MUSIC AND MUSICIANS

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12507, 24 July 1926, Page 14

MUSIC AND MUSICIANS

TOU DAL MONTE NEW ZEALAND TOPE. It is common knowledge that the great success achieved by Molba Grand Opera Company in Australia was duo to a very large extent to the magnificent singing, acting, and charming personality of tile now world-famous coloratura soprano, Signorina Toti Dal Monte, and musiclovers and playgoers generally will doubtless be delighted to know that Messrs J. and N. Tait are to .give the public of Wellington an opportunity of hearing this famous artist at the Town Hail on Thursday, August sth, Saturday. August 7th, and Tuesday, August 10th. • • * , At the termination of tho Melba opera season in Melbourne and Sydney Dal Monte toured the world as a concert artist, and her success was sensational, critics ia New York and London acclaimingl her as one of the three greatest singers of our generation. Dal Monte's achievements at the Chicago Auditorium ond Metropolitan Opera House, New York, and later at Covent Garden and the Royal Albert Hall are now matters of musical history. Her return to Australia recently as a. concert artist proved a sensational event. Days before her opening concert the huge Town Hall, Melbourne, was booked out, and when the famous singer made her appearance on the platform she was received by thunders of applause from all parts of the building. Hrr opening number “Una Vice Poco Fa” proved that her rich voice had even more volume since she last delighted music-lovers of Australia, and her subsequent presentation of the ‘Mad Scene” from “Lucia di Lammermoor” aroused the audience to a frenzied state, anil their enthusiasm knew no bounds. * * * * Del Monte’s present tour must necessarily be brief, therefore, positively only four concerts can be presented in Wellington. Associated with Toti Dal Monte will be Augusto Beuf, the celebrated baritone, William James, the brilliant oianist, and Stanley Baines, the famous flautist. Although music-lovers of Sydney and Melbourne, were colled upon to ''•iv 23s for reserved seats in Sydney and Melbourne, the prices for the New Zea’and tour will not bo so high. The box plans for the four concerts will bo open-

ed at the Bristol Piano Co. on Monday, August 2nd.

Before appearing in Wellington. Toti Dal Monte will visit Palmerston North on Saturday night next, July 31st, and Napier on Tuesday, August 3rd. After the AVellington season Dal Monte will present three concerts at Christchurch on Saturday August 14tli, Tuesday, August 17th, and Thursday, August 19th. • • * i, A BRILLIANT BARITONE Associated with Signorimi Toti Dal Monte, during her New Zealand tour, will be Augusto Beuf, a brilliant baritone, AVilliam James, the celebrated Australian pianist, and Stanley Baines, the brilliant young flautist. Augusto Beuf commenced the study of music at the Conservatorium at Palermo, Sicily, at 12 years of age, and during six years of stucl.V achieved considerable success as a 'cellist. At 19 he commenced to study singing, and after three years made his debut at Palermo in “Ragliacci” and “Cavalleria Rusticana.” Very shortly afterwards the war came on. and for six years he remained with the Italian Army. At the end of the war he resumed his career, singing* in “Carmen” and in “Piccolo Marat,” a new opera by Mascagni, at the Constanzi Theatre, in Rome, followed by “Unhallo in Masohpra” at the Carcano Theatre, and in “Ln > Gioconda,” “Othello.” and “Mascagni” (RatcHfl at the Dal Verno Theatre Milan. Subsequent!? he was engaged to sing at the Constanzi Theatre in Rome for two years, and also at tho Adriano Theatre iri that city, his moertoire in--dudiny “Andre Chenier.” “Lohengrin. ' “The Barber of Seville,” Pagliacci, ' “AVilliam Tell,” and “La Toscn.” • * * * Mr AA T illiam Jamer*. who is to act as accompanist to Signorina Toti Dal Monte dunug her Now Zealand tour, was recently engaged as adjudicator to the Bendigo Competition, and great difficulty was experienced by the J. C. AVillinmsoii, Ltd., and the J. and N. Tait management to obtain bis release so that he might support the famous soprano during the present tour. ” • * * # Mr Stanley Baines, the brilliant young flautist, created a very favourable impression during the recent Sydnev season when he accompanied Toti Dal Monte in tho Scene” from “Lucia di Lamraormoor,” and the famous singer insisted that he should share in the enthusiasm which the audience bestowed upon, her for her brilliant singing.

POVERTY OF SCHUBERT Surely a composer of genius was never held up- by poverty to the extent of poor Schubert, whose music is the featuro of “Lilac Time.'’ Schubert frequently lacked such simple necessities as ink and paper. Briefly noting this in his biography of Schubert, Edmondstouno Duncan remarks-. “Schubert was put to many shifts for lus writing-materials. At tlio Convict, Spaun and others found him music paper; at Wahring wo have seen him composing on a bill of faro (this refers to the well-knmvn origin of “Hark! Hark! The Lark!"); our story now discovers him writing music in chalk. His brother Ferdinand was appointed (in 182 ft) to the office of Regius Chori in the church of Altlorchenfelder, where music had fallen into sad disorder. Some neiv pieces were \Canted for performance on the coming Easter Day—already close at hand. Tn this dilemma, he applied to his brother Franz —pood at need —who forthwith composed the “Antiphons’' (Op. 113), and finding his stock of MS. music-paper exhausted, the compositions, which are for four voices, were set down in black chalk, on coarse, grev wrapping-paper." MUSICAL SMILES John Philip Sousa, the noted bandmaster, said at a musicians’ banquet in New York: “I’ll tell you a band story. A band, playing away for dear life, marched through the residential section of a city, when a pale-faced woman ran out of the house and rushed up to the bandmaster. “ 'Oh, sir/ she said, 'will you please stop playing as you pass our house? My poor husband is very, very musical’." * • * * They were at an opon-air band concert "’hen she ceased humming a bit of the selection the band was playing, anti turned to her escort with the question: What’s the name of that air?" “That air—what?" ho asked. 'That air tune," she replied * * * * Betty had several children playing with her. Suddenly her mother heard wild shrieks and wails, and rushing to yjllh, P Woom she asked anxiously, M hot s the trouble, Betty?" in- X oucr np " motllGr - We’re just play-