WORLD OF MUSIC

Hawera Star, Volume L, 14 February 1931, Page 15

WORLD OF MUSIC

DOMINION BAND CONTEST There will be general disappointment that it has been found necessary and advisable to postpone the Dominion Band contest for this year. It was, no doubt, essential, and it- is certain that the association gave the matter very serious consideration and viewed thequestion from every standpoint before coming to a decision. The president says inter alia “that of the thirteen A grade -bands; entered, certainties were reduced to four, which included two Wellington bands, and of the more numerous B grade bands the survivals numl>ered nine out of thirty-five, with no certainty that the bottom had been reached.” There was, too, he added, the: probability of a. very much decreased revenue, also the fact that “tin 1 laiirels to the winning band would be shed of the lustre and kudos of a victory over all-comers in a big parade.” No- doubt all the bands will have done as- has- Haw-era, put a, vast amount of hard work into tiiei preparation for the

ccntest and the disappointment is nati urnl, but the members of the band I must find consolation in the satisfaction from the great improvement l shown in their interpretation of music written by one -of the world’s great masters. SONG RECITAL. The decision made by Miss C. Ren iy and Mr Rex Harrison to give the proceeds of their song recital, which was arranged some time previous to the earthquake, to the fund for sufferers was a generous action and much appreciated by the committee and the community generally. From a musical point of view the recital was quite outstanding and was a real musical event \of a standard not often seen in M.a- ---| w-era. There was a remarkable versatility shown, by both artists and the- extent of their repertoire was a marked feature-. The standard of artistry was very high. CHORAL WORK. The music given at the churches for the memorial services for earthquake; sufferers was all of a character emmentlv befitting the occasion. It- was undoubtedly a feature of the- variousservices and reflects the greatest credit on the members of the choirs, the choir-, masters and organists who, week » week, give service, unselfishly and wen \ special occasion such as occurred on Sunday stresses the worth of their work. , , Mr Sydney Hoben, who has accepted* the position of master of piano at tire new Si. Patrick’s Go-liege at Silverstream (Wellington) has had an interesting career, being trained at the j Leipzy Conservatorium, and afterwards | following his profession in Sydney and, in Christchurch. In the interim hej toured America for several years. He ( was also known as a. critic on leading papers in Sydney and. in Christchurch. Another Operatic Society to- find the difficulty of making a financial success of comic opera, is Blenheim, whose Gilbert and Sullivan season, though a com- j pleto artistic success, fell away rather, seriously financially. ( Referring at the' annual conference./ cf musicians in Christchurch, to the Registration Act, Mr Robert Parker (Wellington), said that the movement bv which the teachers had become a registered body had begun many years ago. At that time- there was no hope of getting the question considered seriousTy, but in 192 S they had been successful. The purpose- of the Bill was to place the teachers of music oil a 1 basis similar to that occupied by architects and accountants, and other professional men.

Several suggestions as to the nature of future music weeks have been made, cue being that an annual festival on a large ssc-ale should be held, in a. different. centre each year. But the success- of the week in many centres has been so great that the celebration is being awaited this year with keen interest.

Men more than 60 years of a.ge and girls of 1.6 were among the great crowd of applicants recently in Melbourne for positions in the Gilbert and Sullivan opera, chorus. There were nearly 800 altogether—a record number at J. C. Williamson, Ltd., voice trial. “The Gondoliers” is to open the Gilbert and Sullivan opera season at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, at Easter,, and the. possibility is that provided the season is successful a brief tour of New Zealand will be: made. A, writer in. an English paper, coinmeeting upon how difficult it is to get male, voices for choral works, more especially oratorio, remarks: “It is loar that there l arc many other attractions at work—mostly of a. less intellectual type—which absorbs the interest and attention of our young men. The rage for entertainment, without much or any mental, or physical -effort, is the chief cause of the difficulty; and even when musical taste has- not yielded to this lower plane of amusement it seeks gratification in listening to musical works rather than taking part, in their performance.” An unusual and very unwelcome hap;.’iting 'occurred at Sydney during the annual band contest-, when after the decision in the “own selection” A grade competition, the judge, Dr. Oyril Jen- ■ ins. was faced with a hostile demonstration by a section of the crowd. This was to- show their disapproval of his first award to the Townsville- Railway Band, a point over the Hamilton Band. The latter, it is reported .had given a nerformance that quite took the fancy of the crowd and hence- their di-sap ■ proval.