MUSICAL JOTTINGS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 291, 8 December 1928, Page 17 (Supplement)

MUSICAL JOTTINGS

(By “C Sharp.”) The Choral Society’s concert last week was, in my opinion, the best that the Society has yet given. Constant practice under a capable conductor must produce results, and I thought that the recent performance, whilst as good as its predecessors in attention to detail, had the added merit of greater spontaneity and freshness of style. The number which most appealed to me was “The Pilgrim Fathers,” which was treated with fine variety of style and colour. Oratorio work never seems quite satisfying without orchestral accompaniment, or its nearest approach, the organ. The vocal work in “ Thanks Be to God,” however, was crisp and impressive. “Il Bacio” has never been a favourite number with, me, and it suffered by its proximity, on the programme, to the Brahms Trio. The latter was a splendid item; in fact I think that this time the Society reached highwater mark in its choice of supporting artists. One can only compare Mr Elwood with the greatest artists that have come to these shores. His tone is firm and resonant, his bowing splendidly varied and his execution brilliant, particularly in “thumb” positions. If he is inclined to dominate the trio somewhat, it is a ‘‘benevolent despotism” and less objectionable than “piano tyrrany,” which mars so many trios. Mr Gordon Short’s pianoforte work was marked by culture and restraint, his efforts being particularly enjoyable in the Bhams Trio. Miss Ava .Symons is a worthy member of such a trio, her tone being pure and unforced, and her intonation and general technique admirable. The “team work” of the trio was a valuable lesson to music students in the art of ensemble playing. * + ♦ * On Saturday evening last Air Raynor White gave a most interesting organ recital to the scholars of the Boys’ College. The appreciation expressed suggests that one of the surest ways of overcoming the jazz tendency of the age is to perform works of melodic beauty and harmonic appeal, rather than those works which demand profundity of musical knowledge to analyse their intellectual complexities. That such can be done without sacrificing a single musical ideal, or “ descending’» to music of an inferior type is proved by Mr White’s programme, which included organ arrangements of “Hark! Hark, the Lark!” and “Serenade,” (in honour of the Schubert centenary), Easthope Martin’s “Evensong,” Gounod’s “Roman March for Brass Instruments,” the “Andante” from Boellman’s Gothic Suite (“Prayer to the Virgin”) an “Offcrtoirc” by Cesar Franck, and the Bach Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. '• • « • One of the musical functions arranged in Wellington in aid of the National Art. Gallery and Museum Fund was an operatic recital, given by pupils of Mr H. Temple White, in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall on the 20th inst. A Grand Opera Choir presented the “Anvil Chorus” from “Il Trova tore” and the “Ange] us” from “Mari tana.” Other concerted numbers were the quartet “Fairest Daughter” from “Rigolet.to,” and the famous sextet from “Lucia di Lammerinoor.” The Post reports that “the blend of voices in these two wonderful ensembles was admirable.” Composers represented in the solo numbers ranged from Donizetti and Meyerbeer to Wagner and SaintSacns. The soloists included Myra Sawyer. Doris Brady, Ida Coventry, Gwen Clayton, We no Tahiwi, Moana Goodwill. Frank Bryant, Samuel Duncan, William Boardman, Charles Hick mott, Len Daniell, Harry Pargetter, and C. W. Svenson. Mr White’s pupils demonstrated their affection for their jteacher with no uncertain applause at I the end of the evening, when Air White came on alone to play the National Anthem. • * ♦ ♦

Mention of the concerted numbers in the foregoing paragraph reminds us that this is a branch of musical art that is sadly neglected. The average concert programme contains a dozen songs, perhaps a violin solo, (in elocutionary item, and a pianoforte solo “to open with —just to get the audience to settle down.” Poor pianist! He is still in the position of the artist who when asked whether he played piano solos replied: “No, I blay aggompaniments to gonversations! ” Judging at five competition festivals within the last eighteen months, I have heard two mixed quartets, one male quartet, and a male trio. The latter had been induced, at the last moment, to appear, in order to make a contest, by the other party. The joke came when the “scratch” trio beat the “prepared” quartette! Even as it was, all these concerted items were, presented at the smallest of the festivals referred to. At Home the mainstay of competition festivals is the concerted work—the quartettes and choirs. During the five festivals referred to, two choirs appeared, one each year, at one place! Concerted work provides great scope for efficient singers, who, whilst lacking the gifts or personality necessary for great success as soloists, nevertheless possess voices that will blend well. Many singers have not the necessary nerve for success as soloists, but the moral support afforded by one or more companions in a performance frequently overcomes this handicap. Good soloists are not always good quartette singers. As one judge up north put it,

“Thoroughbreds and Clydesdales are both splendid types of horses, but they do not go well in double harness.” A development of this type, of music is much needed in the Dominion.

In Ih6 course of an interesting letter, Miss Doris Symes makes reference to a number of her outstanding experiences and impressions of musical life in Sydney. j\Fiss Symes thinks that the most brilliant professors and students at the Conscrvatorium are the pianists. Dealing with her own vocal studies, she pays a warm tribute to the splendid educational and musical grounding she received at the Wanganui Girls’ College, and to her mother’s vocal coaching. The young Wanganui singer has had all sorts of concert experience in Sydney, at concerts, recitals, afternoons and “on the air.” Miss Symes was much impressed by the Grand Opera season, the most thrilling moments of which occurred in “Aida” and “Turandot. ” Whilst not hearing the Wagnerian operas. Miss Symes quotes Professor

Hoogstoel, the well-known professor of violin at the Conscrvatorium. as saying that she did not miss much, as the Italians were not nearly so good in the German operas as in their own Italian ones. Shura Cherkassky provided musical thrills for all who hoard him and it was a pity that Wanganui was cut out of the New Zealand tour. Miss Symes, who should now be on the water on her way home, had engagements right up to the evening before her departure for New Zealand. # ♦ * *

At his final service at Trinity Church before departing for England last week, Rev. E. T. Cox paid a tribute to the musical artists of Wanganui for their ready response to appeals for assistance. He said that in no city in New Zealand was there such a willingness on the part of highly qualified musicians to give their services cither for church services or other functions connected with deserving objects. We must all commend such a manifestation of “public spiritedness” on the part of our musicians, but I think there is no place in New Zealand where so much “free” service is asked of musicians for causes which do no't come under the heading of “charitable.”