MUSIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22823, 6 March 1936, Page 3

MUSIC

NOTES AND RECORDS

By Allegro.

By Schubert's Unfinished Symphony we think of the one in B minor. Yet (here is also one in E. This work, Schubert's seventh symphony, was composed, or rather sketched, in 1821, the year before the Unfinished 13 minor. It is very little known, says a writer. The manuscript has an interesting history. Schubert's brother Ferdinand save it to Mendelssohn, after whose death it passed into the possession of his brother Paul and thence to Sir George Grove. It is now in the library of the Royal College of Music. In -Germany its verv existence has been generally overlooked. There is no mention of *it in some of the standard German works on Schubert, and it ie not included in Breitkopf and Hartel's complete edition of the works, although many less important fragments are printed there. Grove, however, long ago, ;rave an account of it in his dictionary. Unlike the B minor, of which Schubert completed two movements, stopping inexplicably after writing a few bars of the scherzo, the E major symphony is a complete sketch of four movements. Grove says: "The introduction and a portion of the allegro are fully scored and marked; but at the 110th bar—the end of a page —Schubert appears to have grown impatient of his regular proceeding, and from that point to the end of the work has made merely memoranda. But these memoranda are, in their way, perfectly complete and orderly to the end of the finale. ... •'* Schubert evidently regarded the work as no less complete on paper than it was in his mind. And complete it virtually is; each subject is given at full length, with a bit of bass or accompaniment figure or fugato passage. There is not that docs not contain the part of one or more instruments; at all crucial points the scoring is much fuller." High praise for English music is given in the following article:— It may be fairly said that England possesses* the most perfect means of musical execution existing at the present day, the finest orchestras, the best conductors, the most penetrating interpreters. Does she possess the best composers? She seems to me to be about to have them, said a visiting musician to England recently. After a lons silence English music reawoke to a full life in the latter part of the nineteenth century, and the celebrated name of Edward Elgar symbolist's that fertile revival. Elgar represents the imitative period which always precedes that of pure creation. In order to write, one must first of all form it style on the example of the consecrated masters. . , In ERir's music the influence of Brahms, Wagner, Strauss and Franck is very naturally felt: they were his most illustrious contemporaries. But in their school he acquired an astonishing mastery of composition, enabling a certain expression of his appealing personality. After Edward Elgar, Dr Vaughan Williams appears one of the best inspired of the representatives of the contemporary English school. His new Symphony in F minor is a very fine work. Arnold Bax's new Symphony in C minor, No. 0, captivated one less. There are more attractive works by this composer, notably his charming quintet for string quartet and harp. One appreciated as they deserve the ironic wit of Lord Berners's music, Eugene Goossens's poetic sentiment, and Arthur Bliss's subtle delicacy, also Hoist's inventive originality. To sum up, the modern English school has begun and is most promisingly pursuing an upward course. After close contact with British artists and their works one has no doubt that the school, already so brilliant, will attain the summits that are not now far off. GMi's latest dramatic recording is from" "I Pagliacci "—" Tro Pagliacci non son!"—is sung with great feeling. On the second side is "Si fin soldato from " Andrea Chenier," given in Gigli s most attractive style. Peter Dawson may be heard in Life and Death," by Coleridge-Taylor, and "A Sea Call," by Ramon, a popular recording. „ "St Patrick's Night" is a jolly singing and talking record holding the following Irish songs:—"lrish Jig," Tim Irish Washerwoman," "Eileen Oge,- " When You First Said You Loved Me, "Mrs M'Grath, the Sergeant Said," " Savourneen Delish," " Believe Me if All Those Endearing Young Charms," " A Jug of Punch," "Irish Reel," "The Rakes of Mallow." Dealing with shift workers, the court said that if the following conditions were satisfied, an employee ehould be deemed to work only the 44-hour week within the award: — , . . . 1. He shall be on duty regularly tor one continuous period not exceeding eight hours, inclusive of reasonable crib time, paid for a e working* time. » 2. Such continuous periods shall not" average in number more than one tor each 24 hours nor more than six for every seven days. 3. If an employee has to work any such continuous period on Sunday or holiday, he shall be paid therefor at time and a-half instead of ordinary rate unless, he receives a fortnight's annual leave without deduction of pay. THE 40-HOUR WEEK. A Bill providing for a shorter working week is now before the Czechoslovakian Parliament. Under the Bill the maximum hours ot effective work in public and private establishments is to be eight in the day and 40 in the week, or six in the day and 36 in the week for persons employed on exceptionally tiring, dangerous o r unhealthy operations; an interval of not less than 15 minutes to be granted to all employed persons after four consecutive hours' work; a weekly rest of not less than 30 hours to be given, as a rule on Sundays, in conformity with the Weekly Rest Act.' and women to stop work not later than 12 noon on Saturdays. Overtime to be paid as follows: Double time for work at night and on Sundays and public holidays, time and ahalf for work on Saturday afternoons, and time and a-qnarter in other cases; the regulations limiting overtime to be stricter than in previous legislation: and work at night (between 10 p.m. and 5 a m.) to be prohibited save in genuinely exceptional cases. The Bill also provides that a reduction in hours -nay not involve loss of earnings. UNITED STATES UNEMPLOYMENT. Although business recovery has surged forward to 50 per cent, of normal, approximately 11.500.000 workers are still unemployed in the United States. That many of these will remain permanently unemployed unless a far-reach-in"' change is made in industrial conditions is shown by the fact that, owing to labour-saving machinery, the workers are producing an average of 25 per cent, more than in 1929. This means that 1.800.000 fewer workers employed at 1929 hours can now turn out the 1929 peak output. Bv November. 1935. although industry had'recovered at least half its depression loss only 29 per cent, of the depression unemployed had found work. During 103;> the workers in industry increased their output 14 per cent. But the workers employed increased only 4 per cent. In January. 1935, the average work week ot employed industrial workers was 38J hours.' Following the adverse decisions ol the Supreme Court, employers began a systematic effort, to lengthen hours, with the result that, by November the average work week was <H)J hours. Ihe longer working week meant driving more men out of" their jobs or preventing .jobless men getting employment. The effects of unemployment are tragic, particularly in the big cities. I'or instance, there are now 393,000 t; lies, or 1,500,000 persons, on the relief rolls in New York alone. This means that approximately one-fourth of the city's population is on the dole.