MUSIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23393, 7 January 1938, Page 2

MUSIC

By Allegro

NOTES AND RECORDS

Toscanini, as conducts, has been much discussed in English circles of late. Many writers have praised his genius, his actions have been studied, and even photographic representations of his methods have been made To get from his orchestra what a conductor wants is one thing—to understand what the composer wants him to get from the orchestra is another thing. Toscanini apparently excels in both these. , One critic, writing after navmg for the first time heard “Tristan’ con-, ducted by Toscanini, says; _ I was puzzled by a great many things, i thought I knew ‘Tristan,’ but I found myself feeling a new emotion at a hundred points, hearing all sorts of things I had never heard before What is he doing with the score? 1 keot asking myself. I took a mental note of several passages and looked them up when I returned home: and in every case I found that all that Toscanini had done was to let us hear what we were meant to hear. In the opening scene between Isolde and Brangaene. for instance, there is a passionate outburst of rage on Isoldes part as she thinks of Tristan s treachery in Ireland, or what she imagined to be such: then, as she describes how a look from the sick knight melted her just when she had raised the sword to slay him. at the words Then from his pallet looked he up, not on the sword, not on my hand ne looked into my eyes, the music softens I had never before heard the passage sound as it did then: I have never heard it sound the same since then Yet all that Toscanini had done was to reproduce just what Wagner had written, and so make it sayally and dramatically, all that Wagner intended it to say. The violas have the melody the violins playing belo* them, while the cellos have a hguie of their own. Not only was the genera) colour of the passage realised in the most extraordinary way. but all the difference in the world was made h the pathetic cello figure by the finest of adjustments between the dot ana the slur in this part. Mere descrip tion cannot convey more than ft most shadowy impression of the effect the passage made: it had to be hea d to be believed. I tried when I came home to give a very musical friend a notion, at the piano, of what had hannened. His comment was. Well, I have known “ Tristan ” all my life; I have sung in it; I have produced it, and this is the first time 1 have heard that!’ I assured him that if he han been at the performance he would similarly have heard hundreds of things in the music which he had never heard before and would probably never hear again,” Lionel Tertio has formulated rules for the conduct of a superior symphony orchestra. Some of the points will be of constructive value to the larger of our orchestras as regards th ® ir .harmonious running and the standards to which they aspire, and although the majority of the rules aim at an ideal perhaps too high for all to gam, most of us will agree that solid achievement may 8 be the result of pursuing such an unattainable ideal. The rules are.

The orchestra shall never give more than two concerts a week. The best players the country produces, and the best only, must be engaged. This applies most particularly to the leaders of the strings. The leader of each section of the strings and his associate leader or under-study must be artists of accomplishment and prestige. Beauty of tone and temperamental feeling are essential qualifications. Each string leader shall take his men for a sectional rehearsal of three hours for every concert. All players shall be available when required individually by their leader for Inspection of the condition of their instruments and for instruction in the improvement, when necessary, of their methods of tone production. This would particularly apply to players whose tone is poor through an inadequate vibrato.. Each leader shall edit all parts, with special reference to the fingering and phrasing of melodies. Note; A melody Is impoverished If the same string is not used throughout the section. Leaders shall finger the parts three months before the beginning of the concert season. Separate parts shall be provided for each player, and It shall be a condition of their contracts that the players study the parts at home Players to receive marked parts at the end* of each week for the following week’s concerts. The orchestra s parts and scores to be kept exclusively for Its use and to be shared with no other orchestra or conductor. The leader shall see that all the Instruments and bows in his section are good, that they are kept in good condition, and that good strings are used. Note; Dirty necks, finger-boards and strings are detrimental to left-hand dexterity, and it Is a common fault for too much resin to be allowed to accumulate in the strings. Leaders of string sections shall meet once a week to co-ordinate their bowing marks. No member of the orchestra shall belong to any other organisation whatever, whether of orchestral or chamber music, neither shall he teach at any institution. Plan for rehearsals of two weekly concerts (Wednesday and Saturday)Monday, 10-1, preparatory sectional, taken by string leaders, while the conductor rehearses the wind, etc. Monday, 2-5, full orchestra Tuesday, 10-1 and 2-5, full orchestra. Short rehearsal only (11-12.30) on Wednesday. Similar time table for the Saturday concert. No player shall accept any other professional engagement before the concert on the day of the concert. No casual behaviour shall be tolerated. There shall be no crossing of legs at rehearsals. Violins, etc., shall not be left on chairs during Intervals. The conductor’s instructions, nuances, etc., shall be immediately entered in parts at all desks. A thoroughly capable musician shall attend all rehearsals to criticise faulty balance. Note: It is not possible for a conductor always to detect imperfect balance and clarity because of his proximity to the orchestra.

Regarding the Schumann violin conco*ncerto, which has been lying in safe keeping from performers and from the public in general since 1907 and is shortly to be played in England, Johannes Joachim, the great violinist’s son. writes: —“ The manuscript of Schumann’s violin concertp was sold by us. Joesph Joachim’s heirs, to the Royal Library (now the Prussian State Library) in Berlin, in 1907. together with other papers from my father's estate. In agreement with my brothers and sisters. I made it a condition that the work should be neither published nor played in public until the hundredth anniversary of the composer’s death, in 1956. A year ago the authorities at the Libarary informed me that Schott’s, the Mainz publishers, had expressed a wish to publish the concerto and asked me whether I was agreeable. In my opinion, the course of events in the last 25 years rendered it unnecessary to maintain the term of prohibition originally laid down, and I gave my consent to the immediate publication of the work. My father’s reasons for withholding the concerto—which were not his alone, but were arrived at in agreement with Clara Schumann and Brahms—are set forth by him in detail in a long letter addressed to A. Moser, which also includes an analysis of the composition. This letter is printed in Moser’s life of my father ”