THE MUNICIPAL ORGAN.

Observer, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4, 5 October 1912, Page 3

THE MUNICIPAL ORGAN.

The Selection Committee Strikes

a Discord

THE City Council, on the recommendation of the committee for the selection of a city organist, decided a couple of weeks ago to get one from, abroad, where the Best airways comes from, and in order to get capacity of the most excellent quality, agreed to offer the munificent salary of .£4OO per annum—what did they expect to pay a local musician if such inferior species had been chosen ? Does the Council and the Committee really expect to get an organist of extraordinary brilliancy for the salary of <£400 per annum ? If that is the expectation, it is one that will not be realised. No musician of great attainments is going to leave the promise and opportunities of Europe for the sake of earning .£4OO a year in a vaguely heard of country on the southernmost edge of the world. That is just how the average English organist of standing, capacity, promise or mediocrity will regard Auckland's application for a manipulator of its organ. It may hurt to imagine it so, but that will be the point of view of most of them.

Consequently, those in England who will be chosen to' select an organist will probably pick one from a mediocre bunch, merely because he happens to be the most suitable one available. And he, and other mediocrities who offer, will be available only because they are aware that success is not for them in their own land, and at the same time will probably doubt if .£4OO is sufficient inducement for them to exile themselves at the end of the earth. Artists of all grades are like that, they want large opportunities and their own atmosphere. Organists, who have been busied with an organ in a suburban or provincial church, can't be expected to believe that New Zealand can give them something quite as good in exchange for what they leave. There is something ridiculous in this rejection of # New Zealand competitors in favour of an unknown man chosen carelessly in London by more or less unknown experts, and what makes it more ridiculous is the childlike faith that the highest quality can be obtained at the lowest cost. Why, a xeally brilliant organist wouldn't contract to finger the manuals of the municipal organ for twice «£4OO per annum.

It looks as though this committee's decision was a case of predestinarianism and the call for competitors a bluff. Of the organists who competed, three at least were as capable musicians as any that is likely to be imported at the wage offered, and the Committee, speaking through Dr. Thomas, has given no other reason for their rejection than that none was sufficiently good. The Committee might have given some idea as to what constituted its high standard and some idea of the defects of, at least, the best of the competitors, so as to give some colour of reason for the rejection.

Dr. Thomas's announcement through the Press that the Council would be wise in providing sufficient salary to induce an imported organist to apply was prompt—others of the Committee

have done the Brer Rabbit act, but it is probable that the feeling in favour of an importation was unanimous, though one doesn't suspect the donor of the organ of any particular bias against local musiciane. The attitude of the Committee towards the competitors is unfair. If they were invited to display their abilities they could reasonably expect that the prize would be for one of them, and so in fairness it should be. The Committee ehould drop the idea of importing special brilliance for the sum of per annum andvlet the pick of the competitors have another trial before a jury of musicians that could be relied on to give unbiassed judgment. It is likely that the man chosen would be a better musician than the one Chance}" by the hands of London experts, would choose from an indifferent lot.