MUSIC.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8808, 21 December 1906, Page 1

MUSIC.

! NOTES. | (By TEMPO.) One of tbe most promising students at tbe Guildhall School of Music is Miss Audrey Richardson, of New Zealand, a girl of thirteen, whose remarkable talent as a violinist was discovered by the principal of the school, Dr Cummings (writes the London correspondent of this journal, under date November 3). Miss Richardson, whose teaching is in the capable hands of Mr Johannes Wolff, the well-known violin virtuoso, has this year taken the school prize for her instrument. At the annual prize presentation on Saturday afternoon Miss Richardson took part in the musical programme, and her performance is described by the " Daily Telegraph" as "quite the most outstanding feature of the afternoon. ' Her playing of the introduction and Rondo Capricctceo, by Saint-Saene, of which violinists are so fond, earned her a great reception and a recall, and gave promise of a brilliant future. Mrs Barrington Waters, a New Zealand pianist, has gone to Dresden to study under Emil Paner. Mrs Waters will make her debut in Dresden shortly, at a concert which she is arranging. My Dunedin correspondent writes as follows :-— The members of the Orchestral Society, which lately appeared in the Exhibition concert room, are loud in their praises of the good time they had while in Christchurch. Speaking to one of the leading violinists, he informed me that the playing of Mr Hill's orchestra came as a revelation to the members of the Society, and was quite an education to several of the visiting musicians. He likewise stated that the general opinion in your city of tbo-fe who heard her was that Mrs R. Hudson was the best soloist so far heard in the Exhibition concert hall, and that the authorities were so taken with the male singer, Mr Courtney Hood, with the Dunedin Society, that they have offered him an engagement. Tlie visitors appreciato very much the trouble and thoughtfulness of the Exhibition musicians in trying to insure that they had a thoroughly enjoyable visit — which they had. The Dunedin Operatic .Society's nextproduction will be " Tlie Geisha." Preliminaries are now being gone on with. The Society (writes a Dunedin correspondent) is well pleased with the courteousness received at the hands of the Exhibition authorities in regard to the cancelling_of the Christmas dates in connection with the proposed production of " Les Clochos d© Corneville," at the Exhibition. The authorities have written regretting that the Society will be unable to appear in Christchurch. Dunedin is losing one of her most prominent musicians in Mrs Blandford, L.R. A.M., who has been appointed to the position of musical directress of the Wanganui Girls' College, and is leaving shortly for the northern town. Master Gordon Travis, a. juvenile 6inger who is going to make his theatrical debut in the light romantic opera " The Vicar of Wakefield," has already sung his way round the Empire (writes the Home correspondent of this journal). A little over two years ago be wont out on -a world concert tour with the Westminster Glee Party, whicli visited Australia and New Zealand in the coutso of ite wanderings. He has been to two hundred arid forty-one towns, taken thirty sea voyages and sung at five I hundred and fifty-two performances— not a bad record 'for a boy of fourteen It was the merest accident that Master Go«Jon Travis was " discovered. 7 Mr Hamish Maeciuvn the well-known musical conductor, overheard hi* *we°* voice singing out above those of the otdtboys at the London College of . Chonstere at Paddington. Almost inun-edi-

wrrw -,a~~ntJ\ 111 "nr "P— "—""■"« imimimmiMg ately he w-as introduced through Mr James Bates, the director of the College, to Mr David Bispham and Madame Liza Lehmann. On. tour bit? chi^f successes were "Cherry Ripe" and "Love Was Once a Little Boy." His repertoire included a selection of old English melodies. But in " The Vicar of Wakefield ' ' Madame Lehmann has specially composed a new setting to " It Was » Lover and His Lass," which will be Master Travis's principal <song. Mr George Musgrovo is now travelling in Germany, searching for operatic talent (writes the London correspondent of this journal on October 26). He told a representative of "Tlie British Australasian" during his flying visit to London last week that it is no er.sy matter to get first-rato singers in Germany. Times have changed considerably on tho continent of Europe since tho days when the best of singers could be picked up at low salaries*. Theatrical managers in Germany and Austria now pay £abuloi"6 prices for talent, and even hetter salaries than are paid in Germany are not any inducement to many German artists to make a long voyage to Australia. However, Mr Musgrove is notdespairing, and feels sure that By dint of much labour and travel he will he able to take to Australia the best Eng-lish-German opera company ever heard in Sydney and Melbourne. There is also a probability of Madame Jansen, who is now teacher of singing at the Melbourne University Conservatorium, being re-enlisted under the Musgrove banner for the coming grand opera season. Large salaries are not always an inducement to great artists, who hav.e a European reputation, to visit the colonies. Sir Frederick Cow en, who conducted the Melbourne International Exhibition orchestra, was some time ago offered £3000 for a thirty-six ! weeks' Australian engagement to conduct, and he refused. Sir Frederick Gowen makes a very, large income from the five musical societies' he conducts in England and Scotland, and £3000 was not a temptation great enough to cause a break in his English work. Madame Molba advises singers' to sleep with tho windows open winter and summer; to take a hot bath, followed by a oold shower, in the. morning, and then to use the dumb-bells; to walk with the head up and the chest out, and to breathe through the nostrils ; to oat simple food, and never to coddle themselves; to put water in their wine ; to take an afternoon siesta, and to retire early; to study language daily ; and to give several hours in every day to vocal study. Tlie Tecent Birmingham Festival was noteworhty for the jubilee performance of Mendelssohn's "Elijah," which was written for the Festival of 1846. Ono of the choir, Mr Poultney, sang in that year under Mendelssohn's baton, and has not miesed a single festival since. Elgar's "Kingdom," the second part of his great Trilogy, was performed fox the first time, and wars very favourably criticised. It ia <a sequel to the "Apostles," and meet of . the leading themes of the former work are employed. Further cablegrams and letters have heen received as to the progress of Mr Musgrove'e arrangements for the opera company with which lie is to tour the colonies next year, beginning in ■, Melbourne at Easter-time (says the " Australasian "). In addition to the names already announced, viz., Studdemund, the tenor at the Court Theatre at Berlin, who was allowed by royal permission to enter into an engagement for the colonies, and Herr Mohenwinkel, baritone to the theatre of the Grand Duke Hesse Darmstadt, Mr Musgrove hag engaged Madame Heinze, dramatio soprano, who is famous as Bruennhilda, and also Emil Greder, the greatest buffo bass in Germany. He has now engaged altogether ten leading artists, and is completing arrangements with several others. The " Australasian " of December 1 has the •following: — "We regret to hear that Mr Marshall-Hall has had to undergo an operation upon his eyes in Berlin, which may detain him in Europe longer than was expected." Phil Newbury has recently been singing at London ballad concerts. Among tbe Australian artists who figure on the programme of the initial concert of the Boosey ballad series arc Miss Amy Castles and Miss Kate Rooney. Mies Ada Colley, "tho Australian Nightingale," has mado a great hit in Manchester, having been recalled eight times on her opening night, amid a scene of remark<ab]e enthusiasm. Mr Ernest Toy, the Australian violinist, continues to make headway in England. He has been appearing lately in 'the big provincial towns with unvarying success, and in London he has been playing for tho National Sunday Leaguo.