The World of Music

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19301, 2 May 1925, Page 3

The World of Music

MUSICAL JOTTINGS I - - (By U C Sharp.”) Our friends the music teachers had ia “night out” on Monday evening. The K.S.A. Hall had been tastefully arj ranged for the occasion and practically all of our ‘‘Queens of the Keyboard,” “Knights of the Bow,” and members of the “Ancient Order of Warblers” assembled for the christening party of the Wanganui Society of Professional Musicians. Mr. T. C. Webb, the president, welcomed the visitors, and out- | lined the society ’s aims. Later in the evening, Mr. Louis Cohen expressed ; the thanks of the visitors for the privi- ! lege of hearing such a fine musical programme, and participating in such enjoyable functions. Mr. Cohen stressed the benefit tlyit such gatherings must 1 confer upon the musical life of the com- : niunity, and upon the musicians thenu . selves. The secretary, Mr. Will Huti chens, announced that it was proposed to evolve a form of honorary member- ; ship, whereby music-lovers not profes- ; sional in status might exercise the privilege of attending the society’s meetings, without voting powers. The musical programme submitted on Monday evening was a departure from that !of the orthodox musical evening. The . development in popularity and recogni- ! tion of the works of Cesar Franck was ! evidenced by the inclusion of two of j his compositions. The gem of the I evening was the two-piano arrangement iof this composer’s symphonic variations, for piano and orchestra, inter- ! preted with great insight and executive {ability by Miss Idlsie Betts and Mr. Gordon Mcßeth. The same artists col- ’ laborated in an inspiring rendition of • Mozart’s {Sonata in D major for two I pianofortes. The other Cesar Franck ; number was the A major Sonata for 'piano and violin, artistically played by [Miss X. K. Williams and Mr. Will I Hutchens. The last movement of this number was particularly appreciated, iits canonic imitation making it highly • interesting. Mrs. C. i. Spillane was •the vocalist of the evening, and her i dramatic power and artistry found worthy scope in Puccini’s ‘ ‘ Vissi d ' [Arte.” Later the same artist gave •with equal acceptance Coleridge-Tay-ilor’s “Life and Death,” and Maßin- • son’s “A Birthday.” Social intercourse and supper brought to a close a function which was highly successful both from a musical and from a social point of view.

.1 understand that.the soloist for the Orchestral Society’s concert next month will be Madame Alma Andrews, a Dunedin contralto who has recently j taken up her residence in Wellington. I Madame Andrews was a great favour|ite in the South, and is also developing I great popularity in the Empire City. Madame Andrews was the vocalist for a short tour of the Xorth Island last year in company with Mr. Leon de. Manny and Madame de Mauny. This artistic singer should prove an attraction at the Orchestral concert.

One or two printer’s errors crept into this column last week. What appeared as the “Wanganui Technical Musical Circle” should have read the “Wan-

ganui Teachers’ Musical Circle.” The other error related to the remarks of a choirmaster at the choirmasters’ meeting. What the speaker actually said was that by the lime the two hundred or so music-lovers who would form the choir were assembled on the stage of the Opera House, there would be none left to form an audience.

From a Brisbane source I learn that Mr Frank Hutchens, the Sydney pianist, is to visit the Queensland capital to adjudicate at the competition festival, to be held in a few months’ time. This will not bo Mr. Hutchens’ first visit to Brisbane, as he lectured to the Teachers’ Conference there last year and also gave a most successful recital. In 1922 Mr. Hutchens appeared in Brisbane with Toscha Seidel, the famous violinist.

Whether some of our colonial critics have been fortified by the knowledge, that Madame Galli-Curci did not meet with universal admiration —as a singer of course—in London, one cannot tell, but the fact remains that some of her patrons at the concerts in Sydney were very disappointed. A New Zealand student says that the voice doos not impress one in a hall as it does on the gramophone, that Madame was frequently off the pitch, and that her breathing and phrasing were not up to the usual standard. Praise was given for fine colorature work and a pleasing personality, but it was felt that the performance was not in accordance, with the “American” press notices.

