MUSIC ABROAD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21599, 21 March 1932, Page 2

MUSIC ABROAD

LONDON AND THE CONTINENT ADDRESS BY MISS MEDA PAINE. • Musical organisations in other parts, of the world were discussed by Miss Moda Paine, who has lately returned from a trip abroad, in an address which she gave in Begg’s Concert Chamber on Saturday evening. Mr M. Scherck presided, and briefly introduced the speaker. Miss Paine dealt first with some of the famous centres of music in London. Queen’s Hall, the home of the British Broadcasting Corporation’s orchestral concerts, was not, she said, quite as large as the Dunedin Town Hall, but it had the dress circle and the upper gallery round the three sides. The British Broadcasting Corporation’s Orchestra had 125 players who had been selected from all over England. It was considered one of the finest concert orchestras in Europe, and every concert seemed to maintain the same high quality. Miss Paine detailed some of the programmes she had heard there, and mentioned that Adrian Bolt was the permanent conductor for the British Broadcasting Corporation, although frequently there were famous guest conductors from all over England and Europe. Miss Paine alsc described the Covent Garden Opera. Here, as in the Queen’s Hall, one could hear well from all points. A German season there had been followed by an Italian season. The ladies of the audiences wore wonderful gowns and jewels. A grand tier box for the whole of a season, she remarked, would cost £472 10s. The programmes started at a-quarter to 6, and there were two intervals long enough for meals. No one thought of applauding in the middle of an act. and, indeed, a feature of the programmes at Covent Garden was the fine discipline of the audience. People hardly dared to breathe until the curtain went down, and then the applause broke out. It was wonderful to hear these great voices, quite untired at the end, after singing the most difficult pieces. While the Covent Garden season was in full swing there was also a Russian season at the Lyceum, and Chaliapin occasionally _ sang there. Miss Paine remarked that if Chaliapin did not sing at all he would still be great on account of bis acting and his remarkable personality. The London Symphony Orchestra programmes, Miss Paine continued, were generally conducted by. Sir Thomas Beecham in the Albert Hall. This was a very large hall, and to roach the top gallery one had to climb 10 flights of stairs. Sir Thomas Beecham was the most wonderful conductor she had seen. Ho never used a score, and was most dignified and very haughty, taking no notice of the clapping, and turning round very slowly to bow. Some people did not like his mannerisms, but one got used to them. The man was really a genius. Of all the singers she had heard she thought Keith Falconer was the man of the moment, and he was certainly the finest baritone she had heard. In the Albert Hall the action took place in the centre, and this made it ideal for the presentation of “ Hiawatha,” which she had seen. In Salzburg Miss Paine was present at part of a Mozart festival, which lasted for a month. Of all the operatic works she had seen there, Gluck’s “ Orpheus ” was the one she liked best. People from all over the world attended this festival, and on two occasions Kreisler was in the audience. English visitors were well represented, and there were also many Americans. A Mozart serenade, performed by four small orchestras in the courtyard of a palace, was wonderfully effective. The orchestras were scattered in various parts of the courtyard, and one would pick up the theme from the other, and the remaining orchestras would follow on. In one corner a fountain played, and the whole performance took place under the stars. The players themselves appeared to be clad in" old overcoats and hats, and their music was illuminated by candles in glass bottles. The conductor stood on an old box, and the general effect was most impressive. . Miss Paine also described her visit to the Vienna State Opera, and to Budapest, where she heard real Hungarian gipsy music in the cafes. In Paris she heard “ Fanst,” and was not greatly impressed. The audience was not a good one, and would clap before the artists had finished, while many present persisted in talking. Miss Paine was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for her address.