WORLD of MUSIC

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 6 September 1924, Page 16

WORLD of MUSIC

MALE CHOIR, WORK

This is an interesting period in the year, and all the local societies are having a busy time, just preparing for seasonal fixtures or just recovering from those just held. One of the societies —the Male Choir—have had the privilege of a visit from the Wanganui Choir, who gave a performance on their behalf, and a rignt good one it was. They were not quite up to full strength, a few being unable to make the trip, but the party who came worthily upheld the reputation made and deserved by our brother choir. We notice that the jovial president of \\ anganui called Hawera a sister choir, and one wonders if an association of mere males, albeit they found themselves unable to do without a lady accoinpaniste, could rightly be termed a “sister” institution. It might be held, of course—to make the same remark as was used once by the fabled curate on whose devoted head so many stories of malapropism are heaped—that sister embraces both. But, revenons a nos moutons, the performance was right heartily appreciated, though one could have wished very much that the house had been filled right to the doors instead of having a large number of empty seats at the sides.

The society is very fortunate in having a good proportion of excellent first tenors, and in thus having a quality in the top parts which is sometimes lacking in a male choir. It is a perennial difficulty, and Wanganui seems to be in a particularly fortunate position. The first tenors maintained their pitch remarkably well, and in one number, the Beethoven “Holy Night,” which is a sevei’e test of smooth, sustained singing, they appeared to carry the other parts largely. It seemed that had they not been able to keep the pitch the effect would have been mariecl materially. This is not to infer that the other parts were not good. They wei-e very good, all three, atxd the second basses were fine and made a great groundwork that was most effective. The blend and balance were in nearly every part of the work- very good indeed. A special tribute must be paid to the popular conductor, Mr L.~ Craig, for his excellent and marked control of all parts. He is a happy personality, hut has the ability to show as a contrast to that estimable trait of character a firmness of decision and control, without which his work would be not nearly so efficient, and would be reflected in the choir. They all love him for the former; they all alike respect and obey him for the latter. The successful conductor must have both.

The society has also a valuable asset in their accompanists, Mrs T. Thomas. She is a player who stands high in the opinion pf musical people, not only in Wanganui but also in Wellington. She has done yeoman sexvice for the choir.

The fine fraternal—or sisterly, should it be—relation existing between the choirs was further cemented by the meeting of the ' visitors with the members of the Hawera Choir and other l-esidents at supper after the concert. It gave an opportunity for individual members to become better acquainted the one. with the other, and created a personal touch which will make for improvement all '‘round.

The president (Mr E. Dixon) and the Mayor (Mr L. A. Bone) were both very happy in their references to the work of l the choir, and the latter appeared to appreciate the compliment of being given an official welcome. The visit is only another link in the chain of federation of such societies on the lines of the visit of the Wellington Choral Society, which is destined to be a power for good to the cause of music generally. In his reply to the toast of “Wanganui Choir,” Mr Craig gave an indication of some of the methods adopted in their work, which accounts to some extent at least for their success. He said, firstly, that .*the members wei'e a happy hand of “kids,” and so enjoyed their practices that they actually did their best not to be absent. Then he added that they did their best under his direction to explore the whole field of male choir work so as to find all that was best and get as wide a selection as was possible so as to make the interest vei'v wide. These are undoubtedly good principles on which to found a society.

OPERATIC SOCIETY

Continued progress is being made for the coming production this month of the pretty and popular opera “Our Miss Gibbs.” The producer has been working steadily, continuously, and enthusiastically, and he has expi’essed himself as very pleased with the work all round. The chorus work is going well, and the soloists are rapidly getting into their parts and shaping really well. The orchestra are also now under way, and will be on a par with the rest of the performers. Next week it is hoped to put the whole work together, so that it will be' possible to judge the prospects of the whole finished performance. Present appearances point to a most decided success. It is hound to be popular.

VIOLIN RECITAL

On Thursday, October 2, another interesting musical event in Haw’era will he the recital by Mr Matthew Newberry in the Opera House. Mr Newberry has proved himself a capable, efficient violinist, and for his recital he is working up a very fine programme of many of the best acknowledged works for violin and piano. These will serve to please all tastes. He will he assisted by Mr Arthur Ripley, who is well known and popular in Hawera. The accoinpaniste will be Mis R. F. Page. The concert promises to he one that will be very attractive and popular.