I do not suppose it is generally known —T did not know it myself until a read it the other day in a Sydney paper — that part, of Maritana was written in Sydney—so many years ago. The Sun says: “Though the sentimental songs of the libretto provoked Wilde’s sorrowful reflection, “Every generation has its Burn!” the simple melodies to which Vincent Wallace set them became household songs.

WELLS ROUSES MUSIC CRITIC. I Lord Gorrell, in an attack (reported ! in a recent cable message) on H. G. ■ Wells’s “Outline of History,” quoted j an Oxford criticism that the story was I satisfactory until it came to the ari rival of mankind on the earth. Evii dently Mr. Wells docs not credit even i our primitive ancestors with a taste ' for music, for he does not discuss the I subject. Mr. W. 8. Turner, the Lon- ! don critic, takes him to task about it. j Watching the Queen’s Hall Orchestra I one afternoon Mr. Turner was aston- : ished. “ ‘All fools,’ I thought; ‘in the 1 history of the world, in “The Outline i of History,” you do not exist.” ! “I procured and searched the index l of ‘The Outline of History.’ What did I find? ‘Music?’ No! The word I ‘music’ does not apear in the index, but, instead, there is something else, ' some other entry, startling in its signij finance: ‘Musicial Instruments, 57.’ Not ‘music,’ but ‘musical instruments’!

I ‘ ‘ Then I looked up the letter B to i find Beethoven. In the history of man Beethoven should be of some importance. No Beethoven! And no Bach, no Mozart, no Wagner, but —'musical instruments’! . . .When one criticises music, one does not do so by counting I the number of the instruments in the I band or measuring the amount of noise

made. You do not know a good violinist by the number of strings on his fiddle or the number of lingers on his hand. ” I do not. know whether I am poaching upon the Wireless Editor’s preserves, but the following paragraph, I think, gets one on to the modern composer: —■ MUSIC OF THE VALVES. “Hsh!” whispered the wireless expert as he tuned into Pittsburg. “ Music! Listen!”

Instantly you recognised the piece—li Pacific 231,” the composer Honneger, a leader of those desperate ultra-mod-ernists. With frightful ingenuity he makes the orchestra picture a ride on the. engine of the Pacific Express. You hear the strangest noises—shrill whistles as the train rumbles out, a terrific scraping as the fireman shovels Ihe coal: thunderous grunts as the carriages rattle over the rails, ion hear the blasts of approaching trains and the clatter and swish as they roar past 231. Then the climax—bang! And as all the pother dies down the coarse voice of the bassoon coughs “ Tickets, please! ’’

“Wonderful!” gasped the listener. “A marvellous rendering!”

“That wasn’t K.D.K.A..” said the expert pityingly. “The crashes were the static and tho howls and whistles were from the valves. I was just tuning in!”

From an Australian paper I learn that the Malvern Tramways Band, which annexed the New Zealand championship when they were over here a few weeks ago. are proud of the fact that whenever they have met the now famous Newcastle Steel Works Band in contest, tho Malvern Band has boon tho winner. Of course, that, was before the English tour of the Newcastle Band. If wo could got them both over next year we should hoar something int cresting.

RECORDED MUSIC. THE WEEK’S NEW RECORDS. Another Battistini record has just been released in London, the bracket this time being Mozart’s “Nou pin An drai,” and Doirzetti’s “A Tanto Amor” from “La Favorita.” It will be welcome. • • • • Dvorak’s “Now World Symphony” must be popular with the public, for tho Sovay Orpheans have just recorded a selection. One wonders what, these dapce orchestras will tackle next.

Three records from Humperdink’s “Hansel and Gretel,” proved to be very popular items of an English gramophone society’s recent pm- ( gramme. Tho distinctive charm of the overture Symphony Orchestra, the delicacy of the dance muse, and tho depths of tenderness in “ Der Kleine Sandmann” were obviously appreciated: and the two vocal records (Alma Gluck and Louise Homer) were I applauded with marked enthusiani. J

In tho course of a recent lecture. Mr. Compton MacKenzie emphasised the importance of demanding both the best music and the best possible recording of it. In this connection the lecturer pleaded for a critical habit ol mind, and pointed out the danger of being 100 easily satisfied with one’s own instrument or one’s own records.

