MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 817, 14 May 1910, Page 9

MUSIC.

(By Treble Clef.) "Butterfly's" Orchestration. Says Signor Hazon, conductor of J. C. Williamson's Grand Opera Company, and late conductor at La Scala, Milan: "Of Puccini's genius' as exemplified in instrumental scoring of 'Madam Butterfly,' the orchestration is most elaborate. I can best compare it," ho says, "to a dolicately-embroidered web of.beautiful sounds. Very much of the charm lies in the wood wind, instruments,- and in the exquisitely light phrasing. It is liko a series of the brightest questions and answers. Tho instrument repeats what is asked or answered to another, and each is answered back like an echo. Throughout it all are both strength and harmony. It is not what would be termed a 'steady' orchestration, indeed, it is rather broken, but always melodic. The wind succeeds the Btrings, the brasses oomo in all at onco, maybo for one bar only. In many instances it reminds ono of the modern French school. ■ Always it is restless like .the soul of 'Butterfly';. always there Ms something occurring. It is full of 'moments.' In the earlier portion ■ it has light and gaiety; hut all tho timo j thoro is tho undercurrent which mounts is-the second act to passion—and it is very passionate indeed—while never is there absent that foreboding which loads up to tho overwhelming emotion of the last act. To particularise moro, in the first act Puccini has infused 'local colour 1 into his instrumentalists, and some of.the.effects are bizarre, yet at the same time refined. There is no moro flambuoyanco—always is there meaning, and tho act closes with an exultant duet .between tho lovers., This is very beautiful. In the second act begins the excitement, the passion, when, tho music has vigour and strange nervous strength. It is tense and cumulative.. rather than sentimental or amorous, and it is immensely energetic, in the orchestral enforcement of the feelings of 'Butterfly.' The" last, act depicts very directly tho mood of the heroine, and is gripping to an irresistible degree at the enactment of the terrible tragedy. Tho work, too, is just as rich in its melodic quality as in its orchestration. Orchestration of opera is no longer what it once was. Puccini's music is above everything original. Hia quick changes of rhythm, though sadden, aro always effective. He uses consecutive fifths, the horror of ■ the old master, • and breaks in tho most light-hearted manner every conservatorinm rule of harmony. 'Learn the art and put it apart' is an axiom he has put into practice; only a- genius could do what ho does, however." Calve in Operatic Scenes. j. Calve has captured Melbourne. One of her singing in tho. duet referred to says:—"Last came tho duet between Sautuzza and Turiddu from Mascagni's opera, 'Cavalleria ' Rusticana,' in which Madame" Calvo and -Signor Gasparri wero associated. Few if any of those present could have anticipated what was awaiting them. But barely had the scene commenced and had taken hold of the imagination of tho audience when the conventional garb, the loss of stage decorations an<| footlights—all wero , forgotten in the face of the realistic drama of which wo wore tho witnesses. It was the old story of the faithless lover, at bay before tho victim of his effaced affection, enacted with tho irresistible force of truth. It mattered little that not one in a hundred understood tho words o? tho foreign tongue; no ono could doubt but that a question of life and death was at issue between those two human units in their expression of baulked passion. They, however, at no moment violated the limits of an artistic performance. No superfluous movement vitiated the simple directness of their gestures. Their two glorious voices, held under perfect control, not for onco deviated from tho line of beauty and true intonation, whilo their unison was of magnificent sonority. As long as the scene lasted overyono remained spellbound.> At its conclusion there was a sce'io of immense excitement,, the audionco's appreciation of the singers manifesting itself in roars of applause."

The magnitude of the J. C.' Williamson Grand Opera Company orchestra may bo gathered from tho following list of the instruments that will interpret the great Puccini's music of "Madam Butterfly" :—Six first violins (loader, Ernest Toy), 0 second violins, 2 oboes, 4 flutes (including A. Amadio), 2 clarionets (including W. Olive), 3 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, 2 drummers (tympani), harp (Miss Barclay), 2 'colli, 2 bassi—total <10. This magnificent operatic band will be under tho oondiictorsjiip of Signor Hazon, who will havo with liim, as deputy conductor, Mr. Alfred Hill. The well nf tho orchestra in nil .Now Zealand theatres will have to bo enlarged to accommodate this phenomenal coterie of playora.