Music Notes

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7853, 15 July 1911, Page 18

Music Notes

Sir Edward Elgar, whose “Dream of Gerontius" was a feature of the concerts recently given, in New Zealand by the Sheffield Choir, holds a high position in

j the musical wond to-day. it is intcresti ing to observe in the “Westminster Ga- ; zette" that it is just twenty years since Elgar, having tried in vaui to gain a \ hearing and acquire a footing in Lon- ! don, turned to tho country again in disgust, and resigned himself once more to tho humdrum existence of a local professional musician, teaching and conducting as opportunity arose. It was a i case, however, of only withdrawing to : lcax> further, and in the period which has since elapsed Elgar has achieved a degree of success both at home and. abroad unknown to any British musician before his time; and now it is said, he is proposing to take up his residence in London again.

The late Baron d’Eriaugor, whoso artistic and musical tastes were well known, is the subject of several reier- = ouceo in Wagner's Autobiography, just/ published. Fur a time Baron d Erlanger j : financed the composer, who espressos j ; nothing but gratitude towards one in | whom, he says,-he ever found “a truly/ devoted friend who earnestly studied | both my own personal welfare and the ■ success of my enterprises/’ Baron d'Er-j j lunger's musical tastes have been trans- ' m.tted iu increased measure to his sou, Baron Frederick d'Erianger, the gifted j composer of the opera “Tess" and other works which have won the approval of ir tho best judges. After the famous pro-1 due Lon of “Tannhauser" in Paris in 1801, when the organised opposition of [ the members of tho Jockey Club and 1 other personages of light and leading, : who roscnt&d tho absence from the work : of tho usual ballet in which they were . more particularly interested., brought!about its withdrawal, Baron d’Erlangerj came forward with a scheme for raising 1 500,600 francs for founding a Theatre * Wagner in 'Paris. Tho project came to nothing, however, and eventually M, Er- • langeiC as he then was, abandoned the somewhat hopeless attempt to put tho/ Wagnerian causa at that period on a/ satisfactory financial looting, and the composer had to look elsewhere for monetary suppvrt.

Charles Santlc-y, long distinguished as a baritone, alike in opera, in oratorio, and in the rendering oi familiar ballade, made his formal retirement from public Hie at Covent uardon on May liord, at a complimentary mat.nec that hud been axranged to do him honour. Born at Liverpool iu February, 1834, Santley made his London debut, in oratorio, in 185/, at the old St. Martin's Hail, first singing at a Festival, at Leeds, in the foLoy.Mig year, and in opera, in 1859. There is happily no need now to enter further into tho details of an illustrious career except to say that Santicy was knighted a few years back, that he celebrated his jubiic-o in 1907, that he has travelled extensively, and that he has written several books, both of reminiscences and of a technical nature. Many celebrated stars took part in his farewell performance, to which Santley's own contribution was his final appearance in a onco favourite role of his, that of Tom Tug, in vjnanes DiOdia's operetta, “The Waterman," produced at hauler's Weils, in 1774, during the composer’s connection with that historic house ‘ (says tho

“Stage"). For sentimental reasons there may have been something appropriate in the choice of “The Waterman," which came at the close of a lengthy and welldiversified bill. Looking spruce and natty, for a man of seventy-seven, in the semi-nautical attiro of Tom Tug, and also displaying a speaking voice of a resonance remarkable for on© of his age, Santley acquitted himself creditably, if one makes allowance for the agitation pardonable on an occasion so nerveshaking. Sir Charles rendered with a good deal of tho old zest the familiax ballad “The Jolly Young Waterman," he imparted the well-remembered expressiveness to the memory-recalling “Now, farewell, my trim-built wherry," and he had to take an enooro for tho at onco vigorous and impressive delivery of “Sons of an Ocean Isle." Santley also exerted himself with much of the pristine fire in the solos of “Rule Britannia" and “God Save the King," which ended tho proceedings save for a final, hearty call of the veteran vocalist before tho curtain.

Though fifteen years have elapsed since its composition, Strauss's “Also Sprach Zarathustra" was performed for the first time by the Queen's Hall Orchestra at the London Musical Festival last Hay, Iu 1897, however, it was heard at the Crystal Palace under Sir August Manns. An extremely difficult work, it was.on© of Dr Strauss's first big efforts in the domain of programme-music, and some idea of its ambitious scope may be gathered from the composer's explanation, given some 3* ears ago. that it is not philosophical music, but an attempt to convey musically “an idea of the development of the human race from its origin, through the various phases of development, religious as well as scientific, up to Nietzscno's idea of the Uebermen&ch/'

Th© Doctor of Music stepped into tho shop. His hair stuck out like stiff straw, and his joy of life was under his arm. Also two buttons on Jus waistcoat were undone, so there was no doubt about hxs being a genius. “Aha, ahem!" purred the Mus. Doc., “E string tor a violin, please."

Tho man behind the counter looked flustered. Ho went to the shelf, took down a small package, examined it carefully, examined it again, and then hesitatingly returned to tho customer. “I beg pardon, sir," he began diffidently, “but this 'appens to be my first day in the shop, and yer might give mo a little help. Th© tact is these 'ere strings look all alike to me, an' I can’t tell the Vs from the she's."

Melodrama has a decided hold upon audiences in the English provinces as well as in London, anu autnors like Waiter and Frederick Melville have found this class or wort extremely profitable. Two visitors who nave had considerable experience in this type of play. Miss Louise Hampton and Mr Utcu Maunermg, arrived in ayuney lust week under engagement to me ueorge Marlow management, and are to appear in the piece v.n-cii wm follow “'Under Two Flags" at toe Aueipni. Miss Hamilton has been playing in Melvuie melodramas for a considerable time in the English prov.nces, and in the London suburban theatres. Mr Manncring joined tne stage as a baritone in musiem comt-ay in laeprge Eunce's companies on tour, ana be-gan wim smalt pans, itt-iy to be promoted to leading ions in tnioe weeks. Later on he was winning success in skeicnes at the halls, uotabiy in one adapted irom . Cecil Raleigh’s “Sporting Elic,” and he has axipeared in a long range of melodramas. “The Lights o’ London,” G. R. Sims’s old-time drama, which Macmahon and Leitcli first introduced to New Zealand, nas been successfully revived in New York under the Brady management.