WORLD of MUSIC

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 13 December 1924, Page 13

WORLD of MUSIC

NOTES. A great , success achieved by the Misses Reilly in their concert serves to draw attention to the excellent work done for the cause of music generally by them for many years and by the number' of capable, conscientious teachers Hawera has had in the course of its musical history. The town and district has been very fortunate in this respect, and this has been emphasised time after time by the complimentary remarks passed by the visiting examiners on the general standard of work done here.

The municipal band under their new conductor are tackling the work of, effecting improvement in great style, and Lieutenant Pox is adopting very effective methods in his training of the young instrumentalists. He hopes to have the band out shortly so as to demonstrate the improvement being effected. In his recent lecture before the Musical Association of New South Wales, Dr Harold Davies, Elder Professor, the University of Adelaide, advanced his view ‘‘that at least a year or two should be given over to ear and rhythm training before a child is allowed to touch an instrument or begin to acquire technique.” To some, people present this principle of aural culture was presented in an exaggerated form. “Why not combine both the instrumental and the ear training?” Avas a comment. Dr Davies, it is pointed out, was emphasising, however, an important but much neglected essential of musical education. We are too prone to put the cart before the horse. Much of our theory is presented in this way. On this point it has been Aveil said that musical utterance moves us not after, but before, analysis. It appeals to our nature, not because we think, but because we feel. We have yet to acquire ideal methods of teaching music: We have been too artificial, too fettered by system, relying too much upon rules and regulations. Dr Davies indicates a stirring of the dry bones; a revolt against old musical methods, which, after all, is but part of a widespread revolt against our general educational schemes.

The well-known. London musical critic, Ernest Newman, has been engaged as guest critic for the current concert season in New York by the Evening Post, from which Henry T. Finck retired early in this year. In the same way that conductors, singers, violinists, and pianists go to and fro over the world, so now* (observes Musical America) it is the turn of the critics to go, as it has been their business to follow the activities of artists ever since concerts, operas and newspapers were invented.

RECITAL

MISSES HOOKER AND CARR

Writing on, the recital given by Miss M. Hooker and Miss B. Carr tlie Herald says: — In Miss Hooker’s work on Tuesday night she played with marked fluency and ease in execution, and much of her playing, in the light parts of the selections chosen, was e-xceealhgiy dainty: Miss Hooker's interpretation of both old and modern masters was marked by intelligence and insight, and showed that with greater experience, which can come omy with iength of years and knowledge of liie, sue may oe expected to develop into a temperamental solo performer. Her (Jhopin items, which included among them a Nocturne, and the Ballade m G Minor, were per naps the most successful and delightful in a Avell-seleeted programme, though the selections from the Bach music of the English and French Suites and the Partita in B flat were all Aveil presented, though perhaps wanting in some respect in breadth of tone in places.. The Liszt Rhapsody (No. 10) with which the programme concluded, is not often heard. This Avas played daintily and w'ith a nice appreciation of the lightness of its atmosphere. Miss Hooker Avas repeatedly encored and responded generously. In Miss Berta Cai'r the recitalist had an excellent support. Miss Carr possesses a rich mezzo-soprano voice of full quality Avhieh she uses Avith marked skill and artistry. She presented several new r songs, judiciously interspersed with some better known numbers. ; She was very successful in the Negro spiritual “Deep River,” and in Roger Quitter’s “Blow Bloav, Thou Winter Wind,” “The Soldier’s Wife” (Rachmaninoff), and Cyril Scott’s “Lullaby.” Miss Carr Avas well received and gave encores after each appearance. The accompaniments Avere played by Miss Hooker, avlio combined sympathetically with the singer.

