OF MUSIC PAST AND PRESENT.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20168, 21 February 1931, Page 13

OF MUSIC PAST AND PRESENT.

(SPECIALLY ■WBITTEti MS THE TRESS.) [By SIBAD.]

It might well bo assumed that with the countless problems waiting solution in the untried scheme of Communism in Bussia, music would long remain in the background. Such, however, is not the - case. Whether the Soviet leaders have recognised- how deeply music enters into the lives of the Bussian peoples or that the exorbitant demands made by the celebrities on stage and concert platform have roused their wrath, certainly they are now intent ■Upon regulating terms and fees on a scale of their own. The reductions are drastic enough. The artists who were previously paid 1000 roubles a night, receive now no more than a maximum of 140 in cities and 200 on the road. We, too, outside Bussia, have long lost the sense of values. When we read that film stars amass hundreds of thousands* that a French comedian-pockets £BOOO on a two tveeks' engagement, that the composer of the idiotic ditty, "Yes, We Have no Bananas" clears one and a half million of dollars, whereas many of the greatest thinkers and doers of the world find it hard to pay their way, we almost feel ready for a forcible adjustment on Communist lines.

The Russian Government rounded off, first of allj the impresarios who made big money, often not very honestly, without much effort. Many were arrested and banished, the best only being retained. Now no private person may hire artists or give concerts. Artists themselves are classified in five categories by a conimitteo, and earn from 15 roubles, upwards to 200 as the maximum fee,' The last examinations played havoo especially with singers, but all performers must also provolheir knowledge of social policy, with special reference to the principles ; of Soviet law. There aire regulations imposed touching the standard of programmes, banning the old sentimental songs of little value. i All artists or groups beginning a tour must submit their programmes • for the sanction of a conimitteo consist: ing of musicians and workers' delegates. All the classics are welcome, especially of heroic type, and modern works of merit as well. Religious songs are prohibited, except in churches. On their programmes stand out the names of Beethoven, Schubert,. Schumann, and Brahms. Almost every factory maintains a club, where productions of opera and concerts hold prominence. On a holiday something like 300 concerts are provided in clubs alone. Artists enjoy special .privileges in buying goods and renting apartments, v These details are gathered from , a Russian source in tbo "New York Times." However arbitrary some of these.measures seem to be, musie under Btjch Stringent regulations as to value is not likely to deteriorate under Soviet rule, ' although fewer foreign artists, 'may venture to invado their territories. ' But by far the most original innovation is yet to be completed. Coniposers, , dramatists, and literary men, Active in ! their/professions for at least ten years, are to' receive State pensions u£>on reaching the age of sixty, or earlier if 1 disabled. This decision was arrived at by the Government* of the Federal iet Bepublio (the largest section of the ,-fjoyiet tTniQn). The amount of ithe.pento be determined by the average? famines for fhxee years before, retireforebvar, 1 applicant, is to i£ave*a clear political recoird. His compositions jnyst have satisfied - Comiirunritjeafctnot be opposed to ij&fp. "ask:;; What arA ~the' istingmslib!g features of Oonltitttn* fi'tic riiiAiiif"iArfe'; they ■> to found hidaa ij£ thA of theirs favourites ."Beethoven, Sfehubert, » Schumann, and Brfthitfpf (l ' • , - The 1 riiiriuslea oF;< feotlnA production -by electricity* are -got'.yet exhausted. 'A ;|9wcK-^y^to?/-M 4 ;'HMtea6t» has perfected" fel initfttaieni " of < t),? soqfaa waves! not": pf to 'inni but to furnish new apUrces-ef donmi sonorities Ijitftwto ( r "Wben ibe inventor as jds Wireless instruct strangely "beaiutifiil ebundri, and this r ifiiMniiV©'' to prowpfiea" i&Pifeitefits,''whfcb resulted- i»i the 1 l Sow l fbtWaucted. ■■ It is not automatic. 'Lamps like iised, ia j«itUo initiate vibratiqns aid of approprifite cuita. 'l|khs)p6arityic£, > the itisthjnient resembles k j3avier,. Among the vari<ctm clajtrW}, s|| Sip wo get a perfectly lAfiitiiitni ) iiifD—i f 1 ' frho has tsought}thll delight# of-Monte Carlo fliploniatio world 1 tp-4 >*o .many , dtill domestic,begltM fejiotijHia si? ««a young aiitbqr^ast'coning fbrward #£, ttxe} .3# vthb' Jnining Wten' to .be Baldwin, a young,ironmaster* fpni" m thoyVNst Country* whi> "hopes, one, day to get intfe faMJZ'Wi M rathe#' afld not at? all iniJiis prtHnisr. "I do liot stapptJW,'.' bays Blu&ehfold, "thai ho. wyl, 3v6f ao, pufte tHaii iollour'• his | Ipaflefft if get., in." \ j Of (liord, JWidlSton) WO time4when, :as ar;' ! Sacretiiy, r h--, wets' reduclng. the 1 ornate of ' inilitary uniform. *'A GuardsjiffiMf.Jtold,»e that the un- , IjW grpaiioli, M Ifangga'teitne' drop -in* thf> ratOti'Vfplcb have- bi,pheti:o paid tbe /welltHjrnea'ont for ah .afternoon Walking-out. The pill box and-inonkey jftckfit -jp|jßousehold .Cavalry ftill fetch half fa ail afternoon with but with B?bariclc oapj onijt,fetches one si*-'' ,1 can. only that r thi9 .is a baselesß Hbol -on tho - Viciomn nuraelnaid. ; The Forsytes. How strata those' snajjahota of ofcljr, thlitV tif 'forty -yeJita tagc look in the light, of Gladstone stalks lus 'iiifejSStifc TFayi.ftbross thfi soh, suljtihg hig< hpwe, l hw> -wotinded canity with and port Swears' bfttd..' x rides - hrird—'Rwyfttd Killing!, anxiously through his -round of - his ■«»}. bt»<)ki BaManel, and Baldwin air their Porsyfian ■djtuea .to the admiration, of all the-other Pine ladies in th«ir party clothes naO pfJlilbuiily oh , - bicycle'B thrdfagh thfe hftttttts of how abWnTfflly /of thb t>evo } butt oh, 1 stf nice, Is" hailed aft- k bßoh by the daring few, WhM-S introduces into fctadtni thfe 'Martihl Cftibtail.. Itis rftpoited tlWtilie Americans haife lately, %k# 't(f ivhlaky-, which with k dtfe adniixtitfe of ftnd powdered leo ia a'W or -two women are seen in the Savoy lounge - snwkjng piffarett'efcrThe shrewd I<? hron : iisler,>i.y : ie%.W , ■enleriihg • beah, sudoenljr the 'ENS»rW6* < tho Bhills;gt>/«r&pbi the, fihick'ew? iWeai'-i loudly - crowing Vvii^trr^h.^^' 1 , • 1 ■

