MUSIC.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19528, 10 July 1925, Page 3

MUSIC.

NOTES AND RECORDS On the stage of Covent Garden Theatre, where 53 years ago, she had made her operatic debut as a young girl scarcely 20, Dame Emma Albani received on May 25 a remarkable tribute from the musical and artistic world. The occasion was a benefit matinee, at which Dame Nellie Melba made her reappearance in London, and to .the programme of which many eminent singers, players, and conductors contributed. After this feast of music the curtain fell, and rose in a fow moments to show, grouped on the stage, all the artists who had taken part, and many well-known figures in the dramatic world, headed by Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson and Mrs Kendal. Sir Johnston led on a little frail lady dressed in black and wearing many orders given her during her brilliant career—Dame Emma Albani. With the aid of a stick she walked round the stage, greeting her friends and former colleagues, among whom Mr Ben Davies saluted her with a hearty kiss. Then, seated in the centre of the stage, she listened to Sir Johnston lorbesRobertson reciting a charming little poem by Alfred Noyes eulogising the singer s great past. At its conclusion Sir Johnston stepped forward, and in homage kissed the singer’s hand. Then Dame Nellie Melba offered, on behalf of Music, a magnificent trophy, a harp blazing with gold decorations, accompanying it with a graceful little speech. Then Mrs Kendal brought forward a golden wreath, on behalf of the Drama, and laid it, in eloquent silence, at the feet of Dame Emma Albani, who was too overcome to speak. 'The concert itself, which was attended by Princess Mary, Princess Beatrice, and other members of the Royal Family, was, naturally, mainly operatic. Dame Nellie Melba, singing in London again after an absence of some seasons, had a magnificent reception. Sir Landon Ronald, Sir Henry Wood, and Mr Percy Pitt conducted orchestral items. The singers included Rosina Buckman, Leila Megane, Sarah Fischer, Tudor Davies. Bon Davies. Robert Radford, and Dinh Gilly, and there were piano solos by Miss Irene Scharrer. The Carl Rosa Opera Company, which opens its London season at the Lyceum in May, : ,i,holds periodical auditions as it tours up and down the country, and in this way it has discovered many of its best singers during the 50 odd years of its history .Most of them hail from Lancashire and Wales. Lancashire comes first, Wales an easy second, and Yorkshire and Ireland third. London does not provide many recruits for the company’s ranks. .... , t . , "It was the audition which brought into the ranks of the company in recent times Miss Mand Neilson, the Scots coloratura soprano; Mr Ben Williams, the tenor: lr Manuel Hemingway, the basso: Miss Ulive Gilbert, the contralto; and several artists filling minor roles,” stated Mr H. B. Philips, the managing director, to a Daily Express representative. ‘Miss Neilson camo to the company ns the result of attending an audition advertised during the Covent Garden season four years ago, when she revealed the possession of a voice oi such striking quality that she was immediately engaged as a principal. This was exceptional. As a rule singers engaged in. this wav have to go through a preliminary course in the chorus. This was the experience of Mr Ben Williams, who loft his mine nt Swansea to attend an audition, and was at once engaged as a chorister, and has worked so hard that he is now one of the compny’s greatest assets. It was the same with others.” , , , , Two old ’cellos are to be. broken «P to provide material for repairing the. £2OOO Velio belonging to Mr Michel Chermavsky, which was smashed at Easton Ration when the artist arrived from.the Continent n Mareh. It was thought at first damage was beyond repair, but Lond°'> experts declare they can put it right and make it serviceable in any .part of the world. ‘‘lbis is important, Mr Cherniavsky told a Daily Chronicle representative, “because the heat in some countries I visit would melt the glue in an ordinary repair. The railway company are giving me a substantial sum in compensation tor damaging my ’cello and for the loss on my English tour, and are also paying the coat of repairing the instrument.” The oldest and most picturesque folk dance festival in the United Kingdom took iilaco recently in the “quaint old Comishtown of Helston. This is the famous “furry dance’ which is held annually on May 9, when at the first notes of the drum all doors are opened and, led by the Mayor, the townspeople trip through the streets and in and out of each other’s houses. Visitors and veterans must take part, and it was also expected that thore