WORLD of MUSIC

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 6 February 1926, Page 7

WORLD of MUSIC

PERSONAL. M’anv peoplo. in New Zealand know and have heard Esther Fisher, whose piano playing caused a grout sensation in Wellington circh's. A late London report states that she has had numerous professional engagements in the counties and was to give a recital m London in the spring. A special matinee arranged for her was unfortunately postponed on account of the death of Queen Alexander. OPENING OF NEW SEASON. The present is the time when pi - grammes for the coming season have just been arranged, as in some cases, or are under consideration lor early commencement. The Orchestral Society and the Band ar ( . both hard at work on ambitious programmes that wi'l tax their best ability and energy, and will bi iiig out in their members ah that is best in the individual members and in their conductor. 'Tile 31 ale Choir s annul meeting lias been held and a tentative arrangement made to pioceed with the year's work. '1 he Operatic Society's choice ol' an opera or musical comedy lias not definitely been made, but will be very soon. Altogether an interesting season is promised. THE ORCHESTUAL SOCIETY. The programme definitely ananged. as published last week, has b en in practice some time, and good progress is being made. .Members are now most enthusiastic, and the conductor very optimistic. The season will mark a very high water mark in orchestral j work in Hatvera. ’I he influence, too, on other societies is distinctly spud, and consciously or uiicoMsyioiislt, lias tin' effect of nerving them to the best effort. The advent of the new instrumenta'ists just where the orchestia wanted strengthening, in viola and wood wind, is very useful.

CHOI R ‘WORK. Already church choirs, if they are wise, are getting their programmes of work ready for Good Friday week and Easter. The Methodist Choir in Unworn will give a performance of the fine “Passion 5 ’ work, “Olivet, to Calvary,’’ with a iioir which will number about sixty. It is a very nice work, fuli of effective choruses and very nice solos. The conductor (Air. Fox) intends to give a synopsis of the story as the work proceeds, and this will add very much to the interest in th(' performance. MUNICIPAL BAND. Practice with tli<-> band has never ceased, except for the actual holidays, and they have been in full operation every week practically all the time. Their improvement is continuous and decisive, and is i-.'marked upon by a'l who hear the band at its periodical performances. 'They are anxiously await in o- the arrival of the new instillments. and there ns no doubt whatever that the influence of these will be very great and actually twofold, in that it will nerve members to even greater enthusiasm, as well as enable them to secure better and better results. The band has shown such good effects, even with indifferent “tools,’’ that it may be taken for granted their playing will b,i vastly improved by tho possession of instruments of the best quality. MALE CHOIR. A tentative programme for the season includes two male voice performances and one fuPv choral. The selection ot numbers has not yet definitely been made, but no doubt it will be done very scon. It seems unlikely that the Alessiali will be performed this year, because the scant public support accorded last year’s performance, even with soloof high abi'ity and reputation, was such ists of high ability and reputation, was such as to create a feeling of unwillingness to risk a repetition of a loss. It is much to be regretted, for every musical centre makes a feature of the Christmas oratoria. Perhaps means will be found to overcome this difficulty.

METHODIST CHOIR. A commencement has been made with the preparation for a Passion Week work, and ‘‘Olivet to Calvary” has been selected. It is a very attractive cantata. combining good solos with effective choruses, and the prospects are that the choir will be the strongest ever seen in Hawera. SCHOOL MUSIC. Music in the schools has been growing in importance and pressing its claims for several years, and now the appointment of a supervisor of instruction in vocal music for the Education Department should make the study of school music go ahead by leaps and bounds. When Mr. Caughley was in Hawera last year ho foreshadowed the appointment of a first-class man, and this has culminated now in the appointment of Mr. E. Douglas Taylor, F.R..C.0.. A.R.C.M., of London. He is a composer and a performer of note, and has had considerable experience in England and later in South Africa, and apparentlv no better choice could have been made, for he combines practical experience with a faculty for study and expression of his thoughts on musical interpretation, and generally is a man with a. power of wide appreciation of style and scope, and should he eminently fitted to deal with the schemes for training the young in the way they should go. BU SIN ESS-LIKE MUSIC! A NS. That to be a musician one must be unbusiness-like'; untidy and unsocial is one of the common fallacies that is based on just sufficient truth to make it dangerous. Some of the greatest musicians have had these failings, but still more have been just as keen business men as if they had been employed in any other profession. Handel, .in spite of his repeated failures when trying to run an opera house, was an excellent man of affairs, and because of this he threw up opera and went in for the better-paying branch of oratorio. To Ins business ability, therefore, we owe his most inspired work, “The Messiah." Palestrina, also, was as careful about material tilings as lie was about making the music of the Church fitted to bis purposes, and it was only on being assured that lie would receive a certain pension in any circumstances that he accented a post at the Latoran. And, coming down to medern days, ono could scarcely say that such composers as Sir Arthur Sullivan or Dr. Richard Strauss have lacked business arumen, or that the majority/of our great players lose much for this lack. At any rate, some of the best music has won some of the biggest noney prizes, and frequently because the makers of it have known how to make it attractive to a large public.

