THOUGHTS ABOUT MUSIC

Evening Star, Issue 23351, 22 August 1939, Page 5

THOUGHTS ABOUT MUSIC

- [By L.D.A.] Music gives ton© to the universe; wings to the mind; flight to the ’imagination; a charm to sadness; gaiety and life to everything.—Plato. W© were informed by a newspaper cable from Sydney recently that the celebrated Australian singer, Marjorie - Lawrence, was having a most disappointing reception at the hands of some of her own countrymen on her . return to Australia after 11 years, absence. So once again we are up against the old problem of a prophet having no honour in his native land. .This particular case shows up very glaringly the artistic ineptitude, not to say rank stupidity, of the public at large, who will crowd in their thousands to hear singers old and past their best, even mediocre warblers, so long as such artists are of foreign extraction. The story dates back centuries; it has been thus from time immemorial. I believe I am correct in asserting that even Melba was never acclaimed in Australia to the same extent as elsewhere. But the subject continues to excite wonderment amongst critics, and we cannot, therefore; T)© surprised' that the one critic who originally discerned the genius of Marjorie Lawrence and predicted her 'riac to stardom should feel simultaneous pride in her success abroad and . chagrin' at her 1 poor' reception in Sydney, , The cable item to 'which I refer ran as follows, dated Sydney, July 31:— “ Musical circles and critics here and in .Melbourne are greatly concerned over the. comparative failure of the concerts so far given in Sydney of the Australian soprano, Marjorie Lawrence, v/hj lately returned from a successful ■ concert tour abroad. She was acclaimed in her home city, Melbourne, where the average attendance at her concerts was 2,800. She opened her’ season in Sydney last week, and the attendances at each appearance were .poor.' Actually there were only 600 at Saturday night’s concert, and to-night (Monday) her recital in the Sydney Town Hall had to be cancelled owing to the smallness of the bookings, which were under 200. “ Miss Lawrence described her Sydney visit as heartbreaking. She added that the people were apparently not interested in Australian artists. “‘Concert promoters express the opinion that some blame is attachable to the National Broadcasting Commission, which is importing artists and • competing with promoters on an unfair basis with the aid of radio license fees.” • • • * The man responsible for “ discovering ” this Australian singer was Thorold Waters, the distinguished: Melbourne music critic and editor of the ‘ Australian Musical News.’ He happened to' be adjudicating at a competitions festival in Geelong in 1928, and what happened then is summed up in remarks made .to him by Miss Lawrence the other day. She said to Mr Waters. “ You got me my chance at the right time. Can you wonder that lam grateful P Because you were so emphatic and enthusiastic I was able to go away when I was twenty-one. Now, at thirty-two I am famous internationally.” Mr-Waters is entitled to all the praise and credit he- can get for his share in the success of Miss Lawrence in the pf music. But., whati I blame'nim for is an apparent want of candour regarding his protegee’s reception in Australia. There does not seem to have been any lack of enthusiasm in Melbourne, since we are told that the audiences. at the Lawrence concerts thgre averaged 2,800. But the abovequoted cable indicates clearly what happened in Sydney, and, not unnaturally, I ■ looked with some curiosity to see what the August issue of the ‘ Australian Musical News ’ would say about it. ■ ! ■ But, greatly to my astonishment, no-’ thing whatever is said in that issue concerning the “ comparative failure ” mentioned by the Press cable. On the contrary, quite a different impression is given. Ido not blame anyone for making the best'of a bad job, but this goes further ' Page 21 of the August ‘ A.M.N.’ is headed in big capitals: MARJORIE LAWRENCE TRIUMPHS IN SYDNEY. Such an announcement can be read in two ways. It maymean that the singer triumphed artistically which, of course, she did, without doubt—or that shl scored an immense popular success, which does not necessarily imply the same thing. The caption evidently refers to her first concert in the Sydney Town Hal Von Julv 24 last, which was attended by only 600 patrons—a mere fifth of the hall’s seating capacity. _ A few days later it was found imperative to cancel a concert owing to inadequate public support. I am justified in asking, therefore, how any reporter can reconcile those circumstances'with the deliberate statement that Miss Lawrence “ triumphed in Sydney ”? * * * * ■ The editor of the ‘ A.M.N.’ did not write the Sydney notices of the singer’s recitals, but he must have been aware of the facts, so cannot escape an accusation of" “ suppressio ven.” I can well understand the poor man’s predicament, of course, when faced with the news of the Sydney fiasco—for that is what it really was, according to the cable. But we should have admired him much more for frankly admitting the* true position instead of so ludicrously white-washing it. Having relieved myself of which virtuous sentiment, I now proceed to quote a few of the encomiums lavished upon Miss Lawrence by the ‘ A.M.N.’ critic. Respecting her Melbourne appearances, Mr Waters wrote: “ I can declare that in the world to-day there can be no one to touch her for sheer elation of the voice, and, if genius is given to singers, genius. She is absolutely resplendent. In her, everything that gives a singer greatness is embodied —loveliness of voice, beauty of carriage, electrifying vitality, a face of wonders, and a special genius, beyond that of any artists who have been heard in Australia, of living the music from even before the music starts, and being so much at one with it that nothing else counts.”

Pretty solid praise, what? One would think that no pritic could well say more; yet Mr Waters goes on; . . Her genius, vitality, and loveliness are so communicable that even the most forbidding and analytical of minds could not possibly barricade them out. . . . She made us all remember that, however beautiful they have been,’ the succession of eminent dramatic sopranos who have spent seasons in Australia in the past few years belong to a preceding generation, while »h'e is flushed and lambent with all that is passing from them.” This is tantamount to an assertion that, compared with Marjorie Lawrence, such singers as Kirsten Flagstad, Lotte Lehmann, and Co. are mere second-raters. .It may be true —I am

not in a position to contradict the statement. But in face of this almost unparalleled laudation and publicity, we have the cold, cruel fact that this singer, whom “no one in the world to-day ” can touch for sheer vocal genius, according to Mr Thorold Waters, was completely turned down by music-lovers in Sydney—even to the—l believe —unprecedented extent of forcing the annulment of a concert already advertised. Further comment must be withheld until I myself have heard the lady sing. But it is very strange, is it not? •'« * * By the time these lines appear in print, the piano solo contest, own selection class, at the Dunedin Competitions will have passed its first stage. I was particularly interested to note that every competitor showed good taste in his or her choice of items. Are we to accept as an indication of the trend of taste amongst musical students generally the fact that no Dunedin aspirant selected an ultra-modern work, either in this or other free-selection classes? I hope we may, and I beg to congratulate whatever influence is responsible for this welcome sign of musical sanity. Apart from certain minor shortcomings previously mentioned, the whole programme of musical items at the current festival should prove enjoyable and instructive. I was prepared for something much less pleasing. In a world of Fpsteins, Stravinskvs, and James Joyces, there is still, ‘ thank goodness, a modicum of sound sense and artistic decency. On the tenth birthday of this column I am glad to recognise such an unexpected and significant gesture.