WORLD OF MUSIC

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 11 August 1928, Page 8

WORLD OF MUSIC

VALUABLE WORK APPRECIATED.

Hawera lias been singularly fortunate at various times in its musical history, ini having enthusiasts willing to give time to further the: cause of the art ol music. -Mm M. J. Goodson, a talented singer, who year after year, lias given freely of her talents' and of her time and cnthiuisiia&in, in order to further the art. Among her own church people, as with those organising any good cause, she has always been foremost to assist. Actually it may be said that what Hlaivera people owe to her will be -more realised in the days to come, after her departure. It was eminently fitting that members of the community, representative of every branch of musical activity, should, gather as they did on Monday evening to do her honour. The excellent speeches made by the leaders of the various societies did mo more than justice to many years keen and earnest effort to advance the cause ot music. The reception given Mrs .Goodson at the orchestral concert emphasised the high esteem in which she- is held and the desire to give that fact due acknowledgment. • ~ Mrs Goodson and her family—-the Misses Gioodson, shared in the honour shown —will! leave for Wellington shortly-

NOTES.

The success of Mr Lance Fairfax, brother of Mrs IV. Gate of If aweira in being engaged to play lead for .J. O. VViliam.son. Ltd., is a distinct step up'the road to fame and will be appreciated by his many friends in Hawera ana distri]VL- Will Hutchens, conductor of the Wanganui Society and other- organisations, went this week to O'amaru.and Ashiburton, where he will adjudicate 1 the musical sections in the competitions. 1 Mrs. Hutchens is with him. An orchestral society has been formed at Mataura, the latest centre to make the effort. At a pnhlia meeting the Mayor said - he considered it- would provide scope for the promising young ta>ent coming forward in. the township and district. He personally would do _ hns best to assist although not a musician. Au Invercargill enthusiasts was p ie " sent and in reply to questions stated the function of such, a society. fie stressed the fact that the orchestra, would be open to all Jegitimate otehestra.l instruments and that it would b possible to include quite young playelThe Royal Musical Society o,i jGhritetchuroh made a lose, it is reported, on a recent production of ‘ Hiawatha, and it is urged by a critic that there s need in that city of an amalgamation Sil forces so -as to make the position of the societies more assured and their way easier for all. In view of the strength and efficiency of the Hawera Orchestral Socic+v' it will be of interest to read in p»pcr tto Orctej™ Society in the City of the Clam* is bovine at -present, a- very great difficulty in maintaining itself, and a. f-troim appeal was made recently to the townspeople to save it from' ex- \ movement is on foot in-Sydney to purchase an oil portrait of Mr Arundel Orchard, the weH-knoum director of the oonservafonum, and to have it hung in the building. Mr. Orchard is a New Zealander, who has done good wovk in the realm of music in Sydney, and had an esnecially difficult task m fcnhino- over the reins at the eonservatorium after the well-known artistHenri Vethmigghen. He has bad good men rath hi mV amongst whom are two New Zealanders. Mr. Alfred Hill and Mr. Frank Hutchens. .

ON THE GRAMOPHONE.

Dame Clara Butt. (!) “Rule Biitannia”; (2) “Land of Hope and Glory.” Dame Clara: Butt, contralto. Columbia' 09501. Tins record must have been recorded under great difficulty. Nevertheless, it is an achievement. Made on Empire Lay 111 London, actually during Dame Clara Butt’s performance before a. vast audience whose thunderous singing of the ehoiuses of her two songs is effectively rendered, and gives a sense, ot realness to a good record. The hearer of this record seems to feel much of the enthusiasm of this .great gathering. Dame Clara Butt is. never better than in singing patriotic songs of the Empire. She gives of her best in them, and her best is very good.

“Sail" of the Flea ’ (1) “The Son or of the Flea” (Monssoreski); (2) “Drinking” (Traditional). Bun«r bv Capiton Zaporojetz (bass). Colmnbia 04028. Capiton Zaporojetz fs an artist- who has- appeared at the Tnternatidnnl Celebrity Subscription Concerts held in Great Britain-. This is the ball marie of the conceit platform 1 . Zaporojetz figured popularly in these-. TU- is a mi eh tv bass. the depths of lvis note« in “Drinking” are mn orrificent/. nncl. lii*? chuclclcis in “Soup of the Flea” renlistieallv Satan ical. In both recordings the spirit of the songs, ha's been fully •interpreted bv Znuordietz. Fverv note leaves "him a' waster bass, one of the Greatest of this veneration. A rec-o-rd one 1 can ill afford to miss. Two “Avo Maria” Versions. m “Ave Atari a” (Gounod): '(2) “Are Marin” (Mascagni-Weatherly). Sung hy Eileen Castles. soprano. Columbia 1 02516. Eileen Castles is in great voice in these two songs. Her pure enunciation is wonderful, -and the whole performance is • greatly, enhanced hv the violin accompaniment pl-a-ned by that well-known Australian violinist ATownt Carter. The “Ave ATaria” (ATnscngni) is an arrangement from “Cavallerin. Rustieaun.” An American Tenor of Note.

(1> “Le Revo (Massenet): (2) “L’Elisir Una Furtiva Lagrimn”. (Donizetti). Sung by Charles Hackett, tenor, with orchestra.. Columbia- 04057. One of Chicago’s Civic Opera favourites. Charles Hackett has visited New Zealand. His voice is tuned to perfection in the- charming -song “The Dream,” from “Monon” (Massenet), the mem voice is used, effectively with softness and feeling. An -artistic ienduring of “Elisir d’Amore” completes a wonderful record. Poetic Prelude by AV-agner.

“Lohengrin Introduction Act 1. In two parts (Wagner). Willem Mengelberg conducting the Concertbouw Orchestra. Columbia 04069. The orchestra i-s suited to Wagner’s ethereal and exquisite prelude. The richness of the -stringed, the harmony of the wo-od-wind instruments form «. delightful tone colour, and the recording is good. The hall in which this recording was clone is famous for its acoustics, and the result is- particularly pleasing. The crescendos gradually reaching fortissimos are marvellously executed in this AVagn-erean prelude played by a famous- orchestra.