WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS

Otago Witness, Issue 2201, 7 May 1896, Page 39

WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS

Bt P. Eomptbb.

April 39 Dbar Pas^uin,— Here we are again 1 and the Pollards are still with us, but to-night sees them through-, closing with " l.es Cloches," the piece being mada the opportunity of saying not " Au BevoirJ" but "Good-bye 1" to Miss Cisay Samuels— heretofore billed as Mzgs b'andford. She is shortly to be monopolised by a happy Auekl «nder. Her friends here are giving her a real good send-off. Since I last wrote you Tom P> lllard's company has eivea us ai'-iny changes for suoh a short period, and the old pieces have gone with added zest to audiences which hive been big£«r than T.P. hai had here before.- For just upin a month big houses have greeted every rise of the curtain, and there is no need to ask the management : "How are jou doing?" The beam they beam on yoii is big enough to smote the intelligence of the most hardy-pated dullard. Christchurch next week, then Dunediu, then up north. Mr Laurence F. Watkin3, of Ghrjstchureh, has accepted the appointment of organist and choirmaster of our St. Mark's Church, rendered vacant by the retirement of Mr T. C. Webb. The salary will begin at £80 per annum. Mr Watkins, who is a young man, is spoken' of as a capable musician and an excellent choirmaster. Ho was for five years otganist of St. John's Church, Christchurch, and then, took the position of organist and choirmaster at the Chiistchurch fUthedral (where he t was formerly assistant organist) for a period of six months, owiug to the absence of Mr Tendall. He will be in Wellington about the middle of May. The Wellington Orchestral Society has voted a bonus of £10 1O« to Mr T. W. Pilcher, iun., for his services as secretary to the society during the year, and decided in preference to making the office a paid one to allow the secretary in future a percentage of the gross receipts of the year. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to the indefatigable conductor, Mr A. F. Hill. Now, what I want someone to stand right up and answer straight is this : What is the Trinity exam, but a theoretic cram ? They can write you down, on paper a nice-looking chord — but some tiptoppists (on paper) I know can't "get thar on i the piannar I" And that's what we want for our ', misses. Less theory, Mister and more practice 1 An excerpt from a local critique upon Monday's performance by the Tom Pollard Juvenile Opera Company of Catchaflea-catchafly— beg pardon, '"Girofle-Girofla" :— "Don Bolero was simply delightful, though perhaps not the character drawn by the author. The unistion with which he gave his song, 'You see a. happy father,' seized his audience at once, and he kept them amused from ! that time onward. With Miss Marion Mitchell he shared the honours of the evening. This little lady showed us last; night what she is really capable of doing. As the ' twins ' she was arch, ! naive, and bewitching as the moment demanded ; 1 and her prettiest songs, ' Dearest papa,' ' See how it sparkles ' (with chorus), and *ho her trio with Marasquin and Mourzouk, were all recll«d. It was her success of the season." lie's a fine, promising jouug fellow is Master Percy, so you baqwoar tv« lnmjw on him wktt to comes <towa

your way. He's well worth watching in every make-up, which are as numerous as freckles on the back of your hand. Those who have way-back memories may call to mind now it is told 'em that mention was made in this column that the Stephens trio with Tom Pollard -A If, Albert, aud Lily— celebrated, all of 'em, their birthdays in this city. Now, by a strange woiking of that intierknowßothtDgnessofhumanity it ha* again come about in this year of '96 and this month of April, right now, Wellington is again the scene and the opportunity of my wishing these amusing young people " Many happy returns of the day 1 Mr Maughan Barnctt's Musical Society gives it third and final concert of the season on Friday week in the Opera House. An attractive programme will include Mendelssohn's "Hear my prayer," piano solo 3by Mr Barnett, Sitt's viola Ooncertstuck played by Mr Alfred Hill, and « new suite for orchestra by Mr Barnett Madame Carl to a will be the vocalist.

There' f bars and bars of musical notes this week. Mr Mac Duff Boyd's annual concert this year will have the ' assistance of Mr Robert Parker, who conducts Beethoven's Concerto' for violin and orchestra— Mr Boyd at the violin: I have received from th« author, " Frank Lewerd," a new song, "At the wheel," both words and music being the work of one of our musicians. I heard the song; sung at an entertskiumeut a ahorb time ago, and wai much taken with it, the gallery recognising its rhythm by keeping time with their feet — a Hire sign that a song or other piece of music i* " taking." That the theme is a good one I have but to quote the first of the three verses to prove : We've been at the wheel when the storm was

hiuh, And the quivering sails were rent ; When each w*ve held death in its angry frown, And the masts like willow* b?nt ; .

When tba thunder roared and the lightning bright Seemed to fl -,sh from spar to sp*r— • But of dangers none that I know can quail The heart of a British tar. Chorus, Then driuk, boys drink to the ocean blue And the rolling waves we ro*m, And drink again to the lass that's true And the port we oil our home. Sailorrnan that he is, his Excellency the Governor Lord Glasgow (aa ex-officer in our navy) has received the song with pleasure, thanking and complimenting the composer ; and in such good company P. R. also smiles upon Mr John M'Glashan, congratulates him upon his coming out thus before the music loving public, and wishes him all sorts of good luck as a writer of songs. Beal and Co., of- London, are the publisher*, and tLe song may be had all over the colony.

