MUSICAL JOTTINGS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11293, 19 August 1922, Page 9

MUSICAL JOTTINGS

NOTES FROM FAR AND NEAR. The opportunity of hearing ten highclass soloists and choral singers on tho one platform is a rare one in New Zealand. This is what Messrs Thomas Quinlan and E. J. and Dan Carroll (New Zealand representative, Mr Leo. de Chateau) premise Wellington audiences in a few weeks’ time. Under the title The Sistine Choir Soloists, a tour has been arranged of a new concert organisation of a wholly unique character, composed of ten of the principal vocalists of the Sistine Choir, which recently visited Australia. The visit of theso choristers should set a new standard in New Zealand, and their interpretation of church and secular music will probably open the eyes of music-lovers generally, as was the case in Australia. The members of the concert party are Guiseppe Paganelli, Bruno S'arti, and Luigi Pasinati (lyric tenors), Adolpho Facchini, and Luigi Gatti (robust.tenors), Romano Rasponi and Guiseppe Massoglia (baritones), Felici Belli and Irnerio Constantin! (bassos), and Emilio Casolari (maestro and conductor). Each of the soloists has earned distinction in Italy, and has appeared from time to time at the Vatican, the different musical academies, and in grand opera. They do not confine their solos merely to snered and classic numbers, for their programmes also embrace the madrigals of Italy, the chansons of France, and one or two of the English lyrics. The first baton was that used in the Sistine Chapel in Rome in the fifteenth century. It was not a stick, but a roll of paper, and was called a sol-fa. How many people are there in Now Zealand who fondly treasure an unstrung, disused violin bearing one of those faded Stradivarius labels, in the hope that some day they will receive an offer of some hundreds of pounds for tho instrument to which they attach so much value? If the connoisseur were to advertise in the Dominion for a genuine old fiddle there is no doubt he would receive many replies. The writer has come across dozens of owners of violins who are misled by a printed label in satin, and are proud to imagine that they possess a fine product of one of the old Cremona makers. It would be an insult to tell them that their instrument is nothing but a cheap “steamed” facsimile of one of the famous makes. The violinist can generally pack a good instrument, although values are only assessable by experts, but he frequently smiles inwardly when he is given the pedigree of an ancient-look-ing fiddle whose tubby tone and ma-chme-cut parts betray him an imposter. The number of genuine Stradivarius violins in New Zealand which contain that’ misleading label could be counted on the fingers of one hand. Of these one, at any rate, is the property of a Wellington resident. There is no instrument to which so much sentiment attaches as. the violin. People get to love their violins as they would love a child. It is fairly common knowledge that owners of violins have refused prices for them far beyond tho value of the instruments purely on grounds of sentiment. A former owner of the Bott Stradivarius violin, one of the best known Strads in existence, when he decided to sell it, worded his advertisement: “The violin is not on sale publicly, and it will be released only to an artist or collector at whose hands the famous instrument will reoeive the best of oare.” Many of the famous violinists of history have had violins presented to them by admirers, because of the sentiment that a great violin should be in the hands of a great violinist who can bring out its beauties. Tho Queen of Spain gave Sarasate, the famous Spanish, violinist, a superb Sfcrad, whioh he used in big concerts all his life. The London admirers of Dr Joachim formed a fund to purchase one of the best known Stradivarius violins which was given to him. A few years ago Lady Palmer, a prominent English noblewoman and a great _ lover and patron of musio and musicians, purchased two Stradivarius violins, .one of which she gave to Kubelik, and the other to the American violinist, Francis Macmillen. A story is told of Paganini to the effect that when his mother was on her deathbed he took his violin to her bedside, and placing one end of a rubber tube to the old lady’s mouth, he put the other end into the violin through one of ■fche 6011110 holes. Th© ladys sang a few notes, and the supposition was that her voioe was thus transferred to the violin, and could be heard when the great wizard played it. There is a prob ability, according to American exchanges, that the San Carlo Grand Opera Company may tour Australasia next winter under the J. S’ Williamson direotion. It seems that the Italian impressario, Fortune Gallo, visited London recently to confer. on the subject with Sir George and Mr J. Nevin Tait regarding a 24-weeks’ tour in this part of the world, to embrace the principle cities or Australia dud th© four leading towns of New Zealand. The only news so far is that negotiations are; in progress and the result uncertain. The “poet of the piano,” Benno Moiseiwitsch, returns to Australia early next year under the management of Messrs J. and N. Tait. Moisewitsch, who was a great favourite in Australia, recently bought a fine property not far from the outskirts of London, and instituted a series of social gatherings. His popularity with his musical confrere is indicated by the fact that musicians from London, the Continent and America have delighted to gather around him on these occasions. Recently the famous violinist, Kreisler, was amongst the visitors. Moiseiwitsch not long ago made a very big success in a special series of recitals in Paris, which constituted one of the greatest triumphs of his career. Madame D*Alvarez has scored an undoubted triumph in Sydney. P’rior to her opening night she was accorded a ,civir reception by the Lord Mayor at the Town Hall, and another function to welcome her was attended by Lady Forster, the wife of the Governor-Gen-eral, whilst several other gatherings took place -in her honour. The Sydney Town Hall was crowded at the opening conoert with a brilliant audience, which received her with Intense enthusiasm. The famous contralto achieved a wonderful triumph. The engagement of Rachmaniniff, tho renowned Russian pianist and composer, to visit Australia and New Zealand under the J. and N. Tait management, has created a wave of interest and enthusiasm. For some years the firm has been endeavouring to secure the great pianist,, and it was not until five minutes before his departure from New York that Rachmaninoff signed the contract on the rail of the Mauretania in tho presence of Mr Nevin Tait, who had travelled from London to induce Rachmaniniff to bring the negotiations to a successful conclusion. It is interesting o know that, a Melbourne musical firm has cabled to America an order for 2,000 ptnyer-niano rolls of Rachmaninoff’s “Prcli’Me in O sharp minor.” which alone has made tho name of the great composer-pianist world famed.