THE MUSICAL WORLD

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 154, 27 March 1937, Page VIII (Supplement)

THE MUSICAL WORLD

By

C.J.M.

For the Coronation Choir.

Sir Walford Davies, Master of the King’s Music, lias approved tlie inclusion of a fifth member in the New Zealand contingent for the Coronation Choir. Tlie names are: Jladame Winnie Fraser (soprano), Miss Christina Youn" (contralto). Mr. Gordon Fagan (tenor), Mr. Hubert Carter (tenor) and Mi. Denis Dowling (bass), in place of -Mr. F. W. Wilson, who is in the United State. There has been difficulty in getting into touch with Madame Fraser, who is at present touring in Europe, but it is expected that she will be available in time for the first rehearsal, ou May 8. In addition to tlie Abbey service there is to be a thanksgiving service at St, Paul’s, aud iu all probability a command performance at Windsor Castle, attended by the King and Queen, in the second week in June.

Eileen Driscoll. News of Eileen Driscoll comes in a letter from Mr. Hubert. Carter to Mr. W. E. Caldow, secretary of the Royal Wellington Choral Union. Miss Driscoll bad just returned from Ireland. .She has collected a great number of Irish songs, in which she specialises, and has broadcast songs many times in Ireland. Mr. Carter recalls in his letter that Miss Driscoll was one of the principals in “H Trovatore” when he made his first appearance here under the auspices of the Royal Wellington Choral Union.

Hubert Carter, Stan. Morgan and Others. Writing from Glasgow, Scotland, to Mr. W. E. Caldow, secretary of the Royal Wellington Choral Union, under

date February 18, -Mr. Hubert Carter says he had already done two concerts —at Kelty, with Foster Richardson (bass), Doris Cowan (contralto) and Maud Nielson (soprano), of Carl Rosa Opera fame: am] at Clarkson with Florence Mcßride, Scotland’s present-day leading violinist—“ball | packed, enthusiasm tremendous. I did, in addition to operatic groups, a group of Maori .songs with gestures, grimaces, etc., and they were a riot. Wherever I do the Maori things they get a great hearing.” Mr. Carter’s bookings are heavy and continuous. He is due ro appear In Stan. Morgan’s “The Laughing Cavalier,” and has had to cancel other engagements in consequence. Of the “Cavalier” music he says: “It is really lovely, and all of the east will Lave ‘plums’ to sing.” The show is to do a month iu the provinces before having its London West End premiere. Another feather in Stan. Morgan’s cap as a composer is that there is talk of making another “Du Barry” of tlie piece. Mr. Morgan is well established at the Webber-Douglas School of . Opera. He has just finished another one-act operetta, “The Billet Doux,” ■ due for presentation at the Chanti- ’ cleer Theatre. His first, “Over the Gari den Wall," produced last year, was a ; great success at Brighton, Nottingham • and iu Scotland, as played by the rei pertory societies. Stafford Byrne (of . Wellington), who wrote the librettos . for the “Cavalier" and “Over the Garden Wall,” also did the “Billet Doux.” Mr. Carter has put into verse several Maori legends, for which Mr. Morgan has written attractive melodies. “A i winner is ‘Canoe Song,’ which I call ■ ‘Hoea te Waka’ (‘Uurge ou the Canoe’). ■J It gets a great reception everwhere.”