MUSIC.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19957, 26 November 1926, Page 5

MUSIC.

NOTES AND RECORDS. INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC TO BEETHOVEN. The first half of the 18th century is noteworthy for the change in the structure of music from counterpoint to harmony, and in orchestral writing more stress was laid upon the means of varying tl. volume of tone produced. The structure of the instruments and the balance of the different sections were gradually improved. Composers all used the string quartet, but the wind instruments were employed more or less in the manner of an obbligato, their presence in tutti passages not being at all indispensable. Many instruments were reserved for special numbers, and certain instruments" were chosen and continued throughout a movement as a real part, without any relief, and often without more support than a figured bass. Bach's system of writing for the orchestra was not in the direct line of development, and his scores are polyphonic in style. Handel emplovcd an orchestra which was much like that of to-day, and may be regarded as the foundation of the present symphonic band. Until Gluck's time there was hardly any trace of the systematic use of varying colour schemes. The violin seemed the premier position, and the harpsichord was also in common use in the orchestra. Flutes were not greatly in favour, although used freely as obbligato instruments; —in the Handel commemoration of 1784 there were only six flutes against 26 oboes and 26 bassoons. During the time of Bach and Handel oboes occupied a very prominent place. They were commonly used in unison with the violins, and sometimes carried on a dialogue with the trumpets. With the bassoons they formed an essential part of the full orchestra. The clarinet, although apparently invented in 1690, was only definitely established in the regular orchestra in Mozart's time. Bach often used four trombones, and the trumpet was introduced much earlier than the horn. Handel introduced four horns in "Guilio Cesare (1723), and drums were regularly used, irenerally two in number. In "Alessandro "Handel used an alternation of two horns and two oboes above the strings, and after this other composers began to essay tone contrasts. One reason for this was the transition from counterpoint to harmony, the latter being responsible for the idea of frequent changes of orchestral colour. \ better balance in the orchestra was another reason. The use of woodwind instruments in pairs in Bach s B Minor Mass is „ noteworthy because subsequent composers followed that practice. Haydn's earlier works were written for two horns, two oboes, two flutes, and the usual strings. In his later compositions he employed nearly the full modern orchestra, and he used a contrabassoon in "The Creation." Mozart explored the capacities of the instruments at his disposal rather than adding new ones, thoueh it was due to his use of clarinets tlfat they took their place in subsequent scores. Trombones had not yet assumed a place in the symphonic orchestra. Gluck had revolutionised their use and established the custom of writing for them in three parts; but they were usually confined to dramatic scores until Beethoven employed them in the last movement of his sth Symphony. Mozart used them with reserve, and at all times in the •early and classical periods a greater selection of instruments was used'in the operatic than in the symphonic orchestra. Beethoven did immense service in the development of the orchestra. He demonstrated the true relationship of the various bodies, and enlarged them and their scope. It is believed that in the "Eroica" symphony three.horns- made their first appearance, and in the sth Symphony the piccolo, trombones, and contra-bassoon were first used in the symphonic orchestra. In his 9th Symphony the development of the classical body of instruments was completed by the use of four horns.

A compliment to British musicians is indicated by the receipt in London from Germany of what is stated to be the biggest single order for gramophone record since the war. 1‘ specia. demonstration at the Leipzig 1* air of the new electrical process of recording now employed in Great Britain, an order was received in London for 7000 choral records of the Handel Festival made by this process at the Crystal Palace. It is authoritatively stated that recent British gramophone developments have had a very stimuhating effect generally on the export of British-made records to foreign countries. The excellence of the recording is one of the features of Antoni Salas’s ’cello record of “ Tarantelle ” (Forino) and “Vito” (Popper). The music in these pieces is slight though vivacious, and this artiste has a technique that is apparently equal to more difficult works. The disc of Baekhaus playing Dobnanyi’s transcription of the “Naila Waltz ” is one of the most surprising records of the pianoforte yet produced. The real illusion of the pianoforte being there is achieved completely. A welcome return to London has been that of Emmy Destinn and her reappearance will he a stimulus to memories of those days before the war when Destinn, Caruso, Scotti, and others sang at Covent Garden. It was Destinn who created the role of Madame Butterfly in London Destinn also created the leading soprano roles of many other important operas, including that of Minnie in “The Girl of the Golden West.” She sang this part with a brilliant cast, including Caruso, Amato, and Homer. Destinn is reported to have received the highest fee ever paid to a singer (£2o00) for giving a concert in a den of lions., Thoso who have enjoyed “Siegfried’s Journey to the Rhine ” and the “Magic Fire Music ” for the brilliance of the orchestral performance and the marvel-' lons recording, should note that two new Wagnerian records —“The Ride of the Valkyries ” and the Prelude to “ The Rhinegohl ” —will shortly he .available. Here the remarkable series of orchestral records made in the Queen’s Hall, Londoir by a Symphony Orchestra of 94 players, is continued by two further records of equally striking character. The two previous records in this series, “The Magis Fire Scene ” from “The Valkyrie” and “ Siegfried’s Journey to the Rhine ” caused astonishment by the .surprising manner in which they reproduced the true timbres of a full-sized orchestra playing in a concert hall; hut these records are likely, if anything, to eclipse them, for never have more amazing reproductions of the orchestra been made.' Whether it he in the mighty swing and the exhilaration of the “Ride of the Valkyries,” the deep mysterious surge of the Rhine in the “ Rhinegohl Prelude.” or in the colossal grandeur of “Siegfried’s Funeral March,” in each case the marvellous orchestration stands out clearly and vividly. Mr Alec Robertson, ot the educational department of the British Gramophone Company (H.M.V.L speaking recently to an audience of secondary school teachers attending a short holidav course in music at the Royal College of Music, appears to have a latent quarrel with music critics anent modern music. His “modern” at the same time was retrospective, touching what appeared ..ew to each age, and citing Liszt as “an almost solitary exception” to the crowd of professional “persecutors.” While there was a good deal of truth in this statement, it does not apply so generally to the critics of to-day. and as to composers, they arc rarely anything hut kind to each other now —at all events in public-—so it would seem that there is actually some altruistic progress among our species of the human family. Critics are not inimical to divergence of almost any sort from accepted canons provided the composer justifies it by proving his point. What 'hey do dislike is ineffectual rebellion and. unfortunately, the great hulk of music written latterly contains a good deal of such mere ferment —also, from another standpoint, the presentment of ideas that nay ho of value if clearly presented, but which have been insufficiently pondered before being thrust into a rash publicity. Every musician recognises, or should do, that experiment is almost inseparable from crudity. But while some composers perceive their end “as in a glass, darkly,” others do behold it “face to face.” The latter are always vindicated, if not in their day. by posterity. and when one considers the patient, one might say reverent, hearing given by honest critics to whatever is offered them in the name cf music, one is the more inclined to maintain that composers to-day run a better chance of contemporary recognition than ever before.