MUSIC WEEK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20650, 23 August 1930, Page 14

MUSIC WEEK.

SPLENDID MAORI CONCERT. NATIVE POIS AND CHANTS. EXERCISES IN EURHYTHMICS. The charm and vitality of Maori music, interpreted by a largo Maori choir and orchestra, and a practical demonstration of tho value in musical education of the modern science of eurhythmies, struck a decidedly novel noto in yesterday's contribution to the Music Week festival. The interest shown by the crowds which attended both performances must have given much pleasure and encouragement to those who organised them and justifies tho conviction that Auckland finds enjoyment and instruction in forms of music other than those provided by tho popular concert. People wero turned away from both performances. A hundred peoplo had to stand while the demonstration of eurhythmies was in progress at the Lewis Eady Hall. The Countess of Orford, who was introduced by Dr. S. K. Phillips, spoke at the com mencemont of the performance, and Miss Beryl Whistler, who was assisted by Miss Muriel Howling, explained the purpose of each exercise. The system illustrated was that originated by Professor Emile Jaques Dalcroze and a comprehensive series of tests, showing how the sense of tone and rhythm is cultivated by bodily movement and gesture, were performed by students from tho Auckland Kindergarten Associa tion and a group of children from the junior department of the Diocesan High School, all of whom showed remarkable aptitude at their work and a fine sensitiveness to altering mental impressions. The Charm of Maori Songs.

Tho evening concert at the Town Hall was a tremendous success. The ground floor and all the galleries were filled, so that those who came late and chose not to go away were obliged to stand. From start to finish the concort was a stirring one. The choir, consisting entirely of Maori girls and boys from Queen Victoria and St. Stephen's Schools, sang with the matured assurance that would have been oxpected from adults and earned storms of applause from a delighted house. No people have more musical, more mellow, more gracious voices than the Maoris and when a body of 70 or 80, divided into parts, sing in beautiful harmony as this choir did last evening the effect is unfoigettable. A ceremonious welcome started the proceedings, a typical powhiri being led by Hamiora Rangiihu and Pera Hirini. The male voices then launched slowly and mournfully into tho moving strains of Alfred Hill's "Waiata Maori," arranged for choir and orchestra by the conductor, Mr. Colin Muston. The theme was taken up by the female voices and developed by full choir and orchestra, with the poi and haka motives picked out by different sections of the choir. It was a splendid piece of work which would thrill a concert audience in any part of tho world and. having heard it, Aucklanders would do well to see (hat it does not drift into the limbo of forgotten things. It should he heard at more choir concerts and on occasions of national import it would make a wonderfully stirring anthem.

Musical Novelties. Aided by an orchestra of 20 players, the programme went with a wonderful swing from one novelty to another, "I'okare Kate" was sung by Kito Kaliotea with a male chorus, and a Maori slumber song by the mixed choir The male voices, in particular, were rich toned and vigorous in texftiro, and the basses sounded deeply sonorous, providing a rich grounding for the tenors and sopranos. A tangi chorus and a fishing chanty had a graphic air, unmistakable in their meaning, while "Haere, haere rae hino" had a topical bearing, as the words were written by a St. Stephen's boy on the occasion of the marriage of an old Victoria College scholar who became a teacher at her old school The concert was full of life and colour, particularly the action songs illustrating various Maori crafts and games. There was a chorus accompanying a stickthrowing game, and a number of ex : quisito poi fiances, including the canoe poi. Etna Hapukena sang the beautiful "Te Wairua Ote Tau" (Dreams of Love), and tho full choir sang "Iva Titiro Atu Au" and tho Arawa exhortation, "Te Arawa Tiroliia Ra." Gem of the Evening. Tho gem of tlm evening was a charming love song, "Home, Little Maori," another Alfred Hill composition adapted by Mr. Muston. It was sung in English by a Maori boy, Hamiora Rangiihi, as ho addressed a pretty Maori maid robed in a feather mat. This haunting little song was taken by the audience to heart, and the soloist was called upon to repeat his item. A song of farewell and an exciting haka brought tho Maori section of the concert to a fitting close, the remainder of the programme being occupied by a numher of selections by the Civic Orchestra.

Mr Muston deserves to congratu lated .on the. magnificent entertainment which was so largely his devising. It will bo remembered as one of tho greatest successes of Music Week. Major Redmond was extremely helpful in his explanatory remarks, and tho atmosphere was appropriately conveyed by some painted • settings prepared by Mr. Petor Dawson Success o! Music Week. Some pertinent remarks were made by Dr. Phillips on behalf of tho Music Week committee during the evening. Some people, he said, had predicted tho festival would turn out a dismal failure. Instead, its success had been greater than tho most optimistic had dared to hope. People had gone al>out saying music was dead in Auckland, yet a Maori concert had drawn as large an audience as had over packed tho Town llall. In conclusion. Dr Phillips promised another Music Week next year, a remark which was greeted with applause. Music Week will come to an end this evening, when the Municipal Band will give a concert in the Town Hall under tho baton of Mr. Christopher Smith Miss Beryl Smith, Miss Lilian Wood and Mr Lambert Harvey will bo the vocalists, Mr. Fred Bowes will contribute a cornet solo and Mr. Hal C McLennan a flute solo, while two vocal quartets will be given by Miss Wood, Miss Smith, Mr Harvey and Mr Duncan TTfaek.