NEW ZEALAND MUSIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22711, 25 October 1935, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND MUSIC

PLEA FOR RECOGNITION MR PERCY GRAINGER’S VIEWS “ Next time I come heie,” said Mr Percy Grainger, the English pianist and composer, before leaving Dunedin yesterday for Christchurch, “ I would like to hear a full programme of New Zealand music.” Mr Grainger, who is making a tour of the Dominion and giving concerts in the various centres, paid a high tribute to the work of the Dunedin Choral Society’s Madrigal Choir. It was one of the best in the world, he said. Indeed, he knew of only five which in his opinion, equalled or excelled it. Among these were the Lydian Singers at Adelaide, Smallman's a Cappcla at Los Angeles, and the Madrigal at Amsterdam. “ Those of Dunedin’s musicians I heard,” lie continued, “ I found both skilful and sympathetic, and * the studio orchestra at Station 4YA appealed to me as a truly delightful combination.” Mr T. Vernon Griffiths, the musical director at tho Dunedin Technical High School, was in Mr Granger's opinion a gifted and original musician, and evi•dcncc of this was given in his setting of “ God Save tho King.” “ I would like when I make another visit to this country to take part in a concert of only New Zealand compositions,” Mr Grainger said. “Every country should enjoy its own music. Your people would never be satisfied if they saw only foreign footballers in action, but would want to see their own players in the game. I do not suggest that any good foreign work should be neglected, but there should be an endeavour to develop a fuller interest in local compositions which express the feeling of the New Zealand people.” Mr Grainger said ho regarded his overseas concerts as propaganda for tho music of the younger countries. They had had a programme of Australian works and ho hoped to arrange one of Dominion compositions. He was of the opinion that there should be the same interchange of music between tho whole of the English-speaking countries as existed between Germany and Austria. American music might not be known in New Zealand and similarly New Zealand music might bo neglected in America. It was a part of his life’s work to try to improve this situation as far as possible. Mr Grainger has been appointed patron of the Dunedin Choral Society’s Madrigal Choir and has presented it with several works. Ho has also expressed his intention to take an active interest in its welfare and to send further gifts of music.