MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 526, 5 June 1909, Page 9

MUSIC.

(El TitEnLE Clef.) Tho Alfred Hill Concert. All Wellington, to judge by the names apr pearing on the General Committee, is likely to he warmly interested in tho concert to bo tendered to Mr. Alfred Hill in the Town Hall on June.2B. Mr. Hill has been most unfortunate. He had re-established himself in Wellington, and was just getting the resuscitated Orchestral Society into excellent form when he was stricken with a malady that has laid him low for six months. With indomitable .spirit ho declined to give in, even when all hope of recovery seemed lost, and it has been, his pluck and extraordinary vitality that have kept him amongst us, I was going to say despite the doctors, but that would be too unkind after the care and professional devotion thoy havo shown towards their in-. teresting patient. The concert is to be a notable one. The Orchestral Society, Professional Orchestra, and others have come forward .voluntarily to offer their services, and all appear to be. vieing witli each other in generosity. Though not definitely settled, the orchestra will most probably bo heard in the adagio movement from Mr. Hill's beautiful Maori symphony, and in Schubert's immortal "Unfinished.". It has been amicably arranged that the conducting will be divided between Mr. llaughan Barnett and Mr. Robt. Parker, both of whom are taking a warm interest in tho concort. Mr. E. ' J. Hill will -sine the quaint "Waiata Poi," composed by Alfred Hill, and Mr. John Prouso will' in all probability select "My Fairest Child" or "Tangi." There havo been so many offers of assistance that the Programme" Committee will have a difficult and delicate task in deciding whose services not to select. An effort is to be made.to induce tho Hon. A. T. Ngafco. to recite his graphic poem, ".Scenes from the Past." Mr. Ngata has the highest respect for Mr. Hill's work, arid Is greatly interested in the study which the musician is making of the musical lore of tlio Tickets may now bo obtained at the Dresden. '...>>•■:. Italian Opera as It Is. - •>ltaly, land of song, must be a humoursome place, if one may judgo by what Mr. Oliver Prouse (son of Mr. J. Prouso, of Wellington) writes from Naples anent a production of Ambrose Thomas's opera, "Hamlet" there. Mr. Prouse says: "On Monday night wo went, to the opera 'Hamlet.' We, of courso, exoected a good performance, and turned up sharp at 9 p.m.. Tho Grand Opera House is attached to the King's Palace, and does itself real well. Barring the stalls, tho rest of the house (somo six circles) are all boxes, no such tjiing as an amphibeing known. Wo, however, had misjudged .our Italian friends, as wo, seemed to havo turned up early, although there was enough talk going on for a million. It was 9.30 before the conductor deigned to appear,' so he might be said to have got a bad start. Gradually the'people settled down. . After the badly-staged first act of about 20 minutes, the curtain was rung down, and the band and conductor, with no doubt some of the principals, disappeared nnd evidently went for a stroll and a smoke, for: we did not have tho pleasure of again seeing them, for about 40 minutes, during which timo everyono (through lorgnettes) odmires someone else. However, the thirsty souls-in the audience having at last returned, the conductor appears, and tho hand (a really good ; one) is off_ again in a solemn ■ strain, and all is quiet. We fortunately havo two scenes in tho next act; othorwise wo would not have done so well as we did, and at the end of tho second scene came the gefti of the evening. The work was written especially for tho baritone, and they certainly have given him magnificent music to sing. The bariton" wns verytfino, indeed the performance would havo been pitiful, ns the rest wero but medium, and some bad. The baritone's work enthusea mo. and I would like to ,have heard' more of him. The soprano and contralto wero not bad—good in parts; tho tenor was hissed, and laughed at on occasions, and tho bass was a nonentity. The chorus and dancing were bad—although the singing of the former was not so bad as their looks. Well, at about 10.45, tho second act finished, and if one had. a box with a lounge the best thing to do would havo been to go to sleep, as this time the interval was fully 45 minutes long—that is, it was 11.30 before the performance was continued. The third act was long and uninteresting, and about 12.15 a.m. thoy rang down the curtain again. Another 30 minutes' wait! Then the second sceno of the third act came on. This lasted about half an hour, and consisted mostly of acting; and at 1.10 a.m. wo were afforded an opportunity for another siesta'.'- As apparently they were beginning-to think it was getting late and they all had a long way to go they hurried up, and, at about 1.25 a.m., the/fourth—a short—act^all.by Ophelia (where sho goes mad, etc.)—started. This ended at 1.45 a.m. A good few people left at this stage; so we joined the satisfied band and left tho others to continue on their weary way.' As the death- of Ophelia is nowherq .near tho end of 'Hamlet , —in fact, littlo beyond half way, wo wondered what timo it finished, if they went right through. Also at the end of the, play camo the ballet, so at 4 a.m. they must still havo been afit.I don't know —I slept!" Banned Music. Tho London County Council aro engaged in a laudable attempt to foster a liking for good music among the largo numbers of peoplo who attend tho band performances given in the parks and open spaces under the council's control. . They have declared war on barn dances, cake-walks, hackneyed national fantasias, and similar pieces. At many places tho programmes aro not to -include more than one such piece. No dance music must be played on Sundays tjiis summer, and tho following "pieces wiil not be allowed to bo played at nny of tho performances given for the council: — Selection ..- "Swaneo River." Overture -. "Crown of Honour" (Eichards) Overture .- "Golden Crown" (Hermann) Selection .'. "A Georgia Camp Mooting-" Selection ••• "Way Down Tennessee" Overture '•'■ "Gildcroy" (Bleger) Overture "Cross of Jerusalem" Descriptive piece "Life on a Troopship" Descriptive piece "Life on the Ocean" Deecriptive piece , "A Soldier's Life" Descriptive piece "A Hunting Scene" (Bucnlossi) Cake-walk ~ "Water Melon Patch" Cake-walk - "Happy Days in Dixie" Cake-walk - "Darkies' Cake-walk" Overture "The Golden Hive" (Brapsant) Overture -..».. "The Diadem" (Hermann) Cake-walk - "Coon Band Contest" Selection .'"ln 010 Kentucky" Barn dance .'. "A Coon's Holiday" Selection —'• "Darldea' Bevels" Barn danco .' "Dusky Dinah" Barn danco _.'. "Plantation Revelry" No two pieces by the same composer will, bo allowed, as a gonernl rule, on any programme, and in tho caso of compositions with a foreign title an English translation of such title must ho supplied, oxcopt in casos whero tho two languages aro nearly identical, or where tho composition h usually known by its foreign title. .

An oxtra £500 for music in tho parks has boon voted by tho council making £12,C00 iu all for the yeai.