MUSIC NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1460, 18 April 1918, Page 27

MUSIC NOTES.

(By

“G” String.)

At a recent performance of Flotoiv’s “Martha,” at the New York Metropolitan Opera House, the orchestra consisted of 75 players. There were 32 violins, eight ’cellos, eight double basses, four French horns, four violas, three trombones, two each of oboes, bassoons, clarionets, flutes, cornets and drummers, one each harp, bass trombone, kettledrum, and one indistinguishable. Some orchestra.

In one of his confidences, Signor Caruso declared that nervousness is the secret of his success as an operatic singer. On the other hand, if evidence were called to show (says the Sydney “Morning Herald”) how the efforts of musical artists are marred by “nerves,” a cloud of complaining witnesses would darken the sky. Passing over “victims” like the brilliant lima di Murska, who was in Australia and New Zealand in 1875, and Annis Montague, the well-remem-bered prima donna of the MontagueTurner Opera Company, who is now living in retirement at Honolulu, it should suffice for present purposes to pick out Paderewski. While in Sydney in 1904 Paderewski had his “nervous system” on a razor-like edge. At one of his concerts “the poet of the pianoforte” rushed from the platform and startled the manager, Mr. John Lemmone, by demanding the erection of a screen, which would block out from view “Russian spies,” who, the agitated artist said, were watching him through one of the side glass doors of the Town Hall. The “spies” turned out to be two of the Town Hall staff in uniform. On the night of October 28, a squeaking noise was heard overhead while Poland’s gifted son was playing the Chopin B flat minor Sonata. When the funeral march in the Sonata was reached the squeaking made Paderewski throw up his hands. Bolting into the artists’ room like a madman the master of the keyboard capped an outburst of white - heat anger by shouting, “I have finished with Australia, and I will go back to civilisation by the next, boat.” One of the Town Hall attendants had caused all the trouble whilst closing some of the top windows on the St. Andrew’s Cathedral side of the hall to keep out a dust storm. On being assured that the disturbance was accidental Paderewski returned to

the platform. On completing his playing of the Sonata, and to show that he was sorry for getting into a rage, he delighted the crowded audience with no fewer than four extra solos at the close of the programme. Mr. Harold Bauer had to struggle against the continued noise of overhead hammering at his final concert in Sydney on July 14, 1914. This time the annoyance was innocently caused by workmen on the roof of the electric light department, which adjoins the Town Hall. Not being a “nervous subject,” Mr. Bauer went through his pianoforte recital without allowing his artistic dignity to be ruffled. Then he protested vigorously, after gracefully thanking the audience for “their wonderful patience and forbearance with so many disgraceful and distracting interruptions.”