Mr Walter Impett (tha BAruett of Wanganui) is organising c, aeries of pop?, in that town for the winter, and opens same next week. Miss Laura Fisher and Mr J W. Hill, of this city, are on the first programme. So Mr Impetb ia certainly venturesome in importing his talent, thereby deserving success. Han- Balling and Mr Maughan Barnett during their tour of a few months ago found in Wanganui their beat audience. The Oourt Siugor* give the palm to Nelson -dear old Sleepy Hollow 1 New violins for old I . A practical t>ial of an invention for the improvement of violins, for which patents have been applied for by Messrs W M'Keuzie, proprietor of the- Wairarapa Observer, and W. W. Rising, cabinetmaker, of Curterton, was made in our Theatre Royal this week. The invention consists of* the insertion lengthways in the belly of the violin of a bar of wo id to which are attached discs of glass. These it is claimed increase the vibration within the belty of the instrument, and so enable the violin to give forth a f-tronger tone. In order to test the invention, Mr M Kenzie had bought some very common violins, one of them being the worst and cheapest "duffer" he could purchase. These he had fitted with t!>e invention. Mr Mac Duff Boyd had played on one of these "duffers" before it had been fitted with the discs, and on Friday tried it again, when he declared that the invention had greatly improved the tone Mr Alf. Hill, who was also present, was of opinion that the tone produced, though probably stronger than that of the ordinary instrument, was not a true violin tone ; that the glass had a tone of itß owd, which did not accord altogether with the tone from the wood: Mr Boyd then tried each of the violins with his own, while Mr Hill went to the back of the theatre, and, without looking at the performer, each time picked out Mr Boyd's violin from the othera, which, it must be remembered, were cheap instruments. Mr Hill then tried the violins, and Mr Boyd adjudged them, with the result that twice out of four trials with each insti ument he gave his verdict for one fitted with the invention, aud twice for his own instrument. Of course, Mr Boyd's violiu was of vastly batter quality than those operated upon. The inventors claim that the invention makes good violins out of bad ones j and certainly the result of the trial on Friday justifies to some extent their claim. tfi-Mr Robert Parker ha 3 just received the diploma of Licentiate of Triaity College, London, accompanied by a letter from the secretary stating that the diploma has been conferred upon him as one who has obtained public distinction in music. Allow me the pleasure : - " Mr Robert Parker, LrT.C L."

Wellington is to hjve aa exhibition at the end of the year-nothing like your New Zealand and South Seas affair, you know- and music is to be made a feature thereof. At the meeting of the Musical Committee last aight the secretary was directed to ask the Brass Bands Association whether it could see its way to hold its annual contest this year in Wellington instead of at Dunedin. It was decided to recommend the Building Committee to arrange that the stage in the concert hall should accommodate 250 performers.

Amy Vau*han's Bfjglish Musical Comedy Company opens at the Criterion on Saturday night— Bittt a ofov field before them fee a cauole ti

months. The roster of the eorapany includes, besides the amiable Auay, Misses Elfie Morella, Florrie Cameron, Memrs Johnnia Collin*, Ca 1 Browne, Harry Baxter, the Maciermotts, Charles bt. Llair ; Geotge Warren, ruanagev. The only booking for onr Open* House occurs in the second week in July, for the Firm's Royal Comic Opera Company. Mr H. N. Abbott ha* made arrangements for a number of novelties for tho Auckland Opera House to fin in the time betwten this and Christmas. The list includes Lawton'e Novelty Company, in which is "Ouda," au individual with a penchant for walking on the ceiling and on a ladder suspended in the roof of the theatre head downwards ; also a famous boxing kangaroo. Then fellow Williamson's Opera Company, 70 strong, which will visit Auckland in Aug t j the famous "Trilby" Company, Hoyte's America a Company, and a dramatic reason by a 'company including Mrs Brown-Potter and Mrs Brough, ono of the leading plays being " As Yon Like It." The only datus absolutely fix* d for the Wellington Opera House aa yet are Williamson and Musgrove 10th July to 23rd, and the sumo company a three weeks' season commencing from Boxing Night. Bland Holt returns on January 18, 18»7. Thii week our Opera House Company holds its annual meeting, and if brevity is wit, how bright ihould their report scintillate, for here it it :— " The directors beg to submit to the shareholders 1 tho balance sheet for the year ending March 31, i 1896. Income for the year shows a aurplu* of £629 9s 5d over expenditure, and the directors recommend that a dividend of 4 per cent, be declared absorbing tho sum of Mil <s, the balance (£4B 5s si) to be transferred to profit and loss account. Tho retiring directors are Messrs Barber, Gale, Gilmer, and Oasquoine, who, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election."

Two of Mr Maughan Barnett's compositions for the pianoforte &aye come in for some compHmentiry notice at the hands of the Musical Timer, probably tha chief nfusic*l paper of England, which says :— " The composer of these bright little pieces— 'AlbumbUtt' arid 'Reigen' —has something to say, and, moreover, says it in workmanlike and effective manner. The 'Albumblatt' in particular possesses a piquant individuality that renders it vary attractive. The ' Roigen ' will form a good exercise for neat ftugerbg." Alf Stephens, of the Pollards, celebrated his eighteenth birthday yesterday. Last night he played his favourite and best character— Gaspard ia Les Cloches."

The bouquet given last night ta Miss Ci«?y Sandford by the boys of the company w«s a beauty, but one given Miss Lily Stephens, in the shape of that emblem of good luck, a horieshoe, waf n't far from being its equal. A shoe makes a striking floral present, and may be taken (I shoe'd say) as particularly appropriate in Miss Satauels'a case.