Evening Post. MONDAY, APRIL 20, 1920. MUSIC IN NEW ZEALAND

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 97, 29 April 1929, Page 10

Evening Post. MONDAY, APRIL 20, 1920. MUSIC IN NEW ZEALAND

Artistic appreciation is not passive. Away from the primitive there is a need for assertion. It is not difficult for even the average sensitive ear, no matter how untrained it may be, to comprehend a folk song.' But there is a tremendous gap between folk music and the symphony. Thus in a country like New Zealand, with no musical traditions and situated far from the musical centres of the world, it takes enthusiasm and courage to pioneer a movement that aims at giving to the people an opportunity of hearing some of the great works of composers such as Beethoven, Wagner, Mozart, Brahms, and Tchaikowsky. . Yet two orchestras capable, in numbers at least, of giving .expression to even the tremendous massed effects of Wagner, have been formed in New Zealand within the last few months. They are the Bohemian Orchestra in Auckland, which has already over 600 subscribers, and the Wellington Symphony Orchestra, which will give a performance on Thursday night. The existence of the Bohemians seems to be assured for some time, but the Wellington Orchestra has yet to find its feet. The appointment a few years ago of a director of music in New Zealand schools was an awakening to the fact that music is an essential part in the training of the children and youth. Educationists have learnt that any system of education which omits music is defective, and that no permanent social structure can be built on purely materialistic lines. The children must learn'not only to make a living, but to enjoy the living after it has been made. However, the director and his assistants can make but little progress unless there is a response from the children. Similarly with adults, we cannot judge our musical standard by the excellence of the players in the orchestra or their combined efforts, but by the size and consistency of the audiences that support them.

The musician's first aim must be the production of good music—this he owes 1 to the public-r-and unless he maintains the highest artistic ideals there can be no wide and deep musical culture. On the other hand, if the musician, like every other individual, has a duty towards the community, the community owes something to its musicians. It would be a pity if a decline of music were to result from the blindness and stubbornness of musicians, but it would be infinitely worse if the decline were the outcome of public indifference. In the case of the musicians realities would prevail sooner or later, and order would be restored. There is no remedy for indifference. If musical progress is to ■be made, we must pay art, in general and special, the respect of an intelligent attitude. Furthermore, no advance can be claimed if our halls are filled with the spectacle Bernard Shaw describes in "Man and Super-man":

Rows of weary people who are there not because they really like classical music, but because they ought to like it.

In Manchester, for the last fifty years, there- has been a permanent orchestra maintained by public subscription and endowment, and it is said that so proficient are the players under their permanent conductor (Sir Hamilton Harty) that they know by heart not only the classical symphonies, but also their conductor's readings. This will give some idea of the'standard of such famous combinations as the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin State Orchestra^ and the London Symphony Orchestra. Such proficiency, because of the cost, is beyond New Zealand at present, but if an intelligent and wide interest is maintained in this new movement the rich stores of orchestral music may be released, our string. and wood-wind players may be encouraged to make excursions into the realms of chamber music, and symphonies, concertos, and quartets may find a corner in the activities of leisure hours. All that is needed is an intelligent attitude. It is not necessary to be able to tell a second theme from a transition passage, or a minuet from a set of variations, but it is necessary to get into vital contact with the music itself. This can be done by learning to listen. Then will arrive the time of "sweet compulsion," and music will become, in the words of Dr. Johnson, "the least disagreeable of all noises."

It is to be hoped in this attempt at the establishment of a symphony orchestra that the value of allowing the children to hear good music will not be forgotten. With the co-oper-ation of the educational authorities a night could be set aside fo^ the schools. Suitable instruction in the features and construction of the numbers on the programme could be given beforehand, and by these means an understanding of genuine love of the best works would be inculcated in a way that would ensure the permanency of the orchestra. The possibility of allowing younger players to play the solo parts in concertos should also not be lost. In England and on the Continent this honour is often given to outstanding young instrumentalists, who are thus encouraged along the long and tortuous road to virtuosity. The orchestra

should also consider tlio claims of Biilish musicians for inclusion in their programmes. Certainly Eiif^luiul has nol produced i\ Beethoven v Wagner, or a Verdi, but; El^ar, Vnuglian Williams, Pnrry, Klliel Smyth, Delias, and Itolsl have placed British music in a higher position lliau il has been al, tiny other lime in history. Tho treasures left lo us by llio classical composers must bo adequately and reverently recognised as a priceless heritage, bul when the modern are being attempted the music of the Empire should find a place. The initial enthusiasm llml luia established those symphony orchestras can only be maintained if the support, of the public is forthcoming, and, though it has been announced that wireless broadcasts are lo be made, il behoves all who are interested and who can do so lo attend the aclual performance. The broadcast will give a great' deal of pleasure lo those beyond ihe concorlgoing radius of the Town Hall, bul those who are in the city or environs should hear the words of the eminent critic, Ernest Newman, who, writing of England, said:

It may be better that two million people, many of whom would bo otherwise- shut out from music, should got a great work in an imperfect form than not at all. But nothing is to bo gained by our denying obvious imperfections of the present wireless transmissions of music on a large scale.

For those who are able, the place lo hear music is in the hall in .which it is played. For there is the. atmosphere and the beauty of the harmony without blur or blemish.