Recent Zonophone releases duo here shortly include: Leonard Hubbard in “From one till two,” and “Tut away a little ray of golden sunshine for a rainy day”; Frank Webster in Tosti’s “Jdeale” and Broughton’s “An Ancient Custom”; the inimitable Max Darewski rises to Chopin—“ Waltz in D Flat.” and “Mazurka in B Minor.’’ but he stands alone as a player of dance music on the piano. His “I’m Wonderful,” from ‘Mlle. Kiki ’ remains unchallenged. “Tho Savoy Jr sh Modley” (one-step) and “Scottish Medley” (one-step), played by tho Horwich R.M.I. Band, is a capital performance. The one-step is now practically defunct, this may be allowed to rank as a band rather than a dance record.

There is coming out a now series of 7in. H.M.V. “Nursery Records,” in three albums (each containing six records), as charmingly got up as last year’s series, and much on the same j’nes, by tho Gramophone Co. The Little Mayfair Orchestra plays delicately and with spirit. “Uncle George” is as portentous as usual. “Uncle Walter” with his pleasant indistinct voie>' sings well, and as before the only blot on the entertainment is “Uncle Charlie.” Probably well-known names are concealed under these pseudonyms: but I shall st’ck to my distaste for Uncle Charlie. He shan’t come near my children, though they will miss thereby the “Trip to Moonland,” which they would enjoy.

Do Groot’s recently recorded “What’ll I Do?” and “Chanson Hindoue” is as good a record as any of; his repertoire (says a reviewer). There j are also capital selections from “Pop: py” and “Primrose,” played by the’ Mayfair Orchestra; Brooke Johns sing-, ing “I’m Gonna Knock” and “M’nd in’ My Business” is a record to hear 1 , and enjoy, and there is a remarkable ' “Fantasia One-step,” in which the 1 Savoy Orpheans, the Selma Four and the Savoy Havana Band have recorded consecutively and without interruption on one side; on the other is a “Savoy 1 Medley One-step,” played by the Or pheans alone. • • • •

Of the new dance records published in London the following are cons’dered by the critics to be amongst the best: “ Chaliapinata” and “Just Like a Beautiful Story,” “Driftwood’’ and, “Dream Daddy,” “Nobody’s Sweet : heart” and “Charley, My Boy,” | “Where the Dreamy Wabash Flows’’] and “By the Waters of Minnetonka,”; “Sahara” and “I Wonder What’s Be- ; come of Sally” (waltz), “Dreamy; Delaware” and “June Brought the; Roses” (waltzes), “Lovo is Just a; Gamble” and “Out of a Million,”! “The Golden West” (waltz) and. “Dreary Weather.” All fox trots ex-: cept where otherwise noted. • • • ♦ Some recent recordings, w'.th London review notes thereon: —-Gali-Cutci (so-1

prano:) “ Pretty Mocking Bird ’’ (Bishop) and “Slumber Song” from “Dinorah ” (Meyerbeer). McCormack (tenor), with obligato by Kreisler: “I saw from the Beach” (old Irish air, arr. 11. Hughes) and Padraic the Fiddler” (J. F. Larchet). Dinh Gilly (baritone): “Vccchia Zimarra” from “La Bo heine” and “Scorri Finnic” from “Il Tabarro” (Puccini). Ben Davies (tenor): “When Laura Smiles” and “Go to Bed, Sweet Muse” from “Elizabethan Love Songs” (arr. F. Keel). Edna Thornton (contralto): “Over the Mountains” (arr. Quilter) and “When Singing B’rds are Mute’’ (Hamblen). Elsie Suddaby (soprano): “The Airgin’s Lullaby” from “Bethlehem” (Boughton) and “Shepherd, Thy Demeanour Vary” (Brown, arr. Lane Wilson). De. Reske Singers (male quartet): “Studios in Imitation” (arr. 11. Hughes). “Little Tommy Tucker,” “Litllc Jack Horner,” and “There was a crooked Man.” Band of lI.M. Coldstream Guards: “Marche Militaire” (Gounod, arr. Evans) and “Caliph of Bagdad Overture” (Boield eu). De Groot and the Piccadilly Orchestra: “Precious Wee One,” lullaby, and “Come when the World is Sleeping.” Una Bourne (pianoforte): “Finish Rhythms, (1) Karelian Dance, (2) Minuet, (3) Minuet-Waltz (Palmgron), and “November’’ from “The Months,” Op. 37a, No. 11 (Tchaikovsky).

