A LIFE OF SONG.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19274, 12 March 1926, Page 15

A LIFE OF SONG.

DAME CLARA'S FAREWELL.

HER LAST VISIT ENDING. THE DOMINION AND ITS MUSIC. "It is the last time we shall tour New Zealand," said Dame Clara Butt last evening. "Maybe we shall come back, just for a frolic, but never again to sing as we are singing now. In any case, we have had a very good innings in this country, don't you think?" The famous contralto and her talented husband, Mr. Kennerley Rumford, have indeed been prodigal in lavishing their talents upon New Zealand. Four times in the last eighteen years they have visited the Dominion and each time they have delighted music lovers with the charm of two beautifully-matched voices, and cast the magic spell of a love romance ever to be reminded by the words and melody of "The Keys of Heaven." Now they bid good-bye to a host of Auckland friends at one final concert to be given in New Zealand. Dame Clara says she has been received with wonderful enthusiasm in New Zealand. Auckland and Christchurch _ audiences, she avers, are the best in the Dominion, but while she is in love with the country and its people ("New Zealand is young and wonderful," she says), she sees no reason for turning a blind eye to musical shortcomings obvious to anyone coming from the world centres of music. New Zealand's Young Singers. "I do not think the taste for music in New Zealand has been anywhere auilicientiy developed," she said. " You want more of your young singers to go abroad and bring back the musical knowledge it is next to impossible to acquire in the Dominion. You have the potentialities, but they must bo sought out and properly utilised." She was asked if she had heard any New Zealandevs sing and what was her candid opinion of their proficiency. The question evidently touched a delicate spot, for she smiled the inscrutable Clara Butt smile and answered goodhumouredly but evasively. "As a rule I do not listen privately to amateur singers unless they have been specially recommended to me. In any case, it is usually necessary to employ someone to weed out the good from the not good enough. However, I have heard quite a number of young singers in New Zealand, and while genuine talent is not remarkable here as it is in Australia, it is quite good and only lacks proper training. Rosina Buckman, who has toured with ufi 011 several occasions, is New Zealand's leading example, and if she can make a world name for herself there must be others." Impressed with a New Zealand Girl. "Yes, there is one New Zealand girl I would like to send away. That may possibly be done before very long." Dame Clara shook her head smilingly when asked for the lucky girl's name. "I am to hear several Auckland girls sing to-morrow," she explained, "and it would excite too much controversy at present." Like many another music lover, Dame Clara Butt speaks enthusiastically of. the uses of an academy or conservatorium of music in developing musical taste and genius. "It could lie done in New Zealand," she said, "provided you get the active interest of some influential people and the energy of a great spirit like Henri Verbrugghen. There is a great future, I am sure, for New Zealand in that way. You have a wonderful soil for a musical taste and the people seem ready for anything and everything. Personally, I would' like nothing better than to be a teacher of music in a young country like this. It would be a joy to work up a big connection and help in the musical development of the country." The last remark led to a discussion of her plans for the future. She has now been absent from England eight months and is naturally anxious for another glimpse of .her home. Dame Clara's Greatest Ambition. The famous contralto has had many ambitions in her life and has lived to seu many of them fulfilled, but the great ambition now left her is the wish to sing to her grandchildren. "It will be the greatest joy of my life," she said, and the tones of her voice sounded soft and deep, like the rich, low notes of her songs. Her two children, Miss Joy Rumford, aged 24, and Mr. Victor Rumford, aged 19, have not yet attained the married state. Miss Rumford is at present keenly interested in Greek dancing, a recreation of which her mother fondly approves, because, as she says, "I believe in young people- having some interest in life apart from enjoying themselves." Her son, who has finished an Oxford career, has entersd upon a study of music. He distinguished himself at cricket while at the famous university and came to the conclusion he was "too temperamental" for a scholarly career. He is specialising in the violin with more than average promise. Dame Clara has evidently no intentiorj at present of following the lead of Dame Melba in seeking relaxation from the rigours of a professional career. A return season of three or four concerts has yet to be given in Sydney, followed by concerts in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth prior to her return to England. Then will commence a new English tour, and possibly a Canadian tour._ Dame Clara has a" great longing to visit India and South America which, somehow, have been previously omitted from her itineraries. After that, all is uncertain. When the time comes to retire, however, she asks nothing more than to settle down in a comfortable home in her own England and reao the rewards of a life of song dedicated to the British people. Even then it is not a life of wasted leisure that she craves. "Singing to me is to live," sho says, "and I wish nothing more than to spend those happy years singing for charity."