MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 413, 23 January 1909, Page 9

MUSIC.

(Bi'Treble Clef.) ~. ... A.Veteran Musician. Mr. Wilhelm Kuhe, Europe's veteran musician, who celebrated his .'eighty-fifth tnfthday on December 10, at his house in Earl's Court, told some very' interesting reminiscences of his association with famous men and women of tho musical world. He came to London from Prague sixty j'ears ago .with.-very little English and an. introduction to a lady in tho West'End,.whose'-idea of -a sympathetic reception "of.' a "musician was expressed as a desire to hear "The Battle of Pragtie," an old-fashioned piece which seldom found a place in the repertoire of a professional. pianist. Since then .he has found fame as a pianist, conductor, and a composer, and it.is due, unfortunately, to blindness that ho now delights the public no longer. At:the age of five Mr. Kuhe was taken l>y his mother to hear Paganini at; a concert,_ anrl he relates .an -anecdote of. tie , great violinist: At a, dinner party he was once asked, as ho was greeted cordially by the hostess, "You have brought.your violin?!' "No, madame," Paganini replied, "my violin never dines out. It.is one of, Mr. Kuhe's greatest pleasures to ..recall the. encouragement he always 'gave to British composers by finding a place in-his Brighton concert programmes. Calling one day .upon Mr. Fred Clay,.he,found,;him composing the ■now famous "I'll sing thee songs of Araby," for the cantata "Lalla Rookh." "Sit down," said Clay, "for I am finishing something I think you will like." Kuhe .waited, and was rewarded by being the first man to see'the song. Crand Opera in New York. Interesting clippirg from .the ! New York Herald " of,a recent date:—, .-." Gotterdammerurig," on Thursday evening, under Iho baton of Mr. Tdscanini.-irill be the most interesting feature of this week in the Metropolitan Opera- House. Mr. Toscaniui, who has been largely instrumental in introducing 1 .Wagner's works to Italy, - was , the-first to conduct " Gptterdammerung"'in Milan. Mme. Fremstad will be heard for the first time in her caieer asßranuhilde, and Mr. Muhlmann will appear as Gnnther.,'. The: Siegfried will be Mr. Schmedes, tho Bagen. Mr. Hinckley, and the AHjerich Mr.- Gontz. Miss Fornia will appear-as .Gutrune..'■■ >The Rhine Daughters will be'. Mmes.: Homer,: Sparkes,,and Mattfield. The Duke to-morrow ■ night will be Mr. Caruso. - Mr. Amato ;will "appear as the Jester"a'nd Miss Gay as'Mad-' -'dalena:.; "Aida" will;;b.Q'3ting-on':Wednes-da'y, with:Mmes. Eames]'.Horrier and'Sparkes, Messrs.'Caruso, ;Scotti, Didur and.Rossi in thevchief roles.. ;-On. .Friday;evening Mme." Bembricli, MM. Bbnci,', Amato, : and: Didurwill sing in "La-Boheme." '.'Carmen" will be repeated:, oh Saturday; afternoon, with.Miss Gay in tho title role,' Miss''Farrar as Micaela, Mr. Caruso as Don Jose, and Mr. Note 'as Esoamiilo. Oh Saturday evening "Tosca." will'-be with -Mme. Emma Ea'mes in her famous role, Miss Randa and MM. Martin and-Scotti.' .'The singas. at the concert in the Metropolitan !Opera House this evening will be Mines, "Sembrich-and Homer, MIL. 'Note and Martin.' Mr. Petschnikoff, violinist, will play. .'-:::;' | N0t5.,,,., '.::■:.'". ".'. ;':; : "' •'■ ■■■ '.Miss Frances Alda will.-makp. h'er>-deb.ut with the Metropolitan cqiiypany to-morrow, evening (says the "New.; York Herald," of December 6) as Gilda in" Rigoletto;" Miss Alda was born in New Zealand and studied singing in Paris. She made her debut in the Opera Comiqneand afterward was heard in Brussels, London and Milam In the last-named city she sang the part of .'Louise at the first performance of Charpentier's opera'of that name there. At an operatic.festival in' Parma last year Miss Alda sang in "Rigoletto" with; ■Mr. Bonci as the Duke. During. the last summer she has been , singing;'• in. Buenos Ayres. (The artist referred to is, o'f."course,• Miss Frances Adler, who: was in vaudeville and comic opera in Australia.). ;:'■- , : The Mallinsons. ':.':.:■.'::.■....:;_:;.:...;... . Musical people will be pleased to learn of the return to Wellington of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Mallinson and their intention of giving ,-■ two farewell recitals prior'' to their departure for England. The recitals have been arranged to take place at the Concert; Chamber on ; Friday, January 29 aiid Tuesday, February , 2, and they .will b6 made ; especially: interesting to lovers of good song by the inclusion in tho. programme of some new songs recently, composed lsy. Mr. Malliiison. ..Mr. John Prouse : will assist. Of the Mallinsons , Melbourne, "Punch" recently , said:—"ln the whole musical history of . our city , we have nover experienced a similar event to that which took place in Melbourne Town Hall last, night, and not one in .'--which we have found keener pleasure.", The programmo' consisted 'of Mallinson songs;:' now famous: . tho length and breadth.of'tho-world. .These were rendered by his brilliant .wife, whoso voice/seems to have been, created by Prdyl-; denco to give 'an habitation and a name' to her husband's beautiful and -hcaveh-irispired creations. .- . Wo confess, to having been' enthralled by their originality, their, beauty, their'virile solidity, and'-their.-grace. Truly ho has set. up finger-posts to act as guides and incentives to ' future generations of earnest-British composirs. :Evei'y passing mood of thought in the word-thepjes ne has seized upon with the, confidence of genius and transferred'to. his'lined canvas with a completeness and yet with, a modesty of reserve worthy the lyric delicacy of Schubert, the dramatic power of Wolf or Strauss. The Mallinson songs are destined to stand forth for many a day, bright particular stars in tho galaxy of not British alone, but the world's songs." '■;■'>,■■■.■ .-""'•■' Welsh' Choir.'Writing of the Royal Welsh: Choir, which began a New Zealand tour at' Auckland on .Monday last, the "Herald" said:—"To diagnose accurately one's feelings at the termination of tho brilliant concert was a matter of no small difficulty, since so many varied emotions had been called into play; but to admit that .an.ineffaceable impression of admiration was made by. this score.or.so ; of singers is but to pay them-their just tribute. Familiarity with the lines they sing does not, in tho caso of the Welsh Choir, breed contempt, and .its superiority' toYmost organisations of its kind probably lies as much in the enthusiasm of its members, as in. those necessary vocal accomplishments which each one apparently possesses. The tenors are gifted with voices of groat penetration, as well as extraordinary rango and dosirablo quality, and the-changes fro;-, tne middle to tho upper or Jiead. register-"hre' effected with skill. The basses have been well trained, and their lines are,given. with .strik-:. ing -impression, and roundness of tone, though, in one or. two.instances, where the full power of the choir was requisitioned, one looked for more resonance from the second basses.- The electrical attack, flexibility in ciescondo .and diminuendo, :wondorfullyachicved sudden: tone transitions, and phrasing, doubtless proved at once, the hope and despair of many a choirmaster jjresenti" "