MUSIC.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19014, 9 November 1923, Page 3

MUSIC.

NEWS AND NOTES. “I am convinced Ireland hag many undiscovered musical geniuses,” said Mr John Mac Cormack. the famous tenor, when leaving in the Majestic from Southampton. "Next year,” he said, "I am returning to Ireland to make a systematic search for musically gifted children in the schools. Now that Ireland is leaving her troubles behind she i 3 going to open a great musical era. the Free State Minister of Education is' just as alive to the importance of music teaching in the schools as they are in America. In England that side of the nation’s culture is left severely alone in the schools.” music of ‘‘Catherine,” the new Gaiety musical comedy in which Miss Jose Collins reappeared, is taken from Tchaikowsky. (It is interesting to note that another musical comedy with music taken from n classical composer, Schubert’s “Lilac Time” at the Lyric, has jud. celebrated its 3Goth performance.) Miss Collins takes the part of the peasant girl, Martha, afterwards the Empress Catherine 1 of Russia. “I compose my songs as the mood takes mo, doing most of my writing in the quiet after midnight,” said Mr Ball to an interviewer. “1 did ‘.Who Knows?’ and ‘The Garden of My Heart’ in the same evening. Another night Mr J. Keirn Brennan and I were talking of the mistake of songwriters wasting money instead of investing it in a Californan ranch where one could ‘let the rest of the world go by.’ ‘\Vhat a theme that phrase suggests,’ said Mr Brennan : and straightway he did the versos and 1 the melody of the song which bears the title. “World-conquering songs composed in iC minutes or so! That isayt a London journal) is one of the records of Mr Ernest R. Ball, who is now in London from New York, booked to sing at the Palladium mail- of the melodies which have made him famous. He is the author of songs that sell by the million, one result being to provide choruses of enduring popularity for great holiday crowds. For one linn alone Mr Ball has composed over 400 songs.” There are songs and songs! A few of the achievements <J this exemplar of “hustle” are appended. They speak for themselves and the figures indicating the output are eloquent: “Let the Rest of the World go by,” three million: “Till the Sands of the Desert Grow Cold,” nearly two million; “Love Me and the World is Mine,” one and a-half million; “Good-bye, Good Luck. God Bless Aou,” one and a-half million; "Mother Machree”; ‘Turn Back the Universe and Give Me Yesterday”; “vfhen Irish Eyes are Smiling”; “A Little Bit of Heaven”; “In the Garden of My Heart.” Balzac, the great novelist was no musician. In order to understand a musical character ho used to engage, an old pianist to come and play the piano to him. We are told also that Darwin, haying been told by some joker that music bad an influence on the growth of plants, hired a man to play the trombone for several hours a day to a row of beans. A dislinguished figure in the company of eminent composers of music is Sir Edward Elgar. The life of this famous musician is a fascinating record of what may bo achieved by determination and perseverance to do and do well. Elgar was practically speaking self-taught—a fortunate circumstance in ona way, for lie was thus free to develop his art in consonance with his temperament. The result is that his music is in all aspects characteristic of the man. It is also thoroughly British, and ha-« an unrivalled appeal to British cars. Consider Elgar’s magnificent Imperial conception. “Pomp and Circumstance,” in which is introduced the widely popular “Land ol Hope and Glory.” It has been recorded by an orchestra, while the interlude “Land of Hope and Glory” has also been sung by Clara Butt. These are, of course, examples of Elgar in a popular mood. How many people know, also, that it was Elgar who wrote that universally liked “Salut D’Armour?” There are various records of this delightful little piece, by ’cellist, violinist, and full orchestra. Two very charming numbers also are the “Chanson de Matin,” and “Chanson de Nuit,” published both as Velio and orchestral records. His “Polonia Overture” ro quires careful study and many playings for adequate appreciation, but the time will bo well spent by students. Yet another Elgar record is his “Carissima,” a very beautiful conception. When Elgar was 12 years old he wrote some music for a children’s filay. Nearly 40 years later he look some of this music and reworked and arranged it in the form of two orchestral Suites—the “Wand of Youth” Suites. Two pieces from the second of the suites, “The Tame Bear” and “The Wild Bears” form a finely contrasting pair, quite carrying out the suggestion of contrast in their names. “The Tame Bear” is skilfully made out of one theme, the variety being got. by slight changes in its treatment and in changes of key. Tn “The Wild Bears” arc three separate little musical themes alternating. The orchestration is very vivid and tends to get more elaborate and more exacting as the pi»ce progresses. “Elgar’s music (write? Mr Perry Srholes) sounds very sincere, and is deeply poetical. Tie is a great master of the modern orchestra, and no composer has better understood how to produce nil sorts of fine orchestral effects. Ho often uses a very big orchestra, containing many instruments that were not found in that of Beethoven, for instance.” A record of Melba’s which is not generally known for its beauty is the. Handel air “Sweet Bird That Shun’st the Noise of Folly.” This air furnishes the singer with some remarkable flights of vocal runs ami trills, and apart from its intrinsic beauty is to be recommended to aspiring singers as a model in technique. With a graciousness that, became her as well as her exquisite dancing, .Urns. Pavola gave the entire proceeds of a recent performance at Covent Garden to the Lord Mayor’s Fund for Japanese Relief. The Japanese Ambassador • thanked her in a speech from the stage in the second interval. The great house. completely packed, contained many of his fellowcountrymen, and afforded the amazing sight that only Covent Garden can do on these occasions. Several new dances were presented: In “Dionysus.” a Greek ballet. Mme. Pavola does herself less than justice; hut the three “Oriental Tinnrcssions” (some fiances of Japan, and a Hindu Wedding) were utterly delightful. Mme. Pavola threw in, in addition, n new dance of her own, “Japanese Butterfly.” which was no more Japanese than a picture by Gainsborough. but which is one of the gayest and most adorable things she has ever done. last Mav, during the musical festival week, held at Cambridge. Dr Vaughan Williams’s new ballet, derived from the story of Old King Colo, was given its first performance. It was a noveltv as an attemnt to make a ballet’ out of Engjish traditional dance-steps and dance-tunes. It was nerformed in the on-n air- and was designed. staep-mn»>igod. and nerformed entirely bv Cambridge amateurs, including even a great part of the orchestra. According to Cambridge custom, no performers’ names worn .mentioned in tlm programme. Vam'han Williams’s ipndc brought back recollect ions of “The Warns.’ hut the ballet, is natnrall'- mo>-e deve’oned. and treats its themes with a daring that was not. possible in the clavs when controversy raged around Reb-ncsv’s little masterpiece, ’L’Apres midi d’un Faun.”