MUSIC.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19203, 20 June 1924, Page 3

MUSIC.

NOTES AND RECORDS. Sir Dan Godfrey, who was knighted in 1922 on (he recommendalon of Mr Lloyd George “for valuable services to British music.” comes of musical stock. His grandfather. Charles Godfrey, was bandmaster of the Coldstream Guards front 1825 (o 1863; his father, Dan Godfrey, was bandmaster of the Grenadiers for 40 years, ano was the first bandmaster to receive a commission. Two uncles were .army bandmasters. and several cousins have followed the same path. Sir Dan himself broke tho tradition, and becc.riie Director of Music to Bournemouth Corporation in 1893, a post he ha s retained ever since. His services to British music may bo indicated by the fact that since the Bournemouth symphony concerts were instituted 642 different works by native composers have been produced, of which 153 wore actual first performances In “Memories and Music” (Hutchinson and Co.), Sir Dan tells the story of bis life. Ho has met most of the present stars in the musical firmament, and a good many of those who are no longer shining. His collection of stories is excellent. “It will be curious,” writes a contributor to a London journal, “to watch at Wembley whether tiro flowers round the bandstands are affected by tho music. Cyclamens and carnations arc so averse to jazz music that they turn their backs upon it, and if turned towards the music again repeat the gesture quite decidedly. The Lastcr lily, "too, will have nothing to do wnth music. The reason for these airs, so to speak, is not known, but presumably the vibrations affect in some way the delicate protoplasmic fibres of the plants.” How many are acquainted with the first Gilbert, and Sullivan opera or even know* its title? It was “Thespis, or the Gods Grown Old,” produced at tho Gaiety Theatre at Christmas, 1871. There are several curious things about this herald of the great Savoy partnership. One is Liat it only ran a month: another, that the score was not published; and another, that ■'Sullivan used most of the music in the later works. One dancing, chorus made its appearance almost entire in the “Pirates ’ “Cjimbing over rocky mountains. Savoyards, old and young, will find many other interesting pages of this sort in Mr !5. J. Adair Fitz-Gorald’s “ritory of the Savoy Opera” (Stanley Paul)—a remarkably full and well-illustrated history. We hear (says the London Dajlv Chronicle) of a Southend robin which, faced by the competition of the 2nd Royal Scots Band, still sang on, determined to be heard. He stuck to it until he attracted public attention and admiration. Finally, when the bandstand was illuminated, he put forth all his energy and continued to challenge the British army until long after every other bird had gone to roost. A 68-guinea piano was the principal prize in the piano solo competition at the Southern Counties Eisteddfod, held at lorquay recently. Only four competitors, all women, survived the test ordeal. The male entrants failed to qualify because, according to Professor W. Edwards, whe adjudicated with Dr Markham Lee, their arm muscles were too stiff.

A query addressed to a- London gramophone expert on the oft-debated question as to the comparative merits of steel and fibre needles evoked an interesting reply, in which several by-products of information were-included. Undoubtedly, he said, fibre needles occasion far less wear to records than steel needles. As far as semi-per-manent needles are concerned, they do not amount to very much. The wear is practically the same with all steel needles. Thin steel needles go down faster than thick, but do less damage to records. The difference between any make of steel needle is negligible in practice. It just depends how keen an ear one has to determine the number of times a record may be played before scrapping. A very good average is 59 times. But some records last longer, for the wear is precisely proportional to the amplitude of the record. A strong dramatic soprano voice, if full-toned will not last 50 times without intolerable harshness becoming evident ; on the contrary, a ’cello solo or a violin solo selection will probably play 100 times without developing the usual mechanical noises, incident to wear. It is bad practice to play Records alternately with steel and fibres. The steel fractures the (rack and the fibre itself get'damaged thereby, and so the fibre refuses to go through effectually. Thus “The Gramophone” (edited by Compton Mackenzie) on de Greef’s recording of Liszt’s Twelfth “Hungarian Rhapsody”: “This is a good record, on the whole, and we do not blame the pianist for tho cut that he has made (which, as the note in the catalogue says, merely avoids unnecessary repetition). The composer’s lack of constructive power makes liberties of this sort more justifiable in his works than in those of other people. We know (hat Liszt himself very rarely played Ills works exactly as they were written. The playing is good and tho recording is excellent.”

Renee Chemcl’s (violin) recording of Dvorak's “i-ongs Mv Mother Taught Me,” coupled with “A Dream Song” (Ackernley), should be hero soon. The London scorers of this record arc highly complimentary, as. for example: “Dvorak’s beautiful tune does not require words to bring out its full meaning, and as Kreisler himself played it is an excellent arrangement. Its characteristic rhythm is the outcome of Dvorak’s love for Bohemian folk-music, whence it derives its inspiration. Play it twice as fast as he intended, and you will find all the features of modern ragtime music in a tune written before ever America exploited the genius of the negro. Ackcrnley’s ‘Dream Song’ is charmingly played, but is hardly worthy as mueic to stand with the Dvorak.”

Madame vKirkby J/unn’s just-published recording of “Love is a Dream” (Percy Pitt), and “The Heart Worships” (Holst), evokes the following criticism by a London reviewer: “Why Madame Kirkby should have linked “Love is a Dream” with “The Heart Worships” I cannot understand, unless she wished to show us tire difference between a good song and a bird song. The curious thing is that the two have a superficial similarity apart from the names, as witness, for instance, the accompaniment in chords; but the words of Mr Holst’s song breathe a lefty mysticism, while those of Air Pitt’s are of a typo with which we are only too familiar. Each composer has done justice to his material! Madame Kirkby Limn and Mr Craxton, as usual, have made the best of a good iob, and of a bad one.”