MUSIC IN ENGLAND

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 31, 5 August 1930, Page 8

MUSIC IN ENGLAND

HELPING NATIVE

TALENT

BRITISH MUSIC SOCIETY

• An arrival by the Ulimaroa from Sydney to-day was Sir Hugh P. Allen, president of tho Royal College of Music, London, and member of the Associated Board, E.A.M. and B.C.M. He is on his way back to England after a visit to Australia, but will not bo leaving tho Dominion until Tuesday next. In tho meantime he will pay a flying visit to Auckland. 1% will return to Wellington at tho week-end, and from then until his departure will be a guest of Their Excellencies at Government House.

Sir Hugh Allen "is very much interested, ; and actually so, in the work of tho British Music Society, of which there is a branch in Australia. Speaking just before his departure for New Zealand on tho actitivies of the society, Sir Hugh Allen said it had received great encouragement from Sir Ernest Palmer, who had'rendered great service in helping young composers. He Bad preached the gospel that there were in England as good composers as—and better than —in any other country in Europe. Composers like Hoist and Vaughan Williams had had their early works performed, and the way paved to' success, through the fund which Sir Ernest Palmer had founded. Through his instrumentality ten new operas had been produced, and of these "Sir John in Love" was one which had lately achieved a triumphant success. Sir Hubert Parry, Sir Charles Villiors Stanford, and Sir Alexander Mackenzie had dono more than any other men in their day to raise- music in England to its rightful position among the nations, and had produced by their efforts a school of composition in England second tonono, which embraced names from Sir Edward Elgar downwards.

Tho society, amongst other reasons for its existence, had that of endeavouring to introduce and make known the works of British composers and contemporary composers of other'nations. It fulfilled the function admirably, but it was to be regretted that there was not a similar response on. the part of other nations, for in Paris, Berlin, Borne, or other centres how often would ono hoar a British composition played? The British Music Society had achieved a great deal also in England in raising the standard <of music in the schools, which was now extraordinarily good compared with what it was twenty years ago. At that time, if they had been told that the "B Minor Man," for instance, would have been performed in a school, with every boy taking part, they would have said that it was impossible. In another school 100 boys had performed thrf "Christmas Oratorio," iv another the opera "Hugh the Drove'" had been performed, and in a little,board School in the East End of London the boys had actually given ' Mozart's "Magic Flute" and "The Marriage of Figaro." Music was a universal language, and no one country could afford to |orget what was going on in another

The British Music Society, added Sir Hugh Allen, was doing' excellent work also in linking the interests of the professional and amat&ur musicians. Upon the sympathy between the two largely depended the future prosperity of the society and of tho art itself.

Sir Hugh Allen believes that there is a great future for opera in England, but the future will be dependent on (1) the developing of tho operatic car by hearing as much as comes in our way with knowledge of the plots and acquaintance with the music (2) by opera in English, so that we can listen unimpeded by our ignorance of what is being said, and (3) by English opera on subjects which arc entirely intelligible and within the range of ordinary experience. Before success is attained, English composers, would have to be given opportunities for gaining stage experience and of uniting with resources at once effective and economical. Complete success, too, would not bereached until wo express one to another the necessity of creating a newer and freer form of libretto to which shall first of all be humanly intelligible, interesting, and, above all, with real English fooling about it. '