WORLD OF MUSIC

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 3 September 1932, Page 13

WORLD OF MUSIC

CHORAL WORK. The judge at the competitions festival in Hawera, Mr. John Bishop, made a Aviso suggestion when iie urged) that the various districts of South Taranaki should try r to make a special effort to foster choral singing. It is a form of music eminently suited to small centres and gNe-s endless iseopo to combined and concerted effort. Some of the' loveliest music written is for four-part singing and lh addition there fire other forms, such as rounds, ivhich might be developed.

Every district centre should have its glee club, church choir, or choral society for a hobby during the Avinter months Avhen farmers are not so busy as in the summer. Already there are, or have been, several such bodies of singers formed and they have created much interest. They Avoiiid form a centre round iidiich the musical effort of the district could come together for practice and performance and then later they could compete in a contest at some centre to be arranged. The idea holds great possibilities for the future and Mr. Bishop is to be congratulated on. making his suggestions.

This class of Avork is very prominent in parts of England and Wales and there is no reason Avliy it should uot be much more fostered in Neiv Zealand, especially i.n the rural areas. A correspondent to the “Hawera Star” of October 20, 1882, wrote.' concerning the choral society under the title of “Soprano” (“The Plains,” Hawera), to the effect that the pleasant practices and very enjoyable concerts had not been continued and a revival was AA'anted. “Hawera-,” said the writer, “had musical talent not often found in a toAA’n of its size” and the hope Avas expressed that the society would soon function again.

NEWS AND 'NOTES.

Miss Betty Blamires, daughter of Rev. E. O. and Mrs. Blamires, formerly of Hawera, Avas one of a four who Avon first place for piano duo, two ■pianos at Wellington. Commenting on the selection, the judge (Mr. H. W. Dixon) said: “This Avas an unusual class of great interest, and it called for a good deal of practice together, technique of a high order, combination, and understanding. A very fine massed effect of .piano music might be obtained if each player made perfect entries and the group kept ivell together. It was necessary if one player started a phrase for another player to continue that phrase Avith exactly the same touch, expression, and mood. The perfect understanding Avhich this class of work required could be obtained;- only by keen players Ai'ho could frequently practise together. The winners had kept a better pace than, the group placed second, and had obtained slightly better effects in detailed expression.” Mr. J. F,. Davies, a. former resident of Manaia, has been very successful in the Dunedin competitions for -several years and this year he has added to" his successes by scoring first in fcbe Welsh song and vocal solos, operatic aria, and ballad, both own selection.

■Returned soldiers in Dundein have a very fine male choir and gave ,a most interesting concert on, Wednesday vhen excerpts from “II Travatore,’ *>‘The Magis Flute,” “Rosamund” and 'The Mount of Olives” were given. They had the assistance m the first two of. Miss Eva Scott. Later they gave a stirring dramatic cantata, “fsalanus” and scored a distinct success. It is good to see that this association has taken such a keen interest in music, for it helps to keep them together and increases interest in their institution, "besides being; excellent training for the members. Lance Fairfax, who has "been starring in “The Beggar Student” in Dunedin, is a brother of Mrs. E. W. Cate, formerly of Hawera, and now of Edentlale. Mrs. Cate had the pleasure recently |of meeting he;r brother and hearing him sing, in Dunedin. Lex Macdonald, the hoy soprano, whose singing has created a furore pi Sydney, was singing in Dunedin (or four years before his outstanding quality was really, discovered and credit for that is largely due to Mr. fi. Temple White who judged the boy’s singing at the competitions last- year. Fie was immediately struck by the purity and beauty of the lad’s tone, and also by liis musicianly and artistic approach to the music, with the result that he won his sections' with the utmost ease. Mr. White arranged for him to come to Wellington and he at once created a sensation when he sang at the Harmonic Society’s concert on tiro occasions. It seems unfortunate that he was not taken in hand earlier because lie is now 141 years old ind cannot hope to sing for more than a year, as a hoy.

MUSIC IN SCHOOLS

The Schools’ Music Festival held last jveek in. Auckland (says the “Stax”) was a great success. One feature of the singing was the' clarity of the enunciation. This was particularly noticeable in the National Anthem when sung by the massed choirs of the primary schools. The diction was so distinct that it seemed a 1 most possible to hear the dot over the “1’ in tlie word “King.” The tone of the sruging was very fair in both conceits. On the second night both Gie girls and the younger boys sang verv sweetly, but the same cannot be saul about the singing of the eider boys. ' It is true that good tone is not to be expected from voices that have recently broken, but there is no excuse for 11 n common nasal twang that was so painfully evident in this .section of the massed choirs. Steps snonid be lastn to have this rectified, and the hoys taught how to jxrodufe the voice properly. HAYDN’S SYMPHONIES.

In view of this year being the bicentenary of the birth of Haydn, which will be celebrated in New Zealand and in various other parts of the world, it is interesting to note that some of his great symphonies have been adapted for the organ by Mr. Ernest Truman, Citv organist in Sydney. He stated at one of his recitals that these works lend themselves admirably to adaptation for the organ. “Havdn’s music is spontaneous throughout, offering no musical problems of Euclid to solve, either for the theorist or player, and, therefore, all is plain sailing, in fairly peaceful waters.” The symphonies are generally in four movements, and this plan, of course, is preserved in the adaptation. Haydn’s music will be a feature of the year’s work in Australia as well as in New Zealand and the various performances will be a lasting - memorial to the great composed.

OLD TUNES IN A HURRICANE

Bir John Burden’s lecture at the Imperial Institute contained one< incident which the late William James might have welcomed as an addition to his examples of the behaviour of man under exceptional stress (says a writer in the “London Times” recently). Tellng of the’ Belize, hurricane, which he experienced as Governor of British Honduras, Sir John explained that the

tremendous display of left little room for personal feai.. As the on© urgent tiling was not to think about it, the private secretary made iust the right suggestion. ould there he any harm in my playing Something?’ The next minute he. was giving us all the old tunes on the dripinno- piano and we were forgetting hurricanes in singing John Peel, Tip I Addy ’ and the old songs that always hearten. There were two other pianists in the party, and there were kiddies who added' one-finger treble and bass. So, drying the keys between each piece. John Proadwood played the hurricane to its close.”