PEACE SERVICE MUSIC

Marlborough Express, Volume LIII, Issue 187, 4 July 1919, Page 3

PEACE SERVICE MUSIC

GERMAN COMPOSER'S WORKS,

OBJECTION BY CITY ORGANIST

A protesltt against musical selections from the. works of Mendelssohn and Handel being included in the forthcoming citizens' peace thanksgiving seifvie© was made by the city organist, Mr Maughan Barnett, in a letter received at a meeting of the Auckland Peace Celebrations Committee. It Avas stated that the Choral Society ihiad decided to render the, "Hallelujah Chorus," from the "Messiah," and "How Lovely are the Messengers," from "St. Paul.'" •'"German music seems, so absolutely out of place in connection with, the functions concerned," wrote Mr Barnott, "that I am not prepared to aiccept any responsibility for the inclusion of these two items)." . Members of the committee- s>semedi somewhat taken aback by Mr Barnett's objection. . Mr C. Hudson, Mayor of Mount Eden, said the "Hallelujah Chorus" had been sung for many years on occasions of rejoicing no matter whether tifoe comjxiser had Geronaai blood in him or not. As a matter of fact, Handel was a naturalised Englishman, ajid his name had been a "household word" in English homes for over forty years. The suggetsion that the music of two of the world's greatttesit composers should thus be bairredl was meet trifling. Tiha committee did not regard the German origin of ..the/composers as a serious matter, and authority was given, for! ithe purchase of the music required for the' remdering; of the items in question.