MUSIC APPRECIATION

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 242, 9 July 1938, Page 17

MUSIC APPRECIATION

Orchestral Concerts For Young People

SERIES INAUGURATED IN

WELLINGTON

Last evening saw the birth of a notable scheme for the promotion of music appreciation in Wellington. For some time past Mr. Leon de Mauny has had the idea of educating the young people ot ■Wellington so that they may be able to listen intelligently with a true appreciation of what good music is, and perhaps participate in the making ot it, uii‘l so carry forward those traditions which will make the future public of *' c ' v •“ ea " land music-minded. Mr. de Mutiny brought forward the idea of assembling an orchestra to play to the children ol the secondary schools of the city, and. some weeks ago, placed a proposition before the board of governors.of the Wellington Technical College, in which he proposed, with the co-operation of the board, to give a series of concerts to uie children of all the secondary schools in the assembly hall of the college. Jhe board readily co-operated. The other colleges were circularised with success, and last evening saw’ the first demonstration concert given before an assemblage of some 600 children. The orchestra consisted of about forty experienced players, ail interested in the project, and under the direction of Mr. de Mauny a very charming concert was given. The opening of the series was attended by the Minister of Education, Hon. I. Fraser, who was introduced by Mr. C. Nichols, chairman of the committee which ha s taken the project in hand. The Minister said how pleased he was to be present on the opening of a series of concerts which he felt would make history in musical appreciation in this country, and congratulated Mr. de Mauny and the teachers who had worked so hard to bring the project into being. .The object of the mission, for that is what it was, was to inculcate an appreciation ot good music in young people, orchestral music in particular, and he hoped by the third concert to see the hall crowded. He wished the project every success, and declared the series open. Mr. de Mauny, who was received with applause, said he did not wish the children to regard the concerts as another school lesson, but to regard them as entertainment and enjoy themselves. If, during the course of that enjoyment, they found that they learned something about music and what constituted a full orchestra and its possibilities, they would have improved their general education and would at the same time find that they had added to their capacity for the appreciation and enjoyment of music. Mr. de Mauny gave a practical illustration of the constitution of a symphony orchestra,, indicating that it was composed of several families—the strings, the wk>od-winds, the brass, and percussion instruments—all brought together in harmony. He then asked a representative of each section to play a bar or two of music, and exhibit the instrument; and then, in order to define tone colour, asked them to play one note together. In this way something like a general understanding of the various instruments was effectively given. This elementary knowledge was also conveyed by illustrations of the various instruments, in the specially prepared souvenir programmes given to everyone present. Following this, the orchestra played a judicious selection of music of the programme order, which avoided the abstruse. This consisted o the overture to “William Tell" (Rossini), the delicate "Berceuse” and "Prehldium” of Jarne; feldt; the graceful "Scenes Pittoresque of Massenet,; the gruesome "Danse Macabre” of Saint-SaeiiSc-und the “Plymouth Hoc” overture by Ansell, each number being admirably presented. The pleasure of the evening was enhanced by the discovery that the assembly hall has admirable acoustic properties, probably the best in Wellington, there being no suspicion of echo or blur in any part of the large hall, which seats about 1200 people. Before jthe National Anthem was sung at th,-, conclusion of the concert. Mr. Nicholls announced that one man present had been so impressed with the project that he had offered prizes of £2/2/- and £l/1/- for the best essays on the concert. Entries are to close with the secretary of the concert committee, Mr. A. A. Kirk, on July 22. ________