NEWS AND NOTES

_ With the two concerts of the Male Choir this week, six performances by the Operatic* Society during the next fortnight, the musical examinations and competition only a few weeks off, things are busy in the musical line in Wangaiuu just now (says the Chronicle). With the promised organ recital by Dr. Haigb. in October, and a pianoforte recital which, I understand, Miss Elsie Betts contemplates giving at an early date, our musical education' should be considerably advanced between now and Christmas. Miss Mildred Coburn, a pupil at the Greymouth Convent, succeeded in performing the “hat trick” at the recent practical examinations conducted bv Dr. John Warriner, the representative of Trinity College of Music, London. Miss Coburn gained honours in violin (■intermediate), piano (higher local), and singing (junior). ’ During some remarks on the performances of the competitors in the mixed auartette section at Gisborne, the musical judge at the competitions* Mr Paget Gale, gave a very good il-

lustration of the value of a musical training. He said that some years . ago, when the soldiers returned from the front, he organised a soldiers’ choir. When he commenced teaching them there was hardly one of them who had any idea of music. They did a lot of quartette singing, and he put seven quartettes in for the annual competitions at Dunedin. There was not one of those quartettes which was worthy of a first place—but they got it. (Laughter.) Quartette singing was a very valuable accomplishment, and was worthy of encouragement. In the formal opening of the annual festival of competitions at Gisborne the president said they could congratulate themselves on the number who took a tremendous interest in the annual festival. Music was the highest form of art and the universal language of mankind. What was music? That would be hard to define. What might seem music to the audience or to himself might not appeal to the judge, who would be a more severe critic than either of them. Music mainly consisted of melody—not jazz melody.' “They don’t dance today,” said the Canon. “When I was young we did dance —especially the polka.’’ (Laughter.) Mr Paget Gale, who was received with prolonged applause, thanked the audience very much for the reception they had given him. He would like to tell them a story. Some years ago he had gone to a certain church, and found a minister who was not only the minister, but also seemed to be the choir, organist, and organ. Tt was no other than the worthy Canon. (Applause.) ... A good story anent the powers of music was told by the president of the Gisborne Competitions Society, Canon Packe, at the opening ceremony of the competitions. 'Music was, he said, the universal language of mankind. If you went and sang amongst the biggest savages in the world they would embrace von at once. (Laughter.) Such was the power of music. The story was capped later in the evening bv the judge of elocution,' Mr Harris. The reverend canon, he said had referred to the powers of music, and had said that if you sang among savages they would probably embrace you. The policy with elocutionists was safety first. (Laughter.) There was no probability of their going to any foreign country and trying to impress the inhabitants, but ‘if they did they no doubt would get a great reception. (Laughter.) Mr H. C. Tonking, organist of the Albert Hall, has- some comments in a London paper upon the restoration of the famous instrument. He says: Yes, £20,000 does seem an enormous sum to spend upon the restoration of the organ in the Royal Albert Hall, but the amount will be much more than that—nearly £30,000. Of course, there will be a lot of new work; the lowering of the pitch, the new. electric blowing aunaratus havino- cost nearly £3OOO. When the Albert Hall organ was built by the late Father iWillis more than half a centurv ago everything was much cheaper.' The building itself, perhaps, cost over £1,000,000, but now it would cost no doubt more than three times that amount. The organ for the new Liverpool Cathedral, begun before the war would cost about £18,000; this also would cost much more now. You will be interested to know that Father Willis was very, perplexed over the very heavy 132 feet metal pipes to 06 plac6d in front of tho oi'gan and how he could hoist such a weight in position. This he had to do, I was told by an old friend, by cutting the pipes in two and soldering them together again when in position. In an article on “Exploration in Music,” J. H. Clynes writes in the London Daily Telegraph as follows: Anybody who is insufficiently determined will find it an interesting experiment to do 12 months’ hard theatre-and-concert-going without programmes and without reading critithe press. He will discover that the frame of mind, the condition or judgment, which results from sitting through performances without knowing more than an unavoidable minimum about the performers or actors, the character or the details of the music or the play, is very different rrom the frame of mind when all these things are known beforehand, and prejudices come into play. The organ in the new Anglican Cathedral at Liverxiool is notable, not only for being the largest cathedral organ m the world, but for the new ideas in construction which it etn-jp'-otf c’n o Cathedral has cost t/22,518, which has mainly come from the diocese. The largest benefaction was that bequeathed by the late Mr J. H. Wilsford, amounting to £222,943 The Cathedral has a total over-aii f e^t ; the central tower is 342 feet in height, and the height of the main roof is 138 feet.

