MUSIC.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20075, 16 April 1927, Page 2

MUSIC.

NOTES AND RECORDS. Mis. Vera Moore, of Dunedin, continues to be the subject of very helpful and gratifying notices from the musical critics .n London. Concerning her recent pianoforte recital at the Aiolian Hall, where among the large audience were to be seen many well-known people. The Tijnes said, in the course of a discriminating comment: “There was intellectual distinction in- the piano playing of Miss Vera Moore that imported an air of exceptional maturity and of aristocratic deliberation to her style. Everything was thought out and executed in a competent and musicianly manner. Her playing was clean and accurate, except in Bralim's Rapanini Variations, of which she was not really master from a technical point of view, though she played them as if she were. Two tiny points in a strikingly good performance of Beethoven’s E flat Sonata of Op. 27 call for criticism. She consistently treated a semi-quaver rest as a quaver in the little brass figure of the first movement, giving thereby a questionable little lurch to the rhythm, and in tho long octave passage, in which the hands alternate, her left hand so outplayed her right as to reduce the number of sounds per bar by a half. Bach’s Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue was dignified; Brahm s Intermezzi were played with a sensitive reserve; Granados’s Villanesca was lacking in spontaneity—it was taken hardly fast enough and with far too much sophistication. In other words. Miss Moore excels in performing the classics in a classical manner.'’ The impression of Miss Moore formed by the musical critic of the Observer was that of “ a pianist who is intent on doing the just and right thing by what she plays, an excellent point of view, and one that deserves recognition.” A great blow has fallen on music lovers at Home owing to the announcement that this season will see the end of the Queen’s Ha!) promenade concerts. Sir Henry Wood has been informed officially that Messrs Chappell and Co. have decided not to undertake the responsibility of continuing the concerts The late Mr Robert Newman and Mr Henry Wood (as he then was) started these concerts in 1£95. Whatever the outcome of the present crisis their names will remain imperishably connected with one of the most enterprising and nforesting musical ventures ever launched. Newman’s business capacity and Wood’s industry and ability made the “Proms” successful from the start. Their importance to musicians can hardly be exaggerated ; not only did they imply the possibility of establishing the only truly permanent orchestra in London, but they provided the beat opportunities for new composers and young executive artists to get a hearing. Students could, during a season, acquire familiarity with the most important works in the established repertory besides keeping in touch with typical developments of contemporary musio. In short, the “Proms” were the most healthy, useful, and unifying force in the whole of our musical life; they stood for music without “stunts’ of any kind. Sir Henry Wood deplored the prospects of the parsing of the concerts and the end of his own 30 years’ association with the hall. “The orchestra will certainly be broken up,” he said, “unless some one comes forward to finance it We muet not blame Messrs Chappell. They have carried on for years, and must have lost something like £60,000 in the interests of the musical public of London and of England. It will be n disgrace to this country if the Promenades go." There is some hope, however, that the British Broadcasting Corporation will come to tho rescue of the London public. It has made the following statement:—“The 8.8. C. is alive to tho possibility of being able to help in tho satisfactory solution of tho Queen's Hall problem. The corporation is now exploring various avenues to this end. It has been the 8.8.C.’s desire foi more than two year 3 to participate in some national enterprise with the aim of preserving Queen's Hall as a permanent centre of music in London.” The artistic loss to London from the suspension of tho Promenades would be severe. At them, year after year, numbers of now works ■by British composers had a first performance, as well as many foreign novelties. The same may be said, in a more limited degree, of the symphony concerts Whatever the fate of the concerts, there is no reason to fear that Sir Henry Wood will leave Great Britain. He has made visits to America in the summer during the past two years, and each time has received a tempting offer to settle in America permanently. But some little time ago he remarked that he was too much attached to England's musical life to wish to leave tho country. Easter time has its own sacred musio just as Christmas time has, and as Handel’s “Messiah” is part of Christmas so is Bach’s "Passion Music” part of Easter. Bach wrote the Passions at the unhappicst period of his life, as well as many organ chorales, tho B Minor Mass," the Christmas Orations, and other church music. The St. John end St. Matthew are the two most well known of tho Passions, and the latter was witton a considerable time after the former, and is much bigger and broader. A single chorus and orchestra are no longer strong enough for Bach, and ere doubled in many of tho numbers, and there is an extra soprano part to which is given a chorale which formed the basis of the well-known choralefantasia for organ. The recitative passages are wholly taken by the tenor, and the Christ music is given to the bass, while the disciple choruses are in four parts, the rabblo sings in double chorus, producing a rougher and noisier effect. Canon form is used for the two false witnesses, and the cry for Barabbas is short and sharp. The “Crucify Him” chorus is for eight bars only. The final chorus is most impressive, and is a fitting ending for tho work. Barb’s Passion music should be well studied. It has the true feeling of Easter. A new Maori song of welcome. “The Iluia,” was dedicated to their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York on the occasion of their recent visit to New Zealand. The words, written by Maewa Kaihau, are in the form of a march in chords, while the music of the refrain, by L. Townson (Mrs Abel Rowe), is in waltz time. The words of the song are given in Maori, an English translation being provided along with them. “I Don’t Believe it, hut Say it Again” (Silver), and “I’d Climb the Highest Mountain” (Brown-Clane) are recorded with the true humour of Jack Smith. The “Whispering Baritone” is in a class of his own- These latest examples of his whimsical manner of singing are some of the host he has yet done.

