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Otago Daily Times, Issue 15301, 15 November 1911, Page 7

INTERVIEW WITH MR REDMAN. , Mr Douglas Redman, A.R.A.M., examuwr of tho Asßodaio Hoard of tho Royal Academy 0 f Musio and tho lloyal CWtogo of l/>ndoD, «tstod in the oourso of an uitemow yesterday that iretds woro almost padoquate to describo ha impreasiqn-1 of this beautiful country, an<t still mow do to convoy Ins admiration of his followBritishers or tho Dominion.. Tho charminir emiwianwnt of tho people, eo absoktdy fw from artifioiility, ww (fa right soil 'jLi ° cvo j°P nw n' of ait, especiaJlr tho local art of oxprosßkm—mu*» t end bo ooukl not but fee aravinood that & good future lay boforo iiho country from tho fact of universal oirnestocca in tl» prniuh of tho art which i» kid obsorvorf in ovory part of tho land ho had visited. Tbo (mates; mlnda of tho past and tho bit thinker* of to-day wero unamnxnia in stating that a musical traming is an 0 ( oulabU benefit w any of tbo various walks of hfo. ito bed rode of it* ponor was identical with that of tho truest religion, and going back to tho higkat pMosopbv of ancient Orwco-to Plato, PJuUroh lyUicgoras, Anstidoa, awl othen,-it una found that all wero united in tlio opinion «i(J conGrmod tho statement of Arlttidea that musio wrapoßes tho mind end fits it for instruction. ■ Then, again, in tho dartn of Christianity in tho Old Land fit. Augustine wrote: "Of all tho refining and civilising agents at work among the poopfo there is nono so potent, because nono equally «ibtlo ond immediately appreciated, aa musio." Again, in meditml Luthor JouaJ toying that " musio is ono of tho fairest and moat glorious gifts of Ood, to wliioh Satan is a biUor enemy, for it remo«s from thb beart tlio woight of sorrows and tho fsaciiwlion of evil tliouglits. Musio is ft kind and gentlo tort of discipline; it refines the |«wions and improves tho understanding." t.loso to our own times Ctwlyla asaertcd that_ ' a musical thought is ono spoltan by a mind thai Jkvi i»notretcd into tho in- °( subject," and again ho said: Who is there that in logical words can express tho otfeot that mufio haß upon vft It is ft kiud of inartioiikto, unfutliomablo ipocoh. which leads us to tbo edgo of the Invisible, and lets us for a inoioont gaio into that." In a remarkable speech delivered at tho opening of tho International Musio Congress in landon laat May Mr Balfour, probably ono of tho greatest thinkers of. to-day, used theoo words; "Turning our gaze on what is after all, fho objoct of all wt—tho joy of human beings—surely music stands in modern lime 6 at tho head of ail tlio ottar, dirts, and Juui advantages ivhioh iioiw of them csn pretend >to; all can understand it, whstovor their mother tongue, and now tliat the thoughts of eo nioiy of us oro <x«!pied in extending widely amongst tho whole Oommtinity tho highest, tbo greatest and tho best of pleasures, I am perfectly ctrtain Hut of nil tho arts, that which choc6c« musio as its mcanu of expression is tlio ono which has tho groateat futuro among the masses of all nations.", Mr Kodmoji said that ho had full faith that thoro was truo wisdom in all these utterances, and .boliovtd that throughout tho whole history of mankind musio had boon a divino and meet powarful influenoo in dwoloping tlio faculties of thought and feeling iri tlio human race. Tbo moto wioli individual thought, and felt Uu more vivid must he tno life of tho nation, and being doeply impressed by tho earnestness and enthusiasm of his folfoiT-trsachorß hero, and by their ajipreciatjon of tbo efforts of Uio Associated IJoard in th<y va&t and imperial work of developing tho art in all tho great countries of tlio Empiro, and also by Uio niituraJnow nod groat sincerity of the largo numbers of catxlidatcs presenting tlicm-wlfcp for oxa mi notion, ho was suro tlut tho "intcllcctual and, above all, tlio spiritual influence of tho Dominion was destined to a groat futuro in tbo councils of tho nations. 110 exj>ressod himeclf as greatly pleased with tho talent which had oomo beforo him. but it was tho oollcotivo strongth and widn dillusion of tho muiicnl tcmperan,ont tlwt impreml him" rather than any particular indivi<hial oases. He also caid that ho had enjoyed his trip thoroughly. On all sides ho hod boen treated with kindness and consideration, and ho would carry Home with him most grat-'ful, ntTectionato, and lasting memories of this beautiful laod of sunshmo and of swetnesi.