A CHANGE OF TITLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21985, 21 June 1933, Page 14

A CHANGE OF TITLE

Days when the attractiveness of their titles decided the popularity of musical compositions were recalled by Dr John Warriner, chairman of the Corporation of Trinity College of Music, when speaking at the annual prize distribution ot the college at Central Hall, Westminster, in April. “Sixty or seventy years ago” he said, “ Bach and Beethoven, and « nearly all the other great musicians, were merely names to most of the population of this country. Musical culture as a whole was of a very low standard. Music was looked upon a s an extra, and performances at that time, even of protessional musicians, were very little belter than some of the performances of our students to-day. It was a day of what I would call ‘ watery music.’ Everything thev plaved had to do with water For instance,' their compositions had titles like ‘ Silvery Waves,’ Golden Fountains, ' *nd ‘ Dancing Sunbeams. _ These titles had a great deal to do with ( the selling capacity of the compositions. Dr Warriner told a story of how a composition was published at about this time* with the title "March of the Bogymen.” It was not a great success, so the publishers bad a consultation, and it was decided to reissue it under the title of “ Cathedral Echoes. A beautiful photograph of a cathedral was put on the cover, and the composition sold like Lot cakes. -