MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 514, 22 May 1909, Page 9

MUSIC.

(BY TnKBi.B CLEF.) I

Charles Santloy's Thoughts. "I wondered—l had. often done before, after taking part in an oratorio—whether people go to hear 'an interpretation of a dramatic work, or merely to hear sundry people sing. , I nm inclined to accept tho latter, anil even in that caso they do not always choose tho host. Many and many a time have I taken ■ part in 'Elijah;' when the only piece that aroused tho enthusiasm of tho audience was 'Oh Best in tho Eord,' sung in such a way as might cause Mendelssohn to turn in his coffin. I may. add, that certainly not.more than three times in the course of my career, have I either heard that or tho other contralto air, 'Woe unto them,' sung as Mendelssohn intended,either as regards movement or interpretation of the dramatic situation;: and never but once tho grand recitativo for 'Queen Jezebel' declaimed with true dramatic firo; .Pauline Viardot; Garcia was the interpreter. "Wo are gonerally supposed to bo an impressionable people, but there is no doubt we aro subject to .'rages,' musical epidemics, which attack us we know not how or why, and quit us wo know not how or why. We arrogate'to ourselves the titlo of 'a musical nation,' yet there aro few, very few, lovers and connoisseurs of, music among us; so few that in any audience they might be counted on. the fingers of the two_ hands. And no wonder it should be so; our children hare Jittle opportunity of. acquiring a taste.for good music; their, early impressions aro culled from pantomime and coloured minstrels, which, 'bred in tho bone,' are difficult to eradicate. Concerts, especially orchestral or instrumental concerts of any kind, are not, food for children—indeed, ; not' for ' anyone unless . acquainted somewhat with instrumentation and the naturo and use of the instruments employed in instrumental music."—Reminiscences of Charles Santley's Life. ' Sucaoss of a Sydnoy Singer. Miss Rosina Sydna (Miss Pinhey) has made a noteworthy /success in opera m Italian recently. The Sydney soprano appeared with Signora Bassich in "Carmen," at Siena. .Tho leading critics wrote enthusiastically : "Signora" Kosina Sydna, in the part of ! Micaela" (says the',"Rivista," of Milan) "was, beyond all praise. From tho 'first evening she passed all expectations for her art, ringing top notes, and good acting. Tho young artist undoubtedly have a splendid career. During the evening she had special manifestations of the'public's sympathy."' Hero is the comment of "Le Staffile," Floreiico: "Beford a packed house, at the'Rinnuovati Theatre, Rosina Sydna .sang the\ part ''. of Micaela in. 'Carmen,', and had a splendid success. This youlig artist was a revelation to the public; _ which applauded her warmly in the duet with tho tenor and after her afia. She acted with tho ease of an old artist. Rosina Sydna has a'fino volume of voice, and knows how to uso it, especially tho top notes,-which aro very fine. - ' Signora Bassich was the Carmen. The fine Italian operr atic artist still speaks with enthusiasm of her experiences with tho Sydney public. Con- : sequent upon her recent ' successes. /Miss :Syclna .will shortly appear as. ::Neclda .- in ."Pagliacci." ; [ Carrono and Rosenthal. : ' , • Mme. Carreho and Herr Moriz Rosenthal havo expressed their views*oll nlodern music .to the London '.'Standard.",, Mtno.. Carreuo says:— Art has nothing to do with exaggeration, and never will have. The young musician is fasoinated by the novelty of, say, Debussy's music —like babic3 who are dazzled and delighted by coloured .baUS,'but,.d6..not' know . what they really aro; The "chit ! of'"mannerism" is' tho onrse of the'age. Tko'.foundors Of these new schools have probably the making of. great composers. But they have fettered themselves with "mannerisms,", which they dare not forsake, lest nothing be .behind them. ' The. result is that you:meet the,same.idea, altered,|jut not disguised, in 'All their works. ' Their' pianoforte' .works.'have a difficulty that is not excused by' their effect.'-I- tell young pianist's,'- if it is difficulty thoy are looki.ug' for, to play a Chopin sludv really well. But youth is to ine synonymous with generosity, .and .BoVou'r'young'.mnsi-' cians see only good in what is new and' pleasing. Far from the "idioms" of the new school being mystical and obscure, they are to me, at least," all too . obvious and above ,boafd. The construction is genorally as supeitficial as the musical idea. Liszt. is still a power ,in the pianoforte world, and ever will-hp:: Struss is a genius, a genuine creator, '- beside - whom ;; all small;"cults" fade to insignificance. • \ ', Herr Rosenthal,'an equally distinguished pianist, agrees '-with Mme; Carrerio:—' ■ The niusio- of to-day is stronger- in', colour than design,mid, .therefore,': not pianoforte musi#!. Tho orchestra is written, for nowadays in preference- to anything elso, because it makes a small idea go furthest. •, Composers have not sufficient thoughts to construct an effective pianoforto 'piece.: Tho piano is d merciless revealer of weak design, and: therefore, better avoided. I not Believe, in this "no key" harmonic; basis—this .'disconnected structural progression. To mo.tonality is like the "scene of a drania or a pioture. .It is the ground on which we stand fdr the time being. But for ono chord never to bo within a mile, so to speak, of the one before is like saying ono sentence in London and the next in I'ekin.. All these modern effects, "schools," or what-' ever you like to call them, aro, the result of enormous will-power—a concentrated desire to write something novel. 'The effort of composing is, therefore, double, that employed by the preat masters who wrote what came to them, irrespective of effect. Strauss,has not forsaken, tonality, and herein lies his superiority in power ana solidity. I think that the'preient musical education -is responsible for thg general unrest in the .music of to-day. The young are'given the new beforo they know tho old: We will not deny that • there Js a message in tho new music. But there are two different kinds of bearers; tha great messengers—and messenger-boys. "The Slosplng Doauty." ' ■ Cowon's' beautiful and highly-dramatic cantata,' "The Sleeping Beauty," is to) be performed by tho Wellington Musical Union (under Mr. Robt. Parker) on Juno 1. ' I fancy thiswork has been done before in "Wellington,, but it must havo been some years ago. In any case, wo hear altogether too . little of Cowen's attractive compositions. I am glad to note that the union is giving Mt. Ernest H. : Parkes , a chance.- He lias the best baritone voice in Wellington, if not in Now Zealand, and with experience, and study should easily ossumo a position that; will command engagements. The; same singer is also to sing the baritone music of "St. l'aul" at Palmerston North shortly. In,"The 1 Sleeping Beauty" . Mr. Parkes will not'have a great deal to. do as the King, but, on rehearsal form, that, little promises.to be good. A feature of the performance will be tho appearance as the Wicked Fay of Mrs. Buckeridge (who some years ago was: Miss Maud Howson, of the Pollard Opera Company): Mrs. Buckeridgo has heeri a resident of Gisborno for the past, six or seven _years ; and made one or two performances in amateur opera there. ' Mrs. F. -Wilson - mil bo the Princess (soprano), and Mr. E. J. Hill tho Prince (tenor). The cantata should bo an interesting performance.