MUSIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22675, 13 September 1935, Page 2

MUSIC

By Allegro.

NOTES AND RECORDS

One writer has described a "diet of Beethoven and Brahms to brace the system, a course of Palestrina to bring back a sense of the unseen world, Chopm to revive sensibility, and Mozart to quieten the nerves and calm the patient. But, as an anodyne in physical or mental depression, a tonic to build up the whole nature and restore the balance of the parts, Bach, and Bach only. Who can say that this composer or that is greater? One fact upon which each writer or musician seems agreed is the greatness of Bach. "To hear Bach's music," writes Rutland Boughton, "is to pass through (during the greater part of it) a state of consciousness similar to that wherein we feel that we have lived an incident through before, lie also writes: "All expressions of modern musical art have their fount in Bach. In the mind of the average musician the name of Johann Sebastian means .the great, dividing line between the music which was scientific and dry aud the music which is beautiful and human. This idea is scarcely fair to the great musicians who moulded Bach, his predecessors and contemporaries. He was to the musical art of his time much what Shakespeare was to the Elizabethan drama, not a solitary bloom, but the greatest of a beautiful cluster, its summing up and crown." On September 30 the Music Teachers Association will present a Bach programme in the big Town Hall. The feelings of those who do not know Bach very well, or of those who think Bach is for'the real musician only, have been carefully considered. The works chosen are attractive, and should appeal to any audience. If the M.T.A. has found enough time among its many activities to prepare a concert of such musical worth the venture merits support, and Bach will be honoured if this support is accorded. The 250th anniversary of Bach has been observed in the good music centres on the other side of the world. Beginning with this month, pupils in public schools in New York who have musical talent are to receive special instruction in the art of playing the organ. The aim of this is an effort to bring musical and artistic expression within reach of 'all in the city. "It is natural that out of 1,300,000 children in the public schools there are a number who are natural musicians and have the makings of good artists," said a speaker to the American Guild of Organists. Dr Wallace Goodrich, director of the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, stressed the various ways an organist can render service to his church. " Our function is to bring out the best organ music through the beet possible performance," he said. "An organist has an opportunity to be of real service In a church — a real ministry. A function that is tie-, serving of our highest study if we are going to be a success is a greater facilityin the art of improvisation. Through improvisation, you can follow the church service much more closely and accurately than by the written page. You can play something entirely fitting for the moment. I am sure you can make very great strides in this, and I am glad the guild has already made progress." Mr J. B. Jamison, representing an organ company, expresses the opinion that " the practice of putting excessive colour into the loud stops of the organ has robbed the instrument of emotional expression—a very distinct loss. _ When this is clone, " he says, "the soft stops, or secondary voices, are neglected and the result is that the organ holds you off at a stiff distance. An organ should not have that note of hard arrogance, but should be sweetly compelling." A recent criticism of the works of Strauss says that the composer has always thought it fair to demand anything of singers. It may be fair, but there is also the question of effect. Many will remember the gloom that sets in with Zerbinetta's big show-piece in "Ariadne " • —such a preposterously long and difficult piece, and so tangled in its vocal and instrumental lines that no singer can possibly give it the spontaneity which should be the soul of coloratura style. Similarly in " Die Schweigsame Frau" Strauss keeps his first soprano singing above the stave to a pitiless and in the lons run ineffective extent. In the third act there is a singing-lesson scene, and here the Composer introduces a duct for soprano and tenor by Legrenzi (much Straussianised). It is set in E flat, and the voices with their numerous high B flats, and occasional O's, and even D's, sound as if they were a minor third too high by mistake. It is true that the duet is part of the plotter's scheme to drive the noise-hating old admiral half crazy, but the spectator's entertainment surely need not have been quite so much sacrificed to realism. Strauss invites a hard explosive style of singing as he discourages fine shades in his singers.

Marek Weber and his orchestra have added to their list of recorded waltzes with " Gipsy Love," by Lehar, which is nicely arranged by Marek Weber. The attractive opening is played with good tone. " Waltz Dream, by O. Strauss, makes an effective second number.

"Leo Fall Potpourri" holds some of this musical comedy and operetta writer's best and most popular tunes. The actual waltzes have a jolly swing. An outstanding effect is a harp-like plucking accompaniment to a waltz, which is afterwards played high up on the violin to a smooth background. The New Mayfair Orchestra, with vocalists, has recorded Ballad songs. The following songs are iiicluded: —"Sweet and Low" (where the voices shake too much)., "Garden of Sleep," , "Three Fishers" (where the solo is given out, then taken in high register with startling effect), "Sally in Our Alley," "The Dear Little Shamrock." which goes with a peculiar change of key to " God Send You Back to Me," "Lazily Drowjsily," and ."The Bells of St. Mary's."