MUNICIPAL ORCHESTRA.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 913, 5 September 1910, Page 8

MUNICIPAL ORCHESTRA.

Sir, —As a public meeting is to be held on Wednesday evening next, 1 would like to express a few opinions concerning the formation of an organisation whicii should bo welcomed by every true' lover of music in the city, I claim to ihave a very wide knowledge of. the different players and musical. socioties bore, aud it is very amusing to note the feverish and frantic endeavours put forth by some 'people against the establishment of a real up-to-date orchestra. .'Public interest should be thoroughly awakened to the fact that, in this respect, Wellington at present stands-very low compared with Dunedin, Auckland, und Ohristchurch. : At one _ time we had the .honour of possessing the champion band of New Zealand, . but for some mysterious : reason wo are now nowhere. AVe have ; not a.decent vocal organisation. ; And why?: Simply because of a lack of cordiality and want of united "enthusiasm.- .Far bettav ■, to have one first-class body: of singers than half-a-dozen indiffereut ■ones. ■ '...•.' \ .

'' There is no city in Now 'Zealand which can; boast of better, talent ': than wc have here, vocally and instrumentally,', andj yet, our . position in' this respect is lamentable. We have plenty of strings,, reeds,, woodwind,, and .brass,' and tho one_ thing, necessary to unite the. various", interests, is: the formation of an orchestra on a public basis. This is being done, and a public guarantee of close. on-. £400 is ; forthcoming, v ana", still, an august body of.- the elect •of tho citizens, viz., tho .Wellington City Council, has been humming and; bow;-, ing for, weeks over the matter,; and, if rumour is correct, the Finance' Committee is dominated by", one .ni'omhof, who has never'yet claimed .to.-know, anything about music.-. The" fact ; thiit; the organ,'jccitals:have paid;their''way, ought "to satisfy that / gentleman' position, .thatl.-is;'. if"; it -is• simply' a'iid' only'on the "score" of an assured .-finance.. N pw, we, have the • energetic secretary. ,6f' they Wellington■' Musical '" Union 1 spreading. : .himself-out:arid protesting that bis society, could not' exist Thy the Eroposed, orchestra ~wefo. formed.', .-Mr. ewis; holds totally views', to. the conductor -of his society, Mr',/ Robert Parker,: who I has. tho yweifare.'/aridyin-' terests of. his' society an much \at heart as the secretary, Mr. Lewis.'/ ,1. must here: record, riiy appreciation, of-.'.yflir.', .Parkor's' enthusiasm ■ towards ..the,: pro-, posed / orchestra, ■ as he; has/not /duly' set himself, down for a considerable; sum :to guarantee/its success, /but,has also/strongly,:advocated its/formation, amongst'the leading .'professionals'•-.of our city. .'-'.'Mr.'.- Lewis, .indeed,/ pays. :i very' poor to the ladiea gentlemen who have stood by his society for years past when .he practically/ sug-. Rests- that' ,; their -interest' therein : will, '■■ :arid must;' cease,, should, they :joiii LKo! Municipal Orchestra. ■■■'.";"': y .'''•'■'.-' ;'/, . 'Now,, sir,/;as;tb the objection of that body, misnamed: the "Professional Orchestra.!' '.In the' strict' sense, Of ;tho' : term 'there: aro,'oiily^.nt. : ..t-lie:.'.'out-sidei, i , five members'who'make 'their living' by- music; ."The- rest: are-what -may be styled' ''Vash. amateurs..'! ,'Tliis/body's performances havo :beeu. largely.'in,;the' form; of Sunday.. evening ;"pops'.''/'; at German ,band, : price's, 'if; I except;-the concerts; they gave /with', -Mr;'' '-.Short,. The King's ./Trumpeter, : as -a/V star;" t There, is a /peculiar: phase of this ; -.bo'dy : ■whinh should be' noticed, /in as ,',miic.h as/it has been:rut as.an 'adjunct'..tp. ■the .Opera-House,-Orchestraj 'and; 1 ' thety-'that- it" has had the:: playingi.fdr the ..races '-for, some* time past:iy .Still, :why.tht3.body ."objects.is.mystifying. -By■ all moans: let thorn : give/their Sunday "popsj 1 ' ..but Jetyus have an- orchestra; 'established, and, conducted'-by. ;onei(who has ,had-:years';/ experience.;■ A/cornettist,' .clarinettist,. flautist,,':.or.violinist, are /perforce;• limited.vto/ ;a • knd.wledgo only ;so/ far as their .own'.-particular- instrument' is■'.- concerned; : .and,. aV; skilful organist is far:better, than, cither,',"as fr'omhis three-stave. reading.:he' is-in ;ai far better position 'to study 'and ,'cdh-' duct from a: score, than either of- those above-mentioned..'.'• He ;,is;;exceedingly conductor who. can) play/all instruments. :';'/ "y ■.';;;'/';:',, ;:;.;''■

'./In conclusion,, I trust that, ttie.music.loving'; citizens/will : give: oiir, '/timid /Mayor/and: councillofs a decided-:-flian-": date; as to their' wishes .in -.'.'.they matter; of .establishing an orchestra which ; not alone the public; may.. be .proud, of, but; which could be placed at: the, disposal of ; artists like Melba, Calve,/ Andrew, Black, and others, who would, no doubt/ be' only' too, pleased to engage'it,if/, there was. a icertainty of a .good accdnipaui.nieiit.'.. /At, the same: time,' .'while.' tho orchestra'/should produce' a few .'good symphdii,ies,:''yet"it; l should;include, /itt: its programmes music;,of 'a lighter :V.ein,' and of/popular, tastes, such as sel.ee-, ,'tidhs 'from .".well-known 'operas; .brilliant' marches, and ichoice orchestral.../mdr.ccans.y ■:'•■• I /hold.no. brief: for 'Mr;' Maiighan, ;Barnett, 'other than. h,e.,desmVcs the heartiest supjwrt of all!openir.inded, and. ndnfinancially ; interested; lovers''-'of f music,/'ahd; before subscribing my. name I cannot but,acknowleige the'/' splendid work done .by- the, many excellent amateurs, • both , ladies;--,;and .gentlemen, ;mthout': whom, it .would -be! an impossibility -to do anything musically worthy of note.-r-r am,-ete.,':y. I' -.'' '.'.-.."' ' ; '-' : - : "-.:.-PUNiA.;;;/ Wellington, September; 3- ■ •/;.:/,.;-/