would bo members , of Parliament present to dance in the coming Of spring. The ancient floral dance dates back beyond the days of “merrie England.” Some think it began when St. Michael drove the devil from the county, and Helston people danced their thankfulness. Mrs Raymond Maude, 0.8. E., Jenny Lind’s daughter, road a paper on her mother’s life recently at the quaint old rooms of the Anglo-Swediah Society in Staple Inn. Mmo. Palmstiema, wife of the Swedish Ambassador, being the hostess. Mrs Maude is not a woman who make many public appearances, although she does a good deal of public work. But her mother’s memory is especially fragrant to this daughter, who loved her so well. The first record to be made in England was manufactured in 1901 by a company still in existence. It was made on the instructions of a German and for exporting to Russia. That was the first disc record made in England, though previous to that some cylinder records had been made, but not moulded. There are now in Great Britain 12 or 14 manufacturers of gramophone records, and many mono makers of gramophones. The British Home Office has equipped between 40 and 50 of their industrial schools with gramophones and records in order to strengthen the musical training of the children in those schools. “ r lhe Dopaii,ment is desirous of providing a comprehensive study of music for the children under their care similar to the musical training existing in the ordinary elementary and secondary schools throughout the country,” said a Homo Office official to a press representative. “Care has been taken in the choice of records to insure an interesting variety,” ho added. “In my opinion music is the most ‘human’ subject through which the team spirit can be developed and a corporate life stimulated among children, who, through no fault of their own, are cut off from sharing the normal joys of their more fortunate brothers and sisters.” Will Fyffe, ;hoScots comedian, has shown the fallacy of the theatrical notion that the “comjc” from North of the Tweed has no honour outside his own country. Ho has haa a very successful time in Australia, and is there jot. Ho is coming this way in due course, and this explains the popularity of his records. Will Fyffe promises to occupy the place of another celebrated Scots comic singer when he leaves the stage absolutely clear. Records of Will Fyffe’s songs have the advantage of orchestral accompaniments. The second (lento) movement of Cesar Franck’s Quintet in F minor, played by the Lener String Quartet and Mrs Olga Losser-Lobert (pianoforte) will be among the most prized possessions of the gramophonist who is actuated rather by what appeals to the soul than by what is pretty music and nothing more. It is a work, or rather portion of a work, that is completely characteristic of Franck. On hearing it one cannot well imagine anyone else writing it. Its dignity and grace are what one looks for and never fails to find in all his work. There is said to bo a “craze” for the sea chanty at Home, and it is now honoured by a place in most concert programmes. The chanty is a song for working to, and seldom was it sung for the fun of the thing. In sailing ship days practically every task aboard ship from bracing the yards to heaving up the anchor had its appropriate chanty, and the practical value of this singing at work was that more power per man was obtainable than if each man pulled individually. The words were generally made up as the song went on, and some things sung were capable of revision before singing in the concert hall. The beautiful chanty “Shenandoah” and “Away for Rio,” as sung by Mr Arthur Jordan (who may come to New Zealand, by the way, make an interesting record, and possibly more will be heard of these songs of the sea. The finale from the violin duet in D major of Spohr serves to complete a sixth disc in a series of records of Bach’s Concerto in D minor for two violins. To this latter work only brief reference has been made in these notes. The duet of Spohr is recorded from a splendid performance of Arthur Catterall, first violin in the Hallo Orchestra, and J. S. Bridge, second violin. Both players are closely associated in the orchestra and thoroughly understand each other. The result as seen in the duct is excellent. No beginner with the gramophone should be frightened by the use of unfamiliar musical terms, and above all by the bogey of “classical” music or music described as “too high class.” They should hear this spirited duet before forming hasty conclusions. If anyone loves music he will enjoy this duet as well as the concerto referred to, and hoar it with renewed pleasure and interest every time, discovorfcag something fresh at each rehearing.