WORKERS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21024, 13 May 1930, Page 13

WORKERS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

THE COUNTRY CLASSES. It is to be presumed that readers of these notes, even if they reside in Dun“ave advantage and constant intellectual excitement of participation in metropolitan classes, are still interested m what goes on in the count! y centres of Otago. And, indeed, though most of these centres concentrate their att-intion on one class and one subject, it is amazing what Conti oversy and excitement springs up on occasion; and sometimes, after an hour’s lecture, an hour’s discussion, and a further hour s round-the-fire argument, it is a lecturer exhausted indeed who passes irom the local Athenaeum to find his wo» upstairs m the dark in the local inn. Anc belore now he has found himself locked out, and members of the class on more intimate- terms than himself with the landlord have had to hail that worthy's window lustily from the street. But such 18 an exceptional incident, and the only n ° r !”al, bad consequence is the inability ’ the lecturer to find_ immediate sleep. ■ t ai ? 18 but an egoistic and selfish chronicle, however, and one unfitted to the dignity o. the subject. For the countryclasses are full of purpose, very unsettlingvery stimulating to the faculties. Ana what loads of experience, what diversity ot view, what extension of the argument' to what unsuspected regions, can a simple course on political ideals, or political theories and historical facts carry a roomful of people! Who would have foreseen the passionate devotion of Mr M to the civilisation of Athens, or the cquidly passionate objection of the postmasterto official religion in any shape or form (in spite of Saint Thomas Aquinas) ? Who i? fa. Middle Ages could have dreamed that the relations of their church with the secular power would have been so eagerly canvassed in. Hampden? What Roman jurist wondered to what speculation his ordered empire would reduce Outran!? .Plato did not dream of Palmerston; nor Aristotle of the .Pleasant Valley Sanatorium, so tolerantly taking stock of hie beloved golden mean,” bis civic life of virtue. No former age imagined how much it would contribute to Oamam's discussion of modern democracy! Lycurgus, when he gave his laws to the Spartan, otate, did not hail the enthusiast of that town, who sees in his wise dispensation the cure of all our woes. But what lecturer would not suffer gladly thus the exposure of his deficiencies in knowledge immediately and accurately on tap; what lecturer would not, under such circumstances, rejoice even in loss of sleep, even in the train service of this happy South Island? MUSIC CLASS. The class in musical appreciation held its weekly meeting last week on Friday instead of Tuesday. There was more than the usual attendance of students who greatly enjoyed the lecture and the illustrations. Dr Galway, after a brief resume of the previous lecture, proceeded to elaborate the development of song through the Renaissence of Greek drama in the sixteenth century. In what was imagined to be Greek drama form, operas and oratorios were composed, in Italy especially. These consisted mainly of recitatives and chanting, accompanied by pizzicato chords on the instruments ot the times. This led to the neglect of short songs such as we know nowadays. Handel; who composed ’ some *39 operas and 19 oratorios, composed only one song with accompaniment, and Bach only two. In England the influence of Puritanism affected the music of the church. The ornate music of the Tudor times was frowned upon. At the Restoration the pendulum of approval swung the other way, and Charles the Second sent several noted composers of his day to study music m France. Henry Purcell, the best known of these students, returned to Engird w , lHl an °P era called Dido and Aeneas, ’ based upon the old Greek legend. Furcell, in his opera, adopted' several j w kich the lecturer illustrated on the piano, and also adopted a rather dramatic device in Dido’s death song. The composer used a “groundbass, repeated some 30 times, and above it he wrote a succession of phrases, each one a tone lower than its predecessor. The resulting affect was suggestive of' intense exhaustion. Mr' Walmsley sang Furcell's song in such a manner as to enable the class to appreciate Purcell’s skill. He also sang a beautiful melody called “I Attempt From Love’s Fetters to Fly " and another delightful song “Hark, the Empty A* r a Triumph Sings.” A brief biography qf Handel was supplied by Dr Galway, after- which ‘Mr Wamsley sang several of Handel’s songs, all, exemplifying that composer’s skill in producing tuneful, singable ” songs; and several songs exemplifying his power to compose dramatic melody. “Total Eclipse," from Samson, and “ Bound an Alarm " were sung, and the dramatic force that was the result of Mr Walmsley’s admirable articulation and skilful vocalisation called forth hearty applause. LITERATURE CLASS. The literature class continues to be well attended, the latest subject dealt Vith wr *j e tut S r (Miss King) being the poet Wordsworth. Few people know more about Wordsworth than what the orthodox critics have to say, because they have not delved deeply in the subject nor fathomed the secret of Wordsworth’s greatness. Above alKbe is the poet of Nature. Other poets'may have givenus descriptions just as exquisite, but they do not approach the quality of Words- f worth. Wordsworth lived through stirring times, > and saw in turn war, revolutions, and industrial troubles. It might be supposed that he would have made some contribution towards the alleviation of these evils, but it was not so. No far- ‘ sighted solution - to the unemployment problem flowed from his pen, and he showed no interest in disarmament or universal suffrafe. We might well ask. What did he contribute to these times?” Wordsworth’s feelings for Nature were not alone an appreciation of natural beauty, but actual experience of the life in Nature. He was regarded as a pantheist,” that is, he found God in everything, though such a view was dismissed by his contemporaries as heresy. People were, however, steadily progressing towards a greater understanding. The poet believed that Nature'embodied the “cosmic life,” and ran the gamut of human emotions—loss, disappointment, anxiety, disgrace, jealousy and passion. In his works he employed the "poetic fallacy, that is, to him flowers and trees were endowed with man’s powers and imPulacfi. Wordsworth was an advocate of Nature as a means of education, following the old Greek’ tradition of “the things of good report.” He held that contemplation of the sky and woods would furnish the mind with thoughts that would act as a healing and a benediction to counteract the evils of life. He, himself, believed in this doctrine, and has around to woven his claims to greatness.