MUSIC AND MUSICIANS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10300, 3 November 1911, Page 2

MUSIC AND MUSICIANS.

LOCAL AND GENERAL. (15y MINIM.) In a little over a fortnight we shall have amongst us the world's premier boll-ringers in the organisation known as tin: iiudderstield Bell-ringers' Band. Thi.s haiul, which is, like the famous Besses o' tli' Barn Band, composed of working men, has for the past seven years carried nil before- it in the bellringing competitions of England.

I am told that Christmas this year will seo several changes in the organist:?' positions in this city.

The Rands and Organ Committee of tho City Council seems to be at tho mercy of the Hay ward Proprietary, Limited, as far as the use of the city organ is concerned. Proposals have been made by the Council for the supply of municipal organ music, but apparently the suggested arrangements have not met with tho approval of the proprietary, and tho parties eeem to bo at loggorheads over the matter. The position appears to mo to bo that if tho recitals are given and are a success tho hall proprietary will havo the power, under tho proposed agreeto take any credit balance remaining after expenses have been paid. If, however, the recitals are a financial failure, the hall proprietary can call upon the Council to make good tho loss, so that in any case the only parties to benefit by the arrangement will be tho organist and the proprietors of the hall. Meanwhile the organ is locked up, the city organist is being paid a retaining fee for doing nothing, and tho mechanism of tho organ is doubtless not being improved by its enforced idleness.

Is the attempt to ivrite anything like an original melody hopeless ? Dr Ralph Dunst-oirs remarks upon this point are instructive. Discussing an articlo written for "Tho Musical Times," "it was shown " he said, '' that even with such a short musical form- as tho Anglican single chant, which consists in its simple .statement of the notes, no loss than sixty million different melodies are possible, without regarding the multitudinous difference formed by passing of auxiliary notes, harmonies and rythmical accentuation. Supposing only one in a hundred of these tunes to be musically interesting, we have a possible; repertory .of IiOO,OOO single chants. And if this be* true of Mich a simple and restricted form of melody with what overwhelming force does it apply to the longer and more important compositions."

Madame Kirkby Lunn has been booked to tour Australasia. ill lDf'J. She has a. distinguished record as an operatic performer. She probably made her greatest success in Gluck's " Orpheus," but has also made a wonderful impression as Dalila in Saint Saens' famous " Samson et Dalila." But it is as a ballad singer that Madame Kirkby Lunn has endeared herself to English audiences.

Even the younger generation of players can sometimes bear witness to tho offset that music lias on certain minds. Mischa Elman, the extraordinarily gifted boy musician, tells tbo following anecdote:—"Not very long ago an old lady who had boon to many of tbo concerts at which I had appeared and who had frequently expressed admiration for my playing sent me an urgent request that I would go to her home, where sho lay very ill indeed, in order that I might fiootho her by ray playing. The request was one that I found it impossible to ref-ise and I accordingly went to her residence. I found that sho was indeed very ill, but she was able to beg me to play to her tho '■ Traumcrei " of Schumann, which was her favourite piece. i\ly surroundings and tho nature of my errand made me play it that day as I had never played it before, a thing for which I am very glad, since my listener passed quietly away before the last strains had died away, and I am glad to think that- I was able to give her pleasure and add to her peace of mind. - ' BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES. X. FRANZ PETER SCHUBERT (1797-1828). Franz Peter Schubert was born in Vienna, in the outlying district of Lichtenthal (tho house is now No. £>4, Kussdorfe Street), January 31, 1797. Ho was the son of a poor schoolmaster who bud eighteen other children, and Was probably the poorest of all tho composers who waged the combat with neglect and poverty. Tho evil fairies seem to have showered tlijuir gifts into his cradle, for he was not only poor, bub ugly in appearance and near-sight-ed as well. liis earliest instruction was received from his father and from his brother, after which ho becarno a pupil at tlie Imperial School under Satieri and I'uzieka. At eighteen Schubert wrote the " Erl-King," jiro ducing it at a white heat in a single day. Tho rapidity with which Schubert poured forth songs was remarkable. If a thought camo to him at night, ho would spring from his bed and at once write it out. One night he thus spontaneously composed "Die Forelle" (Tho Trout), and reached sleepily for the sand bottle to strew sand over tho copy, but grasped instead tho inkbottle, the result being tho spoiling of tho completed manuscript. In 182G, on the back'of a bill of fare while waiting for breakfast amid tho clatter and contusion of a Viennese out-door restaurant, Schubert brought forth the beautiful an bade, or morning song, " Hark, Hark, the Lark." Schubert's was one of tho most modest and one of the sweetest of natures. fTi.s was a soul absolutely without jealousy, entirely without envy. As a pianist, Schubert was an expressive player, but ho possessed no great amount of technical skill. Ho once attempted to play his own Fautasie, Opus 10, to some friends; after breaking down twice, he sprang irom the piano, exclaiming: Iho devil himself couldn't play such stuff." Schubert's greatest 'instrumental work, tbo Symphony in CJ, was written in tho last year of liis life! At thrco o'clock on tho afternoon of November JO, 182« J Schubert's life ended, lift was thirty-ono years old, and left goods valued at sixty-three florins—not enough to bury him. Schubert's long list of works gives tho lio to those I who would make him out to have been a. mere dissipated wretch. One cannot ioh am Irom likening his career to that of toe most natural of poets, Robert Jiurns; both were the minstrels of the people, both sang in " nativo woodnotes wild." mid if there were traces of weakness or fault in the two men both- Sa,V ' ' nLh ° q, ' al J '" Bli( '° of I lie Ji rrTifc (lial led fislrny Was Jirfit from Heaven.