MUSIC

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1745, 16 August 1905, Page 27

MUSIC

NOTES BY “C STRING.

The Auckland Liedertafel members, at a. meeting a few 'days ago, unanimously decided to ask Dr Thomas bo undertake the conductorship of the society until the end of the society's present season, when they hope to be able to make a permanent appointment. When the proposal was laid before Dr Thomas by a deputation from the Liedertafel he very kindly consented to fill the position until December.

The Sydney Philharmonic Society’s festival closed on Saturday, 22nd July, m the presence of an immense attendance, "with one of'the best performances of the ‘‘Messiah" ever given in Sydney. The eolos were taken by members of Mr Watkin 'Mills’s Bngusn quartette, shortly visiting New Zealand., Mr Watkin Mills was in k:s' accustomed good form, and his resonant and dramatic delivery of “Thus Saith the Lord” and the following bass numbers was a treat that is seldom heard in Australia. It is a regrettable fact that this class of music seems to be on* the wane, owing to the Australian public showing a decided preference for light and miscellaneous programmes. Mr Mark Hambourg has signed a contract to proceed to South Africa and give on tour a series of 30 concerts, for which he is to receive <£4ooo.

Signor Ancona was unable to appear on Saturday the Ist July in “Pagliacci” at the Waldorf Theatre, .London, owing to a cab accident. He was thrown out of a hansom in the morning, owing to the horse falling, and slightly injured his head and leg. His part of Ton.o in Leoncavallo’s popular work was ably filled at the last moment by Signor AngeliniPornari. Mile. An relie Levy sang with great charm the music of Nedua, and Signor de Lucia rendered excellent service as Canie. “Pagliacci” was preceded by “Cavalleria Rusticana,” in which Mile. Corsini apeared as Santuzza. We have received from Messrs W. H. Paling and Company, Limited, copies of two songs by Agnes Mary Lang, which are distinctly, above the ordinary compositions of their class. They are set for a contralto voice, and have already been favourably introduced to the public by the singing'of Miss Mabel Ward. The arrangement of Tennyson’s mournful poem, “Come Not When I am Dead,” is pathetically appropriate, while the accompaniment, which consists for the most part of harmonious chords, is simple, but effective. The other, which affords a musical setting to the well-known verses by the late Poet Laureate. “Break, Break, Break,” is also a happily inspired composition, with a faint suggestion or the slow movement of the sea in its rhythm. it is reported that Florizel von Reuter, a boy violinist, who recently appeared in London with great success, has sailed for Buenos Ayres. He proceeds to South Africa in October, and will afterwards corns to Australia. It has been decided that he shall then withdraw from public life, and carry on bis studies for five years before again appearing on the concert platform.

On June 28 Mr Mark Hambourg gave a pianoforte recital at the Queen 's Hall, London, prior to his departure for South Africa, with, considerable success. Regarding his performances, the “Daily Telegraph” remarks that if fie plays as consistently on his tour as he did at the recital “he will return to his adopted country with a greatly increased reputation. At sundry times attention has been called in these columns to occasions when his interpretations were marred by want of intellectual control, when emotion ran riot with extravagance, but, with the exception of the rendering of Chopin’s Grand Polonaise in E flat (Op. 22), Mr Hambonrg’s readings were remarkable for keen perception of the line which divides emotional intensity from exaggeration, and it is doubtful if the one-time prodigy has ever played more finely and cinvincingly. The imaginativeness' and point of his playing were particularly noticeable in the performances of the Sonatas in C minor (O'p. 2, No. 3), by Beethoven, and the familiar one in B flat minor (Dp. 35) by Chopin. The latter composer’s Nocturne in E (Op. 62, No. 2) was beautifully played; as also were several of the Preludes and Etudes from the same pen, the Etude in G. flat (Op. 10. No. 5) being executed with such sensational lightness of touch and rapidity that the audience insisted upon a repetition.”

