TROWS ABOUT MUSIC

Evening Star, Issue 25939, 2 November 1946, Page 12

TROWS ABOUT MUSIC

(By L.D.A.) A very pleasant coincidence was my experience last week-end. On Saturday 1 received a letter from the celebrated pianist, Eileen Joyce, enclosing one of her latest photographs, and on Sunday I had the happiness of listening for the first time to one of her major and finest recordings—Grieg’s ‘ Ballade,’ op. 24, without any question the greatest performance of this beautiful work I have ever heard. It was broadcast from 3YA, and, for once, radio reception proved excellent; there were no atmospheric disturbances to. mar this wonderful example of super-pianistic art. As far as I know, the Ballade has only once previously been recorded —by Leopold Godowsky, some 15 years ago. Godowsky was a great pianist, one of the foremost virtuosi of an era that produced many phenomenal executants, and, of course, he made a splendid job of Grieg’ ( s work. But if he were alive to-day I think he would be the first to acknowledge the supre'macy of Eileen Joyce’s recording, which is not only more brilliant and effortless, technically, but—of much greater importance—displays far more imaginative insight and depth of musij cianship: Such a performance ranks ! Eileen Joyce annpngst the leading world pianists, where I have always con- ! tended she rightly belongs. In her letter to me this superlative artist speaks of her immense musical activity in London, comprising inI numerable broadcasts and. concerts and |a certain amount of playing for films. I She does not specify any particular screen production in which she has paiv ticipated, but I happen to know that the actual piano playing heard in the film of ‘ The Seventh Veil ’ comps from her magical fingers, although the music is apparently, and very cleverly, played by Ann Todd. Next year Eileen Joyce expects to tour South Africa, and I am hopiiig she may be induced to visit this country again at no distant date, in which’case she is assured of a rapturous welcome from an ever-increasing host of admirers. * * • * I alluded just now to the matter of radio reception, a very serious and important question, as all listeners well know. In these days of scientific progress it should be possible for every owner of a wireless set t to hear perfectly any programme broadcast from any part of New Zealand, and it is therefore good news that the National Broadcasting Service is planning to -install equipment in the chief centres which will ensure such satisfactory reception. ■ « « , • * As things stand at present, many excellent programmes are largely wasted through being presented from stations so weak that they are practically inaudible beyond a radius of comparatively few miles. A striking ; example of this occurred last week, i when a broadcast from 3YL • by the | brilliant Christcjiurch pianist, Rhona I Thomas, could not be heard-either in ’ Wellington or Dunedin. Of course, her performance unfortunately clashed with that of Joan .Hammond, from 3YA, on the same evening, otherwise the latter station would have transmitted Miss Thomas’s programme. But my point is that these smaller stations deserve far stronger and better equipment than they now possess, for some of their programmes are consist-

ently superior to those given from the main studios. So it was very heartening to learn the intentions of the authorities in this connection. Another point calling for examination is ,a rearrangement of wave lengths., to avoid interference between transmitting stations. At present several of them are much too adjacent.

The Minister of Broadcasting also stated recently his department’s intention to make more use of local talent not only in direct performances from the studios, but by means of new recording equipment, I gather -that this implies a more frequent use of recordings made by New Zealand artists, as a set-off against the 50,000-odd gramophone discs from overseas, which are the staple repertoire of contemporary broadteasting in this country. It lias always been my contention that it is not fair to judge a local performer’s ability by a studio broadcast. Many factors may help to mar such a performance, the date of which has, to be fixed several weeks ahead, with no allowance possible for intervening sickness, accident, or any other untoward happening—not to mention the inevitable bugbear of nervousness that spoils the efforts of most broadcasters. Only those who have gone through it can realise the agony of suspense and apprehension felt by performers whilst waiting for the “ red light.” For mdny it is only too truly a danger signal, and I think green might be much more soothing to the hypersensitive.

However, all these drawbacks can be eliminated by recording the performances before they are broadcast—for the simple reason that the recordings can be made at the time most suitable to the artist’s convenience, and when he or she feel exactly in the mood and condition to furnish the best possible effort. Once that effort is on the disc, it remains a constant and invariable record of the performer’s true ability—unaffected by all extraneous contingencies. Moreover, it will ensure a more or less regular source of revenue to the artist by means of royalties. Last, but certainly not least, these recordings, made under the most favourable circumstances, will enable New Zealand musical talent to be fairly measured against the foreign article, and I' can guarantee some surprising results. ,

The duo-piano recital, last Sunday evening by Misses Jones and Flamank, found 4YA on its best behaviour, with the pleasing result that the broadcast was clearly heard in the North Island. Evidently these clever pianists have taken well to heart the example of that peerless duo, Frank Hutchens and Lindley Evans. I noticed the same striving after perfect unanimity, not only technically, . but in the finer shades of expression and a delightfully controlled rubato —that most difficult of all two-piano accomplishments. Moreover, the Bach items submitted were outstanding illustrations of the arranger’s art, and, as such, were highly interesting in themselves, apart from the beautiful performance. Really expert arrangers—i.e., adapters of music from one idiom to another —are not common. To translate mhsic from organ to piano, or even from one piano to' two/pianos, demands from the arranger not merely critical ability and knowledge of corresponding modes of exposition, but a full understanding of the work to be dealt with and the details of the materials in its composition. It demands, in fact,' a certain cprrespondenee or consonance of feeling with the original creator in the mind of the arranger, otherwise we are at once conscious of incongruity of style and method.

It is interesting to observe here that Bach—whose immortal music has probably been subjected to more “ arrangements ” than almost any other composer’s—was himself the first musician of any importance to arrange- the music of others. His works in this vein include 16 violin concertos by Vivaldi,, arranged for solo clavier; three ditto, for organ; also a sonata by Vivaldi for four violins, which Bach translated into a concerto for four harpsichords. Then, of course, Bach was a marvellous arranger of his own works for various mediums, and in this he had later imitators and rivals inBeethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms, etc , followed by tho superb transcriptions' .of Tausig, Liszt, and a host of lesser luminaries. Some arrangers, lacking creative abilities themselves,' evidently proceed on the maxim that it is better to have arranged and lost than never to have written a note at all. Hence many modern abortions of great music, but these rightly belong to the category of derangements, which do not concern this column.

.A light note on which' to end. The Minister of Broadcasting intimates the construction and speedy use of mobile recording units. As in Britain and elsewhere, these may be employed for entertainment purposes, such as impressions of visits to zoological gardens. We can imagine, for instance, a voice over the air saying: ” This is station 2YA, on relay from the Zoo, bread-casting 1 tho Swan.’ ”