WORLD OF MUSIC.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 9 June 1923, Page 10

WORLD OF MUSIC.

+ NOTES AND COMMENTS. <s>> In some remarks on the facility of some nations for music, and also the power of a common love o£ music among the nations, Professor Wflite, of Dunedin, recently said that it seemed to him that there were other than climatic reasons for the superiority of- some nations in the finer arts, such as musiu. In "the sunny south" of Europe there was Italy, in the cold north there was Norway-^-both had produced great musicians and great vocalists. How, asked Professor White, had Europe become so eminent in musical art? There must be some reason besides climate and some reason besides the mere geographical features of the country. He thought that this musical supremacy was due, to a considerable extent, to the facilities that were supplied for tuition in music—to the schools, gymnasiums, 'and conservatoria. Those facilities were wanted if New Zealand was going to make strides in music. . Already this country had sent some pianists and some vocalists to the Old World, where they had made names for themselves, but that was only a beginning. If we wanted to progress, and if we wanted to hare Duendin leading in the development of the fine arts —in literature, painting, and particularly music—some steps were necessary. He thought that a first step would bt> the establishment of a chair of music ii the university. Music was a great international movement binding all nations and all sections of the community. " ' : At a reception to M. Shalski, the Mayor of Dunedin reminded him that Dunedin was a Scottish community and that, in common with all Scottish communities, it appreciated music with are appreciation that was warm and real. That did not apply to only the bagpipes. "I was amused last night," remarked a speaker at a> reception to M. Shalski in Dunedin,. "to hear a boy playing a mouth organ on my way ; home. He knew nothing about brackets or quavers, but that boy had music in him. Lots of the p^Dple who play tin whistles have music in them." The speaker added that he wanted to destroy an impression that had got abroad that music played by highly qualified musicians was "high brow.'' If only the people with music in them once went to one of these "high brow" performances they would be. seen there again on many occasions. The fact was that these people, did not know what they missed. Music, when played in the true poetic spirit, made a universal appeal. Miss Stella Power, who is touring Australia and New Zealand, startled the audience in Melbourne at one of her concerts recently with a G in Alt. To the uninitiated man or woman this means nothing. It certainly does not affect the pripe of commodities. To the musician, however, it discloses a phenomenal range. In most singers that particular Gis dead.' Em alt, two whole notes lower, is as high as most soprano music goes. / Inu/jadeiizas and certain coloratura~"mu.sic the singer -is not circumscribed by the actual music, but ..may range at her own sweet will, and try the vocal inpii-ritain tops. Certain critics abhor t^pse high notes, except where expressly written. They are to them anathema. Tn -other words f if a, singer gives a high F. the critic responds with a low growling D—. "A critic said that 'Dame Nellie Melba would not approve of my singing these top notes," smiled the singer gleefully, -when interviewed recently. "He little knew that the last advice she gave me was: fl 'Give them' your F's, Stell^; they'll love them.' So Miss Power has gone one better and given them her G's:" ' ■' . Mine. Alva, the celebrated operatic singer, was one of the luckiest artists who ever lived. She wa.s left by will by a wealthy Australian: upwards of £35,000 freb of legacy duty, to'use the words of the testator, "in recognition of her goodness. ... as well as of her magnificent endowments, as a rare sing-, er and a self-sacrificing, charitable, ami Christian woman.' The incident occurred at Bendigo, Victoria, during Mme. Alva's professional visit to Aus>! tralia in 1898, when "she volunteered to sing for the mins of that town, just before their going into-, "retreat,' 5 the whole of an evening's programme. This ; legacy works out to about £'5000 a song. Mme. Alva. some time ago purchased a beautiful villa on the Lake of Como Italy. —■ . I Another master pianist is Harold Bauer, who after being the rage in Bos- N ton has easily become the rage in New - lork. Bauer was born in London and began his musical lifo as a violini.st, but observing the large number of violinists he became converted to the keys. He, took a few lesson from Paderew.ski, but; is mainly a self-made pianist. It is said that in New York people have been climbing over one another to get in a. hall to hear him play. ■* I | St. George's Glee Union, which was founded in' 18G9, held its 650 th con-' secutive monthly concert recently at Caxton Hall, Westminster,, London. This is a record which, it is claimed has never been reached or even ap-' proached by any similar society. Air raids failed to damp the enthusiasm- of the members, but there wa.s one occa-' sion when, owing to the death of Mr."* George H. McCann, the honorary con> ; ductor, the wonderful continuity*, of performances was likely to have been broken. Instead of the engagement' being abandoned, however, the° mem-' bers gathered together for what was' virtually an "In Memoriam" concert. '

Mr. Lasßo Schwartz, the Hungarian violinist, composer, and novelist—who is making a tour of the Dominion—has been studying the musical condition of New Zealand as it was seen by him in Auckland and thereabouts. H© is astonished at the want of musical knowledge on^the part of school children, and is convinced that it would amply repay the Government and the community generally if more attention were paid to this matter. Speaking to a representative of The Post, Mr. Schwartz said the knowledge of music possessed by schoot children in "the United States was almost uncanny. He had put them to some pretty severe tests, and had be-on amazed at the re- i suits, work done quickly and eor-reetlv ■ on the blackboard in the presence of the Avhole class. Why not *in the [ New Zealand schools? A competent man should be sent to England and to the United States to investigate this subioct and report to the Government with a view to instituting thorough musical teaching into" the schools. "I believe," he said, "with the Catholic priest, who said if he h/ul a child to teach in its early years anybody else : could have • the other years. With ' efficient musical education in the! schools, you will be certain of- creating a sound musical taste, and then—good* bye jazz and rag! It is all nonsense, much of it, that is said about classical and popular music. The so-called classical music can be, and is, made extremely popular. It i s largely a matter of interpretation, and expression, and intelligence in rendering. A correspondent, in the Ohristchureli Press mentioning a statement that the , recently inaugurated Christchurch ■ Ladies' Choir was the first and only one of its kind in the Dominion, adds, thai this is contrary to fact, as a ladies' choir was formed in Oamaru over a year ago, and has given two public concerts since its inception. : Hawera had a. ladies' choir years ago and still has performances annually by such a • choir. 1