MUSICAL JOTTINGS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 150, 27 June 1931, Page 7 (Supplement)

MUSICAL JOTTINGS

(By ‘‘ID Major, "j • ‘ Song of the Drum'' Drury Lane has just witnessed the first performance of Herman Finck's operetta, “Song of the Drum.” Derek Oldham was successful in the leading role. The story concerns various happenings in an Eastern country under British, rule, Mr Oldham appearing not only as a British officer, but as a British traitor into the bargain. After numerous adventures in an highly explosive country, peopled with bombjuggling natives, the Countess (Marie Burke), and the British officcr-traitor-hero (Derek Oldham), are finally restored to each other. The Wellington Choral Union has commenced rehearsal of Wagner’s opera, “ Tannhauser. ” This fine work should be popular with Wellington audiences. A critic was invited to sec a “firstnight.” The play bored him very much. During an interval the manager came and informed him that the theatre, had recently been altered and redecorated. “In case of a fire.” he said, “we could empty the building in two minutes.’’ “Well.’’ said the critic, “let's have a fire.” Walter Gieseking It is not generally known that Walter Gieseking, the pianist, is a composer. Among his compositions is a quintet for piano, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon. This work should be well worth hearing. • “1812“ Overture ! The “1812” has been performed in I Wanganui on numerous occasions, and ! readers will be familiar with the character of the work. It is interesting to learn that Stokowski, the American conductor, well-known for his transcriptions of classical music, has introduced a number of supplementary brasses for the closing bars of the overture. I notice in a Canadian paper that the Toronto Symphony is to go one better, and have 28 brasses consisting of horns, trumpets, trombones, euphoniums and brasses to supplement the orchestra. Why pick on Tchaikowsky ? Ysaye’s Opera j Eugene Ysaye's opera. “Pierre hi Honyen” (Peter the Coalminer), had its first performance at the Theatre Royal at Liege recently. The opera was written iu 1929 during a visit of the famous violinist to the south of France. The work was enthusiastically received. Novel System A famous studio of voice-production abroad has installed a system enabling pupils to hear their voices as they come over the air. A broadcast microphone and power amplifying system will aid the students to develop an artistic microphone broadcasting technique. It will be of great assistance to those singers who, though having excellent platform voices, are not successful over the radio.