MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 51, 23 November 1907, Page 13

MUSIC.

(By Treble Clef.) Vllss Roso Blancy's Concert. Therd is a good deal of sentiment as a warp o the.woof of interest that attaches to the c-appcaranco on the concert platform in tVollington of Miss Rose Blaney (Mrs. Capt. Irvine),' the orstwhile Duhedin singer, who lomo ten yoars ago occupied a Bomewhat limilar position to that which Miss Amy Murjhy filled in the same city in more recent rears. Miss Bose'Blahey associated with her listerj Miss Kitty Blaney (Mrs. Costelloe), vero almost essential to almost ovory musical 'unction held in. Dunedin, and from Otago's :apital their fame and voices travelled abroad ■• won into Wellington, where they are reniem- : : lercd, not only as delightful song-birds, but. is companionable young ladies who looked on ' ;ho sunny side of things, and so helped'to ' irighten their immodiate surroundings. Miss ' Roso returns to Now Zealand with her hus- '■ band, Capt. Irvine (who brought out the new - Onion Cp.'s steamer Komati), and the num.-'; tier of friends she has in Wellington (reflected . n a heavy afternoon tea-bill) have induced'' iier to charm us all once more. The concert' promises to be a notable one, as betido-the'-marriod Miss Blaneys, assistance is.:to. be •' *iven by Miss Madolino Knight, of Auckland,".,Mr. B. J. Hill, Mr. Ernest Parkcs, and Mrs..-.;, Montague, all artists in their .own particular- ; "fortes." Tho Town Hall should bo well filled-, an December 2, if a good concert gets. iti„-.-due; •■ .......--■ .-.■■'■.:■.. A New Cantata. ' -■• ;■ ■■•'■' At tho. recent great musical festival held at.,: Cardiff, Mr. David Evans's "; now "Tlio Coming of Arthur," was conducted tho composer, and the choir gayc full effect t0..'.the. music. Mr. Evans is '■ the Lecturer on..'.' Music to the Cardiff University, and his''com-''.' position shows tho hand of/ji .cultured musi-.!; cian. The, libretto was considerably, \l)etter';.; than most of its kind, but tho music'is not;";'; strikingly original, and, . both as. 3h,oral and orchestral writing,, appears'to show;;' a want of experience. It.may.be said (says'a* London journal), however, that Mr. EyansV";' cantata'.shows' an advanco on r many of ,thV.', works, wliich find their way''into festival!-', schemes mainly from tho laudable idea OT7; giving opportunities to local men of talent.; ",V The Ear for Music. >: -■. Inquiries among musical- authorities "show'!: that! there is considerable agreement with the?.' remark made by Mr. Jolin':Warrincr;Jiu.'.a\--lecture at Trinity • College of Music, that, an it ear for music, although occasionally inherited,'" is'largely tho result of environment at a time : when the perceptive faculty :is'strongest-. The'': faculty of musical appreciation in a marked-, degree is no doubt a thing that cannot:bo'.: acquired, but oycry_ child,'if properly taken'.-, in hand, can bo trained to at least a certain; degree 1 of perception; in.othor words, can be-s provided with ah "ear for: music," which at.; all" 6vents will prevent him from going:' through life absolutely insuscoptiblo to the pleasure wliich good music brings. As to the;.peculiarities which • different idiosyncrasies-) .:■ present,-everyone is familiar .with them..: There is the man who can "hum" anything,-.; and cannot execute six notes Of .music on any . instrument. There are others who can, after/1 listening -three times to a. difficult overture, .-i reproduce correctly from memory on : tbo .-.-.-' piano. 'There are others who* after listening,.,* to a sories of well-marked melodies, cannoti.-, teU ono. from another. Temperament, ,of courso, enters very largely into tho question..; "No- matter-of-fact person,"., said a -rwell-,-, ■: known organist to one of our : representatives, t j-esterday, "can possibly have any ear ..for i, music". The language-is no doubt unscientific, 'but the meaning is plain-enough. .^--.itAbout Kubelik, ■■:■•■•!- * a- •.-. Kubelik, whoso wonderful mastery of the ; violin has mado and retained.him as one. or the greatest figures in the world of contemporary musicians, was recently in l , Lon-. ■ don after a long absence. Thofe is the same i fominine interest being ojisplajed in theyoung -Bohemian, notwithstanding the'''fact 7 *' that he is married and the father of twins. Kubelik is the essonce of discreet gallantry.. N Once he.was asked by a reporter, inquisitive-' for "copy, 1 ' if he- was mobbed by females, wherever'he went. With a sigh of resignation tho, violinist confessed that this was so. "And what country' have you found tho worst P" asked the journalist. Kubelik smiled and refused to be drawn. "Well, tell me -.where the women are most attentive? put the reporter with Machiavellian subtlety. The .violinist looked at .-his- questionor -.■■ humorously.' "The most courageous women . I have ever mot with were in; Americaj" wag--his diplomatic reply. "But since you have "It has made no difference, answered Kubelik with another sigh. I'ii the cause of charity" Kubelik is cver. : ready'with his ;art. Onco lie. was asked, :'tb play, in a lunatic asylum because the resi-"■■ dent medico thought; with' Cbngrevo, that , music had charms to "soften rocks." -Theviolinist mounted the improvised platform and'played a lively Slav dance The patients; seated about tho platform seemed, deeply interested and heat time with feet and hoads. When Kubelik finished, a pretty young woman rose and bockohed to him. The" musician imagined that she' wanted an encore and asked the doctor, to enquire what she.;' would like. Before tho doctor.'could proach lier she cried at the top of her' voice, "Well, ito think of the % ' likes of me be-;: ing here while the likes of him; should be at large in the world!" This was Kubelik a' first and-last experience of. a lunatic asyluin... : Ono'of Kubefik's most treasured posse's-' sio'us was a violin made by Guarnerius, for',"■ which ho had paid £2000. Some time ago;: young ' Franz vou' Vccsoy, •'•• tho prodigy," visited Kubelik and was permitted to play; upon the costly, instrument.; Kubelik was : as. astounded at the boy's marvellous playing aa young Vecsey was at the "tone of the _ wondrous instrument. When the u boy: had finished, Kubelik deprived him of his '. breath- by presenting him ; with the violin. Kubelik uses a "Strad," the gift of, Mrs. , Walter Palmer, and a Tourto bow which be- , longed to .the famous violinist Ernst, and was-given to him by that artiste's widow. OnOctober 30 Kubelik sailed from London-for,-America, and will afterwards visit Honolulu,. Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand.,

