THOUGHTS ABOUT MUSIC

Evening Star, Issue 25394, 27 January 1945, Page 11

THOUGHTS ABOUT MUSIC

rjjy L.D.AJ An anonymous writer in an overseas magazine has cleverly parodied the wellknown Gilbert and Sullivan song, ' I've Got a Little List,' from ' The Mikado.' I give two stanzas. If ever I were headsman and new victims must be found, I've got a little list, I've got a little list Of all musical offenders who might well.be underground, And who never would he missed —who never would be missed. There's the operatic devotees who hum eaoh single air, All nitwits who for torchy ballads have an ardent flair; Those smarties who are up, in dates and lioor you with 'em Bat, And know each work by number, and it's Opus This or That, And all those persons who on more and more encores insist— They'd none of them be missed, they'd none of them he missed. There's the marathonic niaui/st with Sonatas four or five, And the foreign pianiste; I've got her on the list I And the palpitating morons who respond to jerky jive- • They nev«r would be missed, they never would be missed. The enthusiast who praises with most ecstatic tone, The music and composers from each country but his own, And that sheer amazing human, that completely loco guy Who declares he can't stand Mozart, but won't even deign to try; And that singular anomaly, the critic who hates Liszt— I don't think he'd be missed—.l'm sure he'd not be missed! * • * * Mention of ' The Mikado ' recalls the now almost incredible fact that, not many years ago, it was deemed politic to disclaim any intention of " slingingoff " at Japan when this opera was performed. The story runs that the Japanese Government, through its diplomatic channels, considered the work a' veiled insult to their august Phnperor. No doubt, if W. S. Gilbert could nave foreseen what has happened since 1941, he would have " rubbed it in " far more vigorously than he did.' But the .Japanese point of viewhas had at least one Western sympathiser. When the J. O. Williamson management wished to revive ' The Mikado,' a year or two since, it was met with an uncompromising refusal by a leading mem. ber of the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Co. to appear in the production, on the ground that, in his opinion, it might ruffle the susceptibilities of a belligerent nation. Consequently this opera was omitted from the repertoire, and. as far as I iknow, has not bjen heard in Australia since the Pacific war broke out. • # » « All kinds of stories have been told of Richard Wagner, with the idea of placing his personal character in the worst* possible light. There was a time when 1 myself, still under the spell of the master's wonderful music, refused to read or believe anythiug to _ his discredit. It was my linn opinion then that no man could write good_ music unless his character could bear the Strictest investigation; such is the faith of youthful idealism and hero worship. The,passing of the.years has naturally modified my views in this respect, but even to-day I find it hard to swallow some of the accusations hurled against ruthless Richard, as someone dubbed him. For example, Carl Bechstein, maker of the famous pianos of that name, used to allege that he lent one to Wagner whenthe composer visited Vienna. The piano was placed in the hotel suite occupied by Wagner, who, just before departing, quietly sold the instrument and retained the proceeds without a word to the owner. If true, this is what we might call " conversion " on the '" grand " scale.

•*» ■ * I prefer to believe the anecdote, told by tlio conductor, Arthur Fiedler, about the dog that disliked modern music. Fiedler says he arrived at a South American city just in time to eat a hurried meal before attending a piano recital by Sanroma. While at the restaurant he fed and made friends with a stray mongrel dog. When he reached the concert hall two blocks away and sat on a front row 6eat. he discovered the dog had accompanied him. To prevent any disturbance, he sat the animal on his lap and petted him all throughout the Chopin numbers. The next part of the programme called tor five pieces by Prokofief. No sooner had Sanroma started to play the first than the dog dashed to the front of .the stajre, and barked furiously at Sanroma until ushers ushered the canine out of the hall. " Great speculation followed among many of those present," relates Fiedler, "as to what might have been the dog's reaction to the last numbers of the programme, five Shostakovitcli preludes. When I left the hall after the concert, the clog was still waiting for ine."