THE WORLD OF MUSIC.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17242, 29 October 1927, Page 17 (Supplement)

THE WORLD OF MUSIC.

Verbrugghen’s £6OOO Salary. They certainly pay for their music in certain parts of the United States, as witness the case of Henri Verbrugghen, at one time in charge of the Conservatorium (Sydney) and leader of the N.S.W. State Orchestra. This talented leader has just signed a contract with the Symphony Orchestra, Minneapolis, at £6OOO a year. Opera for 2d a Week. Sir Thomas Beecham outlined his scheme to form an organisation to popularise opera in England, and thereafter io build a theatre in London where music lovers could hear at reasonable prices operas that have not been produced in the British Jsles. Sir Thomas hopes to raise, a subsidy of £60,000 a year from music lovers in Britain, whom ho estimates at 150,000 people. This sum would ' cover the. estimated loss. Sir Thomas will appeal to music lovers—musical amateurs as lie calls them—and if the appeal is successful lie will launch the scheme and put on the first opera next spring.

To a reporter Sir Thomas Beecham said;—“ln the beginning my scheme will cost the 150,000 music lovers of this country about twopence a week. Ninety-five per cent of the, organisation would he British, and the first part of my scheme is to provide opera in London and the great cities of the provinces with the finest material available in the Empire for a period of five years. During that time it should be possible to discover whether we can provide out of our own resources an institution equal to any other in the world, and whether the minority of music lovers want an operatic institution to go on in perpetuity. People now pay a guinea or more to see an opera at Covent Garden. Under my scheme they may be able to go in for ss, so in one visit they would save more than enough to pay a whole year’s subsidy."

Modern Music Without Soul'. One of the many current brands of modernism in music was brought 1o Queen’s Hail for our information —one hesitates lo say amusement or instruction (say's a London paper). The exhibit consisted of four movements of chamber music for piano and twelve oilier instruments, ranging from piccolo to double-bass, and called, for short, Hindemith’s first Piano Concerto.

Hindemith is young enough io be the rising hope of Germany and he is old enough to say what ho means and to mean what he says. People who look to him for ordinary musical sen•sations are left hungry and thirsty by such sayings and meanings, for ordinary music is a soul speaking to a soul, and Hindemith's music has none, unless there exists a soul in the brass of a trombone, in the hammer of a piano, in the wood and gut of a violin. Miss Cerda Nettc, the pianist, is another rising hope of Germany and one to whom we can give a genuine welcome. Joseph Hislop Coming.

Joseph Hislop, the famous Scottish lenor, will open a tour of New Zealand at Auckland on Thursday.

Hislop has sung with great success in the leading opera houses and concert halls of the world. ■ The famous tenor will he supported by Albert Sciarelli, solo pianist and accompanist. t A Chaliapin Storyi

A Chaliapin story going the rounds in Moscow musical circles: A representative of the Soviet professional Union of Artists applied to Chaliapin in Paris for £20,000 as his contribution to the union, based on Chaliapin’s earning in Europe since 1921. \ cheque for twice the amount on a Moscow bank was the response, Chaliapin remarking he had that amount in the bank in 1916, and suggesting that his caller cash the cheque and return him the balance. The bank, however, it is understood, was appropriated by the Soviet some years ago.

“The Mikado” Jazzed Up. After forty years, “The Mikado " has been revived in Berlin on the stage of the “ Great Playhouse.” It is not, however, the “ Mikado ” known to Savoyites, but an Americanised version suited (presumably?) to the taste of German Light Opera-goers. It is, in fact, a revue, founded on the opera. Not only has the libretto been brought up to date, but even Sullivan's music has been added to, twisted and jazzed, until some of the best numbers have become practically unrecognisable. Despite all this—or on account of it? —the production is a success. But one wonders what Gilbert and Sullivan would have thought of it. Musical Moments. Mr E. J. Gravestock left for New York by the Aorangi from Auckland on Tuesday to make engagements for concert and theatrical attractions for Australia and New Zealand.« Madame Frances Alda, who has been making a short stay at Rotorua, left by the Aorangi on Tuesday on her return to America. Iter tour of New Zealand was not a financial success. Much-abused jazz apparently finds a defender in Alfred Cortot. The famous pianist calls it “evolution music” —a definite step towards a new style —and as such he gives it serious attention.

The annual report of the Orpheus Musical Society (Wellington) shows a profit of only £l k Us 9d. The number of subscribing members is 58, and performing members 61. Mr Len Barnes is conductor.

“Turendot,” Puccini’s last opera, will be the opening production of the new Williamson Opera Company early next year. Aorangi Lombardi, who is said to be a beauty as well as a singer, will have the soprano role. The opera is Chinese in theme and setting. Toti dal Monte, in signing her contract for the forthcoming Grand Opera season in Australia, stipulated that she shall be heard in her first successes, “The Daughter of the Regiment,” and “Lodoletla.” It was in (he latter that she made her debut in Milan.

The principals for the Royal Philharmonic Society’s performance of “Faust" at Sydney this week were:— Marguerite, Mine. Ooosscns-Viceroy; Siebel, Merle Miller; Martha, Ethel Friend; Faust, Joseph llislop; Valentine, Alfred Cunningham; Mephislo, Victor Evans; Wagner, Wilfred Thomas. ' Mr Joseph Bradley con-