STRING QUARTET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26776, 20 May 1948, Page 8

STRING QUARTET

AUSTRALIAN VISITORS

BRINGING MUSIC TO THE PEOPLE

Over 10,000 miles’ travelling*;a year within Queensland sounds more like the record of a commercial representative than a musical group, but that is the average annual distance which has been covered by the members of the Queensland State String Quartet since )he upit was formed by the Adult Education Department of the Queensland Government four years ago. It was thought at that time that the venture of bringing music to the isolated country districts might be 5 per cent, successful, and the project was organised on a doubtful two-year basis. Just how wrong the original ideas have proved has been shown by the record of this musical group. At present engaged in a tour of New Zealand, the quartet arrived in Dunedin last evening, and will give their only concert locally in the Concert Chamber this evening, The Concert Chamber should be a pleasant change after some of the halls they have encountered in their State- touring in Australia, where church halls, schoolrooms, or virtually any room into which an audience can be crowded have served as their auditoriums. They have covered the hinterland as far as Mount Isa, and members of their audiences have travelled anything up to 90 miles to hear them. Appreciative Audiences The high standard of musical appreciation in New Zealand was commented on by members of the group when talking to the Daily Times last night. “We nave really been delighted with the receptions we have been given,” said Mr E. V. Llewellyn, the leader of the group, who expressed surprise at the fact that requests had been received for modern works, such as those of Bax and Bartok. They were disappointed that the school holidays had precluded giving any concerts for school children in the South Island. This was a major feature of their work in Queensland, for the department’s policy was to foster interest in good music among the younger generation as much as among adults. . . Australian composers and musicians were being encouraged by the Australian Broadcasting Commission, the Columbia Gramophone Company and by the Australian Performing Rights Association, they stated. The A.B.C. was endeavouring to allocate 10 per cent of its musical programmes to Australian music of all kinds, and more records of the home product were being made. Australian Composer One Australian composer who has won fame at home and abroad was mentioned by the members of the quartet. He is John Anthill, and his most unusual work so far has been Coroboree, a suite based on aboriginal music and legends. This strange work has been broadcast in New Zealand, and Mr Llewellyn stated that it had been taken up by Eugene Gossens and widely played in Australia. Anthill’s intensive research into the theme of his music''has made him an acknowledged authority on aspects of the Australian aborigine. Bringing “ live ” music to people who would otherwise have little opportunity of hearing anything but recordings doubtless has its reward in the enthusiasm and appreciation of those people, but the members of the quartet said that their wives were not quite as pleased about the situation. Two days after they return to Brisbane from New Zealand they are due to set out on a further State tour as far afield as Cloncurry. That, they feel, may take a certain amount Of domestic explanation.