Galli-Curci’s .singing is too loud for a slumber song, and, for her, rather hard; but she gets several very pleas ng effects. “Pretty Mocking Bird” enables her to do some excellent lipwork; it was a very popular item at her scccnt concerts, but. musically, it is a good deal below Bishop’s usual standard.

The McCormack record is very beautiful from every point of view. The words arc clear, the interpretation sensitive, and Kreisler’s obbligatos are exqi’isitively woven into the singing. 1 do not know who J. F. Larchet is, but it is high praise to say that his song can well bear comparison with Herbert Hughes’ setting of the Irish air. Padraic seems to be an old mysti-

cal fiddler such as one would not be at all surprised to meet with in the Emerald Isle. There is that in thc.se two songs which lugs at one’s heart-strings. • • • >

Gilly’s record has a melancholy, as well as other, interest. Only a few days ago Puccini, whose music, as The Times said, has given pleasure to hundreds of thousands and. whatever its degree, of merit, always was music passed out of our midst. H s last three little operas showed no failing powers, but the same flow of melody, the same sure, dramatic grip, the same cleverly devised orchestration. Added to this there was in “Gianni schicchi ’ a vein of sardonic humour unsuspected in th-* composer. “Scorri flume.” sung in the opera by the jealous M’chelc the plot i.s tho usual three-cornered tragedy—is a fine piece of dramatic writing with an original harmonic touch. Both this and Colline’s well-known farewell to his coat are splendidly sung and recorded.

There is much to admire in B°n Davies’ singing of two arrangements —offensive to the purist but quite delightful to the man in the street —of old English lute songs; his delivery is, however, too jerky.

Edna Thornton produces consistent.!, lovely tone, and makes much of Quilter’s charming arrangement of an old English tunc and one of the most musi* cal ballads I have listened to for I long while; but her dictation'll stil that of a contralto. i

Elsie Suddaby sustains the big putation her first record gained hei with her interpretation of the cradle song from Boughton’s “Bethlehem”— one of the best things he has dona, Her singing of what sounds like faked “Old English” is rather breathless, but clean and efficient. These three records will all give great pleasure.

The Do Resko singers complete Hughes’ “Studies in Imitation.” It would be interesting to know who is able to detect what composer is being “guyed.” Is “Tommy Tuckci” Tchaikovsky, These singers arc as fresh and virile as ever.

De Groot is in a class by himself; really ho is uncr ticisable! You may be “highbrow” about, his playing and his selection of music, over here, but when you are thousands of miles from London, nothing will recapture the atmosphere of Piccadilly and theatreland so I inch as a De Groot record. # * ♦ *

Una Bourne has a nice little record of some miniatures by Palmgron. a graceful writer for the p’ano. and Tchaikovsky’s “Troika-cn-tmineaux.” She drives the sleigh with much loss gusto than Chaliapine, but very pleasantly. Good piano tone.

Colt ham’s record is along well worn paths. “Rosebud” is a suburban blossom, but. “Oh. let no star compare with thee,” quite unexpectedly turns out to be a really delightful song.

Many good records that have been difficult to obtain lately, have just been opened up by Messrs E. Ellery Gilbert and Ct). The shipment included such number as “It Ain’t Gonna Rain No .Mo’.” “Dream Daddy.” “Pasadena,” “After tho Storm.” Paradise Alley.’ ”June Night,” “Hinky Dinky Par lay Voo,” etc.