Barron Bertold, the tenor who became a favourite in Australia in Musgrove’© Grand Opera Company, was (eays "Table Talk”) at latest appearing in the comic opera “The Black Huzzar,” at the Tivoli, S f an Francisco. Miss Grace Palotta was in the same cast.

No one who was present at the Festival Concert held at the Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon, the Ist July, could doubt the wisdom of the authorities in making it an absolutely "all-British” affair. Indeed the whole performance (says "Lloyd’s Weekly News”) showed that the King 1 ® dominions can produce as fine, if not better, musicians and singers as any other country in the world. The chorus and orchestra (really the famous Handel festival choir and instrumentalists, numbering some 3500 perfumers) showed to magnificent advantage in their rendering of Sir Hubert “Blest Pair of Sirens,” and in Mr Coleridge Taylor s “Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast,” given for the first time on this grand scale; while Sir Edgar Elgar’s “Challenge of Thor” was another tour de force, which proved the great capabilities of the big chci] The selections for the ~ orchestra were equally happy, and included Sir A. Mackenzie’s “Benedictus,” Dr F. H. Cowen’s charming old English dances, and E. German’s “Tarantelle,” from his "Gipsy Suite.” Mr Kennerley Rumford was in splendid voice, and his songs in the first part, "Devon! O, Devon, in Wind and Rain,” “Drake’s Drum,” and “The Old Superb,” were most cordially appreciated by an audience which was evidently in full accord with such spirited sea songs; and an equally flattering reception met

him when he gave “March, march, Ettrick and Teviotdale,” as his contribution to the second part of the programme. Miss Ada Crossley, whose marriage to Dr Francis Muecke recently aroused so much interest, gave a recitative and aria from “Nodeshda” and “A Summer Night,” in both of which she showed the full powers of her beautiful voice; and the same is to be said of Miss Agnes Nicholls in “Lord of our Chosen Race,’, from Sir Arthur Sullivan’s “Ivanhoe,” and “Spring had Come” from “Hiawatha.” Mme. Clara Butt scored a triumph equal to that of her husband (Mr Kennerley Rumford), with her songs, “Where Coral Lies,” “Sabbath Morning at Sea,” and her old favourite, “The Lost Chord.” Mr Andrew Black, with “Woo thou thy Snowflake” and “The Pipes of Pan,” was enthusiastically applauded, and Mr Ben Davies was in his best form in his renderings of “O, Vision Entrancing” and the love song in “Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast,” -referred to above. It is stated that’ Puccini’s revised version of his “Madame Butterfly” will probably be seen shortly at Covent Garden. The principal characters will be played by Signor Caruso, Signor Scotti and Madame Destin.

