WORLD OF MUSIC

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 17 December 1927, Page 18

WORLD OF MUSIC

MUTE SCHOOL CONCEPT. A fine performance was that given in ant of the 'School 'Orchestra and 'Band and the Orchestral Society. Like all performances arranged by Mr. Fox, it had outstanding features and new ideas in work amongst the youngsters. The organiser has a decided flair for imparting musical knowledge to boys and girls and the cause of music ' in schools has much for which to thank him. The latest idea was the Rhythmic Band whose function it is to teach children correct rhythm. There is no doubt —and this has been stressed many times by leading musicians—that absolute rhythm is more or less a gift aiid in its possession lies a wonderful help to performance. One ‘has only to watch dancers, for instance, or other performers to note that many have little mastery of rhythm. The purpose therefore of the “.Tiny Band’’ is to develop this sense. It has been intro, dueed into but few schools and 'Hawera, thus was another pioneer honour in the world of music. The advance in orchestral work in the school has been very marked and in this respect too, Hawera holds an honoured position, one that won very favourable comment from the Director of Music when in Hawera recently. The season is just at the time when pupils are leaving and therefore the orchestra was stronger and probably better than it will be for some time. It seems hard luck that the conductor should bring the young musicians to such a point and then to lose them and begin all over again. That, however, is an occurrence in musical circles which conductors have to bear and in this case there will be compensation because some, at least will be going to High School, where Mr. Fox is to organise an orchestra after the holidays. NOTES. The churches are having a busy time preparing for Christmas performances and three are giving a special Cantata performance. St Mary’s will be held to-morrow (Sunday) evening and the Methodist and Presbyterian within the next few days. It is much to be regretted that no combined ,choral performance was possible this year. The season has seemed unfinished without it and “The Messiah” or the “Creation,” expressing two contrasted ideals, would have been very popular. Each is a masterpiece, the climax of a master’s career. The union of choral societies or other musical institutions has been hailed as a capital scheme of musical co-opera-tion and has been most successful in many centres. 'Some years ago Wellington sent a 'hundred voices to collaborate with Palmerston North, Wanganui. Hawera, Stratford and New Plymouth and the performances were a striking ■success. 'This year Palmerston North went to Wellington and performed in conjunction with the Wellington Choral Union, under the baton of the well-known conductor, Mr. Manghan Barnett. 11 is notified that Melba is to have a farewell tour of the Dominion in 1928. Ir will be very interesting, but one 'has heard for some time that Melba had retired permanently. It was great news to learn that a Gilbert and Sullivan opera was coming to Hawera and though perhaps one of the others would have been more popular, if will be very interesting to hear “ Ruddegore,” one of the lesserknown of tlie great masters' operas. Sulliyan. in one day, re-wrote two numbers from the ‘"Gondoliers,” composed and scored “There Lived a King” and finished up with the world famous “Take a Pair of Sparkling Eves”—before going to bed.

There arc still people who consider that Handel must -be counted among the great German composers, although he left his native country as a young man, at an age when many men have done nothing worthy of note. Even among those who acclaim him as an English composer, who point out that he changed his name and. took out letters of naturalisation, and that he owed many of his ideas and still more his style of writing to Pursell, Blow and other British composers, some do not always seem to realise that for nearly half a century he did not write one note of music to German words. It is true that lie wrote many works to others than English, that is, to Italian opera libretto, out this was the fashion of the time. Opera that was not Italian was scarcely known. All the greatest choral works, however, were written to English words, and although he never spoke English very well, in his setting of English words his accent was as good as that of almost any Englishman of his time, and a good deal better than that of some of them.

A correspondent to a Southern paper writes to thank an unknown vornet'tist ■ for playing “'Annie Laurie” at the stroke of midnight on a recent day. His offering of thanks is set down as a Scatehinan’.s way of asking for .more. * * Toni’S are scarce everywhere,” says Mr Roland Foster, in rebuttal of a statement that tenors do not flourish in (Sydney; “the proportion in- Australia is just as normal as in England and America, or anywhere else in the world, except Italy, which is pre-eminently a land of tenors. In New York there is such a shortage of male voices that .the choral societies are paying men in order •to keep up five balance. The same difficulty exists in practically every part of the world.”

An amateur operatic society has been formed at Ik' Awamutu and hopes to begin rehearsals in February after a suitable work is chosen.

Mr 8. K. Phillips, Mus. Doc., was elected president of the Musicians’ Society in Auckland at the annual meeting last week. Tlio outgoing president was Mr Barry Coney, well known, all over the Dominion as a pianist and baritone singer.

The Royal Wellington Choral Soriely, New Zealand, has appointed Mr John Bishop, of London, conductor. Mr Bishop was born in South Australia.