WORLD OF MUSIC

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 9 April 1927, Page 18

WORLD OF MUSIC

LOCAL SOCIETIES. Excellent progress is maintained in the town and district and all indications are that this year will be one of the best, and most progressive in the history of music in South Taranaki. OPERATIC SOCIETY. The committee have, after mature deliberation decided on the .appointment of Mr. Tlieo.. Tresize as producer for “The Arcadians’’ and matters will now go ahead fast. The practices will commence immediately after Easter. Mr. Tresize is well-known to members and always does good work. During the absence of Mr. F. Ollerenshaw. on sick leave, the chorus will train under Mrs. M. J. Goodson. SAVAGE CLUB. A feature of the Savage Club s season is the music, and every evening there is ,a, capital progannne arranged. This year promises to be an exceptionally good one. The conductor, Mr. J. Kenwick and committee are .sparing no effort to see that each meeting there is a thoroughly good series of selections, gay and grave, to suit all tastes. NOTES. At a committee meeting of the Orchestral Society it was decided to revive the auxiliary orchestra which, when previously iii existence, proved such a useful adjunct to the society. It pres. nts a great opportunity to young players who are anxious to progress. It was decided to make a start with practices immediate y after Easter. There aie said to be fifty-liuee Pipe Bands in Neyv Zealand, and more are being formed. Recently the secretary in ilawera received a request from Feilding for information about the running of the band, and all other details, m view of the probability of the formation of a baud in that progressive centre.

The new organ recently built in. Win tele y Church, New Plymouth, .as a memorial to the men of the church, who served in the Great M ar, is a fine instrument. The specifications show that the organ has two manuals, each or of notes, with a. lull compass 30 note pedal board. There are 29 stops on the organ, specified as follow: Great Organ (seven stops).—Open Diapason (Bft), Clarabella (Bft), Dulciana (Bft), Stopt Diapason (81t). Principal (4ft), Harmonic Flute (4ft). and Fifteenth (2ft). Pedal Organ (four stops).—Acoustic Bass (32tft), Bourdon Minor (16ft). Bourdon (16ft), Flute Bass (Sit). Swell Organ (ten stops).—Lieblieh Bourdon (16t), Open Diapason (Bft), Lieblieh Gedact (Bft), Echo Gainba (8ft), Yoi.x Celeste (Sft), Gemsfiorn (4ft), Lieblieh Flute (4ft), Flautina (2ft), Horn (Bft). Oboe (Bft). The Royal Auckland Choral Society are to be commended for undertaking such a mighty work -ms Verdi’, s famous opera “Aida.” says the Star. Thiss opero was written by Verdi at the request of the Khedive of Egypt, and was first produced at Cairo on December 28, 1871, during the festivities connected with the opening of the Suez Canal. Its- musical importance lies in the fact that it comes midway between Verdi’s earlier manner and this later style a-s exemplified in “Otelld” and “Faistaff.” The liberetto Was written by Antonia Ghislanzoni. The action takes place in Egypt in the time of the Pharaohs. The famous tenor solo “Celeste Aida” is well known to the musical public, but the most imposing and effective scene is “The Return of the Victors.” which is rendered by all the principals and the full chorus.

The Auckland Male Choir present their first concert of the season on May 5. They .should have a very successful season, for they have been very fortunate in securing a number of first tenors, most of whom are new arrivals from overseas. It is stated that no society in the Southern hemisphere- is as strong in this department as the Auckland Choir. The choir will have a total of 105 voices at their opening performance.

in the heart of Chicago’s business district six masked bandits, vvliose lead. er declared himself to be a great lover of music, successfully robbed the offices of a prominent firm of music publishers. The offices are situated on the middle floor of a skyscraper. After business hours tie bandits seized the watchman, who lor four hours was led by one of them on his rounds and forced to punch the clock regularly while four others, wearing .silk gloves, worked on the safe with tools and nitro-glycerine. Meanwhile a sixth kept guard over the occupants of the two music studios, Mrs Ballantine. a music teacher, her son, Robert, and Mr Theodore Bergey, a voice eulturist. The thieves carried away £‘3ooo.

Debussy was -probably the shyest person who ever had to appear before the public as an artist, and he was never at home on the platform. At one concert of modern music at which he played a new work of his own he was so uncertain of himself that he had someone by him to turn over the pages of the music, though it was a work that most |ieople would play from memory.

Says u writer on the land and people of Greenland: “The natives seem to be more than usually gifted with a- taste as well as a talent for music. No chief station is in want of a musician whenever people wish to have a dance, playing the fiddle :i.s a very common accomplishment all over Greenland, and in some places a sort of cithern is also used. Of course the musicians have always learned merely -by ear, without any regular instruction. A few of them have even made their fiddles themused. Of course also nice voices, but except singing psalms at divine service, singing is generally only practised by women in attending children and in rowing. There exist a, number of melodies for these purposes which are very characteristic and evidently to a greatdegree the fruit and native composition. Whether any of them are of unmixed native origin, representing a relic of the ancient art of singing, is doubtful but not improbable; a few of these which are heard at the southernmost stations sound very agreeably. In the winter houses here and there, especially in isolated places, the old monotonous song, perhaps also accompanied with the drum, are said still to be used, hut rarely when Europeans are present.’