NOTES AND MUSIC.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13360, 14 September 1936, Page 2

NOTES AND MUSIC.

(By “Violonschule”). There arc three groups of instruments in an orchestra; namely, those in which the sound comes from vibrating strings are known as “stringed 7 7 instruments, those in which a column of air is set in motion are called “'wind” instruments, and those which themselves I re set vibrating by being sharply struck are called “percussion” instruments. The string group: Of these families, the string group is the largest and of which the piano is the bestknown member. .Other stringed instruments* such as the harp, guitar, mandoline, zither and banjo have their strings plucked by the player. The violon, the king of all instruments, closely ranks with the viola, violoncello and double bass, which are larger forms of the same type, producing deeper sounds by reason of their greater size. The wind instruments: The flute, as I have said before, is the most ancient of all musical instruments and is a typical member of this group. A smaller form of the flute with a shriller sound is the piccolo. The best-known wind instruments are the cornet, trombone, clarionet, bassoon and the oboe.

Percussion instruments: There are two chief kinds of this group—drums and bells. The big bass drum and the smaller drum are much used in bands to mark the time and to produce rumbling martial effects. These drums produce indefinite sounds (if no fixed pitch, but there is another kind, the kettledrum, which can be tuned to definite pitch and is much used in orchestras.. In the bell group are such instruments as the triangle, xylophone and marimba.

Prom now on I propose each week to write a short paragraph about some celebrated composer. This week the composer, who was the world's greatest pianist, is Franz Liszt. This v “Hungarian wonder child, 77 as Liszt was called, began his public career at the age of nine. His father, an accomplished musician, taught him the theory of music and to play the piano. But the strange rhythms and fantastic sweet melodies of his compositions he owed to the wandering gipsy bands of his childhood home in western Hungary. As a little boy Liszt showed such genius that Hungarian noblemen furnished the money for his parents to take him to Vienna and gave him the best musical instruction. At the age of twelve his playing so moved the great Beethoven 'that he took the child in his arms and kissed him. Liszt’s life was a long series of artsitic triumphs—his compositions include works for the piano, j organ, orchestra and voice. He was | also director of music at the Court

of the Grand Duke of Weimar. The kindness and generosity of Liszt have become proverbial, as also was his appreciation for struggling young artists. Chopin, Berlioz, Schumann and Wagner were among those he befriended. Probably his best-known works are his Hungarian rhapsodies, whose delightful strains reveal the mad gaietv and plaintive wistfulness of old Hungary. Liszt died in 188 G at Bayreuth, 'Bavaria, where he had often conducted the production of V agner’s operas. GENERAL. Each year Wagnerian festivals are still heard at Beyreuth, Bavaria, in honour of that great composer, Richard Wagner—Wagner is pronounced “ Vargner 7 —perhaps some may be interested to know. An anecdote about Liszt: On Liszt’s visits to Budapest he was the guest of Canon Schwencltner, and often conducted the music in the Bevarosi Church. One Sunday Liszt was so transported by the music of the “Gloria 77 that his baton remained poised in mid-air for some seconds. Before the pause could be noticed by the congregation Mr Engeszer, the conductor, jumped forand. taking the baton from Liszt’s hand, carried the . “Gloria 7 to a finish. This incident was repeated on subsequent occasions, but Mr Engeszer never failed to jump forward and carry on the service when the master forgot his whereabouts in a musical reverie.