WORLD OF MUSIC

Hawera Star, Volume L, 29 November 1930, Page 15

WORLD OF MUSIC

HAWERA MALE CHOIR. A busy and interesting time lias been put in by the members of the Hawera Male Choir under their conductor Mr. Herbert Webb, in preparation for the ‘final concert of the year ivhicli will take place on Tuesday next in the Presbyterian Hall. An excellent programme has been prepared, one that will make a wide appeal to all tastes. The choir numbers include the popular part songs, “Ring Out Wild Bells,” “Voice of the Torrent,” “Highland Lament” and “Way Down Yonder in the Cornfields.” The fine number “Rolling the Log” from the Convent Garden opera, “Lumber Love” will also be sung by the choir, the solo being taken by Mr. William Watters of Palmerston North. He and Miss Mary Massey of St-rat-well known Jancl ipoptjla'r/ in Hawera, will be the assisting soloists. SCHOOL CONCERTS. Excellent work is being done both at the Hawera High School and the Hawera Main School for the musical performance which will mark the end of the year at these two institutions. The high school are preparing Gilbert and Sullivan’s “H.M.S. Pinafore” and the Main School the Operetta “Pnncess Ju Ju ” The rehearsals this week have proved that good progress is bein"; made and two outstanding musical attractions are assured. The headmasters. and staffs are to be commended for their enterprise. It is to be hoped the parents and the people generally will show their appreciation in no uncertain manner when the performances are given. These will he the most ambitious efforts ever made by local schools.

NEWS AND; NOTES. Tlie Wanganui Choral Society’s final concert takes place on December 3. The soloists for the “Messiah,” by a Dunedin Choral Society, will be Madame Winnie Fraser (soprano), Mis» Elsie Pratt (contralto), Mr Alfred Wahnsley (tenor), and Mr Ernest Short! (baritone). The quartet of soloists engaged lor the Wellington “Messiah” are: Mr* M. J. Goodson (Wellington, and formerly of Hawera). soprano; Miss Peggy Dunbar (Sydney), contralto ; Mr Harold Prescott (Christchurch), tenor; Mr Wilfred Kershaw (Dunedin), baritone. The Invercargill Male Choir performed Felicien David’s Symphonic Ode “The Desert” last week and scored a great success. It is a> work of peculiar interest and when sung in Hawera some years ago proved one of the attractions of the season. Writing some time ago in the; “Wellington Post,” Mr H .E. Nicholls refers to an early production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Patience,” which beautiful and witty piece, he said, has been too much neglected of late; years, owing to a mistaken idea of managers that the humour lias lost its point with the passing .qf the aesthetic craze it so wittily satirised. In ISB6 the opera was in high favour, and it was played in St. Peter’s Schoolroom for several nights to enthusiastic audiences, and with good financial results. Miss Ada Crease was the Patience, Miss Nellie Parlies (afterwards Lady JoynsouSmith of Sydney) the Lady Angela, Miss Selina Young the Lady Jane, Miss Lily Grant Lady Saphir, Miss Gaby Lady Ella ; Mr. Hawkins Colonel Calv-e'rley, Mr. A. Major Murgatroyd, Mr, Clothier the Duke of Dunstable, and Mr. Bock Archibald' Grosvenor, Mr. Nicholls was the producer. There was a large capable chorus, and Hawtrie West led a com petent orchestra.

Mr. John Bishop, conductor of the Royal Wellington Choral Union, is making a number of innovations m tins year’s “Messiah”, says a Wellington correspondent of Die “Auckland Star. For instance, the performance will conclude with the “Hallelujah”, chorus, whilst in “Why do the Nations’ the baritone soloist will sing tlie whole solo through, and the basses will repeat the first portion of this fine number. It might be mentioned that the Auckland Choral Society has concluded its “Messiah” concerts with the “Halleluiah” chorus for some years past now. The delightful cantata, “May Queen” (Steindale Bennett) was performed last; week bv the Napier Choral Society, under the coiiductorship of Mr. Lance Craig, formerly of Wanganui and wellknown in Hawera. It is a matter of great concern to those who have the interests of good music at heart (says the “Auckland Star”), that local musical societies are not getting the support from the public that they certainly deserve. For instance, the Auckland Choral Society crave a particularly fine concert a week or so ago. A tremendous amount of work and thought was put into this concert to make it attractive to aj wide section of the musical public. Tlie works performed were all very bright and attractive, whilst the soloists were some of the best that could be engaged locally, yet the financial returns were «My disappointing to those who had taken such pains to provide such an enjoyable performance. “Why does the public not give more support to our societies?” asks their musical critic. A movement is afoot in Auckland to form both junior orchestral and choral associations similar to those obtaining with marked success in other countries. In America, for instance, they hold annual conventions of High School Orchestras, at which the number of players range from one hundred and fifty to three hundred, whilst works such as the “Eroica” symphony are performed. This is a- matter in which the society should and could, give great assistance ,and the more people interested the better are the chances of success.

RECORDED MUSIC.

Church Music and Bells. The magic of the gramophone was remarkably demonstrated at the parish church of St. Giles, Stoke Poges. recently. The Gramophone Company (“His Master’s Voice”) installed in the historic church their electrical producer, model (300, and by means of a loud-speaker in the ancient belfry gramophone records, were played giving over the countryside all the effects of some of the finest peals in the kingdom. To Stoke Poges were transferred the bells of St. Margaret’s, Westminster, York Minster, and the glorious carillon of Loughborough War Memorial, while Big Ben boomed out the hour. It- was thus clearly demonstrated that ?very place of worship which has a supnly ow alternating electric current- can have its gramophone music of the bells perfectly recorded' and reproduced, a complete and enchanting illusion. The chimes were followed by a recital of sacred music, organ and choirs, in Stoke Poges Church with the most reverend and! inspiring effect. So pleasing was the recital that it was repeated fter both morning and' evening services, congregations remaining to 'isten to some of the most famous, solosts. choirs, and organs. On Sunday, too.' before both morning and evening services in the church, peals were again rung by means of “His Master’s Voice” apparatus and records.