NEW ZEALAND MUSIC

CONCERTS IN ENGLAND

Strange, to say, music in enclosed halls does not seem to appeal to the visitors to the Empire Exhibition. The Imperial Con'ert Agency has arranged to give a series of Dominion concerts in the Assembly Hall at Wembley, and the New Zealand concert was to he held on June 24. A concert by Camidian musicians and singers was provided recently, but the attendance uas so small as to be almost an insult to the accomplished performers. In the circumstances, therefore, it has been decided to giye uo the scheme altogether.

10-morrow night a New Zealand programme has been arranged to be broadcasted from the Cardiff Station. Mr Warwick Braithwaite fj)unedin). who is a director of music for the British Broadcasting Company, has been responsible for setting this scheme on foot. Mr H. T. B. Drew (nublicitv officer for New Zealand) is to sneak to idle unseen audience about New Zealand, its history, its.earl” colonisation, its present achievements 7 , the Maoris, and the scenery. At suitable intervals in this statement the haka and other Maori sketches will be given by a party organised by Major R. Dahsev. and Miss Nova Delmarr is to sing one or two of Mr Alfred Hill’s Maori songs.

THE CA RILLON

AN INSPIRING INSTRUMENT

ADDRESS BY SIR EDGEWORTH

DAVID

‘The rv-onosed war memorial carillon at the University is not a mere peal or chime of bells. When it is competed, with -19 units, weighing in all about 26 tons, it will be one of the most perfect instrument of its kind in the world, rivalling the famous carillons at Bruges and other European cities.”

These were the words of Professor Sir Edgeworth David in an address to members of the Millions Club during the lunch hour recently.

“A carillon is a very permanent form of war memorial,” he- went on. “The bells keep their tone unimpaired for hundreds of years, and it is a simple matter to bring, them back into tune when they have become a little worn. Any air that can be played on a piano is suitable for rendition by the carilloneur, since he also plays on a keyboard. The elevated situation of the bells in the central tower of the University main facade will allow the sound of their music travelling far and wide over the city and suburbs. Then, by means of broadcasting, it can be heard all over the country as well. We shall give recitals from time to time, and arrange for a series of airs to be played each day at about 1 o’clock. “The carillon seems to me to be a really high type of musical instrument, appealing to the religious as well as the aesthetic side of man's nature. This particular set of hells should sound more than usually inspiring, because though them we shall hear the voices of our beloved dead, exhorting us to deeds of courage and service. Of the £15,000 needed for the work, the University itself has already provided over £IO,OO0 —a remarkable achievement, considering that we are not a wealthy corporation, all our moneys being marked out for specific purposes. It remains now to the general community to help us, and raise up a splendid parallel to the building of our magnificent facade and Great Hall away back in the days of William Charles Wentworth.” To give some idea, of the effect of good carillon music Brigadier-General Mackay then put on three phonograph records, made from the Bournville carillon in England. It was with quaint and mellow charm that “Killarney” came floating forth, followed by an “Evening Hymn” and the nimble chiming of '.“Harvest Home.'’ Sir Arthur Rickard was iu the chair.

APPROPRIATE MUSIC

A ship’s chaplain, giving a lantern lecture on “Scenes from the Bible.” auanged for one of the sailors to play appropriate ' phonograph selections' as the pictures were shown.

Among the first was one of Adam an< i Eve in the Carden of Eden, which was greeted with profound phonographic sitence. The sailor could not trunk of a. tune which would suit, “Go on ! hissed the chaplain. ,/The tar was suddenly inspired The phonograph rang out, a full-grown baritone voice, singing,/ “There’s onlv one girl in this world for me”