AIRS NOT ORIGINAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 987, 2 June 1930, Page 11

AIRS NOT ORIGINAL

OPERA COYPRIGHT DISPUTED IN COURT ACTION

COMPOSER’S STRONG COMMENT

LONDON, Saturday.

Sir Landon Ronald, composer, was one of the witnesses in a lawsuit in which the owners of the copyright of “Madame Butterfly” contend that airs from that opera form the basis of numbers in "Silver Wings,” a musical play now being performed in London. The defence is a denial of the allegation. Defendant says the fundamental air of one of the songs complained of was taken from a Sankey and Moody hymn tune. Sir Landon Ronald, called for the defence, stated in evidence that there was no similarity between the excerpts from the opera and those from the musical play, hut he positively refused to hum the Sankey and Moody tune referred to, unless the judge ordered him to do so. Questioned about the abominable practice of taking the melodies of "reat composers and incorporating them in dance, tunes. Sir Landon said he thought it scandalous. Nobody was more bitter than he was about such conduct. He never listened to modern dance music if he could possibly avoid doing so.