DAME NELLIE MELBA

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12393, 12 March 1926, Page 5

DAME NELLIE MELBA

VIEWS ON MUSICAL TASTE.

Dame Nellie Melba recently told an interviewer that the musical taste of English provincial audiences has not developed during the last forty years. “They will not learn. They cannot get away from Tosti’s ‘Good-bye,’ Landon Ronald’s ‘Down in the Forest,’ and the awful ‘Jewel Song’ from ‘Faust.’ Tt, is very sad” (savs the “British Australian and New Zealander”). This criticism of the great prima donna, though on the extreme side, is to the point. It is well known that English audiences are conservative, and if by that it is meant that they do not accept new styles and new works simply on the strength of their novelty, their conservatism is to be welcomed. In many branches of art, modernism, with nothing else to recommend it but a difference from older styles, has been worshipped, only to go out of fashion again. But if conservatism means an indiscriminating adherence to what was the fashion, theh it is a distinctly bad" point. In the past England has suffered greatly from musically worthless ballads, mostly popularised by singers who were paid by the publishers for performing them. That is, the artists did* not sing them because of their merit or their appeal, but because it was worth while financially to sing them. The public, confident that the song was good because the famous “So-and-So” sang it, blindly followed suit, and could do so with, out trouble, as neither song nor accompaniment presented any technical difficulties, and they were sentimental rather than emotional. To reneat a well-known definition of a ballad, it : s “a song which sounds well, even when sung by a person who knows nothing about singing, and accompanied by another who knows very little about playing.”

The unfortunate result of this is that singers who have to rely upon popularity for their living are compelled to sing the wretched old stuff. This is probably what Dame Nellie had in mind when she said “It is very sad.”

There is a plentiful supply of very beautiful songs, both English and foreign, which artists would love to sing because they are good, and give them an opportunity of showing their musicianship and their technique., But while they might be sure of applause because English audiences always applaud, they know that if they want big applause and an encore the safest means is to sing some hackneyed, popular ballad or folk song.' Even the greatest artists are victims. Does not Dame Nellie herself sing old favourites at every concert, and score with “Home, Sweet Home,” to her own accompaniment? Did not Galli-Curci at least try to do the same? Is there ever a recital by Dame Clara Butt at which “The Keys of Heaven” is not performed ? And if even artists whose name alone' would suffice to fill any ball have to bow down before the public’s will, what are lesser artists to doP

As Dame Nellie said, “It is very sad.”

Wrinkles banished in one week. Coman method —not massage. Call for particulars or send stamped and addressed envelope Mrs flullen, Belcher's Building Telephone 22-070 <near Ring's Theatre), Wellington, also at Auckland.—Advt.

THE PLTJNKET SHIELD. On Friday and Saturday in the Auckland v. Wellington final match on the Basin Reserve, Q-tol was much in evidence with the Wellington team in the dressing-room, for alleviating stiff and tired muscles. The Auckland team has since been supplied with Q-tol. Very invigorating when rubbed into the nape of the neck.