WORLD OF MUSIC

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 17 March 1928, Page 18

WORLD OF MUSIC

. BAND CONTEST. The Brass Band contests are a source of knowledge and inspiration to visaing conductors and bandsmen, but this year’s was lessened by the absence of many of the best bands. Mr Fox. who attended as a listener, was disappointed, he told a “iStar” representative, because of th comparativ'ly small number of A. grade bands competing. From many bands came only soloists, and this made tin' solo items strong. But he said the playing of the Wanganui band tv a c excellent, and on a .par with the best he had heard at a contest. The Test selections he considered a real trial of playing ability and such as would try out the very best, especially in the solo work. SCHOOL ORCHESTRA. Excellent work is being done at the Main .School where new players have •been enrolled in the orchestra. They have two clarionets, two flutes and a strong list of violins and are shapingwell. r The High School orchestra should be a strong combination when it is really underway. That school always takes a proportion of the boys from the prim arv schools and they will have a great asset to the school life. NOTES. The committee of the Eltham Operatic ’Society have the opera “La Masi otte ” in hand and the date of production will be about July 20. The producers will be Messrs Cardston and Baxter, and they expect to be in Eltham to begin work in June. —Mr Robert. Parker, of Wellington, fhe “grand old man’’ of music in New Zealand, began his career as a conductor by taking the Wellington Choral Society in Mindelssohn’s “Elijah” 50 years ago. Speaking of the difficulties of the position he said that the sue-

(•cssful conductor must possess some rather rare qualties. Over’ and above technical ability, he must possess infin. ife tact, perseverance, a sense of humour, the patience of Job, and enthusiasm.

Some of the difficulties of amateur orchestral work in Wellington were referred to at the Choral Union reception to Mr J. Jfislop, the new conductor, by Mr Robert Parker, hi years gone bv, he said, we had been getting more and more blase in the matter of music in Wellington. There was not ivow the same fiery enthusiasm what there was in the early days of his '">!•- duetorship. They had some fine orchestras then, but now the principal play, era had to be drafted from the picture theatres, where most of the instrumentalists found employment. The re. suit was th'at it was difficult now to get a good orchestra together. Whu* they lacked in numbers in his day as a conductor they certainly made up Tor in enthusiasm, and the amount' of music that was played was surprising. Possibly it was news to some that flic, old orchestral society played all the Beethoven symphonies, with the exception of the ninth, while at Chamber concerts works like .Schubert's Octet were ■ performed.

Built up over a long period of years, the library of the Wellington Choral Union has become one of considerable value, and of this the members may justly feel proud. ! ‘ I am rather struck with the size and quality of your lib rr.ry. ” remarked the new conductor of the society (Mr .1. Bishop). “Never outside London have T come across such a. fine library in the possession of any amateur society.” He added that he was sure it had been the work and ambition of the committee to build up a valuable library, and he felt proud to become associated with a society which was actuated i>y so keen a desire to progress. On December 11,1 Soo, a concert wat given in Auckland by a choral society (says the “‘Star”) and the date is regarded now as the birthday of the Auckland Choral Society. The first “public rehearsal ’ ’ was held the. following March, but really took thi 1 form of a concert. There was a choir of fifty voices, and a crowded audience. For many years in the early history of the society the costs were small, liecause the soloists were generally chosen from the membership, and the orchestra oi that neriod consisted of non-profes-sionals.