MUSICAL JOTTINGS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20110, 31 March 1928, Page 17 (Supplement)

MUSICAL JOTTINGS

(By

“C Sharp. ’’)

I. understand that two of our church choirs are preparing musical works for the Easter season—St. Paul’s Presbyterian doing Maunder’s ‘ l Olivet to Calvary” and Trinity Methodist doing Stainer’s ‘ 1 Crucifixion” with Messrs Hoar and Travers as soloists. A Wellington. visitor mentions that Mr H. Temple White’s choir in that city is preparing a new Easter work, “The Darkest Hour,” by a composer whose name I was not able to ascertain. The work is described as dramatic and contrapuntal, and calling for considerable executive powers. There are many whose affection for the older works causes them to look askance at new works, but there are quite as many who will welcome a new work of this kind. SJ: * * *

The approach of March 31, when radio licenses have to be renewed, has stimulated a keen discussion on the merits of the programmes broadcasted to New Zealand listeners-in. The time when musicians could ignore such a discussion has gone by, for the radio is a force —for good, we hope—with which the musician, amateur or professional, has to reckon, and the Broadcasting Company will shortly be (if it is not already) the greatest employer of musical artists in the Dominion. The character of the programmes submitted is therefore a matter for everybody. Regarding the musical calibre of the majority of the artists engaged at the various New Zealand stations, no fault can be found, for they are amongst the best artists in the Dominion. I think that sometimes, however, these artists forget that they arc not performing to a select body of musical students, but to a very mixed audience, scattered everywhere throughout the Dominion. The clement of entertainment and amusement has to be kept in view, for that is the primary reason for the installation of thousands of sets. By all means let there be the educational'and cultural elements, but these must not be overdone. So many of our good musicians lack showmanship that they fail to “get it across,” or to “put it over” as they say in the theatrical world. The instrumental portion of the programmes is at present not on the best basis. A trio or quartet is, of course, the smallest practicable instrumental combination. But the repertoire of such combinations is essentially limited in quantity and narrow in character. Composers who. write chamber music coniine themselves to classical models. In time no doubt operatic and popular works will be adapted for trios and quartettes, but the average listener-in is not attracted by the announcement of a “Trio in A Minor,” “Second Movement of a Quartet in B Elat, Opus 64 No. 8,” etc. To him these are meaningless tags, conveying no impression or information about the work to be performed. The only combination that has at its command a repertoire that will cater for everybody is the orchestra, small or large. An orchestra, of a dozen players even, can present, in an acceptable manner, overtures, symphonies, operatic selections (grand or light), suites, ballets, marches, concert waltzes, dance music and jazz. It can strengthen the presentation of operatic excerpts by vocal artists, and by its varied tone colours can be listened to for hours if its programme be wisely chosen. Pro- _ wnmes such as I have outlined are presented by the municipal orchestras of various holiday resorts in the Old Land. After lengthy association with such a combination, 1 feel sure that such a band must form inc basis of a successful broadcasting programme. .Seaside holiday-makers are. not commonly supposed to be in a mood for anything but the lightest music, but I discovered that a judicious mixture of various classes of msuic enabled the presentation of classical works to be carried out with great success. Such an orchestra should contain players capable of performing chamber music, and if programmes were arranged with a view to their psychological effect success is certain. * The trouble is that showmanship and musicianship are rarely combined in the same person.

Comment is made in an English paper upon the tendency to “re-dress” or revise some of the operas according to modern ideas. The recent production of “Hamlet” in modern garb in London is quoted, and the hope expressed that the idea will not spread to “opera.” The writer says:—“Most of us who have had experience of, say, Covent Garden opera rehearsals in the old days, know how perfectly hideous such a thing would be. It is not conducive to appreciation of the “premiere” to have seen the hero the day before in a. cloth cap, the palest of yellow-brown boots, n. long strong cigar (with a straw in it), strutting like a peacock about the stage. Nor can I imagine that it makes for perfecion of interpretation (hat. in Gounod’s Faust there should he two representatives of the role, one the young 1 aust before Mephisto transmogrifies him, the other—after that function. A correspondent reported that in addition to this innovation, the American Society for Opera in English recently transformed Sicbel, the little maiden into a tenor, and that Mephisto became a kind of degenerate intellectual. Madame Jcritza is reported to have sung the Seguidilla in Carmen, at the New York Metropolitan, whilst lying full length upon the table. It is recalled that Scotti preferred to sing the famous “Prologue” to “Pagliacci” in conventional dross clothes. AH this, however, is quite distinct from using two personages to impersonate the twin characters of Faust, the philosopher and the cavalier.”

A movement is on foot in London to establish a “central free library of music and musical literature. ” Mr Eric Blom, writing in the Daily Telegraph, states that already a remarkable response, has been made in the matter. He has received the offer of a valuable collection of scores for such a library, in the event of its coming into existence. One of the leading musical institutions is ready, in principle, to lend the venture its support. An eminent musical personality” has under consideration whether a, public musical library can be affiliated to another musical organisation now in process of formation. Two important firms of piano manufacturers have declared themselves in agreement with an

idea that the principal makers might be induced ot present one of their instruments for the studios which, it is proposed, should bo opened for the use of readers, and a music publisher expresses the conviction that a move which tends so clearly to raise the status of music would be supported by the music trade. If such a library would confer a great benefit upon London, where one can buy anything that one wants in the shops, what would it be. to a community like New Zealand, where, half the music that musicians desire to purchase is unprocurable. Could not the Society of Professional Musicians take this matter up?