Amongst tho latest news items of interest to Now Zealand is tho announcement that the New e.caiand-boin dramatic soprano, francos Alda, is about to pay a visit to nei native country. Frances Alda was born at Christchurch. She was trained under Madame Marches]', and made her debut at tho Opera Comique in Paris, IIXW. Since then sho has appeared with marked success at tho leading opera houses of tho Old and New Worlds, and has taken many of the principal roles in the groat opeias. Apart from her operatic tri umphs Madame Alda’s success on the concert platform has been a great one. Possessed of a rich voice, she is heard to advantage on tho records. Laurence Tibbetts does not sound a very promising name in a world of grand opera inhabited mostly by Italian singers, or singers with conveniently substituted Italian names. Tibbetts is a great baritone. Ip his first disc wo are given the much-recorded “Prologue” from _ Leoncavallo’s “I Pagliacci,” complete with the long orchestral opening. Both singer and orchestra are well recorded. This record was mentioned in a former note, but deserves a fuller and more adequate praise. A singing quartet is recorded, the De Reszko Singers in two delightful male voice quartets, ' “My Lady Chloo” is accompanied by the pianoforte. It is a contrast to “Absent,” which is to bo found on the reverse. Tho latter is sung without accompaniment. The well-kept balance between tho parts should bo noticed. A new song disc is “Du Bist Wie Eine Blume” (Schumann) —“Die Lotosblume,” sung by Eric Marshall, baritone. Heine’s little poem has attracted many composers amongst them Liszt. Rubenstoin, and Schu mann, but of these many settings Schu mann’s is tho most popular. Nor is the beautiful little song. “The Lotus Flower,” nn the reverse of the record, a whit less attractive in its simplicity. _ A “Patience” selection (Hilbert and Sullivan), by tho Coldstream Guards’ Band, is first rate, and the recording good. From a musical point of view ‘‘Patience” is one of the mo't delightful of the Gilbert and Sullivan series. Two Negro Spirituals sung by Paul Robosan for the gramophone are “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" and “On Mb Journey.” Paul Robeson's bass adds force to the. singing of these simple melodies of the old negro plantation days. The International Orchestra is heard on the gramophone in “Tn a Persian Garden” and “Tn n Chinese Temple Garden.” Here are two good readings _of Ketelby's characteristic orchestral writing*.,