ORCHESTR A L NOC.I FT Y. The committee have now fixed finally file programme for the first concert, and it will lie acknowledged to be a go.id one. it will comprise “Ouil.'auine Tell. overture (Rossini;."Ove/fun- Sob n-ielle ’ ’ (tho famous IS 12), Tsehaikovsky; ‘‘Rebel Ala id.’’ three dances. and the “Hiawatha Suite,” Coleridge Taylor. It will he interesting to know that the orchestra have three more first violins, two violas and a strengthening in the reeds, but they want two or three more seconds. A STORY OF CHERUBINI. Cherubini was probably as great a t acher as he was a composer, and he i-xi-rcised tremendous influence on the villager composers of his own day. He was, however, feared as much as he was r.-specled. One day one of his pupils took iiiin a. work he said lie had discovered, and which lie considered was by Alc-liul. Casting only a hasty glance over it, Cherubini said: “No; you are quite mistaken. This is not by Mehui. It is too badly written.” Blushing furiously, the pupil confessed that lie hud himself written it. Quite cool and calm came Cherubini's answer. “No; it is not bv you. It is too good for that!” He despised hypocrisy and conceit as much as he hated bad work.

ENGLAND AND CHORAL MUSIC. livery nation musically is known by come special feature, and it seems likely that England wilt always be as- . .v.minted specially with one form of music, that of choral singing. Right through the centuries, since the days of the thirteenth, down through the glorious ago of Elizabeth, and in modern times. English choral singing lias remained unrivalled. And of all the counties Yorkshire has always .slood first, and it has been .said that given Yoikshire singers a composer couh.l give his fancy as free rein as >!<■ liked. It is a great compliment to a people THE PRINCE AND THE PIANISTE. In Sydney recently there was a romance, in which the actors were .Mile Marie Antoinette Aussenac, solo pianiste with Dame Clara Butt and Air. Konnerlov Rumt'ord. and Prince Loiiis-Cesar-Victor-Alaui'ico de Broglie, son oi the Due de Broglie and Prince of the Holy . Roman Empire. The romance was consummated by their manage quietly in Sydney and their settling down in Spring-field flats, Maeleay Street. The Princ-e had been in love with” the pianiste lor. eleven years and had wanted long ago to marry her. Mile Aussenac was born of French mu cuts at Lisbon. On leaving the Conservatoire' in I’nris, where she studied under Duverimy’s tuition, she loured Europe appearing under the li lection ol such masters as Chevillard in the Lamoreux concerts al Paris, \ incent tl'lndy at Brussels, Richard .■•Urnuss in Berlin, and Perez Ghsas in .Madrid. Sir London Ronald, writing to a friend of the new princess, said: “Allle Auxsenac is one bl the most beautiful ai lists. 1 ha' e listened to for years.” Reports of iior first performance in Wellington are most complimentary, 'the Dominion records “a flash of brilliance in one of the most accomplished pianistes heard in Wellington for a vetv long time.” The critic also remarks on her “amazing and brilliant technique, temperament, understanding, interpretative power, and versatility of touch.”

YOUR FAVOURITE HYMN. INTERESTING; SYM LH >si UM . W'liat is \onr favourite hymn ? This question was addressed to many lam-' cus men by the editor of John o’ London's Weekly and the resulting sympositiuni was published in the Christmas Number, just to hand. Of all the hymns mentioned "Lead Kindly bight.” by Cardinal Newman, takes' pride of place, being favoured by twelve correspondents, while "O Cod, Onr Help in Ages Bast” came next, being, mentioned by six. “Abide With Me” was condemned by Lord Riddell. Mr. .Martin Shaw, a wellknow organist. Mr. Arnold Bennett and Sir Dan Godfrey. “Eiglu the Good Right” is the Prince of Wales’s favourite hymn, according to a reply received from liis secretary. The Archbishop of Canterbury regretted that be did not ‘‘feel able to communicate” his personal views on favourite hymns, while the Bishop of London’s secretary wrote: “The Bishop of London desires me to say that lie- has learned from experience never to say what his favourite hymns are. He is pelted with them day and night.” Sir .V. Conan Doyle 'gave “Lead Kindly bight” as liis favourite, but mentioned also two Spiritualist hymns, "Oh Deatli. Where Is They Sting” and “Cod Keep Yop Safely T ill We Meet Once More.” Lord Riddell stated that he regarded “Oh God, Our Help in Ages Past” as the finest in the English language. Mr. Arnold Bennett said he liked “When I Surrey the Wonderous Cross” best: “The words seem to me to be poor.” He also commented: ‘‘Most of the good hymns are spoilt by bad tunes, and most of the good Raines are spoilt by bad hymns.” Sir Harry Lauder: “Jesu, Lover of My Soul.” my first hymn at Sundayschool. We hue a’ to gang awa’; and 1 feel 1 have something to look forward to in the above. Among those who selected “Lead, Kindly Light” as their favourite were: Sir Ernest Wild (Recorder of London), Sir E. Marshall Hall (the famous K.C.). Sir Robert Donald (editor and publicist), and Mr. Sidney Dark (editor of the Church Times). The first verse of the Prince’s favourite is . Eight the good light with all tjiv might. Christ is they strength, and Christ thy right; bay hold of life, and it shall he Thy joy and crown eternally. in the past decade many Australian music-hall people have been crowded out of their own theatres by importations from the U.S.A., but a countermovement is now in progress. Con Co lea no. ended “the Wizard on the Wire,” has recently made a genuine hit at the New York Hippodrome (says a writer in the Svcln,ey Bulletin). The Three Aussies (otherwise Ross, Barker, and McLennan) are doing, extremely well on the Keith circuit. They are jazz musicians who were discovered in a Melbourne dance-hall and graduated thence to the Tivoli. The Eclair Twins have also made good in New' York with n dancing act. They have their own jazz band, and are approaching the Rolls-Royce stage of vaudeville affluence.