MUSIC NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1138, 1 February 1912, Page 18

MUSIC NOTES.

(By

“G” String.)

Ferruccio Busoni, the distinguished Italian pianist, has in a delightful book —“A Sketch of the New Esthetic of Music” —given his views on the possibilities of music and of its trend in the future. “Music,” he says, “was born free, and to win freedom is its destiny.” He forecasts that the music of the future will transcend rules hitherto laid down; will create new scales, new forms, and new harmonies. In the composition of Mozart, Schumann, and Brahms, Busoni sees the dawn of musical freedom. Beethoven, “ the romantic revolutionary,” he recognises as the genius who has helped to lead music back to its loftiest self. Busoni considers that the poetic fire, radical temper, and neurotic touches link Beethoven with the modern rather than the classic spirit. “The paths opened by Beethoven,” he argues, “can be followed to their end only through generations. They—like all things in creation —may form only a circle; but a circle of such dimensions that the portion visible to us seems like a straight line. Mr. Jean Gerardy, the well-known ’cellist, has taken up his residence in Berlin, and the Ellwood boys, of Christchurch, who are under tuition from him, have accompanied him to that city. The death is announced in London of Airlie Dix, the composer of the wellknown songs “The Trumpeter” and

“The Jolly old Cavalier.” Airlie Dix’s songs are held in special favour among the vocalists of the Dominion.

Concerts sometimes pay. The receipts for the concerts given in tlhe Wellington Town Hall by Mr. John McCormack totalled over £450. The receipts for the Auckland concert were just over £4OO. At the concerts given by the celebrated tenor in the Town Hall, Sydney, the receipts averaged £630 per concert. Three Australian violinists, pupils of Sevcik, the world-famed teacher of Kubelik, gave concerts in Vienna to’ward the end of last year. The performers were Leila Doubleday and Victor Ludlow, of Sydney, and Daisy Kennedy, of Adelaide. Dr. Henry Coward, who so ably conducted the Sheffield Choir during their recent world’s tour, has stated that the enterprise resulted in a loss of £40,000. Before leaving for Europe at the end of February Madame Melba will make a farewell appearance at a matinee concert in aid of the building fund of the University ConservatoriumThe matinee will take place in Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sydney.

The first of the Newbury-Spada “pops” at the Wellington Town Hall last Wednesday evening, was a great success. Amongst the artists were Mr. John Prouse and Mr. Hamilton Hodges.

Haddon Chambers recently mentioned that at least two of the characters in “Passers-By” were taken from real life. One was Nighty, the cabman; the other, Sammy Burns, the tramp. He did not seek them for his play; rather did he write the play after meeting them. In Hyde Park one evening he came across the tramp, lying luxuriantly in a restful corner. It was in the course of his conversation with the tramp that Mr. Chambers got the main idea for his play, and the rugged yet real-life philosophy delivered by Sammy Burns. The prototype of this character made some amusing references to the subject of “work,” including the line in the play which has been widely quoted: “Work ain’t for the likes of me. Work’s for the workers!”

“Passers-by,” to be staged at Melbourne Theatre Roal shortly, is the work of Haddon Chambers, the Australian playwright, who is said to have already drawn over £30,000 in royalties from the play.