WORLD OF MUSIC

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 20 June 1931, Page 15

WORLD OF MUSIC

COMPETITIONS FESTIVAL Old residents of iHawera will be very pleased to welcome as musical judge at the forthcoming competitions Mr Will. Hutchens, Mus. Bac., of "VfanI gariui, formerly a well-known and highly regarded musician of this town. He is a Haw era boy who made his name in the wide world of music and specialises in violin and singing. But lie is an all-. ■ round musician and is certain to give the utmost'"satisfaction. Among the many and varied activities of the Women’s iClub in Hatverath ev have quite a number of circles in various branches of art —none is more effective in the work than the music circle which is led by the Misses Reilly and which has given many delightful recitals, all of a high order of merit. Recently they formed an orchestra and and this has been a wonderfully attractive interest to members and to performers. The recital last Monday evening was among the best yet presented and was thoroughly appreciated by all present. The club is to be heartily commended on its enterprise in the realms j of music. | There has recently been formed a } ] Each Society in Auckland, designed to I perform Bach only. They opened with a Bach cantata, “‘God’s time is the best,” and it was in every way a great success. RECORDED MFSTC. Pianoforte Masterpiece. Cesar Franck has been termed the •“French Bach” because of his devoI tion to the pure and true in absolute I music, and to-day—over forty years after his death—he has never been [ more popular. A few months ago a j recording of his “ Violin and Piano Sonata,” played by Cortot and Thibaud, aroused wide interest, and now comes a , recording by (Cortot of Franck’s “(Prelude, Choral, and Fugue.” This is one of the great masterpieces of pianoforte music, and its presentation is all the more noteworthy because Cortot has become identified with many fine performances of the composer’s works. The records are not only treasures for the general listener, but will be invaluable .to the pianoforte student who hopes to be able to play the work. For those who wish I to become acquainted with the conij position, it may be pointed out that it ] consists of a quiet prelude (in which, 1 however, the fugue subject is hinted i at; the opening figure of three notes is never absent for long), followed by a hymn-liko theme ’(given high up over wide arpeggios), which leads to the J fugue. At the climax of the Fugue > | aubjeet, the choral, and the rhythm of j the Prelude are combined triumphantI ly. Cortot’s performance is brilliant j as well as scholarly, and the recording I is well above the average in clearness. ! (H.M.V.) Sir Edward Elgar. It is a happy coincident that simultaneously with the announcement of Sir Edward Elgar’s elevation to a baronetcy, there should be released in Now Zealand recordings of two of his most : popular shorter compositions. These : are played by the New Symphony Orj chestra, which is conducted by Elgar l himself. Both pieces, “'Carissima ’ ’