MUSICAL ACTIVITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20762, 3 January 1931, Page 9 (Supplement)

MUSICAL ACTIVITY.

LESSON FOR AUCKLAND. There is every indication that tho present musical season in Britain will be one of tho brightest and most successful for many long years. Let tho British Broadcasting Corporation take unto itself, if it wishes, tho credit for the nation s thoroughly aroused musical enthusiasm; tho fact remains that hundreds of concerts are now attended every season, and the number 1 is still increasing. Even the English kitchenrnaids are acquainted with the names of Elgar, Beethoven and Wagner, and listen to their music. Thero are at least three first-class permanent orchestras in London, and good municipal orchestras irv other large cities of Great Britain, not to mention smaller but well-trained orchestras in such towns as Guildford, Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings. // By means of tho International Celebrity subscription concerts the most eminent soloists are performing all over the countrv, and are not merely being heard over the wireless. Besides other certain signs of musical awakening, musical directors are showing faith in the movement, and schemes that migl.it have seemed rash a few years ago are being launched outside the large music centres. _ One of the main features of the activity Jn England is the enthusiasm with which the next season's programmes have been arranged. Some months befoie the season wa3 to commence, many ambitious programmes of opera oratoria and concert were drawn/up in the larger towns and also in many of the smaller provincial centres. Whilo it is hardly to be expected that, New Zealand would consent merely io follow tho footsteps of another country, tho promptness with which musical bodies in England havo prepared their programmes in advance is to bo strongly commended to local organisations. As most of these exist for the expressed purpose of fostering music in some form or other, it. would "bo advantageous if they kept'before them/ the two main factors in their growth, a judicious selection of programmes and a more whole-hearted study of the public tastes. In Auckland during the past year there havo been definite indications that , tho public tasto is not quite so immature and lifeless as some ot tho 1950 programmes would have led one to suspect. . There is, however, room fo:: a change. JThe past vear was, in spito of some things which call for criticism, a good inus:cal year in many ways. Courage anr enthusiasm will make 1931 an even better year and tho response from tho pu j! c Will bo found to justify all efforts that are made.