MUSIC IN THE EAST

Evening Star, Issue 22542, 9 January 1937, Page 4

MUSIC IN THE EAST

JAPAN PREFERS JAZZ Chinese appreciate good music, particularly Western classical masters, but in Japan music is being spoiled by the introduction of jazz, according to Mr Albert Mallinson, composer and musician, who arrived in Sydney early in November as the official Trinity College examiner in practical subjects. Mr Mallinson has been mainly_ responsible for establishing the activities of Trinity College in the East, and‘on his way to Australia he examined in China, Japan, and Malaya. “ I have heard Bach and Beethoven played by Chinese with all the understanding of Europeans,” Mr Mallinson said, “ I opened several new centres for the teaching of music in China, and always found the greatest enthusiasm backed up by sound technical knowledge.”

In Japan Mr Mallinson attended the Takaraska Opera. Once it was the centre of operatic and musical culture, hut now, according to, Mr Mallinson, it has become merely tin excuse for playing jazz and light revue. Mr Mallinson thinks that this is connected with the Americanisation of Japan. “ But to compensate for this,” Mr Mallinson added, .“I found, in Kobe a teahouse with a plaque of Beethoven on the wall; another'which possessed the finest collection of classical gramophone records I, . have ever come across.”

Mr Mallinson has , Jong, associations with Australia. He has examined here five times; and his first .contact with the Commonwealth was made 45 years ago. He has composed in all about 400 groups, of which 250 have been published.