THE WORLD OF MUSIC.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 14 October 1922, Page 4

THE WORLD OF MUSIC.

\ Any matters of interest to the music lovers of ihe town and any discussion on matter's that will benefit the cause ot music will always be welcomed The hope is expressed that the institution ol a weekly column wilt lead to an increase in the vigour of the musicalF lite m Hawera and the formation of a musical atmosphere ( which does a lot towards raising the standard of a noble art and in getting the best out, of everyone who takes a part in the musical lire. :

It is much to be regretted that Hawera was denied the pleasure of a visit from the nine solo artists of the histme Choir who are touring ■ Dominion. , Having heard them, one can realise* to some extent what a plea- ! sure it would have been to have heard the full choir of twenty-two boys and forty-four men who formed, we understand, the full choir. If the others were anything approaching the quality and standard of the nine., then they wer& a very fine combination, for one of the greatest joys experienced in listening to the concert was the combined effort of the singers in th© Pilgrims' Chorus from. Tannhauser, the chorus to TheToreador's Song, and the Funieuli ■ Fnnicula ,and in th© very fine Aye Maria by M. Paganelli, one of the j artists. In the unison passages the volume was remarkable, the piano ; effects were delicate and rare, and the rich, full harmonies, as in the second part of the Tannhauser number, were a revelation. There is something about J their voices which makes them quite i distinct from our English Singers, their i musical art is, as might be expected, quite a contrast, and they are full of temperament, passion, -and declamation, and withal so delightfully delicate, in

their soft passages that it was like being for the time in another world of music. The tenc-rs were very good, all distinct in quality, but the basses and baritones were particularly fine, full and nch in tone. All but one singer were mosKunmistakably Continental in style. Signor Rasponi seemed to be quite a different type, but he alike was excellent.

They had a most enthusiastic recepition. and despite the fact that they sang practically everything in Italian th<: audience' thoroughly enjoyed them, and were wildly enthusiastic in their appreciation, while the singers were just as liberal and kind in their response. M. Paganelli has a most, remarkable voige, described as a lyric spinto. He was perhaps the most appreciated of the tenors, while Signor Belli was the finest voice amongst the basses. A generous meed of appreciattion must be given to Signor Oasolari, the eminent conductor and pianist, to whose work the choir owe a great deal of the success they secured. His name stands high in musical circles in Italy, and his work in New Zealand makes one t lealise that ;fact.

It was altogether a most delightful evening at Wanganui. One felt genuine regret that they were not coming to Hawera, where we, are sure they would have had a right joyous welcome. Perhaps_ some day Hawera may have the privilegeof hearing the whole choir. It would indeed be a joy rich and rare. The recollection of the glorious voices will long be;, with all who heard these nine great artists.

Madame D'Alvarez, placed as one of the four greatest contraltos of the world, has been delighting the musical people of Wellington last week. Her voice and her art. are undoubted, for her reputation in the realms of music places her very high, but it is\a fact that apparently Wellington did not go wild with enthusiasm. Probably, as so often happens, the audience expected almost too much. Possibly, too,* tho need was felt of the operatic and stage settings, for Madame is tensely dramatic in all her work.

The death of Sir Charles Santley at the- great age of 88 years brings to mind his. visit to this country 33 years ago, when he "discovered" Mr. John Prouse, of Wellington, the well-known singer. Mr. Prouse had been a singer at local concerts, but his voice had had no special .training,- 'and he had never learnt to play a. musical instrument, yjet, as Mr. Santley said, '"'he was full of music,, and with cultivation h& might become one of the best singers of his day." He advised Mr. Prouse, although he. was between1 30 and 40 years of age ,to go to London and go through a thorough musical training. This Mr. Prouse decided to do- and sailed wi€h his wife and family in the first Tongariro, Captain J. Bone being in command at that, time, from Lyttelton in May, 1890. He arrived in London iii July, and commenced his studies immediately, with, a result that is known to - all' music lovers in the Dominion. Mr. Prouse was born iii the Dominipnr, but London life greatly appealed to him, and between times he flew hither and thither, seeing arid hearing all he could, and enjoyed the life to the full,-.which he described as living in a new world. His stay in the Homer Land lasted for some time, Mr. Santley taking the greatest interest in all that pertained to the New Zealander's musical training, and was delighted when he saw his protege finding his way by sheer merit into the best musical*" circles in the metropolis. Mr. Prouse became a general favourite because' of his free and easy colonial style and his unassuming disposition. The aged Dean Jacobs, of Christchurch, who had not been in the Homeland for 40 years, went Home in the Tongariro with Mr. Prouse, and Mr. W. K. Howitt, of Devon port, was also a passenger, a; young man on his way to a college in Scotland.

Hope for the continuance of the New South Wales Orchestra's existence is not, perhaps, dead, but it has received what;looks,;like a mortal blow. It is understood that, the financial outlook has proved more discouraging than was expected, and that public support in the way of subscriptions for the proposed season has been meagre in the extreme. The orchestra's disappearance will be a national calamity, and even now, at the eleventh hour, no one can refrain from hoping that it may somehow be prevented. , . ,