bewildering idea of its possibilities, for the performer is enabled to make it sing, like a superhuman voice, with a range exceeding that of the deepest bass and the highest soprano. The varieties of _ and "timbre" obtainable are unlimited. Instruxnentally, sounds resembling flute and oboe or strings, bassoon, trumpet, horn, and naxophone may be elicited at will. The invention is vouched tor by expert unusicians, or one might inclined to scepticism.

So far I have abstained from comments upon the class system of tuition in music, not merely because I hold that in principle experiments of this kind require time to test and demonstrate their utility, but because 1 waited for competent reports on results obtained whore the system had been in practical operation much longe* than here. For I I>lead guilty to a certain degree of prejudice from reasons I will explain later on. In the London "Times," however, an account is given of a demonstration at the Concert Hall of the. College of Music under tho supervision of Dr. Buck. Eighteen boys, ranging from 11 t0.14 years, were brought with their fiddles from the Catford School, and are described as fair specimens from among a hundred string bands conducted m London County 'Council schools. They had been taught from two to four years in class. Professors and students were prepared to judge leniently, but ''the staggering thing was that there was really nothing to be lenient about." There were no scrapes; they played in tune even in the highest rositions. They phrased rhythmically and with supplenessin short, they made music all the time. The report draws all kinds of pleasing conclusions, though omitting to state what percentage of the boys in this school these eighteen youngsters represented^ Now to refer to my own case, 1 was placed in boyhood under a mhsic teacher whoso enthusiasm made him plod for a new method of instruction, resulting in piano-teaching in class. A roomful of boys and . girls was assembled, each, in turn playing at a real piano, while the others were supposed to do tho samo tune at dtfnib keyboards. In theory tho idea seemed to favour good practices and more intimate instruction; in practice it was a disastrous failure. Soon wo children realised that all that was needed was our strumming away as hard as the wooden "instrument" permitted. Now and then we were found out. But after a short season the bitter pill of failure was swallowed, and the shams were carded away. This early episode explains my prejudice. Perhaps it is owing to one of these very pupils of my old master that class instruction has again come to the front. Let lis hope for tho best from this revival.