MUSICAL NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue LIII, 7 April 1908, Page 6

MUSICAL NOTES.

"Presto.")

During a recent performance (in the north of England) of Mendelssqhn's "Elijah" part of the platform gave . way, with the result that some of the sopranos and tenors of the choir were precipitated "down below." Happily no one was hurt; in fact, the acoident caused some little amusement by reason of its realism, for it occurred during the earthquake chorus 1 The prize of £500 offered by Messrs Ricordi and Co. for an original opera from the pen of a British-born composer has been awarded to Dr E. W. Naylor for aT work entitled 'The Angelas." Out of the fifty-two librettos sent in twenty-nine w«re set to nnuric, with the above result. The adjudicators were Mr Joseph Bennett, Mr Percy Pitt, Mr Tito Ricordi, and Sir Charles Stanford. Paderewski has accepted the direa-

forsfhip of the Warssfw Conservatoire of Music, in succession to M. Emil Mlynarski. Whilst recognising the uadoubted genius of Paderewski, and hie unrivalled success as a pianist, I do not anticipate phenomenal success in this appointment, for which the great pianist is not, I consider, temperatoentally fitted. Gabriel Pierne, the composer' of the popular violin "Serenade," has produced a choral work. It is an oratoria entitled "Les Enfants a Bethleem," and has been written entirely for children's voices.

Some idea of the magnitude of the Leeds musical festival may be gathered from the balance-sheet, in which it is, stated that the receipts were £8635 and the expenditure £8175. The great Crystal Palace festival will take pldce. on June 17. The choir will consist of 9000 voices, and there will be an orchestra in proportion. The largest hall in Australasia — I refer to the Exhibition. Buildings in Melbourne — -would hardly hold the singers, let alone the orchestra, and — the audience. The Royal Albert Hall was crowded on January 1, when the Royal Choral Society performed "The Messiah. 1 ' The soloists were Miss Agnes Nicholls, Mr Lloyd Chandos, and the colonial favorites, Miss Ada Crossley and Mr Watkin Mills. Sir Frederick Bridge conducted.

I see by the city papers that Miss Rosina Buckman is to he the leading soprano of Mr George Musgrpve's next grand opera company, which commences rehearsals in Melbourne shortThe February number of the Musical Times contains an . excellent portrait and a short biographical sketch of M. Claude Debussy, whose Works are attracting a good deal of attention at Home at the present time. The Christchurch papers announce the formation of a concert orchestra in that city. Herr Benno Scherek has accepted the position of honorary conductor.

Harmony students will appreciate the following: —^A little girl, undergoing a musical examination, was confronted with the question, "What is an interval?" Her answer was practical: "An interval is a pause for refreshments." v