The Butt Tour of New Zealand. ; : ;, Madame (why not Mrs.-) .Clara Butt will • .reach Auckland on or about''January ,6). arid,', the New Zealand tour will commence o'vcot". lator. The, following are the Auckland January 14 and 16,, Wellington.'! January '20 : and 22, Waugahui January 24,. Falmerkon North January 27, Napier Janu--ary 29, Christchurch February 1 and 3,.. Duncdiu February o and 7'lnvcrcargill Fob-;, ruary '10, Oamaru and Timaru have been pencilled for February 12 arid 13, Nelson for February 18, and Blenheim for February 20. At the' conclusion of the .tour • the lluinf ' fords return to Australia (at the end at, February) for short farewell seasons in Mel- ". bourne, Sydney, Adelaide, and Perth. Mr. and Mrs! Rumford have already boon farewelled twice in Melbourne. , Features at the Cardiff Festival. ~ . Schubert's beautiful Mass in E flat, '_ the. sixth of this immortal melodist's contribu- v ' tlo'tis to religious music, is played rarely nowaild its performance on tho third day. of tlie.Cardiff festival (says'the London "Express") was a most interesting 'feature, under. ]}f. Cowbn's able direction. The choir sang with the greatest finish, anil/' to admirable tone it added thoroughly artistic qualities of; feeling and expression. Miss Amy Evans again' took Miss Gleeson White's place, and Mmo. jvirkby Lunn, Mr. John Coatos, Mr. John Harrison, and Mr. Ffrangcon Davics woro a distinguished group of soloists. Dr. Cowan's now festival work preceded the Mass, aiid whilo not strikingly original in melody it ia characteristic by its avoidance of tho modern tendency to complexity. It is very frankly a song—a simplo < and stranghtforwnrd sottuigY thoroughly vocal in its Bchemc, of Jin. )3rownirig's beautiful "Ho giveth TTia beloved sleep." Mmo. Kirkby.Lnnn »&n* It with groat art. Thero is little to bo said of tho mighty and impressive Grail scono froin..' "Parsifal," which concluded tho morning con-.' cort, saTO that chorus, soloists and orchestra ovidontly felt tho power andtho oarricstnsss of tho work. . .' ' v ',