MUSIC NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1398, 8 February 1917, Page 37

MUSIC NOTES.

(By

“G” String.)

Mr. Harry Lauder recently played a week’s season at the Glasgow Alhambra. It is stated that the gross receipts for the week amounted to £3400, of which the canny Harry’s share was £l7OO.

The centenary of the birth of John Curwen was celebrated by a choir festival in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, at noon on Saturday, the 4th November, by a choir of 4000 children. The Berlin paper “Der Tag” recently went to the trouble of collecting the views of well-known musicians on the question of boycotting music of enemy origin. In an interview with the musical critic of that paper, Richard Strauss said that while anything like a systematic boycott was unreasonable, it was obvious that the works of composers who had abused German “kultur” must be banished from German stages and concert halls. He did not wish to see Germany follow the bad example in this respect of the other belligerents. Count von Seebach, of Dresden, expresses his entire agreement with this view, and so does Herr Nikisch, who adds, however, that he doubts whether it is worth while wounding “the more or less legitimate susceptibilities of that part of the German public which does not want to hear enemy music.” He goes on to ask, “Where are the really valuable works of foreign origin which it would be wrong to keep from the public?” For his own part, he protests, he has not come across any. Leo Bieck, of the Berlin Opera, also agrees with Strauss, but adds cynically, that if he confines himself to the works of foreign composers who have not abused Germany he will have a very limited choice. The same fear haunts Herr Martenteig, of the Leipsic Opera. The only “whole-hogger” who advocates an absolute boycott is Herr Berg Ehlert, of the Altenburg Opera,

who has few other titles to fame. Further additions to the symposium are promised.