MUSIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21981, 16 June 1933, Page 3

MUSIC

NOTES AND RECORDS By Alleged. The newly incorporated Grand Opera Club will stage Verdi’s “ II Trovatore ” in His Majesty’s Theatre early in July. A chorus of about 60, all with really good voices, and a ballet for the famous “ Gipsy Scene ” will support the principals. The cast is as follows: — , Leonora.—Miss Gaynor Paape. Inez.—Miss Dorothy Mackay, Miss Mary Belcher. Azacena, —Miss Phyllis Clare, Miss Jess H'Millan. Manrico. —Mr Hubert Carter (of Christchurch). Ruiz.—Mr Ernest Paris. The Count. —Mr Arthur Macdonald. Ferrando. —Mr Alexander M'Dowell, Mr Ernest Griffin. Mr Alfred Walmsley will conduct the performance, which will be played in costume with complete stage settiugs and actions. W. S. Mendl, writing in defence of modern music, says there is a tendency—especially on the part of the older generation —to represent the present age as one which is somewhat hasty and superficial in its outlook, not only in music, but in other spheres. It is said that mere skill, cleverness, and hard brilliance are substituted for the deep feelings and painstaking researches which resulted from the more leisured times of the middle and late nineteenth century. To some extent this criticism is comprehensible enough. This is an epoch of speed, and the stress of modern existence, the pace at which most of us, whether we like it or not, are compelled ta rush through our lives, might be expected to militate against calm reflection and profound heart-searchings. Apart from those actually engaged in carefully inventing and perfecting the machines which enable us to hurry on our way, there may seem to be little leisure for the remainder of civilised mankind to pause and probe the depths of things. And it is regarded as characteristic of this age of haste and mechanism and sheer efficiency that romanticism and sentiment should have given place to the cold touch of the cynic and the neoclassicist. • . ■ . In music the change is typified, in two contrasted manners, by the careers of Schonberg and Stravinsky. Schonberg deliberately turned his back upon the luscious love-strains which throb through the music of “ Currelieder ” and the string sextet, set himself to compose works which should be naked sound matter and nothing more. Stravinsky, less romantically inclined by nature, had not so much difficulty in escaping from the romantic flavour of Rimsky-Korsakov’e art, which influenced him in “ The Firebird,” and betook himself to the task for which he was better fitted by instinct —of writing from his head rather than from his heart. True it is in these days that inere is undoubtedly a vogue for the purely intellectual, unemotional quality in art. Yet, though this fashion exists, it is by no means universal even at the present day. and the statement, often made, that modern music is devoid of feeling, is as fallacious as most generalisations are. We have only to recall some of the works of Holst, Bax, Bloch, and Kodaly. for instance, or such a composition as Honegger’s “ King David,” in order to see at once how completely inapplicable this notion is to much of the music of our contemporaries. Fundamentally, there is not so much change in human nature from generation to generation as is sometimes supposed, and the idea that either romanticism or classicism is the mark of a particular period or century does not square with the facts. We can find profundity and exultation at rare moments in almost every epoch, but we must first make sure what we mean by these terms. It might be expected that they would be the exact antitheses of one another, but a little reflection indicates that this is not so. _ For opposed to both are superficiality, triviality, simple light-heartedness, or pure tonal sensation. Whether a composer is portraying the deepest sentiments and thoughts of humanity, or drawing aside the veil of mysticism so that we may gaze for a while into the infinite —in either case he is looking beyond the surface of things, so that height and depth are in this sense akin. And in music, as in other arttf. it is important to observe that that which is most profound —or lofty—(whichever you please) is nob necessarily that which is most serious. We can discover many instances of music which touch the heart by their sincerity and profundity, but we cannot often find these qualities also in music of a light character. Take, for instance, “El Amor Brujo ” of de Falla. Light music, yet there is in it —-as in so much of this master's work, as in the “ Nights in the Gardens of Spain ” and in ‘ The Three Cornered, Hat”—;a kind of profound charm which seems to penetrate right down below the haunting lilt of those dance rhythms into the depths of human character. De Falla sees humanity in a dance even as Bach did in his “ Suite No. 2 in B minor ” for flute and strings, or Mozart in his countless Minuets. You will find it over and over again—more profundity in some instances of so-called light music than in the would-be emotional waltzes of the late nineteenth century or any number of solemn oratorios and seri-ous-minded concertos. When music is both serious and profound it is a great experience. Bach reader will he able to think of these tremendous moments for himself. At such times as these, the composer seems to touch a chord which takes us far away from the daily round of our lives and it may be doubted whether even he himself is always conscious of the full significance of his message. No single age has a monopoly of these great moments of inspiration, and there is no reason why the twentieth century should not continue to vouchsafe them to us from time to time even as previous generations have done.

One of the most impassioned outbursts of the score of Mascagni’s opera “Cavalleria Rusticana,” the duct between Turiddu and Santuzza, has been recorded by Beniamino Gigli (tenor) and Dusolina Giannini (soprano), who toured New Zealand about three years ago. In this highly dramatic scene Santuzza is waiting outside the church for Turiddu, who is about to follow the coquette Lola into the service. Santuzza begs him to stay. No, no, Turiddu, rimani, rimani. ancora— Abban dorarmi dunque tu vuoi? ” (“No. no, Turiddu. remain with me now and forever. Love me again! How can you forsake me? ”). A highly dramatic musical phrase expresses the words, “La tua Santuzza piange t’ implora " (“Lo! Here thy Santuzza, weeping, implores thee). Turiddu repulses her. She clings to him. He loosens her hold and casts her from him to the ground. When she rises he has followed Lola into the church. The two singers achieve a wonderful vocal and dramatic success in this great duet. Here are two of the outstanding voices on the operatic stage and both realise the significance of the roles allotted to them. The accompaniment is provided by the La Sea! a Orchestra. The Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leopold Stokowski, has recorded in four parts Tschiakovsky’s “1812 Overture.” The performance cf the famous orchestra and the recording are magnificent. The “1812 Overture” was composed in 1880 to commemorate the retreat of Napoleon from Moscow, and was intended for a very large orchestra, band, and bells. The opening theme introduces a Russian hymn, “God Preserve Thy People,” and is played with great warmth by the orchestra. Later, there is a musical suggestion of the terrible battle of Borodino, so vividly described in Tolstoy’s “ War and Peace.” The Russian national hymn 'and the “Marseillaise” arc* heard, the former triumphantly emerging in the tremendous climax in which the tolling of bells announces victory. The recording is notable for the successful balance and absence of excessive noise, which made former recordings unpleasant. The overture is recorded on two 12-inch discs. The American tenor, Richard Crooks, who has now a long list of successful records to his name, has chosen for his latest record. “Tell Me To-night,” by Spolimuky, the theme song from the film of the same name, and “ Only My Song,” by Lehar, who has made himself famous for such light operas as “The Merry Widow ” and “ You Are My Heart’s Delight.” Both composers have the gift of melody, and Crooks sings these numbers with consummate artistry. His sense of light and shade and realisation of the meaning of both words and musrc enable him to make his songs interesting. ■