HASTINGS WOMEN’S CLUB

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 205, 13 August 1932, Page 10

HASTINGS WOMEN’S CLUB

A “GRIEG AFTERNOON.” “It was my privilege to be at your ‘Mozart’ exening recently,” said Mrs Blair, who arranged a “Greig afternoon” at the Hastings Women’s Club on Wednesday last. “Then,” said Mrs Blair, “Miss Steele gave a delightful talk on Mozart and his music, and we now take a great leap from the time of Mozart to introduce Grieg, a composer of the 19th century, who was a contemporary of Verdi, Dvorak, Saint Saens, Sir Arthur Sullivan, and *apy others.” Mrs Blair then read a bright little sketch of Grieg’s life as a composer, which was interspersed with many very entertainingly related incidents. Edward Hagerup Grieg, said Mrs Blair, was born in Bergen, Norway, in 1843, and died in 1907. He received his first musical instruction from his mother and composed when he was only nine years of age. An eminent violinist recommended his being sent to Leipzig to study and there he was under the guidance of some great masters, but not happily could he follow the conventional lines of composition, and in the course of time he returned to his own country, where he developed his true power and devoted himself to a distinctive national form of the art. He worked with another Norwegian in founding a school of music. He lived a secluded life in the country, frequently composing in a hut which he built. A story was told by Mrs Blair of how Grieg bought a bungalow which he was charmed to find when spending a summer holiday in the country. The place and situation appealed to his imagination and he set to work there with the greatest enthusiasm on his famous music for the Peer Gynt Suite. One can imagine how he could be in Uuenced by the wild rugged nature of this wonderful country. His music is decidedly original and of an independent and somewhat eccentric character. It is, in fact, unique in its style. According to a writer, he showed great skill in adapting a classical structure to themes so ne. allied to the traditional tunes as to be hardly distinguished from genuine folk music. In smaller lyrical forms he is almost at his best, and his beautiful songs show him to the greatest advantage. He wrote first of all for the piano, though the orchestration of the Peer Gynt Suite is remarkably picturesque and popular. His music seems to carry the fragrance of his native pine woods into the concert room, and there is a peculiarly exhilirating effect in listening to his piano and violin sonatas and other outstanding solos. Miss Stollery gave a very fine reading of the scene depicting the “death Ase” as written by Henrik Ibsen in his poem Peer Gynt. First an explanation was given as to the allegorical significance of this poem in which Ibsen reveals the tragedy of the Norwegian peoples. Miss Stollery’s reading was very dramatic and deeply impressed those listening, and it also threw a light on the Peer Gynt Suite which gave a new idea of it to many of those present. The following illustrative programme was given:—The Peer Gynt Suite, as a duet played by Mrs Blair and Miss Airini Lock. This is in four movements, (1) Morning, (2) The Death of Ase, (3) The Hall of the Mountain King, (4) Anitra’s Dance. Miss Russell sang very charmingly two very pretty songs by Grieg (accompanied by Miss Perry), “Sunset” and “Lullaby,” her pretty voice being heard with great appreciation. The final item was a fine rendering of one of Grieg’s well known sonatas’s played by Miss Frances Fox (violin) and Mrs Blair (piano). This was a most interesting contribution to an outstandingly good musical afternoon. Before tea was handed round Mrs Lovell Smith thanked Mrs Blair for arranging such an exceptionally enjoyable afternoon, saying that Grieg was a favourite composer with many people, and that the programme had been altogether delightful. Mrs Christie, leader of the Musical Circle was present and many others.