NEW BOOKS REVIEWED

Taranaki Daily News, 28 December 1935, Page 17 (Supplement)

NEW BOOKS REVIEWED

MUSIC; ALL DOWN THE AGES. “THRILLERS” REAL AND IMAGINARY “The Music Lover’s Miscellamy, selected and edited by Eric Blom.” Victor Gollancz Ltd., London. A. J. Fyfe Ltd., New Plymouth. Mr. Blom has stretched the meaning of “Miscellamy” in this most entertaining book. He has brought together impressions, dogmas, likes and dislikes, tempered them with advice both grave and gay, given some of them historical settings and woven them all into an attractive encyclopaedia of information and real enjoyment. A book about music that in its first chapter; quotes an authority who describes the works casually chosen for amateur concerts as “composed to make those who render it happy and drive those who listen to despair” is not likely to be dull, even if its humour is somewhat acrid! The extracts from composers remarks about composers—including themselves —are entertaining. So are those in regard to church music, which a high ecclesiastical dignitary so long ago as the 12th century; feared that it aided those “who under the show of religion, doe obpalliate the business of pleasure.” The Reverend Abbot must have suffered from his choirs, for he criticises singing as well as the “organs and musical instruments.” Four hundred years later another religious authority considered “there is something in it of divinity more than the ear discovers,” but the item “The Rector’s Wishes” for its exposure of clerical pomposity, is delightful. There iare some interesting notes on “criticism,” from the view point of the critic and of the composer. Extracts from criticisms of Mozart’s compositions written by his own countrymen after he had died in penury and solitude, are a sad reflection upon genius unrecognised and unrewarded. The chapter on dances and dance music is full of good things. A dance time enabled one philosopher to live through an awful moment: “Why, faith when he kicked me, I told him very smartly, I scorn’d such ill-bred Scots from my heart, and that I thought him as much below me as the fellow that crjes Tinder-Boxes and Mouse-Traps, and then I sang a Corant of‘ Berkenshawes ... At this he was amaz’d, and said I was a Stoick, but I sang on.” Too proud to fight; but not too shaken 'to sing! "Literary Reactions” contain many warnings to the ‘critic who is inclined towards omnipotence. The chapter contains a statement'by Thomas Moore that Wordsworth, on his own admission, had no musical ear, “and for a long time could not distinguish one tune from another.” Sir Walter Scott often wondered "whether I have a taste for music or no; My ear appears to me as dull as my voice is incapable of musical expression, and yet I feel the utmost pleasure in any such music as I can comprehend, learned pieces always excepted.” That last phrase will appeal to many! Critics come under review again when “Performers” are being discussed. One English lady was “very much surprised when I was informed that Ann Bar-: wick, who was lately my servant, had committed a rudeness last night at the playhouse, by throwing, of oranges, and hissing when Mrs. ’ L’Epine, the Italian

gentlewoman, sung. I hope no one can think that it was in the least with my privity, as I assure you it was not. I abhor such practices; and I hope you will cause her' to be prosecuted, that she may be punished as she deserves.” Poor Ann. Perhaps she also disliked “learned pieces” and felt ‘she had been cheated of her shilling! But when all the good things in this book have been absorbed the reader is likely to agree with Aldous Huxley that “after silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.” Most people’s appreciation will be the keener for a study of this. fascinating volume. “World Under Snow,” by ,D. K. Broster and G. Forester. William Heinemann Ltd., London. A. J. Fyfe Ltd., New Plymouth. When the local postman, David Jenner, was found ■ dead in a snowdrift in a Gloucester village, medical evidence and all the known circumstances seemed to indicate his death was due to a heart attack followed by suffocation in the snow. His widow thought otherwise, and she enlisted the aid of Hilary Severn, War Office official, to whom Jenner had been batman when they were both on active service in France. Hilary 'had been in the habit of staying at Jenner’s cottage for fishing holidays, and, he found his sympathy for the widow’s distress deepening into a conviction that her assertions of foul play had something behind them more substantial than grief-stricken imagination. News of the tragedy had reached Hilary just as he was making the acquaintance of Chloe Page, daughter of General Page, to whom his great friend, Denzil Folyat, had just become engaged. Hilary and Chloe soon became friends and when she comes to stay with Hilary’s sister in London the friendship, so far as Hilary is concerned, becomes something deeper. At first he scorns himself as a traitor to his best friend, but before long he sees traits in Denzil’s character that make him. wonder whether his engagement to Chloe is to mean real happiness for her. To add to his discomfort he i finds reason to suspect Denzil of the murder of Jenner, and Hilary attempts a little private detective work which leaves him more convinced than ever that Denzil knew more of the tragedy than he cared, to explain. His inquiries and their sequel brought Hilary in conflict with the police, and to a challenge from Denzil to a “show ■down.” The result of their discussion leads to the climax of the story, the real villain of the piece being cleverly disguised until the last phase is reached. Altogether this is an excellent book for holiday reading. “A Trader In Cannibal Land,” by James Cowan. A. H. and A. W. -Reed, Dunedin. A. J. Fyfe Ltd. New Plymouth. There is no imagination about this “thriller” of early New Zealand. It is, as the author says, “a memoir of a boldly dramatic figure” in .the Dominion’s history. Captain Phillip Tapsell, to give his “English” name, had witnessed the battle of Copenhagen, where Nelson put his telescope to his blind eye, he had been commander of a Danish privateer seeking to damage British trading vessels, had known-de-feat and imprisonment ■ in Sweden; and had endured the hard life of a boatswain and boat steerer on a whaling ship when harpooning whales was a much more risky operation—for the hunters—than it is to-day. Tapsell was mate of the whaler “The Sisters” when the brig “Wellington” arrived at the Bay of Islands 108. years ago. It was he who discovered she had been seized by ex-convicts and it was Tapsell who caused their arrest, in spite of his captain’s cowardice. He ■ was treated badly over this, end decided to leave the sea and establish a trading station at Maketu, Bay of Plenty. He married a high-caste Maori woman, and through her influence and that of her relatives he was* able to obtain large supplies of dressed flax for export. 'Tapsell seemed likely to prosper, but tribal wars were in full swing and there was little security for. a pakeha who was married to a Maori woman. Mr. Cowan writes with much skill and sympathy for Maori and European. Tapsell did not accumulate much wealth. He was burnt out of house and home, and on more than one occasion narrowly escaped . being killed by the Maoris. He achieved a reputation for being an honest, straightforward settler and this record of his life will appeal to all who like adventure and swift action as the chief ingredients in a story. Mr. Cowan’s book would be a wise addition to “camp” or holiday “stores.” No better situation for its perusal than by a campfire on a New Zealand beach could be desired.