MUSIC

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue IX, 29 August 1896, Page 273

MUSIC

AT the Tuam-street Hall, Christchurch, the other evening, Mrs C. Edgar was accorded a ‘ souvenir concert,’ every part of the Hall being filled. Mrs Edgar was also the recipient of a gold cable bangle from the working management of the concert and a superb shower bouquet from Nairn and Sons. The Liedertafel concert, Wellington, which was held at Thomas’ Hall last Friday night, was one of the most enjoyable yet given. The part songs went very well, the * joy Waltz ’ being very much applauded. The solos were also well sung. The hall was full, although there were several other entertainments going on that night. Miss Tuckey and her pupils gave a very enjoyable concert and dance last Saturday night in the Art Room, Wellington. Miss Ross sang very sweetly, as also did Miss Seddon, while Miss Stafford gained much applause for her recitations. Beethoven’s violin concerto (Ist movement) will be played bv Herr Zimmermann at his annual concert at the Opera House, Auckland, to-night. The first concert of the Auckland Ladies’ Liederkranz, under the direction of Mr A Towsey, takes place in the Opera House on Thursday evening.

Naples, the birthplace of Cimarosa and of Paiseilo, Naples, which has given birth to so many chefs d'oeuvre of the lyric stage, is to-day wallowing in the chanson orgy- *ln the theatres of Naples,’ writes the Trovator, * with the exception of the Fondo, where they are playing comedy, everything is cafes-chantants. The Nuovo, the Rossi, the Parthenope, are temples for the canzonette, which also reigns at the Varieties, at the Eldorado, at the Cosmopolitan, at the Eden, at the Scotto, at the Marella, at the Vigilante, and so on.’ Let us go to Italy then to hear music.

Does any one remember a wonderful boy soprano named Richard Coker, who thirty years ago startled New York and began as a chorister at Trinity Church and ended by singing at Buckingham Palace ? When he grew up he adopted the name of Deila Rosa, developed a baritone voice, inherited a fortune, and is now advancing toward middle life and living quietly in London.

A new opera has just been produced, in one act, music by M. Henry Waller, by order of William 11., at the Royal Opera House, Berlin, entitled ‘ Fra Francesco.’ The success was nil, the disappointment enormous !

The grand piano (says the Musical Record) on which Beethoven composed would be shattered by the first tremendous blow dealt it by a Paderewski or a Rosenthal, while Mozart would not recognize one of Messrs Broadwood's, or Erard’s or Steinway’s grands (to name three great makers) for a piano at all. Nor would he recognise the bellowing of some popular baritones as

singing, nor be willing to claim as his own many songs from his operas as screamed by popular high C sopranos of the day. In fact, we are going after higher and ever higher intensity of sound, just as we are going after higher and ever higher intensity of artificial light. The torch gave way to the candle, the candle and the rush yielded to the better type of patent candle, the patent candle yielded, or has all but yielded, to lamps and gas, the primitive gas-burner is being ousted by * incandescent mantle ’ lamps and by electric lighting. Electric lamps are being made brighter and ever brighter, until at last our homes and halls by night will be more brilliant than the open fields on a summer day. The only fault in the comparison is that in music there is no life-giving sun, no fixed standard, with which to compare the huge orchestras of Wagner and Berlioz, and the stupendous pianos with their total tension of Heaven knows how many tons, and the vocal organs of our Henschels and Tamagnos with their goodness knows how many horse-power. Hence, while scientists may, and probably at some time will, declare with a considerable show of reason that light greatly in excess of the sun's light must prove detrimental to the sight, no one can say that so much sound is damaging to our ears, or will venture to say so until a number of concert-goers have been treated in hospital for the complaint of the future, which will presumably be called Concertitis. A singular concert was given at the Conservatoire of Brussels, on May 25th, before a small and select audience, under the auspices of M. Gevaert. The pieces performed consisted of various fragments of ancient Greek and Roman music, accompanied, when necessary, by instruments made by M. Victor Mahillon, after the pattern of those found at Pompeii and elsewhere. In order to give ‘ local colour ’ to the performances, the learned director caused his artists to wear Greek and Roman costumes. No doubt it was a curious and interesting entertainment —in its way. A ridiculous report went the round of certain sensationloving English and foreign journals a little while ago that it had been discovered that the gifted little prodigypianist, Raoul Koczalski, was really a girl of sixteen masquerading as a boy. This scandalous story has now been disposed of by the publication of the child’s certificate of birth. Some informality in the certificate caused the scandal-mongers to suggest that the child was illegitimate, but this also has now been shown to be untrue, and it is to be hoped that henceforth Raoul’s slanderers will hold their peace.