MUSIC NOTES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16866, 1 February 1929, Page 10

MUSIC NOTES

- JJL ! (XX) SYMPHONY HOAX .JOKE OF SWEDISH CUMI’OSKB FAMOUS MUSICIAN.S As JUDGES LON DUN. Dec. 17. Mr. h urt At terberg, Hits winner of the Columbia. Co.'s £2O’CO prize for a j>yi« phony in honor ol Schuberts centenary, has declared that he composed llie work, in part, at least, with his tongue in his cheek/ .Mr. A Herbert:' is a Stockholm musical critic. The award vas given by a, large committee of famous musicians from all couutries (including Professor Donald Covey, of Edinburgh); who sat at Vienna. •'lt is," writes Mr. AUerherg in duiin o’ Loudon's Weekly, ‘'always a ridicuous thing for a. composer to hike, purl in competitions.” He states, that for a certain Swedish musical competition lie wrote two compositions, one seriously and the. other with his tongue in his check. Both got prizes. He wrote the Schubert symphony partly seriously “for my heart,’’ and partly as a joke “for; vnv conscience' ‘•LAUGH let MINK” When the symphony was played in Loudon lasi month everyone talked, of the obvious derivations from bygone composers. Must of the. commentators were lenient (the tone being, “After all, ft is only a, competition!’’), but Mr. Ernest Newman was severe. Mr, At terberg now says that the plagiarisms were- dpiiberate—they were part of the hoax, and su far Iron: being cross with bis fellow-critics for complain- j nig of ids lack ol originality be gil'ds ai. them for uni rnent inning more ol his borrowings. “\o critic hho has blamed my sym rbony lias proved that he possessed a sufficient • . • knowledge ot the classical musical literature. With £2OOO in his pocket and not all 1 1 is allusions to. the great masters yet spotted, he says, “The laugh has been mine.” The weak point in the ioko is that clever symphonies composed will: all the tricks of the trade, and crammed with other men's- themes, are sue!) everyday fare; and if there ever was humor in' them it lias staled in the course ol so many students’ concerts. BEECH AM OPERA SCHEME Damn Nellie Melba's appeal on behalf of the Imperial Opera League will no doubt furnish a needed stimulus in England to this enterprise, for which Sir Tliumas Beecliam is working so zealously, In a. speech which he addressed to an audience of musicians at the Loyal Academy of Music in November lie announced that Ute league had then 50,000 members. “This is in many respects not a had result, said he. We have not, the 100,000 I should like to have; but the 50,000 represent a substantial nucleus, and f have no intention that the figure should stop there," ho emphasised, amid cheering. “It is going on, and on, and on until an operatic institution is in existence. Sir I homas drew a depressing picture of the present condition of opera in England, and the want of opportunity for the talent of the young artists who had completed their training in the English colleges of music, which lie ranked among the iiuest institutions in the world. Making a distinction betweyn the vast body ol the general public on tlio one hand and the minority who were music lovers on the other, he pointed out that it vas to the tatter class, comprising about 150,003 in London and the provincial cities, that ffe directed his appeal, for, he explained. “years of the best kind ot instruction and training must go by before the general public begins to take an interest in opera.” In the course of the discussion Sir Hugh Allen, director of the Royal College of Music, suggested that tiro Government Should charge 10s Co instead of 10s for a wireless license, and pay the 6d as an opera suggestion was welcomed by Sir i homas Boecham as an excellent, one, though he added the comment that possibly of the 2,000,00.0 persons holding these licenses 1,800,000 might resent any proposal that they should listen to opera. MR, BETER DAWSON’S ACTIVITIES Air. l’etev Dawson, the Australian baritone, for niany years a. prominent figure in the English concert world, j° just now spending another busy season in Great Britain, not only upon the platform, hut in making song records. In a letter to his old friend, Mr Oswald, Anderson, of Sydney, he gives an inforesting account of those activities, among which were many attractive, concerts in various centres through Great Britain as a member of an important trio, which also included Mr Albert Sammons, the violinist; and Mr Mark Hambourg. the pianist. The tour ot these three artists has been one of' tho features of the .season, and attiuctei “wonderful business” in every city visited A programme enclosed witli Mr Dawson's letter shows that modern writers like Balfour Gardiner. Erie Fogg, and Harold Samuels, figured largely m his choice of songs for these concerts, and that his colleagues also gave duo representation to present-day composers. Two London recitals were given by the baritone this year, and when he wrote lie was preparing for a, third. In these recitals, again, his judgement was well illustrated in the selection of such •music ns a group of seven Shakespearean songs, setting by Dr Arne, Gasteluuovo Tedesco, Keel, and other composers, which coustiUitbd a feature of one of these recitals, while for another hr chose Arthur Somervell’s music tor Tennvson’s “Maud” as his principal. I home The friendship of Mr 1 etcr Dawson and Mr Anderson, by the way, dales from 1913, when Mr Anderson, then in London, sent hiiu his Song of Triumph.” ft so impressed the baritmie flint within 2d hours he met the composer, and three nights later he sang this music at the Palladium to au audience of 3000 people; with Mr Anderson as the accompanist.

FLORENCE AUSTRAL. Under the management of Mr E- JCarroll Florence Austral, the Australian soprano (in privalo life Mvs Amadio), will give u mwios ol RUy co - cerls in Australia and New Zealand early next year. Air and Airs'Annulio are’at present touring America. Writing to'his sister in Melbourne from London q, November last, Air Amadio stated that thev would return from America in Mav,* in time, lor two special pei--1 uvuiavices arranged for "Florence a Covent Gardens, in Ihe Valkyrie and “Gottcvda-inmerung.” Having been enoaged to sing at the Cincinnati Festival on Mav B. Miss Austral could, no reach Emdand in time lo sing the whole of the cycle of The Ring at Coven , Gardt'ii. ' hence the arrangement of the snenal performances. Mr. 'Amandin wil accompany his wife to Australia. and appear with her on lier concert tour.