A NATIONAL ORCHESTRA.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13336, 30 January 1909, Page 8

A NATIONAL ORCHESTRA.

With tho passing of the Exhibition Orchestra, the desire that had been expressed by -many people that it should become a permanent feature of our musical life, seemed to die for lack of something on which to feed. A great opportunity appeared to have been lost. There now appears, however, to be some revival of interest in the question of establishing a permanent national orchestra. The suggestion of a correspondent, writing in yesterday's issue, that a permanent orchestra should be founded in Christchurch is an indication of tliat revival, andl the proposal of the conference of musicians in Auckland that a national orchestra should bo established is still more to the point. The only difficulty about forming a permanent orchestra in ChristchuTch, as our correspondent said', would be the finance, but we are afraid that that would be found on enquiry to bo such c very large difficulty as to be, at least for the present, quite insurmountable. The whole matter reste, indeed, on the question of cost. A very good orchestra oould be formed from the material already in the Dominion, but the selection of the members would be the easiest part of tho whole business. The President, of the Auckland Conference remarked lightly that the matter of expense (of a national orchestra) from a public point of view, would bo comparatively little. We wish wo could think that was true. Unfortunately, it would probably be found that the expense would be. tolerably heavy. It is all very well for Mr Webbe to say that "tho money now thrown away by "people enjoying bands to make 'ter- " ribly discordant noises' ot picnics and "excursions would more than pay tor " a good orchestra," but the same argument oould doubtless be applied to the money spent on new hats or tobacco. The bands, discordant or otherwise, fulfil a purpose to which no good orchestra could bo applied, and the people who engage them would no doubt music to that of any orchestra. The cost of a national orchestra would have to come, in the first place, from tho pockets of those who like orchestral music. -If they are prepared to guarantee the expense, tho orchestra could be in full swing in six months, but wo doubt if all who would app.aud the suggestion quite realise what the cost might be. It would bo useless to start with anything less than an adequate orchestra of, say, fifty-six professional performers. Such a.body of competent musicians, playing seasons in all the cities and some of the larger towns, would cost anything between £20,000 and £30,000 a year, reckoning salaries, travelling expenses, and incidentals. A certain amount of this expenditure would be recouped by -"receipts from concerts, but it is quite safe to say that tho income would not for years balance the cost. Something of the difference might be made up by subsidies from municipalities if wo were as musical a

community as we like to think we are. But the revenue from this source would probably be very small, and in the end the burden would fall upon the private guarantors, if such could be found. An alternative which will suggest itself to many people, of course, is that the Government should foot the bill, but we havo a preference for the public paying for its own luxuries, particularly in view of th© rapid growth of public expenditure. The establishment of a national orchestra is most desirable; further than that, it is feasible, hut the question of cost is the beginning and the end of discussion on tho matter, and until it is settled how the enterprise is to be financed nothing more can como of the project.