WORLD of MUSIC

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 2 August 1924, Page 16

WORLD of MUSIC

NOTES AND C OMMENTS. Tiie Operatic Society are working steadily at •'Our Miss Gibbs," and the arrangements are beginning to shape themselves for the hnal steps before the performance. Solo parts are allotted, and a very great interest is being shown. The Male Choir are also progressing towards their next concert, which promises to be a great success. It wilt be interesting also to know what will be their choice for the full choral work to be arranged later. That is certain to be popular. Mr M. Newberry has postponed the date for his violin recital, and is putting in a lot of work for that event! He will have Mr Arthur Ripley with him as vocal soloist.

We understand that Miss Hooker Will shortly leave for Timaru, after hearing the great tenor, Charles Haekett, in Wellington, and will give a recital in the southern city, where she is as popular almost as she is in HatCera. Reports concerning Walter Fennell are of the most encouraging nature. The impression created by him on his first interview with the academy authorities were so satisfactory that he was put in the hands of the best teacher on the staff. A nice compliment was paid Miss Reilly, when‘the professor, struck with his good work, wished to know who had been his teacher. It is all very gratifying, and encourages the confident hope that if he can stand th* strain he is ..going to do extremely well. MAIDA HOOKER’S RECITAL. (Contributed.) The piano recital given on Tuesday by Miss Maida .Hooker was of very special interest to the people of Hawera, for many have followed keenly the information given from time to time of her work and her life in London, and have been proud of the fact that one of whom the College authorities spoke so well in all that she undertook hailed from Hawera. She has been added to the list of young Hawera artists who have made good in the wider sphere of the Old World and have served to make better and more widely known the name of this town and province. She unites with her really excellent work as a pianist—and she is much more than a clever technical artist—a charming personality, which is reflected in all her work and in her life, and this has sei‘ved to make her popular with all whom she has met, and indeed colours her whole outlook on life. In her interpretation of the various works which appeared on her recital programme there was little to find fault, and the feeling that she was working well within her powers, and had a margin of reserve upon which she could call, was a feature of the whole programme. If one might be allowed to say so, one could wish that she would give her hosts of admirers more at times of the abandon that was apparent in some of her work. It was so full of interest that it made one wish to hear it offener. In everything she played, however, there was a spirit of earnestness and keen desire to give the best that was in her that was very, convincing. Technically her work was excellent. and in the wonderful Bach numbers the fingerwork was most finished and interesting. The need of good technique, especially in those great Preludes and Fugues, recalls the fact that Bach was in this respect a reformer in keyboard fingering. Hadden m his ‘‘Master Musicians” says that Bech changed all the primitive ideas of scales, and could be regarded in a sense as the father of modern piano playing. Of his ojvn style of fingerino-. an early biographer says: “Re played with so easy and small a motion of the fingers that it was hardly perciptible. Only the first joints of his fingers were

in motion; his hand retained, even in tiie most difficult passages, its rounded form; his fingers rose very little from the keys, hardly more than in a shake, and when one was employed the others remained still in their positions.” That is evidently the ideal of the fingerwork, and Bach’s methods appear to be those of the most advanced exponents of to-dav.

At a meeting in connection with the British Musical Industries Conference at Folkestone, Sir Henry J. Wood spoke on the influence of the gramophone on musical, culture. Is the gramoohone a musical instrument? was one of the first questions they would ask. He thought it was. and accordingly would exert great influence on the advancement of musical culture. The reproduction of tones of instruments and*voices was a musical triumph and an artistic godsend. To-day it had the power to spread the gospel of music throughout the world, to provide music in the home, and by repeating it again tyas, m his opinion, a influence for the spread '. of?'.fliusicai knowledge and for creating a real love of music. For each individual branch of music the gramophone was a great help bv reason of its ability to reproduce. One got to know the*various instruments and the parts they played, and one could almost studv 'the composer’s methods, and that in a manner in which it was impossible for a concert hall to supply. • ‘‘l/m happy as La-fiy”Dame 'Nellie Melba’s characteristic exclamation when interviewed after her last opera night in the recent season in Melbourne. “I feel that I have made hundreds *of new friend?. Pleuse mnke it quite clear that even after the extra week of opera we are going to give on the conclusion of the Sydney season I will still sing for charity. _ But my days of strenuous opera singing are coming to an end. I want to feel that the responsibilities inseparable from a life that belongs to the public are being laid down. I’m going to have a jolly good time, when I make my last bow. after my swan song.” Another melodious and admirably written anthem for harvest has just been composed by Mr Edward S. Craston, Mus.Bac'.. organist of St. David’s Church, Auckland. It is well within the reach of any well arranged choir, the parts move 'easily, and the soprano portion does not require the voice to attempt notes beyond its reach. The opening Andante in E rnaior has a triumphnt note in it, and a delightful organ part, and works up to some telling climaxes. A very expressive and easy bass solo with flowing accompaniment makes a full contrast, which is followed by an effective chorus in C major, ‘‘We plough the fields and scatter.” Choirmasters should secure copies of this effective anthem. Word has been received that Mr Jesse Tiinson, late organist First Church, Dunedin, and well known in New Zealand musical circles, passed away at his residence on Saturday The performance of the Steel Guitar Orchestra in conjunction with the Hawaiian picture ‘‘White Flower” at the Opera House this week was a most interesting item, and demonstrates great possibilities for the instrument and'that rm ies k musif ‘ can he nlaved on it. Ihe piece given was specially composed by Mr J. Higham, and ooened with a progression of grand chords, breaking oft into a beautiful gracioso. The melody throughout was accompanied with pleasing harmonies, pretty modulations and changes of key, and ended with a waltz finale. The ladies acquitted themselves in a very creditable manner; the time was fairly good—a little erratic sometimes. They were vociferously encored, and in response played two Scotch airs—“ Robin Adair” and “Banks and Braes.” We hear the members have acquired this proficiency in less than sis months, which is a great credit, and goes to demonstrate I now quickly the instrument can be mastered. M e hope to hear more of this music in the near future.