MUSIC.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12571, 7 March 1919, Page 7

MUSIC.

SANDS AND ORCHESTRAS, SINGERS AND PLAYERS. (By W. S. KING.) Whether members were inspired by vice-regal patronage and a very large attendance of subscribers and others, or whether, with the war over and the way made dear for earnest effort free from oversea anxieties, it was the result of general progress, cannot be said; but the fact remains that the performance given by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra on Monday night, in the Choral Hall,; was easily the best of the season and, in fact, of the whole series of concert’s since the orchestra was first formed. Progress, is expected, naturally, and condutoors and performers of all musical organisations certainly aim at acquiring higher standards. In view of changes in personnel and the ordinary difficulties ex-, perienced in the matter of securing full and regular attendances at rehearsals, it is not easy, however, to achieve one’s desire. If the success of last Monday’s concert was the outcome of individual effort, as no doubt it was, then the organisation, by continuing that effort, can go much further than perhaps members generally realise. The orchestra is not perfect, bv anv means, bub it is very capable, niid one has lo consider possibilities, Individually many of the city’s best instrumentalists are included in the ranks. Weaknesses are most noticeable in the lighter ensemble playing. It Is in this class that intonation suffers. As an example, the opening movement of Mendelssohn's overture, ‘‘ Ron and Stranger.” may ho quoted. The effect was not agreeable and was in distinct, contrast, in that rcspec(b, to the smart and more tuneful performance of the second portion of the overture. The brightest piece of programme work was in the selection from Verdi’s " ■R.igole.ttd.” in which general, all-round excellence of playing was a feature and in which, in the solo section. particular mention should he made of the clarinet and cornet performers. The ballet mush- from flouuod’s opera, "The Queen of Sheba,” was well performed,'hut the orchestra’s best effort was unquestionably the movement from Relmhert's- “ Fnfinished ” symphony, 'rim performance was smooth, expressive. and wcD-halaneed. > Mow; and again intonation became a, little ianliv. hut recovery was generally quick. The leading strings, and, indeed, all, rose to the occasion splendidly. Mr A. Worsley. the conductor, is to he complimented upon the excellent results obtained. Mr Leslie Fleming, who provided vocal diversification, also (tare a good account of himself._ exhibiting pleasing vocalisation and singing _ _e\pressirelv and wilh fine voice quality,

concert party and bayonet fighters last year. Tho writer states that “ Over There ” stands out preeminently as the one musical number which was' inspired by the fighting armies in Franco, Many others were written before the commencement of hostilities and adapted for patriotic purposes^ Madam Matzenaner, a celebrated vocalist, has very optimistic regarding tho future of musio ns an outcome of tho war. She says: “The results of the war on music will he wonderful, you may be sure. Tho spirit of song is, ennobled by tragedy, by suffer-, ing, by sacrifice—by the emotions which stir tho soul to its depths- Tho war has done groat tilings for tho ca-uso of music. For that I am grateful, even though I bleed for the sorrow of those who must bear its hardest burdens. Sir Edward Elgar’s magnificent melody, first called “ Pomp and Circumstance. and later adapted as a song, . Land, of, Hope and Glory,” was not inspired by_any war glamour or enthusiasm. It is an episode in the coronation march written for the accession of King Edward VII, to the throne of England. T an k R ’ the composer of Silver Threads among the Gold” tod, other popular old-time American lyrio lon j es ? was bom at New Haven in 1834 and showed talent as a mere child. In Iwo Im first song arranged for the P ,n ’ lo ' Old Love,” was published, ana the same year saw “ Ailna Lee " become a prime favourite. Up to 1864,. when Dnnks took up his residence in. New York, ho had not received’ any remuneration for his compositions. “ Silver Threads among the Gold,” the words for which were written bv Eben E. Rcxford, was published in 1872, a ndi over 300.000 copies were sold m'America, besides an almost equal quantitym England, Danks’s compositions embraced both secular and sacred pieces, ana were so prolifio that in some years they numbered over fifty publications, “THE MOCKING BIRD” AND ITS COMPOSER. The popular songs of to-day are to ephemeral that few survive a ■ season, and many of them are with ' us too long even at that. When Septimus \ inner wrote the “Mocking Bird,” it was popiilar at once, and has never been wholly snuffed out. He was bom m Philadelphia in 1827, and his boyhood was spent practically in the'same manner as that of other boys of his acquaintance. But, unlike them, he very early manifested an unusual deV gree of musical talent, and preferred his art to play always. Coming into possession of a violin when but‘ayouth, he managed by diligent and intelligent practice to become a good player within 01 TT' I 1?. nev<?r lost his first love, and the violin ever remained a far.ounte with him, although he also became proficient on the organ, piano and various string instruments. At twenty, years of age he was a successful musio teacher, and for five years acted as, the leader of the Philadelphia Band.’ In 1853, he opened a musio store in his native city and mad© a success o£ the business. Mr Winner’s songs number several hundred; all the words to his compositions being his own. The first to gain prominence was “How Sweet Are the Boses.” If, appeared in -1850, and was put out under the notn de plume of “ Alice Hawthorne,” a modified form of his mother’s maiden name. It was followed by “ What Is Home Without a- Mother.” These two songs constituted the celebrated “Hawthorne Ballads.” “ Liston to the Mocking Bird ” was written in 1852. It has been subjected to almost countless variations, and achieved phenomenal success. .The idea was suggested by a local character called “Whistling Dick.” ‘ This colt cured man used to plod through thh streets of Philadelphia strumming a guitar to his whistling imitations of a mocking bird. One day Mr Winner asked him how he would like a song for mocking bird to sing. The “Mocking Bird” was the result, Dick’s vocal powers only embraced one octave, so the tune had to he simple and short of range. _ Also, the mental capabilities of the singer were not much above the range of his voice, thua it was impossible for him to ever leam more than one verso of the song, regardless of the fact that he practised diligently every night in Winner’s music store. The song, however, soon.' became a popular favourite, and people in general considered- it Mr Winner’s best composition, although he was peri son a lly much more pleased with many of his other musical selections. He sold the copyright of tho song, afterward so famous, for five dollars—seemingly a popular _ sum to he paid for original American literary and musical efforts at that period of our artistic development. But when everybody was buying and singing the songj and the copyright netted the publisher.? over one hundred thousand dollars, Mr Winner never bemoaned his fate nor. expressed one regret. He felt amply repaid hy_ the joy he had been anlq to bring into other lives with his charming Jittlo ballad. Aside irem “ Alien Hawthorne,” Mr Winner, wrote under the names of “ Percy' Guyer,” “Mark Mason” and “Paul Stenton.” Ho was an inde-, fniigihle worker, and wrote prolifically. On several occasions, ho wroto the words and music for a song, sat up late at night to make the plates and do the printing, and had the song for sale in his music store on the following day. Tf appreciation means anything to a man, Mr Winner should have been supremely happy. He had the distinction in his day of being considered one of the foremost American song writers. Mr Winner’s son likewise acquired considerable reputation as a song writer. His “Little Brown Jug” was very popular years ago, hut lost its appeal when the farmers no longer took the “Brown Jua” to the field where they worked. This gentleman wrote under the name of “ Joseph Eastburn.”