MUSIC NOTES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8367, 1 March 1913, Page 11

MUSIC NOTES

POPULARITY OP GERMAN COMPOSERS. Some extremely interesting statistics are given- in the "Neuo Deutsche Theateradressbuch" which serve to show the relative popularity of various composers in Germany. It is not surprising to find that Richard Wagner is the most popular of composers, with no less than 1815 separate representations of various of his works. A very bad second comes Puccini, with 850 nights, which is, nevertheless. a considerable record for a living master. Germany, however, suffers no less than England from the übiquitous musical comedy, and the author of "Parsifal" even is overwhelmed by the 3100 representations of Franz Lehar and Leo Fall, and almost equalled by the 1379 ol the "W'altz King," Johann Strauss. But it is no small tribute to Germany as a musical nation that Wagner can claim nearly 2000 performances. WAS IT WORTH WHILE? No one can read the biographies of many of the groat, masters, writes Mr John F. Runciman, without wondering whether their fine music was worth the suffering that caused it, and whether it is worth being an under-man for the sako of being an over-musician. I use the phrases deliberately. There were exceptions. Handel and Bach did not vent their tfiiels in music; they had not to sqfler before they could produce fine music; the supreme .'development of the musical side ol tbolr nature had not as a concomitant the under-development of the other bides. Of Schumann the same may be said; for the distressing malady which drove him mad came on late in life, and was ns much an accident as the fall of a tile on his head. Haydn was perfectly sane, admirably balanced) his intellect was not of the highest order, but it was very far from being below the average. Mozart, however, was so much absorbed in composition that he could not out his meat at dinner and could not attend to the ordinary duties of a married man with a family; and he died in the end of nervo.us exhaustion. The tremendous passion which enabled Beethoven to compose glorious sonatas and symphonies went with an ungovernable temper. The passion itself was aroused largely by his extravagant grief over often imaginary woes. Of course, his cruel childhood and his subsequent deafness were by no means imaginary; but during a period of his life when a saner man would have been quite happy he was everlastingly fretting and fuming and laying up trouble for himself —one side of his nature was over-developed at the expense of the other sides. Consider, too,' Wagner's case, his incessant complaints about his nerves, how his concentration on music rendered him insensible to the claims and rights of other people. The works that afforded ethers the sweetest pleasure, Schubert declared, were the result of his own greatest pains. Generally it will be found tbat an abnormal musical gift goes with some short coming or disability. COVENT GARDEN OPERA SEASON. Writing in advance of the opening of fhe Royal Grand Opera season, nt Covent Garden, fixed for January 29th, the London “Daily Telegraph" remarks: —"The orchestra will be that known os the Beeoham Symphony Orchestra, The conductors are Mr SnfailUng-Ziehmsen. from tiie Opera House in Frankfurt-am-Main ; Mr Thomas Beecham, and Dr Richard . Strauss, For his repertoire Mr Beecham has gone to modern Germany. We are promised the first performance in England of Strauss’ ‘Dot Roseuiavalier’ on the opening night, and it will be played altogether eight times during the six weeks. In addition. ‘Elektra’ and ‘Salome’ are to be revived. Further, ‘Die Meistersinger’ is to be sung with a festival cast from Bayreuth, and ‘Tristan and Isolde’ completes the operatic repertoire. It is of particular interest to note that two of the singers. Miss Margaret fiiems and Miss Eva von dor Oeten, are to play their original roles in ‘Dor Rosenkavalier/ and also that Mr' Paul Knnpfer will sing the part of Ochs. Among the other singers in. the cast are Mesdames Claire Dux and Anna QuraHummel, Erik Wirl, a tenor from Frankfurt, and Friedrich Brodoreen, the famous baritone from Munich, Madame Zdenka Mottl-Passbender will play Isolde in ‘Tristan und Isolde." Mr Herman Weil, the haes from the Royal Opera at Stuttgart, will sing ‘Orestes’ in "Elektra.' Madame Petzel-Perard and Madame von Mildenbnrg are in the present superb cast. Madame Aino Ackte is also under engagement to appear. Prom Munich there come Mesdames Bender Schafer and Hennine Bosetti; from Vienna Madame Qutheil-Schoder; from Stuttgart Madame Xraoema-Brugelmann; while Berlin, Frankfurt, Weimar, Prague, Mannheim, Buda-Pesth, and Stuttgart provide the great list of tenors and basses. In addition to those already mentioned, we are to expect Messieurs Franz Costa, Jadlowker, Kirchoffl, Schramm, among tenors; and among baritones end basses are Messieurs Gmur, Gura, Kant, Nieratzky, Pacyua, and Dr von Pick." SOME FINE NEW SONGS. Messrs Chappell and Co., of London, New York, and Melbourne, send along another budget of new songs and other ■music. That well-known Guy d’liardelot figures 'in the list. There is an alburn —one of a _ portrait series—of very dainty music writing set to words by Edward Teschemacher, Leonora Harris, Raymond St, Leonards, Harold Simpson, Loma Fane, Fred. E. Weatherley and Julian Gade. Also, by Guy d’Haidelot a tine setting for a dainty little poem, “Love's Words," by Helen Lanyon. Another - album of the portrait series contains seven songs for the baritone voice—“A Song of Surrey" (words by Hugh Mytton), If Ail the Young Maidens” (Samuel Lover) "In the Heather, My Lads" (Prank L Moir). “Oh 1 To Forget" (Edward leschemacher) “The Little Galway Cloak" (Francis Barron), “Dnmbledum Day ’ (Fred L. Weatherley). and “When. a Mounting Skylark Sings" (Christina Rossetti). “White Laurestine," from Swinburnes "Belies,” has impressive music from the pen of Emmeline Brook. Paul A. Rubens is responsible for words and music of "I Love tie Moon,” an excellent contribution. A most dignified and reverent song is "God Made Thee Mine, of which the words are by Herbert J. Bramdou and the musio by Haydn Wood. Tien there is a bright l-ttksong called -The Hwang-Ho," which Miss Margaret Cooper is already making lar T au , tllor ’ * H. Bovill; composer, PhdijJ Braham. A waltz, "l/Amour Defender, by Henri J. van Praam is a spirited production with a tuneful theme. These publictions are worthy of the reputation of Messrs Chappell and Co-