WORLD OF MUSIC

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 28 July 1928, Page 8

WORLD OF MUSIC

'OPEIvA GO'MIQ UE. The outstanding musical : event in South Taiianaki; tins Week has- been the 'product ion. of the comic opera- “ La. M-os-cotte” by the Eltluim Amateur Operatic Society. ’ -Their performance was a pronounced -success and the amateurs arc to be heartily congratulated, not only on their isc-lectiou, qu-ahj «in bit ictus lor ii.*co,inuarati\cly .smalt ceuijiuuiily, but ■also on, their 'really excellent work. Principals, chorus and orchestra all gave, ajporiornianec of which they may well be proud. The epiuinany have pci)onneu at Nov; Plvmoutk and wi- L be at Ha\vera on .\lurida.v\ and Stratford !ou >V.edneyd'£ty. CHORAL WO UKIt is exceedingly good news that the musical .-'Ocietic-s ol the town will cooperate in one big choral l eli o-rt this year for it is an occasion which brings all together and gives a class Af work different from all the others in the weaX No decision will be. made a» to tb- v woi'h to’"lie i*rformed until it is known vvhiat iAi available. Suuse.steel works are. “The Creation,,” “The Go-hten Legend,” ”Ancient Mariner, ‘tale of Old .Tn.najV.” ‘‘Metric: England,” »mwl •' ( sfa.y Cllicon,” any one hi; tlicise woukf be popular. NOTES AND NEWS.'. “The Arcadians” lias been popular in other centres since Havyera produced it. Auckland did it last year, and Napier will produce it next week. i I The' New Plymouth Choral Society will o-ive Montague Phillips’ light opera “The° Rebel Maid,” about the end of August. ~ Madame Winnnie -Eraser will be the soprano and Mr. Hubert Garter the tenor solist in Berlioz’ ‘‘Faust ’ at Wellington on September 15. i The post of conductor to the Royal Choral Society, which has not been officially filled since the death of. Sir Frederick Bridge, lias now been give l ' l to the young English conductor, Dr. Malcolm Sai-gent. Mr. Vladimir de Pachmann, who is nearing his 80fch birthday! (he was born at- 'Odessa on July 27, 1848), gave a piano recital of Chopin’s works, at the Albert Hall, London recently, to an audience of nearly 5000. The value of a music reference section at the local public library has been stressed on many occasions, and it is worth,the committee’s earnest con-: sideration. Writing on the subject au Auckland critic says, that : “Anyone glancing over the new musical section of the Auckland Public Library cannot fail to realise the great asset Mr. Lewis Lady's gift will prove to musical people. The reading library has proved so popular that it is to.be wondered that the. aufchoiities did not realise long' before this that a musical library would be almost equally popular. Mr. Eady, in filling the breach at this late horn-, is to -be congratulated upon a very useful piece of public service.” A type of song to be encouraged, especially among young people, is the Folk Song, which gives the natural music of the people of any country. It is good to see that Folk Song evenings are given in many centres, and that they are always popular. M. Henri Verbrugghen, at one time conductor of the New South, W.ales State Orchestra, and now in charge of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, in a. recent, interview by the representative of a prominent musical paper, is reported to- have expressed the opinion that /“classical music is stale, worn out, and futile.” On top of this he did the astounding thing of conducting his own orchestration of a Bach- Prelude and Fugue- in E Flat! In his. orchestration he conceived the unique idea of a part for two giant tubas which, in the performance he. placed\ in the front row of the orchestra on the extreme right of the strings, so every once in a while these huge instruments lifted up their, bi’jvzen voice’s and emitted melodious bixt disconcerting bellows, meeting the ear with the same lack of reticence with which a chair meets a shin- in a dark room. The correspondent concludes with the remark that-, nevertheless the work was; cleverly orchestrated artd the performance was interpreted with a real Bach spirit. Quito by accident a- Viennese news-

I paper discovered within their city a 'grand-nephew of the great composer, Frank Schubert, living in a condition of extreme poverty. They immediately reported the news to the Columbia Schubert Centenary Committee working.in Vienna, and one is pleased to learn that the committee promptly arranged for the composer’s descendant, by name lgnaz Stuppock, to be housed more suitably and provided with adequate means. Stuppock’s poverty hail a touch of irony in it, considering tlie' scale upon whicjli his grand-uncle’s centenary is being celebrated; hut it is, scarcely to be wondered at, as Schubert himself was worth scarcely 50 shillings at his death. Stuppqck, by the way, was the son of Schubert’s favourite niece Theresa, who nursed him during his last illness.

1 M<:COJtDFil> MUSIC. The Sheffield Choir. (1) “I am . Alpha, and Omega-’' (Strainer); (-2) “The Sun Shall He No Afore” (Woodward). Sung by the Sheffield -Choir. Columbia 02584. The Sheffield Choir can sipg anything, but perhaps- the bpst realisation of their powers as afforded by their expressive and perfectly -finished singing of sacred music. This month they worthily follow up their success on Columbia with a new anthem record of superb sonority and fulness. The titles are .Sir John Strainer’s “I am Alpha, and Omega” and Woodward’s “The Sun Shall E« No- More.” Fine, solid tone, excellent balance, and above all, a clarity of enunciation ■rarely attained in choral singing are further distinguishing marks of the rendering. Great Organ Music. “Offertory on . Two Carols” (-Gru.ilmaiit). T)r. H. W. Wilson playing on the Manchester Cathedral. Organ. Columbia 02579. The accomplished organist of Manchester Cathedral, -Hr. H. W. Wilson, demonstrates- • the fine and varied tonal qualities of the instrument by n, finished performance of one of the

most attractive works of the famous organist aiul coinpose.r Guilmant. _lt is tlie well-known “Offertory on Two Carols” in which. the old tunes “Noel and Adeste Fideies” are treated wit'll consummate skill. Dr. Wilson obtains some lovely effects of tone colour, especially in the quieter moments; and the electric recording has yielded a tone, of splendid, realism. Gaspar Cassado.

(1) “Largo” (Handel) ; (2) “Danzas I‘lspanolas, No. 5” (Granados). ’Cello Solos by Gaspar Cassado-. Columbia 04075.

Cassado went to London in December, 1925, and already Ills fame is international. He lias given recitals in most capitals of the world, and ■famous critics specially commend his technical -skill, the endless resource of bis tone, i mpreeeable rhythm, and his subtle, fresh and individual, phrasing. These qualities l , are well displayed in Ills latest record. He makes Hie Handel “Largo” a fine piece of broad impressive playing, while the Dance is exquisitely Plaved.