WORLD OF MUSIC

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 23 January 1926, Page 14

WORLD OF MUSIC

The local societies are hard _at work for the first concerts or making arrangements. The prospects all round are excellent. ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY. The first practice, held this week, serves to show that the season is likely to be one of the best in the history of the society. Members are enthusiastic, and this co-operating with the energy and ahiltiv of their conductor must pull them'through with credit to all concerned. He and his committee have set them an ambitious programme, including works never attempted by a local orchestra. It will mean hard work, but this should only spur them on to the keenest efforts. They must set themselves to realise that the practice night is one that must not be missed, and in addition they must practise individually, and so get into and keep in the very best form. That is the way to achieve success. MUNICIPAL BAND. With never flagging energy the band continue their work. They are an example to every institution, and deserve thoroughly the success that comes to them. They are indefatigable, and when they get their new instruments it is certain the people of the town may look forward confidently to many very fine performances. No body of players can do their best or make a success with imperfect instruments. The new set will nerve members to progress. A SYDNEY VIOLINIST. It will be of interest to Hawera people to learn that the young Sydney violinist, Hyman Lenzer, whose artistic performances formed a notable feature of the William Heughan concerts, lias been winning further success in the tour of the party in the East, according to letters and press notices received. From Sydney Hyman Lenzer went with the company to Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, and thence to Singapore and other centres in that part of tho world. He has now signed a contract with Mr Heughan for a tour of America, where his attainments will come under the notice of larger audiences. Born in Ballarat 20 years ago, this young artist studied for four years at the Melbourne Conservatorium, of which Mr Fritz Hart is principal. When only a child he won a gold medal at the Ballarat competitions, and has since gained other medals there, securing an award from the Associated MUSIC IN 1925. IN SYDNEY. A SATISFACTORY RECORD. Music in Sydney has given evidence of progress during the year just closed (says the Sydney Morning Herald in the course of a review), and, though this progress has not been so rapid as its most enthusiastic friends might desire, there is reason for congratulation in the achievements of the past 12 months, and upon the fact that there are many signs of a growing public interest in music. The reconstitution of the Conservatorium Orchestra upon a permanent basis proved a great stimulus to the cause, for it has not only made possible the unhampered performance of the great symphonies and other classics, but it has given that assurance of stabiltiy and coherence in interpretation which can he obtained only by uninterrupted rehearsal by the same players over a long period of time.

An important enterprise was embarked upon during the year at the Conservatorium in the establishment of the orchestral concerts for children. In this way the knowledge of the classics will be extended in the schools, a policy which has been enthusiastically adopted in England and America, and with signally successful results, particularly in the United States, where its influence in the moulding of musical taste, and in leading audiences to distinguish between cood music and rubbish. are bearing fruit in the increased recognition of the value of art. and the readiness of the municipalities and the public to find large sums for its maintenance.

BRITISH MUSIC. The British Music Society has rendered a service of the highest value during the year in directing attention to the rich" treasures existing in the musical literature written within the. Empire. 'The new British school of composers lias naturally created a great j stir, and present indications are that this Renaissance is still in its infancy. I But the society has not restricted its at- ! tention to the work of the English modern writers. It has justly realised that the history of achievement runs ha"k to Pureel 1 and his day. Moreover, it Tins also devoted its attention to the work of Australian composers. By so I doing if has given them a. hotter i chance of being heard —a service not merely to the, composers themselves, but possibly to the highest interests of art. FROM A MUSICAL NOTEBOOK. By the last English mail came the announcement o.f the death at a comparatively early age of Leonard Borj wick', one of t>e world’s finest pianists. | The late Mr Berwick was sufficiently well blessed with this world’s goods to ' make it unnecessary for him to earn | his liytfng by his art. hence he was not | as frequent.lv heard in public as musiclovers would have liked. Mr Berwick toured New Zealand in a series of 70'•ifals some 13 or I t years ago, when his playing of his own arrangements of <ome of Bach’s chorales proved a revelation to his audiences. The late Mr Berwick specialised in the music of Bach, and was admitted by all the critics to have no equal in this pai - - ticular sphere of musical art. FROM PASSING NOTES. (Otago Daily Times.) The music judge, robed iu awe and sitting apart to tot up the marks, is necessarily a musician and knows what’s what,. Poor man! Of course he tots up the marks in Ids head ; how ■ else ? The singer lie thinks best gets 90 marks—sav 90. at a guess: the next gets 89 —so finely do we grade degrees of merit; to the ruck may lie given 87, SO. Bn. and no 011. By way of excuse for the whole affair the judge says that a public competition cures nervousness, f dare sav it does. And vet, if the Ingenuous competitors only knew it. nerves are a condition of success. In public speaking it is so, not less in any other public performance. Another remark by the fudge, who is an Auckland

man. deserves quoting: The thing that had struck him most among the singers he had heard in Dunedin was that there was more power in the voices, more fullness, and generally more tone than ho was accustomed to in the • north. “The voices are fuller.” he said, ‘‘and richer and have got lugger notes altogether Ilian we have in Auckland.” Gan il he climate ? Jenny Lind, the Swedish nightingale, came from ajand of mow and ice. but operatic singers of any great mark usually come from Italy, the land of the olive and the vine. Anyhow, it is something new that Auckland should “sing small.”