A POPULAR VIOLINIST

DEEP LOVE-OF INSTRUMENT

Most appropriate anil lnippy were the remarKs made by a frienu of Miss Scherek of Christchurch, when she was being farewelled by the people of the city, inter alia, replying on behalf or Miss Scherek, Mr. Dickson said their guest had been deeply touched by the generous loving-kindness with which seh had been treated in Christchurch. She was specially touched by the affectionate and admiring memory of her dear farther, which met her at every turn. She was thankful to say that he was well and" as -youthful and keen as ever, eagerly welcoming the modern composers’ work with open-minded and generous appreciation and keeping right abreast of the times. As to her playing for people, ever since she c-ould remember music had helped her very much —in sickness and health, in pain and grief and joy, in failure and success, and in the times of disappointment that sooner or later found all of them out in life. As she found it such a help, she hoped others might also feel helped and cheered by it. One of her earliest recollections was of someone asking her why she loved her violin so much, and her reply, “Well, you see he takes me away and he helps me to forget the things I don’t want to remember.” She had always been so glad to share her music whenever possible, and if it had helped anyone else to “forget the things they don’t want to remember,” or eased their suffering for ever so little a while, or led them away to the wonderful world of harmony, which could menu so much and which was such a joy to her, she was more than repaid for any little trouble she might have taken. It was with mingled feelings of joy and sorrow that she took her departure; she had been so happy here. In her professional work she had met with great courtesy and consideration and cordial appreciation from all with whom she had had to deal. She had many happy memories of her association with Everybody’s, while she would always feel that the Strand was her

second home. She had come to Christchurch broken in health and spirit, and feeling nearly at the end of her tether as a violinist, as an accident had partially paralysed the fingers of her left hand. It had taken years to re-educate that hand, and she felt that she had a great deal more hard Avork to put in before it would he in form again. The encouragement she had receded had roused her spirit and given her courage to go ahead and to battle through somehoAv. Nowhere in Christchurch would she be more genuinely missed than in his house, where she had so often helped to diffuse happiness with her beloi-ed violin.

PASSING NOTES,

(Otago Times.)

“After all, I was not so far across the line in Avandering from football to theology. I had not noticed the gelieal characteristics of the great match at Swansea, ‘Football fervour and religious rapture/ the singing of hymns and patriotic airs, were amazingly intermingled at that , memorable and terrific conflict, during which the referee ‘spoke to players on both sides more than once Avhen tempers were lost.’ The hymnal melodies were ‘alternated Avith epithets hurled at the All Blacks and hooting of the referee.’ Well/mutatis mutandis, not wholly dissimilar scenes have been witnessed at Synodic and Preshyterial meetings—to say nothing of Parliament, Avliere each day’s proceedings start Avith ‘prayers.’ After prayers, pugnacity; after benediction, the rough-an-tumble tussle; after the first cry of ‘religious rapture’ the slogan of uncompromising onslaught. It is to be feared that amid the melody of ardent sentiment the All Blacks kept soberly, not to say irreligiously, calm. ’ ’

Dear “Civis,” —As you have more than once condemned the shabby treatment our . National Anthem sometimes gets at concert perform'd rices, you will perhaps read with interest the recent experience of an old soldier in military music Avho knows what’s Avhat. Writing from London he says—“l went to a. promenade concert in the Queen’s Hall, where, as I kneAV, I should hear ‘God Save the King’ played, and played twice. There is no music that thrills . me more than this when played by a fine orchestra with plenty of kettle drums. At the Queen’s Hall it quite came up to my expectations. The kettle drums shook my soul and the organ shook the building. And when with the last rendering, the wdiole audience joined in and sang to Sir Henry Wood’s baton—he had turned and faced them—the effect Avas ovenvhelming. ’ ’ That Beethoven thought the British National Anthem great music has been mentioned in this column again and again. The trouble is that our bandmasters and concert coductors fail to treat is as great music. For them it is merely a curtain raiser or a signal for hats, cloaks, and umbrellas. In different A r ein, but equally an example of grandeur in simplicity, and just as commonly -maltreated, is Handel’s Dead March from the oratorio of “Saul.” Handel wrote other funeral music, a march rin “Samson,” for instance. There is a funeral march in one of Beethoven’s piano sonatas; another, scored for full orchestra, in one of his symphonies. Then there is Chopin’s Avell-known funeral inarch, mystic, sensuous. reeking of patchouli. None of these equals in solemn beauty the Handel march from “Saul.” TYPING TO MUSIC.’ In order to relieve typing of its monotony and to increase speeds a new method of teaching this subject has been introduced in the United States. A gramophone and special records are used, and it is claimed that a student who keeps time Avith the music Avorks better and faster.

j Each record in the instruction series starts Avith a few Avords of introduction, and then, at the Avords: “Ready; go!” a stirring march is played. The music can be heard above the noise of the typewriters, and a key- is struck for each, beat.

The speed of the record gradually increases from fourteen Avords a minute in the first lesson to oA r er a hundred in' the last.

It is stated that students make rapid progress Avith the new system, and find their lessons interesting, instead of monotonous.

