MUSICIANS AND COMPOSERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2804, 11 December 1907, Page 82

MUSICIANS AND COMPOSERS.

—At the age of 81 (says an English paper) Mr James Pollitt is still a chorister at Newton JAeath. When eight years of age he became an alto boy at Culcheth OidSchool, Newton Heath, and with the exception of one year, spent at Accrington, he has continued to^attend the church at the Sunday services, the festivals, and weeknight rehearsals.

— Rokitansky, the father of, the wellknown operatic singers, was professor of pathology at the "Vienna University. Besides the two singers, he had another couple of sons, who had acquired a certain celebrity as medicai men. One day, when- the old professor was asked how his sons were getting on, he replied, shaking his head: — "You see, friends, two of them heal and •the other two howl, and the howlers earn four times as much as the healers!"

— Madame Clara Butt, the famous contralto, has, in spite of the large fees offered, firmly refused the persuasions of gramophone 7 firms to sing into their instruments in order that the public may have a permanent record- of her voice. The reasons Madame Butt gives for her objections are curious, but at the same time perfectly understandable. She objects to having her voice "tinned," chiefly because she would have no control over the records. One day she saw outside an oyster saloon a notice - "So-and-so sings while you eat." "I should think," added Madame Clara Butt, "it would not be -nice to hear one's voice issuing from some hotel bar blended with the voices of jovial customers who might join in the chorus."

— Give him a thread, and die American journalist will produce a yarn unequalled j for originality on either side of the At lan- ] tic. The latest example is related by Mr~j Fritz Krei6ler, the famous violinist. M. I Kreisler happens -to take n great delight in studying old books and-- manuscripts, and, being in the neighbourhood of a famous old Spanish monastery near Los Angeles, he paid several visits to the brotherhcod for j the purpose of delving into their book- ! shelves. His Surprise may be imagined 1 when, shortly afterwards, he came across j huge headlines in an enterprising daily an- j nouncing, "Great Violinist Turned Priest — His Magic Bow is Laid Acid«." This . was an effort not of the bow, but of the j longbow. I — Countless are the stories told of the ! geniality of Dr Hans Richter, who, to the delight 1 of music lovers, has consented to conduct the forthcoming London Symphony Concerts. A short time ago, while rehearsing a Mozart symphony in' which the first violins had a number of delicate trills and turns to perform, these were played too heavily for Richter, who saki : "Please, gentlemen, pianissimo ! Queen Mab — not suffragettes."^ Again, when^ on one occasion Richter was not thoroughly satisfied with the orchestral . rendering of a scene from "Tristan and Isolde," he stopped the rehearsal and asked for more dignity in the playing, adding that Isolde was the daughter of a king, not of a cook. On another occasion, while reheareing Tschaikovsky's "Romeo and Juliet" music, the violoncellos have a very passionate melody to play. Richter was by np means , satisfied that the needful warmth **>fe*pressJ6n had been obtained. "Gentlemen, gentlemen," said he, "you all play like married men, not like lovers." . — A French musician, who was seized with" a fever some years ago, evinced a desire in his tranquil moments to hear the ■ cantatas of a fellow-composer sung by a | small concert party in his sick chamber, j Finally his physician consented, reluctantly. I to gratify this extraordinary request. It j happened" that at the moment when the ! singers arrived at the patient's house his | paroxysms were worse than usual. After a great deal of hesitation the doctor permitted the concert party to enter the bedroom, and they commenced their concert, j As soon as the soft strains reached the sick man's ears it was observed that his countenance assumed a look of serenity and sweetness. He was free from delirium while the concert lasted, but when it was at an end he relapsed into his former state. Thereafter his friends and relatives brought musical instruments to his bedside at regular intervals, until music became a part of the prescribed treatment for his illness. In the course of a wfcek or so the composer was practically cured of his malady, and always ascribed the cure to the effect of the music^on his shattered nerves rather, than to his physician's treatment. — While chatting one day with Mr Maurice Farkoa, the versatile actor and vocalist, who is appearing with much success just row at the Palace Theatre, London, a writer in a London paper, after listening to the singer's delightful rendering of " 'Enery 'Awkins" in French, ventured to remark* that he presumed Mr Farkoa was a Frenchman by birth. "I leave that for others to decide," the actor laughingly replied. "My father was French, my mother English, while I was born in Smyrna. So figure it out just as you please. If a census of opinion as to who is the handsomest man on the stage at the present time was taken, Mr Farkoa.. if he did not head the poll, would come very near the top ; for the matinee girl in this country quite aprrees with the remark of the American belle, who declared that Mr Farkoa's curly locks, exquisite moustache, and laughing- pvp-5 were "too cute for anything*' Mr Farkoa, by the way, commenced, his career as a bank clerk, and concert engagements at a guinea seeired Hgh then in his aspirations. Mr George Gro«smith heard him sing- one nipht, and advi-jpd Mr fiporpe Kdwardes to give tW voting- sincror a trial in "An Art.ists's Model." That was the- commencement of the many successes which Mr Farkoa has 6cored. people talk about the overcrowded state of the thpatrical profession, others of the lack of talent in our theatres. It is certain that if a certain amounV of talent were found in a fair proportion of the numbers of the artistes who complain that they are unable to got engagements, the stage would at present be enjo^ ing- a great or measure of prosperity, the many pieces now written down as "unsuccessful" would be reduced to a negligible quantity, while there would be fewer artistes wanting engagements. A weil-known theatrical agent ha<? been telling P.T.O. sorrowfully of his inability to find real talent. "For instance, I want," he says, "a young lady who is able to f=ing to tour with one of mv companies throucrh the Antipodes in a number rf musical com<Hlioß which have rpcentlv been played in London But I can assure you that the task of finding a lady with eomo talent, who can adopt such roles as Miss Isabel Jay's is Gargantuan — in fact. xw>\\ niah impossible. Having exhausted all legitimate source, I am about to sp.irch among the ranks of amateur drama-

tic societies. If the lady can even sinff ! passably- well I shall make her an offer on, the spot." "Do you mean to say," I asked him "that we haye no talent on the musical-comedy stage in this country?" "That is not- exactly my meaning," he re« ! plied. "Some talented artistes there certainly are, but new, contracts are always awaiting- them, and they are never out of engagements. I do mean, however, that there is room — and plenty of it — for fresh talent!" From the particulars which he | gave me I gather' that the salary he ia prepared to -offer the fortunate possessor of 1 a voice is quite good, and the opportunity would thus be afforded to an amaI teur is a very excellent one.