The Star. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1902. MUSIC IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7505, 12 September 1902, Page 2

The Star. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1902. MUSIC IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Although; the City Council has done excellent work by inaugurating the summer band concerts in the open-air for the people of the city, and purposes continuing these delightful free entertainments again this year, we have still "to depend to a great extent for our music on private liberality and enterprise. That there is a growing taste for music among all classes of the community is evidenced by the huge attendances on the occasions of its more popular expression. But there is an unfortunate qualification to be made dn this welcome fact ; people do not attend irii anything like the same numbers unless the entertainment is either fashionaible or free. Jean Gerardiy was a fashion, apart from his musical excellences, and so was Miss; Amy Castles, and, as ai result, their concerts were splendidly patronised. The experience of the , Musical Union is the same. The American ] mission ia progress in our midst is held together admittedly by its bright music, but it is free to all. Similarly, the exquisite organ recitals of Dr Bradshaw attract enormous attendances at the Cathedral, because they^ also, are available without money and without price. But the popular concerts which, were arranged' for the winter in the Canterbury Hall, and where the best and brightest music was discoursed 1 , were an unmitigated failure, for a beggarly array of empty benches' was the only en- v couragement offered to the promoters. The same thing has been noticeable again and again where private enterprise has been concerned, and, even in the case of a complimeotary concert to a hard-working local musician, all the obtrusive elements of a " benefit " have to be worked by energetic friend? to ensure success. A good deal of this " canny " discrimination on the part of those who take their music inexpensively is not due to a lack of appreciation, but to a mistaken belief that it constitutes a luxury rather than a necessity, and, of course, the plenitude of free attractions also detracts from the support to those where a charge ia made, for plenty of musical people are but/moderate drinkers at the fount of Helicon. To many temperaments, music is as much a spiritual necessity as fresh air is a physical one ; and it is for this reason that the efforts of the Council to supply it freely for the mass of the people have always had, and will continue to have, our heartiest support. Perhaps it is advisable that they should walk before they run ; but we must confess that we should dearly like to see them going a little further in this matter, and providing winter, as well as summer, music. Perhaps, before the necessity again arises, the success of the experiment Avill have been so amply demonstrated that they will feel disposed to extend their operations in the desired direction.