The design for a Beethoven statue in Paris has been approved. The composer is reclining under a canopy, upheld by four winged figures, representing respectively the Heroic, and the choral symphones, and the Pathetic and Moonlight sonatas. London has been visited this season by an unusual number of first-rate violinists. Many of those already popular have also remained before the public, so that in the “Standard” we read an account of Miss Maud McCarthy’s rendering of a Tschaikowsky violin concerto with the orchestra, under Herr Nikisch, at Queen’s Hall, in mir-June, wflien she played “with vigour and brilliance.” It was “a performance full of life and br : ghtness chat considerably enhanced the talented young player’s reputation.” Then there was a still younger violin star on Juno 13. Mischa Elman, who also made a triumph with orchestra (the Mendelssohn Concerto), and little von Vec-sey, who played the Beethoven Concerto “perfectly” with the Philharmonic Orchestra. Herr Franz Meisel is warmly praised for skill and charm. Then there was Hegedus, “a brilliant executant, with a fine tone and a fiery temperament,” and Sametini and Kubelik, all of whom appeared within'a W'ek of the date quoted above. Kubelik’s jubilee concert at Queen’s Hall, presum ably 'his fiftieth in London, drew a crow'd of people. “His beautiful tone and effortless technique, his suavity and his seeming aloofness from the things of this world, excited great demonstrations of enthusiasm ” Opinions of interest upon some of these artists forwarded to the Sydney “Morning Herald” by Mr Cyril Monk under date June 30, are worth quoting because he is evidently a keen observer. This young player will continue his regular studies in London under Guido Papini, who was the principal violinist of Florence for many years, made his great successes with the London Philharmonic Society, and at the Paris Pasdeloup concerts about 1876, and for a considerable time past has settled in London as a teacher and composer. In his day on intimate terms with Verdi, von Bulow, Rubinstein, Wieniawski, Sivori, and Vieuxtemps, he is naturally a fascinating “guide, philosopher and friend” for the Australian student. Papini played often both with Rubinstein and von Bulow, of whom he says that “God intended Rubinstein to be a great pianist, but that Bulow made himself one.” In his violin style, his present-day method shows that Papini must have been a magnificent virtuoso of remarkable individuality, who probably followed Haydn’s plan when that composer repelled attack by remarking that “the rules of harmony were all his very •obedient, humble servants.” For this reason the students at the Papini school have to learn quickly how much, of how little, of their brilliant master’s method they- dare attempt to follow'. The teacher himself is so versatile that he is able to show his pupils two or three different reading© of the usual repertoire pieces adopted by the great players of the day. Mr Monk recently heard little Vivienne Charteris, the last new child-violinist, at Queen’s Hall, but he declares that she cannot be compared either with Elman or Vecsey, but that, as she is two or three years younger than either of them, she may yet become their rival. Never before have there been so many prodigy players before the public, a condition of affairs which may be reasonably attributed to the law of supply and demand. This demand was probably created by Kubelik, whose marvellous sucess at a time when there had been for a few years a cessation of extraordinary appearances in the violin-world caused many other young players of talent to cofile forward. Mr David Bispham, the famous operatic baritone, i© joining the dramatic stage —temporarily, it is said. He is to appear in a new part written for liim by Mr Charles Klein in a comedy entitled “The Buffoon.” Mr Bispham has been principal baritone of the Royal Opera at Covent Garden for a good many years. Born in Philadelphia 4-5 years ago, and educated in Haverford College, near that city it was not until 1881 that he made his debut in a leading part on the lyric stage in London. Since then he has been singing the chief roles in German, French, and Italian at Covent Garden, and at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. His appearance in drama will naturally be awaited with interest, if only for the test it will afford of hie versatility. . , , Mr Gabriel Faure has been appointed director of the Paris Conservatoire in place of Mr Theodore Dubois, who resigned lately. Formerly the organist of St. Sulpice, Mr Faure liasi composed a symphony, violin concerto, pianoforte quartettes, pianoforte .solos, and a number of songs. , ~ . The Festival of British Music, given m the Crystal Palace last June, under the direction of Dr Frederic Oowen, was an emphatic success. “One of the most distinctive characteristics,” says The Time©,” “of the British Philistine has

always been his fixed opinion that there is nothing in the music of his own country that is worth listening to.” The immense attendance at this festival, at which only works by British composers were performed, show© that he has at last learnt that there is plenty of good home-grown music which is worthy of respect and admiration. Madame Albani appeared at a London concert on June 27, in conjunction with Madame Clara Butt, Mr Kennerey Rumford, Miss Adel a Verne, Mr Hay dn Wood, and the London Symphony Orchestra. Concerning a recital by Mr Boris.Hambourg at the Aeolian Hall, London, on June 25, the “Daily Telegraph” critic states that “few young artists have more quickly attained a prominent position in the musical world, and in no case has the ear of the public been more deservedly caught. The tone he produces from his violon-cello is sonorous, sweet, and true, his execution is sure, and, when occasion demands, brilliant, and his readings are instinct with refined sentiment and intellectual insight. His selection of pieces was admirable, well contrasted, containing several attractive compositions, notably a Sonata in O by Benedetto Marcello, the composer and violin virtuoso of the eighteenth century, who also was distinguished as a lawyer, and became a member of the celebrated Council of Forty and Proveditore of Pola.”