MUNICIPAL MUSIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20076, 13 October 1928, Page 16

MUNICIPAL MUSIC.

Sir, —1 will try and reply as shortly as possible to thc'ictter by Mr. A. Peters,. Your correspondent claims to be an old bandsman of 17 years' experience in bands and with having drawn less than 20s for his services. Well, ho is unique among bandsmen; at the same time ho is to bo congratulated on having given his services gratis. Nowadays competent brass • and woodwind players aro in such demand professionally that it is rare to find any of them playing as Mr. Peters did for tho lovo of music. With the big majority it is a matter of playing for filthy lucre. Mr. Peters asks my opinion > "if tho Municipal Band were dispensed with altogether could tho local bands be matin to suffice, if reasonably subsidised ?" I am sorry to say no, as local bands have in the past received such scant support that they aro at present at such a low standard that they aro not in a position to satisfactorily do tho work required. Their main difficulty at present is shortage of good players, and lack of income to pay competent bandmasters. If local bands had the support accorded to, say, Wanganui bands we would soon ha.ve oife or two first-class bands heroi agaip. Re figures for Municipal Band, L can only at present give receipts from March 7 to August 22 of this year. Attendances were 3979 and takings £127 15s —this for 13 concerts —average, £9 16s Rd per concert. During same. period organ recital takings averaged £3 18s 7d, but later takings average nearer £1 16s, and cost for each organ recital based on 40 a year is £27 14s, not including any charge for Town Ilall or organ, so that the late Councillor Brinsden was in my opinion perfectly right in calling a halt to the squandering of public money for such poor patronage of the public. If "Ichabod's" nom do plume was taken from the first book of Samuel the implication is that the glory of music has departed from our city. Unwillingly I mu?t agree with him, then, that what was pleasing in music to our grandfathers is cot to the present generation If "Ichabcd" is derived from "Ichabod' Bronson" then J think tho tremendous success of "Belle of New York"' recently shows what the present musical audiences (with some exception) want to-day. Yes, musical societies, not being subsidised, in choosing their programmes have to consider the taste of the public, as the public pays. Anti-Humbug.

Sir, —"Anti-Humbug" informs me that he has a list of the takings at municipal concerts for this year. Why not get t'lie takings for the first two years before the band entered into competition 7 " He states that the choir has his sympathy. I can assure him they do not want it. They labour for love. He also states that he has looked up the charges, and finds that there are 2000 scats to choose from, most of them at 6d, but ho forgets that these seats are the hardest in that hall. When the council, in its wisdom, conceived the democratic idea of 6d to all parts of the house it was done to encourage all classes of people to attend, and I know that the public, did not take kindly to the increased charges. I think it is a pity . your correspondent has brought in the qualifications of the organist, and bandmaster. It would be presumption on my part tQ criticise thom. from a musical - standpoint, but if Mr. Barnett plays-the organ as well as he .plays his choir then hi! is good_ indeed. With reference to the broadcasting, Mr. Barnett informed the council that the organ would not be a success on* the air. I venture the opinion that if a vote was taken of radio, supporters, choir versus band, it- ; would .be in favour of the former. I cannot imagine how the Angel Gabriel would figure as trumpet soloist, but if he is all the religious enthusiasts believe him to bo I could understand him easily playing over the heads of an Auckland audience. "Ichabod" flatly denies that the standard of music is lower here than in the South, and is kind enough to explain that Southern society instrumentalists are constantly drawing on Auckland for classical music, which we' have performed years ago. Quite right, but let mo explain that owing to the deterioration of the musical taste of the Auckland public it is shut up in the Choral Society's library, and never used, while the society sends to Wellington for instrumental parts of operas, to be served up as an operatic stew, to appease the musical appctito that "Anti-Humbug"-upholds. CiionisTEn.