WORLD OF MUSIC

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 26 May 1928, Page 18

WORLD OF MUSIC

NOTES AND NEWS.

An inspiring performance is the "Herald’s'" description of the- Auckland Choral" Society’s ‘ ‘ Elijah ’ ’ last week. The critic says of the title role' as interpreted by Mr Lawrence North: •‘ More derision might have been infused into his. lines addressed to the priests of Baal, but he was fully impressive in the air, ‘Lord God of Abraham,’ which was sung with earnestness and appeal, and the lamentoso nature of the subsequent aria, ‘ft Is Enough,’ was so fully portrayed as to convince everyone. In response to the persistent applause, Mr North repeated the latter portion of this number.” I ** * * *

There was an unique occurrence a couple of years ago in Wellington when the performance was conducted by Mr Robert Parker and the part of the prophet taken by Mr .John Prouse. They were similarly associated in the oratorio thirty vears ago. *****

The honorary secretary of the Royal Wellington Choral Union lias computed the total expenses of the union since its inception in 1000, and he finds that approximately £25,000 has been spent. ***> * * *

The "Star” says that a young Aucklander, Miss Elspeth Jean Clarkson, who has won an Associated Board Exhibition, has gained special recognition because she was, at the date of the examination, nearly two years under the age limit- imposed, and that this was her first experience of an examination in playing, as she started with the advance grade, an examination for which a high standard is demanded. She has won the only exhibition awarded in the Auckland district, and has since qua!-, ified by theoretical examination to sit for the highest practical diploma confer able bv the Associated Board in this country, the Licentiate. *

The Community Singing Committee of Auckland is busy completing arrangements for. the winter season. The first gathering • will be held at the Strand Theatre on Juno 13, when the Mayor, Mr G. Baildon, has been invited to act as chairman. The Rev. Jasper Calder has been appointed leader. The song-book will include several novelty numbers beside the old favourites and modern compositions. At the request of many regular attenders it has been decided to includo a night function during the coming season for the benefit of those who find it impossible to attend during the lunch hour. * .v. * *

For the first time in its history a Nativity play will be performed in Canterbury Cathedral at Whitsuntide. If is entitled "'The Coming of Christ,” and has been specially written by John Masefield. Gustav Holst lias -written the music, and Charles Rickitts, Associate of the Royal Academy, has designed the costumes of the players, who will be amateurs living in Canterbury. * * - * *

A pretty compliment was paid to Tori dal Monte, the famous operatic .soprano, previous lo her leaving for Australia by Gabriele D’Annunzio, the famous poet, who wrote: "The roses in my garden arc blooming, but you, the nightingale, are absent. I long sought perfection, and realised -1 found it' 'when l heard you sing ‘Lucia.’ ”

At the Queen’s Hall (London) recently the Royal Philharmonic performed Handel’s "Solomon,” and for that concert the members had autographed music manuscript!, lent by the authorities of the British Museum, the first occasion on. which this has ever happened, says a Homo paper. In the museum arc the M.S.S. of all the oratorios amd these can be loaned only by request from the King, to whom they have been passed down as an heirloom from the days of King George 111., who began the collection. It is recorded that a music binder carelessly cut in half the autograph of the great Handel. *****

A sonata by Cesar Franck was played the other day in Paris on a wonderful mechanical violin. This violin has boon made by two French, engineers, who have been working for .10 years on its development. It has a number of keys ■which press the strings like the. 'lefthand lingers of a player, and a revolving bow which can not only touch any string, but can allow of different degrees of pressure. The violin is driven by two motors, one of whic-h takes the place of the player 's arm, the other imparting the swift movements of the wrist. The mechanical fiddle plays with an uncanny human touch.

LADIES' CHOIR. BINDING DRIVE FOR PEACE. The Royal Welsh Ladies' Choir will leave England at the end of May on a three years’ tour of English-speaking countries throughout the world, singing Anglo-Celtie folk songs, which Ala dame Novello Davies, the founder and conductor, hopes to popularise. Madame Davies says that friendliness between nations can be developed by songs. She was embarking on a singing drive for universal peace. English music had too long bjen overshadowed by Continental music. When she conducted the choir before his Majesty at Windsor, she stated that his Majesty said the project was one. with which everybody would sympathise. ENTHUSIASM FOR OPERA. The people of Oakland, across the bay from San Francisco, decided not long ago to invite the Chicago Opera Company to include their city in its lour of the Pacific. Coast. No sooner was this decision made than the community organised a. campaign to make the season a success. First of all, as there was no adequate opera house, one was provided by certain alterations in the Civic Arena, which was fitted with a stage, raised floor, and so on, at a cost of about £.IOOO. Meanwhile; the City Council .readily agreed to cancel the rent charges. While a committee of 100 guarantors was formed to meet the financial obligations of the venture, all the civic bodies (including the Chamber of Commerce) and the music ■a nd other clubs'of the city, allied themselves to foster public interest, in the visit of the company, with the result that the deficit, for which the promoters were fully prepared will be much less than was expected. And Oakland is a city of only 142,000 people! The company produced four operas, and each of these performances drew about 4000 people.

The FuUer-Gonsalez Italian Grand Opera New Zealand season commences at Invercargill on June IS. The “Manuka” leaves Melbourne on June 14, direct for the Bluff (one of the few Melbourne bluff services now-a-days) and this enables the company to finish their season at Melbourne on June 13 and open at Invercargill in the 18th. It will thus be seen that the company will lose the minimum amount of time in travel, and Invercargill will have the honour of the premier performance in New Zealand.

“The Gauc'ho,” plaved hv Douglas Fairbanks', is to be the attraction at the Opera House at an early date. “The Gaucho” is an outlaw who by his daring gains control of a city until ousted by a beggar, who infects him with a disease. He hides away, but is found by a girl “miracle worker,” who cures him and takes him .hack to the town. There bo is

-aptnrod by his enemy, and is rescued by the girl he loves, and with, whom he rides to freedom.

During the course of an _ interview, in Australia, Mr. John Tait stated that “Rose Marie” would finish in Sydney next month, after 231 months in Australia and New Zealand.

Glenn Tryon and Patsy Ruth Miller, the comedy team that scored such an outstanding hit in “Painting the Town,” will he .seen in their second Universal, farce-comedy. “A Hero for a. Night.” The picture is said to he even more laughable and fast-moving than the first one.

Under Sir Benjamin and Mr. John Fuller’s new policy, practically every company .sent out to New Zealand will, in. future, take in the provincial towns also. Their London Musical Comedy Coinpanv will he visiting Hawera on June 19 and 20, and it is hoped that arrangements can he made for the Italian Grand Opera- Company, which, of course, is an enormous combination, fo also play in Hawera,

The League of Notions Revue. Company, now making their premier appearance at Hits Majesty's Theatre, Wellington, is a combination that shows distinct merit. L.iuu .Smith and his jazz baud are hack in New Zealand assisting - very materially in tlie* good things provided by the Revue.

An extract from a Sydney letter received in Wellington the other day reads:

“Rio Rita” which opened here on Saturday (April 28th) was an enormous success. It is the greatest- show that this country lias struck for years. Miss M.oncriefl' is wonderful —better than ever. It mush be a frightfully expensive show, for they are putting it on the same in every detail as in New York and 1. think the production is even better than when I saw it there. I believe the St. James Theatre is booked up for some weeks and there’s no doubt the season can run for six or seven months. Miss Moncr.ieff got a terrific reception on the opening night and proved that she thoroughly deserved it. She ie« a great actress and her voice is wonderful.”