The Dominion. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1938. OUR MUSICAL SOCIETIES

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 66, 10 December 1938, Page 10

The Dominion. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1938. OUR MUSICAL SOCIETIES

The visit to Wellington of the Auckland Choral Society to join with the Royal Wellington Choral Union in the presentation of Handel’s Christmas oratorio, “The Messiah, in the Town Ha evening is, apart from its interest to music-lovers, an indication that the idea of musical reciprocity, propounded by the late Mr. Hem y Brett of Auckland, as long ago as 1912, has taken strong root. R • Brett’ who did much during his lifetime for the encouragement of musical endeavour in this country, put forward the suggestion that the older-established societies in the principal centres could give material assistance to the smaller bodies by co-operating with them in public performances and in other ways, and even among themselves mi"ht derive benefits from exchanges of visits. Since that time many musical excursions of this kind have been made The Royal Wellington Choral Union has visited such provincial centres as Palmerston North, Napier, and New Plymouth and has also given a combined performance with the ohoral society in Auckland. Mr. Stanley Oliver’s very fine choir, the Schola Cantorum not long ago paid a visit to Christchurch. In this way methods of training, interpretations of works, and standards of. performances are usefully compared in a spirit animated by the desire of all concerned to raise the quality of amateur musical effort in New Zealand to a high level. • It is an excellent idea, worthy of praise and encouragement. Whether the performances of touring societies are given independently, or in association with the musical bodies in the centies visited, the result can hardly fail to be of benefit. With the introduction of radio broadcasting there was some apprehension that our various amateur musical bodies would suffer at least a partial eclipse, that public interest, in their performances would diminish, with serious effects on their slender financial resources. Speaking generally, the contrary has been the. case. A few may have fallen by the way, but where amateur enthusiasm has been well maintained by good management on the. part of executives the societies on the whole have continued to flourish. Indeed, it has been said that the influence of the radio has stimulated, rather than discouraged, amateur effort. It has been the same with the stage. Though the “legitimate” theatre was hard hit by the popular vogue of the cinema, it has nevertheless survived the competition, and still claims a substantial share of the public’s patronage when the. quality of the fare provided is up to standard. The amateur stage, in fact, has experienced, and continues to enjoy, a remarkable degree of popularity unequalled even before the advent of the films. . This healthy and promising vitality in our amateur musical, and dramatic life is very gratifying, and, if maintained, should provide a satisfying' answer to the challenge of mechanized entertainment, which, at one stage, appeared to be a serious menace. Any device by which it can be fortified as a permanent and educative influence in our social culture is to be welcomed and encouraged, and it is therefore to be hoped that these reciprocal visits among our musical societies will be enabled through public support to enlarge the scope of their usefulness and benefits.