MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1079, 18 March 1911, Page 9

MUSIC.

(By Tiieiile Clef.)

Dolores. Dolores is to sing at the Opera House on Monday evening. It is hardly necessary to say more. Hawaiian Singsrs. 'J'hc Ha v.- siiau Concert Parly arc due from Honolulu on March 10. and will commence a tour of Australasia at Brisbane oil February 20. These islanders are noted singers and harmonists, and their entertainment is said to lit) quite unique, as they sing many of tlio Hawaiian folk-lore songs, as well as the old ballads of Kn^lnnd.

Ths Sheffield Choir's Itinerary. The following is tho itinerary of the Sheffield Choir, which was to Jiavo lc-t t Liverpool this week l'or Canada to inaugurate an Empire world's tour:— Montreal, March 27, 2S, and 29; Ottawa, March 30 and Si; Kingston, April 1; Toronto, April 3, 4 and o; Buffalo, April (i; lvochester, April 7; Eastern Canada, April 10 to 15; Detroit, April l(i; Pittsburg, April 17; C-incinatti, April 10, and 20; Indianapolis, April 21 and 22; Chicago, April 23, 24 and 2o; St. Louis, April 2(3, 27, and 28; Milwaukee, April 21); St. Paul, May 1;-Winnipeg, May 2, 3, and 4; Portago la l'rairic, May 5; Brandon, May 6; Ilegina, May 8; Moosejam, May !); Calgary, May 10 and 11: Edmonton, May 12; Vancouver; May 10 and 16: Victoria (8.C.), May 17 and 18; sail for Australia, May 19; Honolulu, May 26; Suva, Juno 5; Brisbane, June 10; Sydney, Juno-13 to 20; Auckland, Juno 26, 27 and 28: "Wellington. Juno 2!) to July 1; Christehurcli, July 2to 6; Dun-e-din, July 6, 7, and 8; Invorcargill, July.lo; lTobart, July 13; Melbourne, July 15 to 21; Ballarat, July 22; Adelaide, July 2G to 28; Perth. August 3; Durban, April.2l to 23: Pietermaritzlmrg, August 24; Pretoria, August 25; Johannesburg, August 26 to 31; Pretoria, September 1 ; Bloomfontoin, September 2: Kimberley, September 4 and 5; Cape Town, September 7 to 0; sail for England September 10 and arrive at Plymouth on September 30.

A Wore! to Gritios. In "Die Mitsik," A. "Eccarius-Liober has something to sav about reforming criticism. lie writes in an earnest vein, and wishes that critics could always be men of university and conservatory training, and not retired baseball reporters, or words to that effect. It ir, a hard matter to obtain tho ideal critic —at the salary offered. But the standard is being continually raised. In the larger cities of our country we now have many critics so erudite that, as Billy Nye would say, they show almost human intelligence. But even an erudite critic lias his limitations; ho cannot, for' instance, appreciate both Debussy nad Schumann. Ho has to have his likes and dislikes. He should make allowances, however, and try to show, what appeals to others even in music that he does not approve cf himself. He should remember always that criticism is not fault-finding, and that his first task is to give credit whero credit is due. As to a critic's education, we are doubtful; wc venture to suggest the following subjects:—Political economy, with reference, to tho cost of living'" and the ability to make both ends meet: tho high mathematics, including the deciphering of urban and suburban time-tables, and athletics. The last would include tho hundred-yard dash, for uso ill catching the gay and festive trolley; .swinging on tho rings, as practice-in strap-hanging; and boxing, and Wrestling, for obvious reasons. When the candidate has bccome thoroughly familiar with these, and has completed the college course, the post-graduate work in modern languages, the conservatory curriculum, and tho finishing touches abroad, he will ho nearly forty, and. according to Dr. Osier, not capable of doing much damage for any great length of time.

A Musical Congress. Tho first international musical congress ever.held in England will take place from May 29 to June 3 in London. It is being arranged (says the "Daily Mail") by tho International Musical Society, and will bo attended by many of the principal instrumentalists and composers in Europe. Dr. W. G. M'Naught, ono of the secretaries, told a member of our staff that a guarantee fund of nearly £10,000 had been secured.

"11l addition to tho more serious work of the congress," said l)r. M'Naught, "we. shall endeavour to entertain our foreign visitors with the best specimens of English music. British orchestral music will bo performed ill tho Queen's Hall on- two evcnjngs by the Queen's Hall Orchestra and tho London Symphony Orchestra. There will also bo a chamber concert of modern English music, and another of an'historical character.

''Tile finest choral singing we can produce will be provided by the Hitddersfield Choral Society of 300 voices, which will be brought to London by a special train. They will sing unaccompanied. Our best Church music trill be rendered at St. Paul's and Westminster Cathedrals. It is also hoped to arrange for a military band concert and the performance. of an English opera." lu furtherance of the ends of the congrcss a meeting is to be held at tlio Mansion House on February 15,' at which Mr. A. J. Balfour, tin* president, himself a capable musician, will give an address.

"Tho Epsctrs's 'Bride." The Wellington Musical Union lias decided to perform Anton Dvorak's weird cantata, "The Spectre's Bride," a lino musical" work; that savours of churchyards' at midnight in a storm, with steel blue moonlight Hashing through the cloud'rifts. To do 'tin* work justice the union's choir requires at least twico the number of 'voices and twice the vocal quality-tliiit it at present possesses, as it is not .by any means a cantata to be tinkered with. When last done in Wellington tliero were some Voices to assist —A. H. Gee, a mighty bass, who should have shaken the musical world under fair conditions ; Charles Saunders, tenor, who had some. golden notes and a great puff behind them: and Madame Bristol, of Melbourne, who was merely passable. But it was Festival time, and thoro was a splendid choir. Are these to be produced b.v the Musical Union? I hoyo so.