CLASSICAL MUSIC IN ENGLAND,

BRITISH COMPOSITIONS,

A recital of sonatas for violin' -and piano will be given bv Miss Svbil Eaton, who will play with Sir Walford Davies Schubert’s Duo in -A and Mozart’s Sonata. No. 17 in A, and, with Mr Norman Greenwood, a new sonata by Herbert Howells. A programme of negro spirituals, dialect songs, and secular folk songs will be given (Aeolian. Hall) by Mr John Payne, a negro baritone, accompanied by Mr Lawrence Brown, who is responsible for some of the arrangements. THE ELIJAH. Writing of a performance, recently at Home, the London Times’ critic says: “The audience was large, and men seemed, if anything, to preponderate. There are few -works of which that could he said after 80 years. What is the magic? Mendelssohn had a great subject; how many composers must have since lamented that they were debarred from it! He took very great pains with-it; -witness his letters- to Bartholomew'. He had an ear for a tune, and, what, is much more, for two tunes; those who say that his harmony is dead cannot deny that his counterpoint is very much alive; his overture is hard to beat. But there are two things which especially have caused his oratorio to live. First, it is a perfect series of cameos; in aria or quartet or chorus, just so much is given as makes a complete whole and no more; something that can be retained as a whole—excerpted even, if people will have it so—and yet which completes the building, stone by stone. And, secondly, the recitatives and arias between these substantive numbers really vitalise the story; the chorus is not merely called in to comment on an accomplished fact, but we feel it there all the time, approving or disapproving, and the orchestra makes none but relevant remarks; any listener who is not pledged to novelty at all costs can be breathless with excitement.

Mr Coates bustled along, interpreting all tempi on the fast side; and that i 3 certainly the best thing to do with

a Avork which generations of piety have a little sentimentalised. The soloists sounded very different at different parts of the hall. Miss Tubb at one angle (in “Cast thy burden”) was very flat, at another (in “Lift thine eyes”) she was the steady norm from AA’hich others were deviating. Miss Clark sounded breathy in ‘‘Noav Cheritli’s brook,” but eiseAvhere (in “O rest in the Lord”) the purest tone reached us. The men sounded Aveil eA’eryAvhere.

NOTES BY WOOMERA

(From Australasian.)

On Saturday last Mr. W. M. Hughes, former Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, left Sassafras. He will in future liv-e at Lingfield, near Sydney. Exit Sassafras.At Sassafras the lyre-birds sing, And dance Olinda’s Highland fling; At least that used to he the case Till blight and gloom fell on the place. Noav seldom is the legend seen, “Three rooms to let, will hold thirteen.” For tourists who once deemed it “nice,” Move farther up to Paradise. Although that modest realm of bliss Has changed its. name to Clematis, No more the Sassafrasian guide, Allowing lesser sights to slide, Will say— Avhen pointing out the , views—- “ ’lm on the ’ofse, that’s Billie Hughes!” Alas an unexpected change. Falls upon fern-groA'e, creek, and range, And from each pendant, sad she-oak slie-oak, Wails the monotonous mopoke; Sherbrooke has had a fearful shbck, Lingfiled has used the hammer-lock. And there upon the trampled grass, Lost, lone, and licked, lies Sassafras. No more to merry welkins ring; At Lingfield no\\ r the lyre-birds sing.

BIRD DAY

SONGS AND MIMICRY. ANNUAL DEMONSTRATION. At the. King’s Hall recently there was a splendid mimicry of Australian bush life. The large audience heard the familiar calls of the ivillie-Avag-tail, the magpie, the thrush, the peeAvee, and other native birds that provide the music of the hush.

Under the auspices of the Gould League of Bird Lovers, Bird Day was celebrated recently throughout the State.

The Director of Education (Mr. S. H. Smith), addressing the large audience at the King’s Hall, said that on behalf of the Department of Education he desired to express appreciation of the league and bird lovers. It Avould be difficult to estimate, he continued, the fine work vvhich the league had accomplished. The league was originated in Wellington 14 vears ago with a membership of 21. *To-day it comprised 363,000. AH the .members of the league .promised not. to hurt or harm any bird that Avas not noxious. It aimed at making the names of birds well knoAvn, and providing sanctuaries. The had already accomplished a gieat deal, but it aimed at doing more good work in, preserving the native flora and fauna.