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Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20610, 26 December 1936, Page 16

The version of Strauss’s “Ariadne,” which was seen recently at Covent Garden, is the second —that is to say, it is the version that was first produced at Vienna on October 4, 1916, and at Covent Garden in the summer season of 1924. Originally, as given at Stuttgart in 1912, “Ariadne” was incorporated in a German translation of “Le Bourgeoise Gentilhomme,” and it was this version that Londoners first saw (in 1913) at His Majesty’s Theatre, where Sir Thomas Beecham was in charge of the music and Beerbohm Tree of the play, which was given in English. In this version Strauss’s opera was an entertainment which Jourdain offered the Marquise Dorimene. That it represented the telescoping of an opera-seria and an intermezzo or opera-buffa was explained as due to the host’s impatience with the solemnity of operaseria unrelieved.

Dr W. Arundel Orchard, who returned to Sydney on a brief visit earlier in the year, has now settled down once more to his activities in Hobart. He writes to “The Sydney Morning Herald,” saying that he is “trying to galvanise this rather quiet little city into some kind of decent musical life,” and the programmes and other matter which he encloses suggest that he is succeeding. As regards his main work, which is the chair of music at the University, he has gained the personal interest of the Governor, Sir Ernest Clark. Sir Ernest has offered two prizes, to be competitively awarded, in the history of music; and several other people have donated prizes for the best performance of a Beethoven violin sonata. These prizes are not confined to the University, but may be entered for by the public. Recently, Dr Orchard conducted the Hobart Symphony Orchestra in the First Symphony of Brahms and other music. He says that he still has to do “a lot of spade work” with this orchestra, which is weak in certain sections; but that, by dint of a little rearrangement, he “gets through tolerably well.” The Hobart Symphony was in existence when Dr Orchard arrived, but it had been inactive for some time. He took up the conductorship on an honorary basis. He has also organised performances of chamber music. The last programme included standard works by Haydn, Brahms, Grieg, and Cesar Franck.

Mr Moshe Menuhin has sent to Sydney from' California some news about the doings of Yehudi and that famous violinist’s two sisters, Hephzibah and Yaltah. The whole family is living in retirement until Nevember of next year. It had been hoped that the new home, "Villa Cherkess,” near Alma, would be finished ready for this long holiday. But some unpleasant publicity in an American newspaper caused postponement of building. This publicity consisted of an article stating that Villa Cherkess would be “a stronghold, protected by elaborate electrical devices, secure against kidnappers.” Yehudi was reputed to be “defying the kidnappers to come and get him and his sisters.” Mr Menuhin, senior, says that Yehudi will build Villa Cherkess when he marries. There is no sign of such an event yet; for Yehudi will not be 20 until next January. Meanwhile, the site of .the future villa is surrounded by a furnished cottage, servants’ quarters, and a garage capable of holding five cars. The family has rented a small house with a swimming pool at a place called Los Gatos. There, Yehudi practises for four or five hours a day—two by himself; and the rest in company with his pianist sisters. In August, he became restless, and implored Mr Menuhin to book him for some concerts. But his father pointed out that Yehudi had promised his mother he would stay quietly in California. “It is Mother’s year,” said Mr Menuhin, with characteristic firmness of control. “There is the law, Yehudi; and it must be obeyed.” Yehudi consoles himself by driving about in his new car, into which the makers built all sorts of little improvements specially for him. Next March, Yehudi will give one America-wide broadcast from New York. Then, with his family, he will pay a private visit to Paris, in order to spend some time with his teacher, Georges Enesco.