MUSIC.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4319, 30 March 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

MUSIC.

NOTES BY G STRING. Miss Ada Colley, the soprano whom Australians did not appreciate at her true worth, is now in receipt of a salary of £l5O a week. Since she Jolt Australia Miss Colley has toured Europe and America extensively. Poor Hugo Fischer! , A very prince of good fellows he was, with that fine spirit within him which compels a man to look at the best side of everything. Yet, in some desperate moment, even this spirit failed, and he chose the tragic way out of suicide. Nobody ever dreamed that the genial Fischer, whose heart was almost as big as the burly frame that enclosed it, would have dene this thing. But ha fell upon; evil days, and when the bread-and-butter problem presses itself for urgent solution, it tests a mail sorely. New Zealanders will remember Fischer as agent for the Sapio-Urso and other comptwiies.

Mr Geprge Musgrove has engaged Miss Ella Russell, one •of the most famous operatic sopranos in the old country, as the prima donna of his Grand Opera Company. Like many other present-day vocalists who have achieved fame on the stage, Miss Russell is an American. She has sung at almost every important theatre in Europe, and for some years she was the prima jdonna of the Carl Rosa Company. Miss Russell will probably make her first Australian appearance dur-.» ing the coming season in Melbourne. Mr Musgrove has also engaged a new tenor, Mr Barron Berthold, who has a considerable English and American reputation, and a new baritone, Mr Lamprerio Pringle, who was/for some years one of the principals of the Carl, Rosa Company.

Madame Albani left England on the 21st ef last month for a ten -weeks’ tour in Canada. . She took with her a complete concert party., tfiat includes 'i/l. Tivadar Nachez," the famous Hungarian violinist. * « • » ' > ’ J —* » Mr William Pauli, the baritone singer who came to the colony, with Madame Albani three years ago, and subsequently came to New Zealand- when the Pollards originally produced “The Geisha,” was married last month, at St. Louis, U.S.. to Miss Ethel Gordon, daughter of the late Mr George Gfardon, scenic artist to Mr J. C. Williamson. * * » * *

The first number of the new London illustrated, ‘‘The Commonwealth Pictorial,” includes an attractive picture of Miss Beatrice Griffiths seated at the piano, and is afccompanieid by a page of amusing reminiscences. It seems that after the engagement of- Miss Griffiths and her sisters for a concert at the Mansion House, group photographs were required for some of the jiapers. The Australian trio accordingly decided to go to the galleries of Mr H. W. Barnett (so door cf a very imposing mansion, but at Park Side, Hyde Park Corner. Quite ignorant of London, the sisters directed their cabman to the samel number in Park-lane. “We were driven up to the with much .solemnity ushered as into supposed it was only another instance of the largo scale upon which is done in London. The door was opened by a majestic looking individual, who with much solemnity ushered us into the hall. He appeared greatly surprised when we asked to be- taken at c-nce to the ‘studio,’ and murmered that ‘his Royal Highness was away.’ ‘His Royal •Highness,’ we repeated vacantly. ‘Why! we haye come to be photographed.’ Explanations followed, and we learned that we had unwittingly paid a visit to the venerable Duke of Cambridge.” Miss Beatrice Griffiths, who visited New Zealand with the Kowalski Concert Company, is at present touring the provinces as solo pianist with Madame Adelina Patti’s company.

Miss Alice Hollander gave two concerts while in Auckland, _ and received' great praise from local critics.

Ernest Toy, the Queensland violinist who played in New Zealand not so long since, is studying under Hollaender at Berlin, nad has progressed sufficiently to play the A Minor concerto by Yiauxtemps in the Beethoven Saal recently, and to be complimented by his master.

Madame Belle Qplq and her concert party are on their way to Australia. She is accompanied by Madame Rose Cheron (soprano), Mr Avon Saxon, a baritone of considerable note, and young Baimund Pechotscb, of Sydney, who promises to be a violinist of note.

Miss Nora McKay > a' young Queensland violinist, who was awarded “the first prize with great distinction” last July at the Lidge Conservatoire, played at her first concert in. Franco recentlv, achieving great success. The town cf Lille presented her with a silver mcd.il (as a souvenir of her first concert, in France), and the society for which she played a bronze one. She was offered an engagement in Ostend for the summer, but could not accept it, as during the present month she is to return to Australia, where she purposes giving a series of,concerts in the principal’towns.

Mr Mark. Hamhourg, the pianist, intends to re-visit Australia in July. Could not some effort be made to induce him to include New Zealand in his tour this time ? *•• * - *

The veteran, baritone Mr Charles Santley is now the leading conductor of the

orchestra at the Pro-Cathedral, Kensington. He has composed several new works for the settices.

Madame Albani has discovered a new Canadian singer. Miss Eileen Millet by name. Miss Millet’s voice is a pure soprano of sympathetic quality, with a range from A below the stave to D flat above, and her repertory is already very extensive. Miss Millet is to go to England to complete her training, and will afterwards be introduced to a London audienca under the patronage of her countrywoman, Madame Albani.

The German Government have bought the collection of MSS', of Altara, music publishers at Vienna, for a sum of £IO,OOO. These include 2000 pages in Beathoven’s handwriting, and 140 unpublished compositions of Haydn. * * * * *

Miss Clara Butt, the English contralto, is prevented by illness from fulfilling her engagements in America and Australia. *****

Mr Edward German, the well-known. English composer has undertaken to complete Sir Arthur Sullivan’s unfinished Savoy opera. It is stated that the whole of the vocal parts of this work were written by Sir Arthur, but Mr German has to supply the orchestration. '