THE PLACE OF MUSIC

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 21, 25 July 1939, Page 11

THE PLACE OF MUSIC

A VITAL FORCE

ENCOURAGEMENT FROM

STATE

The place of music in the life of the people was the subject of an address by Mr. H. Gladstone Hill at the luncheon of the Wellington Rotary Club

today.

Music as a vital force in the life of every man, woman, and child was not only a fascinating study, said Mr. Hill, but a most important factor in the psychology of the human race. As machinery displaced labour, man would have more time than ever at J his disposal. That was not a question of politics—it was merely facing a situation which they all knew existed. It was just that fact that was causing so much concern to thoughtful men and women throughout the democratic world today. Concerning himself with the\ leisure section of man's life, Mr. Hill said the needs *bf that section were definitely a community problem. The section could be divided into two, the first dealing With the physical, and the second with the mental and spiritual. The former was well provided for, but the latter was unorganised. That portion of a man's life in earlier days was his own affair. But the world had changed, and either they were too slow to keep pace with that change, or they were too conservative to admit it, .unless it suited them to do so. The benefits derived from such amenities as beautiful gardens, parks, and sports grounds, libraries, music, art galleries, etc., could never be estimated, but their existence proved that Governments, whether national or local, now provided for the people those things which the people used Ito provide for themselves—or did without. MUSIC LEADS-THE ARTS. Mr. Hill said that music could best be summed up in the words of Pope as "God's magnificent gift to mankind." Music was an international language, it-knew neither race, colour., nor creed. The speaker made the claim that of all the arts, music had the widest appeal and the greatest following. Reading was a matter of education and • personal application. Paintings did not appeal to all. Gardens and flowers, beautiful things of Nature's creation, had not the constant appeal of music. That had been accepted in almost every country in the world, to such an extent that today there was greater activity in the world of music than there ever had been. For some time after the advent of the gramophone and then the radio, individual learning of music reached a low ebb. But during the past few years radio had had a wonderful ef-» j feet upon the younger generation, and j the love of personal accomplishment, plus the love of music itself, had provided a stimulus which showed no signs of abating. After referring in detail to the encouragement given to music, and especially band music, in other countries, Mr. Hill spoke of the re-forma-tion of the Wellington Bands Association, which now comprised twelve bands with a membership of 300 uniformed men. One of the main duties the association intended to undertake, apart from giving the city more music than it had ever had before, was the development of music generally, and bands in particular, in the schools, both primary and secondax^y. He paid a tribute to the many men and women I who had taught music to children ! after school hou^s, but remarked that | that was a condition' of things which i would have to be altered. The imj primatur of the. State, through its j Education Department, must be on 'the efforts made in that direction.