WORLD OF MUSIC

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 15 February 1930, Page 7

WORLD OF MUSIC

BUSY TIME IN HAWERA There lias rarely.. It' ever, been a busier time in musical circles in Hawera than the present, when all the local societies are settling, clown sod idly to the preparations for the season. All have a heavy programme of work to get through'for the various concerts they are scheduled to give for their honorary members and the interested public, and they will be hard at work for several months. The hand and orchestra both standi to benefit amteriailly when the scheme for 'tuition <?f school performers comes to fruition. It will make a constant succession of young performers to keep up the strength of both institutions. The project set on foot bv an anonymous enthusiast with very practical ideas of helping the school® and the clause of music generally is one of the best' ever mooted. The possibilities are far-reaching and look forward right into the future. THE- MUNICIPAL BAND. Besides its ordinary work, the Municipal Band lias to. tackle work, in arepa ration for two -band contests Taraki at Eltham and the Dominion contest later. The preparation for these, in addition to keeping local engagements; will entail very heavy work on the part of the conductor and members. TiTE MALE CHOIR The executive of the Hawera Mate Choir is very pleased with th© progress made this season and especially with the fact that several new members have joined th© choir. The conductor will still be very glad to hear of further new members. The. programme for the first concert of the season is particularly good and includes several numbers' not before heard in the Dominion. THE CHURCH CHOIRS A busy time is to be> enjoyed by till© members of the Church Choirs in Hawera in the period just preceding Easter. At the St. Mary’s Church the choir will give performances of Dr. Toner’s “Way of the Cross” on Ash- Wednesday : Excerpts from “The Messiah” on Palm Sunday, the first before Easter and “The Crucifixion” (Sir John Stainer) during Holy. Week. At the Methodist Ohurohi, the choir will on one evening in the week before Easter sing the cantata “Bethany” (Ohallinor). Later it is hoped that a performance of Haydn’s great oratorio “Creation” will be given by the choir. The choir of the- Presbyterian Church in Hawera intend to sing just 'before | Easter several of the lesser known choruses and solos in the third part of the oratorio “The Messiah”. These ar© comparatively rarely peroformed, though they are among the most beautiful and dignified of the choral numbers. RECORDED MUSIC. Parsifal Excerpts. There are some impressive nioment*s in some oxeerp r ts from W iiei s<■ r a “Parsifal,” in whioh t*ho aie Cota i/juiiberg, sop-nano, ana Waiter Widdop, tenor. They give, on two lure© records, a. considerable portion of Act 11., in which Kundiry attempts, U> achieve a victory over oi-ly to’ be rebuffed. Ljunberg is famous for her role of Kundry. Both voices are heroic" enough to give adequate treatment to the music and dramatic sjpnificanoe to the theme. The orchestral parts are played by the London symphony Orchestra, with Albert i.of.tes in charge, so that the music gets t-he true Wagnerian flavour. (H.M.f . D 1651-52.)

A Brahms Sonata. ■ Beautifully played by Isolde Menses and Harold Samuel. Brahm’s lovely Sonata in A Major for violin and pianoforte is an outstanding feature of the latest catalogue. The tone is as natural as could be wished, and the more frequently one plays this composition the more does one discover its hidden beauties. In fact, there are depths and depths- which familiarity will never exhaust. This is a sound reason for the purchase of the best music. One never grows tired of it, for it makes a beautiful impression that is permanent. The Sonata is full of contrasts. It opens with an allegro amabile which is full of lively pictures, and then we pass- on to the andante tranquiLlo. a passage of -stately calm, but touched with romanticism.

V Beethoven Piano Sonata. Harold Bauer (pianoforte), in Sonata in F Minor. Op. 57 (“Appassionata”), Beethoven. . Manv months have elapsed since the issue of the first H.M.V. record (D.B. 832) bv Harold Bauer. He now mates a very welcome reappearance in one of the most popular of Beethoven’s sonatas —the “Appassionata.” This work, beloved of aamteur.?. and always a favourite with recital givens, is the product of Beethoven’s! so-called “second period.” Bauer enjoys the reputation of being one of the most intellectual pianists' of our day, and his reaoing of this- mighty work is in every way ideal.