RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 192, 11 May 1937, Page 8

RANDOM NOTES

Sidelights on Current Events (By Kickshaws. - ) News that the fastest century for years has occurred in England must be read in conjunction with news from Auckland that a woman, aged 102 years considers this to be the fastest year for centuries. ♦ * ♦ . Tlie Acting-Minister of Labour deciares that it is not beyond tlie brains of tlie people to meet every problem that may arise. Well, they are certainly getting plenty of practice. « V When we pointed out to a dear old lady tlie impending grave shortage of journeymen, she said: What else could be expected if people went and meddled with tlie transport system? ft 4 « “My attention lias been drawn to a paragraph in which ’O.F.’ asks for the correct pronunciation of tlie word ■Putaruru’ and in which you state that an expert on Maori words has kindly provided certain 'facts,’ ” says "Hare Hongi.” “To me it is suprising that in so short a paragraph containing so many supposed ‘facts’ all of the 'facts’ are wrong. The true pronunciation of the term ‘Putaruru’ does not contain one long sound. The true pronunciation of ‘puta’ is exactly heard in the English ‘put-a(hove).' There is no “poo’ and no ‘tar’ and no accent about it. Both vowels are short. As to Turn’ both vowels are also short. As to tlie meaning of ‘Putaruru’ ‘crowded together’ (‘pupuni’) is absurd. ’Puta’ means an opening; Turn’ is the name of the owl. Au opening in a tree in which an owl makes its home and nest explains the meaning; that is ‘owl’s-nest.’ ” [Every effort has been made to decipher the typescript, but in places suiterimpositions have made the task difficult. Possibly other Maori experts may care to give opinions.] » * * Lord Bledisloe’s suggestion that the National Anthem as sung in England should be altered, will meet with approval in New Zealand because we already make use of the alteration suggested, the substitution of “our” for "the” in referring to the King. Nevertheless, it is improbable that the change will receive official blessing in England, if only because it is a change. According to one legal authority in England there can be no change in any verse in the National Anthem without the sanction of Parliament. There is no offence, nevertheless, in singing a new verse or in making any small alteration on the part of the publie, provided the change is loyal and patriotic. As regards the method of singing the National Anthem, the late King George V himself instituted a change in the tempo shortly before he died. When King Edward VII came to tlie throne the tempo was slow, so slow that King Edward VII protested that it had become a dirge.

Probably very few people have ever heard the National Anthem played as it should be. The present coronation period no doubt will thus enable many thousands of people to appreciate what the National Anthem conveys when it is played correctly. This anthem is heralded by a roll of drums for three bars. The first eight bars of the Anthem are then played pianissimo by reed instruments. The scale passage is then introduced by trumpets, cornets, and trombones in a crescendo of volume until the band is playing double-forte. Four bars follow played pianissimo. The band as a whole comes in with the final chords played double-forte and at a slower pace. Possibly the most memorable occasion on which the National Anthem was heard in our time was in the House of Commons after the King’s speech following the outbreak of war in 1914. “Mr. Deputy Speaker” said Mr. Crooks "would it lie in order to sing ‘God Save the King’?" There was a moment of hesitation and then everybody in the House including “strangers" in the Strangers’ Gallery started to sing the anthem.

Actually the first time that the National Anthem was sung in public it* England appears to have been in September, 1754, when the news of the defeat of Sir John Cope’s army at Prestonpans became known in London. This “song for two voices” was sung ab the end of the programme at Drury Lane and Covent Garden. Other theatres copied the idea. Subsequently it became a part of official functions. Yet tlie tune with other words had been sung possibly two centuries before that. Exactly how the National Anthem originated is a matter of argument. Henry Carey sang the air as his own eomposi tion in 1740. Opinions were held at that time that the air was far older than Carey himself, having been published, most appropriately, by John Bull in 1619. Handel certainly got hold of the tune when in Paris, and is supposed to have passed it on to the English. But there are so many claimants one cannot say for certain to whom we are grateful for our National Anthem. It bad been sung at the Convent of St. Cyr when that French institution for the daughters of impoverished nobles started about the year 1684.

There have been several minor changes and alterations in the National Anthem down the centuries and as many efforts again that came to nothing. No less a poet than Wordsworth was once requested to fit the music of the National Anthem with better words. Boor Wordsworth had a try but he admitted failure owing, as he said, to the name “Victoria” being unmanageable. He composed two stanzas to replace the “knavish tricks.” But they were never used. As a matter of fact a child of 12 succeeded where Wordsworth had failed. She sent her version to Wordsworth, who sent them to Queen Victoria, who sent the child a silver inkstand, but there the matter ended. A sample of the suggested revised National Anthem appears ab the foot of this column. Another verse appeared many years ago when efforts were being made to revise the words. This revised version started, “O Lord our God Arise,” and the second verse was “Open the nation’s eyes.” However, the “eye-opener” version does not appear to have appealed to the authorities. We rarely hear this verse to-day. There were in addition three or four other variations including the verse written "to” Marshall Wade and Tennyson's "Reverend beloved” that had a siy dig at. the then unpopular Albert, much to the annoyance of the lastnamed. * * • O God of might and love. Look from Thy throne above, God save our Queen. Be Thou a pillar bright, The paths of life to light, And guide her steps aright, God Save the Queen! * * * May her reign peaceful be; Lands far across the sea Bless England’s Queen. Increase our inland stores, While commerce freely pours We.i h on our prosperous shores, God save the Queen. —One suggested revision to the yatiooal Antherm