daily Telegraph” music critic wrote after Galli-Curci's recent concert in the Albert Hall, her first) appearance in London for some years. It Is astonishing how far selfteaching has taken her. he adds. At the same time she would by now have been a far greater singer if she had been properly through the mill. Slackness in production and haphazard breath-technique induce shapelessness of words and rhythm, and uncertain intonation. Yet, even so, there was, at the end, no denying that a certain charm had been exerted by this undisciplined but sweet bulbul-like warbling. Her qualities include a picturesque grace of bearing and a feminineness of the Mediterranean sort. The faults in her singing are due to excessive looseness of control', but the public infinitely prefers the easy and casual effect of -such a method to harness and rigidity—and if a choice has to be made between the two imperfections the public is surely right. “Elijah” as a pageant. The Sydney Royal Philharmonic Society’s great aim to be held in view this year is a performance of “Elijah” in a theatre, during Festival Fortnight, with full effects of costuming and stagecraft to help the appeal of the music. During last month, the oratorio was to have been done in a similar way at the Royal Albert Hall in London. For some years now, Coleridge-Taylor’s “Hiawatha” has appeared each summer at the same hall as a highly-coloured pageant of Red Indian life; and Mr. Roland Foster remarked the other day that the Royal Philharmonic is contemplating “Hiawatha” at a later date. The most elaborate preparations were being made for the London “Elijah.” Mr. Albert Coates was to conduct; and the part of Elijah had been allotted to Mr. Harold Williams. Over 1500 people were to appear among vivid scenery depicting the natural phenomena of storm and tempest ; the overwhelming luxury of the court of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel; and the prophet’s translation to heaven in the closing scene. The ascent in the fierv chariot was promised as something particularly thrilling. There was also to be a s.pectacular ballet, led by AliciaAlarkov’a and Anton Dolin. The organisers of the pageant were hard pressed to find authentic data on which to design 1500 costumes of the period. They overcame this difficulty, however; just" as they overcame the objections of authorities who wished to interfere with the performance on the grounds that it was not really an “oratorio in costume and with pageantry ; but a stage play. The rebuilding of the old Albert Hall organ was completed a few weeks ago, after 11 years’ work. The new instrument, with 146 speaking stops and 10,491 pipes, is the largest organ in the British Isles. As a step on the road tOTOi J, d . n “Elijah” pageant, the Royal lliilharmonic Society will take advantage of tlie visit to Horace Stevens to give a concert performance of the oratorio in Mav, with the Australian baritone as Elijah. The Musical Association Choir has also selected “Elijah’ as its main offering for 1934.. The feature of this presentation (which takes place June) is the participation of Sir Ham ilton Harty as conductor. Albert Hall’s New OrganThe opening of the Alberti Hall or K aT J last month was an event of a kind that does not occur in London, or anywhere

else, for that matter. The rebuilding of the old instrument!, begun 11 years ago, lias been carried out on the most lavish scale. The completed organ, which is valued at £56,000, is one-third as large again ns the old one, and has 146 speaking stops. and 10,491 pipes, distributed over six manual divisions and the pedal. It is, therefore, the largest organ in tlie British Isles to-day, and it takes a very;high position among the great concert instruments of the world.

It would be wrong, however, to lay emphasis on size, for quality and fitness matter much more. The quality of the organ was a foregone conclusion. It is the work of a man of whom it may be said, as was said of Chopin, that he has the almost prejudicial advantage of making all other craftsmen seem clumsy by comparison. Thirty years ago, Arthur Harrison was building organs which, as we are now beginning to see, imposed upon us new standards of beauty and blend of tone, of finish, and of completeness of design. We naturally find in the Albert Hall organ a rare combination of comprehensive tonal architecture and minute and wonderful care in the making of every part. Two qualities—well brought out during the opening recital —are the fineness of its proportions and its flexibility. Of Obe good things in the instrument, only a few can 'be mentioned here. There are splendid and probably unequalled series of imitative and chorus reeds, the orchestral trumpets on the bombarde being certainly unique. Then the diapason chorus of 35 ranks on the great is the finesti in the country; so is the family of 13 stringed-toned ranks on the orchestral; while the total of 65 ranks of upper-work and mutations represent an enterprise such as has perhaps not been attempted since Bach’s day.

Three of our greatest organists combined their gifts at the opening recital —Sir Walter Alcock, George ThalbenBall, and G. D. Cunningham—without being able to show more than a part of the resources of this inexhaustible organ.

Grainger Likes “Jazz.” From his high pinnacle as a worldfamous pianist and composer, Percy Grainger does not look upon the ordinary world of music with the superiority that is generally credited to genius. For Percy Grainger actually admits that he likes jazz. “And why shouldn t I?” he asked. “Anything that adds to the popularity of music should be encouraged. Jazz, after all,” he added, “is another form of music that is intended to make it more intelligible, or give it a greater appeal, to a section of the people who otherwise might not be reached by the appeal of music. And don’t lose sight) of the fact that there are many jazz melodies that are based on music of the great composers. I certainly do not join with those who declare that jazz is a debasement) of music.” Percy Grainger’s views will be doubtless received with delight by that large section of people who take their music syncopated. The Champion Band?

After hearing most of the bands, and reading all the Press reports of the performances, I am far from being sure as to whicli is the champion bail'd.: but three of them, at all events, covered, themselves with glory —the Port Nicholson, the Palmerston North Garrison, and the St. Kilda. These three pla.yed exceedingly well, and, in my humble opinion, there wasn’t a pin to choose between them (writes Simeon Stylite in “Music in New Zealand”). My second point is that an event such as this band festival serves once again to emphasise the unquestionable sectarianism existing in musical appreciation. By this I mean that, in its varied forms of appeal, mugta contajns almost as many different sects as the Church: by turns' we have devotees of organ, orchestra, vocal, pianoforte, violin, chamber, military and brass-band, music, many of whom are interested solely and exclusively in their pet hobby, being quite indifferent to more than one particular branch of musical endeavour. I forgot to include oratorio and opera.