MUSIC AS A POWER.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 49, 28 February 1911, Page 6

MUSIC AS A POWER.

ITS ADVANCEMENT IN THE WORLD.] SPEECH BY MR. MAUGHAN BARNETT. Various speakers at last night's meeting of th» Wellington. Choral Society were agreed as to the general upward tendency of music in this city. Last year the society launched out in such an ambitious work as Elgar's "Dream of ixerontius, and its success with that intricate study was no uncertain one lhe Choral Society has had a very gratifying year. It has attained to a handy credit balance, and the performances have been attended with all reasonable success. Last evening, at the society's annual meeting, a great deal of the credit for this was attributed to the so ?i ety 'f conduct °r, Mr. Maughan Baa--nett, who is also municipal organist. In, reply to the flattering tributes paid Mr. Barnett on the occasion of his re-election as conductor, that gentleman was movedto a few remarks on matters of interest in the musical world. In thanking members for their congratulations, Mr. Barnett said that ha had to thasik the chorus for their conscientious work at all times. The report referred to him as the " distinguished conductor of the society," when, In hia opinion, it should have read "the conductor of a distinguishes society." The work of the society during the year had simply exceeded his expectations. H« had been asked te define for a correspondent a conductor. To his mind th« qualifications necessary for the successful conductor were tact, musical ability, enthusiasm, and the power of conveying that enthusiasm to others. The members of the chorus had responded in a marked degree to his efforts. ART BEFORE L.S.D. ' A previous speaker had made reference to Mr. Bamett's success in the formation of a municipal orchestra^ — the first of its kind in Australasia. Touching on this subject, Mr. Barnett made mention of the assistance he had received in thia direction from the society. The Wellington Choral Society was among the largest guarantors of that scheme. Concerning the society's finanoos, the speaker declared that that was the direct result of the committee placing Art before mere £.s.d. That course had been amply jusified. Four years ago the society was faced with a deficit, but the committee put its shoulders to the wheel and remedied things. _He hoped they would not slacken in the endeavour. He suggested the deficit was a blessing in disguise. MUSIC IN THE COLONIES. Personally he agreed with Lytteiton, of Harrow (England), he tliougfit, when' he baid that music was one of the powers of the future. "I think this is | being recognised," Mr. Barnett prof ceeded. "We English," he added, "unfortunately had not taken the interest in music that such people as the Germans had, but there was an improvement in this respect, not only in England, but in America. In New York' there had been of late years a tremendous development." After a reference to : the advancement of musical unions in j Wellington, the speaker reminded his auditors of the tribute paid to tho elevating and educational power of music at such an important gathering as the recent Science Congress held in Sydney. Tho president of tho congress, in his address, drew attention te the fact_ that people of the colonies were paying more attention to .things other than utilitarian. He thought ft was really a great thing that in a young country like this attention was being devoted te what must be a very important, factor in the lives of the people. He hoped that in the 'future they would' have every reason to be proud of the music in this Empire city. (Applause. J Mr. Barnett concluded with a word of praise for those who comprised ths Municipal Orchesta-a, and added — referring to tho society arid his reelection — that he hoped they "would consider him suitable (as conductor) 'for many yeare." (Laughter and opplauso.)