MUSIC AND RELIGION IN GERMANY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21383, 10 July 1931, Page 4

MUSIC AND RELIGION IN GERMANY

The following letter: has been: received by a friend • from a graduate of New Zealand in .arts ;and. theology, who is taking further work in Britain and Germany:— ' ' I am at present •in Bonn, listening to Karl Barth at 7 o’clock four mornings a week—one of a class of 200. ■ Every Wednesday evening he holds* an open evening in his home, where about 80 or 100 students discuss his lectures. As, however, the Germans are so terribly long-winded, only about eight or so usually get a chance to say anything. Barth speaks rather slowly and distinctly,., but very he has something to say, hut can’t get it into words that contain it all, He has a few characteristic gestures, such as putting his fingers on his. forehead (sometimes both hands) and flinging them down at the end of the sentencp or emphatic point. At first I didn’t understand anything almost all day, but now ’ I find things a bit better, although I still have plenty of room for improvement before I can i get a lecture ’ properly. On. Friday night there was a reception to foreign, students here. We went m and sat down at tables, listened to three speeches and three items (one being a Maori haka), and then a dance. During the evening there were waitresses to serve drinks and eatables as .you wished, but you paid for them yourself.; That, seems to be quite a common plan here. It js certainly economical for the host, and I have no doubt the guests drink less, too. I have been struck with the musical character of the • people. 'Of course, _ I expected it in a way, but not like this. Everyone sings, and sings well —students coming home, schoolboys, etc. They always sing in parts and sing really well. Often you see a, party of 30 or so schoolboys (10 to 12) marching m fours to the baths with towels, etc. No one win charge, but they march perfectly and sing —in two parts. Then they will hum a verse, then whistle, then sing_ again, and so on. Every night there is a really good orchestral concert in the Stadtgarten. You can sit out in the open and_dnn& and listen and look out over the Rhine. It is fine, and only threepence admission. Then almost every week there is a firstclass ‘musical performance. This week the Don Cossacks. Last week Elly Ney (a well-known German piamste) gave , a Beethoven evening. t Beethoven was born here, and so was Elly Ney. She had a wonderful reception. At the end they went up on the stage and stood round the piano in a mass. After seven encores she had played herself out and said she could play no more. . , . Mv impression ,is that religion here hardly exists. It is a Catholic centre, and the people attend semces very regularly The Evangelical churches have only one service a week, on Sundays mornings at 10 o’clock.' As far as I can. see that is all that the Church means to people here... It seems ; to have no organisations at all (except thes c o , which is marvellous), not even any sort of young people’s movement. Religion just seems to mean going to church—it seems to have no connection at . all lyith life, or morality, or so6ial ethics, etc., except in a purely, intellectual way to few who argue about it till further notice, but don’t do anything. Ihaj 6 the idea that a large number of theological students study theology just as others do economics or Sanskrit—out of scholarly interest —and not as - a vital thing that has gripped their lives and demands th| consecration of all they have. „■