MUSICAL TASTES

Southland Times, Issue 20661, 17 April 1929, Page 6

MUSICAL TASTES

AN UPWARD TREND

THE REIGN OF JAZZ TOTTERING INVERCARGILL OPINIONS In what direction is the musical taste of the public tending? A Wellington music dealer was reported in yesterday’s issue to have stated that there is an increasing demand for light, yet good, music, which while not being “highbrow” is not jazz. The waltzes of Strauss was mentioned as being typical of the new trend in taste. A Times reporter interviewed several Invercargill music dealers yesterday and while opinions varied in a remarkable way on some points, the consensus of opinion was that, public taste in the past tw r o or three years has been steadily improving. “There are two distinct classes in the record-buying population,” said one dealer, “but we find that those interested in the better type of music are steadily increasing in number. As mentioned in an extract from a Wellington paper, the public are demanding records, which, although not exactly ‘high-brow’ are not jazz. Good orchestral recordings, such as that done by the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra has always a ready sale, and indeed the popularity of orchestral items, as opposed to vocal, is increasing rapidly. This is largely due to the improvement in the technical process of recording, and reproduction. The introduction of electrical reproduction and the re-entrant sound-box has undoubtedly made a tremendous difference to the gramophone industry. What is known as Chamber Music, such as instrumental trios or quartets, chiefly wood-wind or string instruments, has increased tremendously in popularity. “I feel certain the days of jazz arc numbered,” he continued. “During the last year or two the demand for the old blaring, syncopated stuff has waned to a very large extent and certainly the gramophone has done much towards that. The public wants more melody and the recorders are falling into line with the public’s demands. Of course, dance music is always wanted for its own ends, but the inhuman bawling and screeching of the ‘novelty’ effects is disappearing. “Another proof of the growing popularity of good music is seen in the way Celebrity records are being reduced in price. The increasing demand has made it possible for many of the red label H.M.V. records to be reduced to plum labels and what cost 10/6 and 12/6 can now be bought for 5/- or 6/-. Of course, the recording companies were to a large extent responsible for the unpopularity of good records by placing such exorbitant prices on them. With the cheaper prices for good records we can confidently hope for an even greater improvement in the public taste.” Gramophone and Sweet Music. “There is a strange difference between our two departments,” said Mr A. R. Wills, manager of Beggs, Ltd. “The gramophone side can not report an uplift, while the music sheet side can. Although we advertised extensively some records of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, we sold only about 25, whereas we have sold over 300 of the incredibly idiotic and hideous ‘Hallelujah, I’m a Burn’ records whose tune is merely an old Sankey’s hymn. It looks on the face of it as if the general taste here is very low. “On the other hand, the sheet music sold is of a fairly high standard. Most of it is sold to teachers and they are trying hard to create a better taste among their pupils. In the Civic Band we meet the same difficulty as all bands and orchestras do. It is hard to educate the public seeing that the bands depend on the public for financial support. They have to lower themselves to the public taste. If a band plays selections from Wagner, only a few enthusiasts and cultured music-lovers are interested enough to listen, yet if ‘Moonlight and Roses’ is played, the band is popular. If all bands and orchestras decided to play only good stuff, perhaps then after a while the public taste would be educated to appreciate it. “At the same time,” continued Mr Wills, “I think that in the last two or three years, the taste has improved a little although the gramophone sales seem to point the other way. The truth is that so many people have gramophones who are nevertheless not musical nor pretend to be musical. They just buy their records for a bit of liveliness. Nevertheless, many of those who, two or three years ago would come in for the ‘Prisoner's Song,’ buy Schubert to-day. As a matter of fact, what was responsible for a great deterioration in tone was the war and its after-effects. Fortunately to-day ‘Mademoiselle from Armentieres' is no longer a prime favourite, but its influence remains. I really think also, that many of these songs such as ‘Hallelujah I’m a Bum,’ are not bought for home singing, but for a night out or some similar entertainment. “What we can be very thankful for.” Mr Wills concluded, “is the excellent work being done in the schools with class gramophone recitals and the efforts of the music teachers to cultivate in their pupils a taste for cultured, refined and truly beautiful music.”