CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7649, 28 May 1886, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

ART AND MUSIC AT THE "UNIVERSITY." TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —The extraordinary idea of instituting a chair as above being mooted, it may be well to answer it by a few facts. Regarding ; "art" (a charmingly indefinite title by the way), it may suffice to say that none of the great universities of the world have yet found the need of suoh a chair, nor could they advance art materially by such a course, for art is something which cannot be taught by precept, and is only acquired by example. Regarding music, it is quite true that there are professorships of music at certain of the universities, but cot all. There are at Oxford, Cambridge, Dublin, and Edinburgh, but not at Durham, St. Andrew and London. But the chair of music is not really designed for teaching purposes, but for examination for the granting of degrees. The only departments of music that can be taught by means of leotureß are pure technicalities, and these can be Infinitely better acquired by private tuition and study, as is well known. So completely is this reoognised that those who take degrees rarely attend lectures at all, but study privately; indeed, it is expressly stated that even at Oxford and Cambridge the chair was a mere sinecure for well nigh a century ; while it is stated that "in the reforms carried out about 25 years ago it was attempted to restore reality to the School of Music at Oxford by requiring the professor to lecture at least once (sic!) in each term, and by instituting musical performances under the superintendence of the choragas. The latter part of the scheme has totally failed, so that the professor's lectures, about three a year, and the examinations for musical degrees, are the only form in which the university advances the study of music." Seeing that is the case at Oxford and Cambridge, where the professors are men of world-wide eminence, and specially known as theorists (Sir Frederic A. Gore Ouseley, Bart., and Sir George A. Macfarren), it is quite clear that no advantage could accrue to New Zealand by a chair of music, where we certainly could not secure the services of eminent men. It would be still more easy to show how useless would be the attempt to institute a' chair for the granting of musical degrees ; but it may suffice to say that as every particle of the examination is done " in writing," the papers could be sent home 'to be examined by acknowledged authorities, which alone would make a degree worth having;—l am, &c., L. P.S.—Papers received by last mail mention that " the first degrees of Doctor of Music at the University of London have just been conferred," &c., &c. If London has only now, in ISS6, found occasion to grant its "first" degrees, surely in .New Zealand we can yet afford to wait. RE SAILORS' HOME COMPETITION. TO THE EDITOR, Sir, The state of work in architects' offices in Auckland could scarcery be better shown than by the result of the above competition. The committee advertised for " penoil sketches," and offer a premium of £15 for the selected design, not guaranteeing to place the work in the hands of the successful architect. Seventeen professional men think it worth while to compete on these terms, and though " pencil sketches" only were asked for, it is understood several have sent in finished drawings, inked in and elaborately coloured. In so doing doubtless the senders consider they have an advantage over their professional brethren who have only sent pencil sketches as requested by the committee. It is to be hoped the committee, in making the selection, will not be misled by this difference in "get up." Would it not be well to act upon the suggestion of a correspondent in a local paper, and call in one or two non-competing professional men to assist them in their choice (of course being careful to select men of undoubted ability), and out of 70 odd architects in the town that ought not to be a difficult task.— I am, &c., Fair Plat.