MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1313, 16 December 1911, Page 9

MUSIC.

(By Thedlb ClitJ Grand Operatic "Pop." Thero should, one would suppose, hardly bo a seat to spare in the Town Ball this evening, when Mr. Philip Newbury, tho eminent tenor, will make his final appearance in Wellington for some time at least. In response to numerous requests Mr. Newbury has been asked to make his programme as operatic in character as possible, as he has built up his wonderful success in this mora florid class of music ami in oratorio. On this occasion tho eminent vocalist will lie heard in "Yes, Let Me Like a Soldier Fall" (from "Maritana"), "On Wits the Motley" (from "1 l'agliaeci"), "Thy Tiny Hand is Frozen" (irom "La Bohomc"), and tho celebrated "M'Appari" solo from Flotow's melodious opera, "Martha." All those who were present at "Faust" on Tuesday last will learn with pleasure that Miss Rita Lyons and Mr. Newbury will bo heard once more in the entrancing duet from tho garden scene in "Faust." Miss Lyons will sing the "Jewel Song" from "Faust," and solos will be contributed by Mr. Hugh Wright and Miss Agnes Scgrief. Mr. D. Kenny will be tho accompanist. As tho prices are restricted to 2s. (id. (booked), 25., and Is., thero will probably be a rush. The box plan is at the Dresden. Take Pains and Work. "Now the difficulty with students (said Vladimir Pachmanu in the course of a recent inlerview) is (lint they do not take time to polish tho jewels which the composers have selected with such keen aesthetic discernment. They think it enough if they merely succeed in playing the note. JTow horrible! A machine can play the notes, but there is only one machine with a soul and that is the artist. To think that an artist shoiud play only the notes and torget the glories of the inspiration which came in the composer's mind durng the moment of creation. . "Let me play the D flat ,Chopm Nocturne for you. Please notice how the notes all bear a relation to each other, how evervthing is in right proportion.. Ho you think that panic in a day? Ah, my friend, the ]»lishing of those jewels took far longer than the polishing of the Kohinoer. Yet 1 have heard young girls attempt to play this piece tor me—expecting approbation, of course, and I. am certain that thev could not have practised upon it more than n year or so. They evidently think that musical masterpieces can ho brought into being like the cobwebs which rise 'during the night to be torn down by the weight of the dew of tho following morning. Imbcciliita! "This then is my life secret—work, unending work. I have developed myself along the lines revealed to me by my inner voice. I have studied myself as well as iny art. 1 have learned to study mankind ' through (ho sciences mid through the great literary treasures, you fco; J speak many languages fluently, I have stepped apace with (he crowd, I have drunk the bitter and the sweet fram the chalices of life, but remember, I have never stopped, and to-day 1 am just as keenly intercsled in my progress as 1 was many years ago as a youth Tho new repertoire of the worl;> nf Liszt and Brahms and other composers demanded a different technic, a bigger technic. What exquisite jo.y it was to work for it. Yes, oiio amico, work is tho greatest intoxication, tho greatest blessing, the greatest solace we can know. Therefore work,' work, work.The Indispensable Toothbrush. An amusing story of Saint-Saens, the veteran French composer, is going the rounds of Paris. A well-known homo's succeeded in persuading' liim to attend ;i dinner party she was giving in his honour on condition that he was permitted to return. homo at r,ten o'clock. On the evening in question she sent her son in her automobilo to fetch liim. Saint-Saens was silting at tho piano in negligee, having entirely forgotten the engagement, but at oneo went upstairs to dress. Just as he was about to enter tlie auto, however, ho cxclaimcd, "Sapristi! I have forgotten my toothbrush!" He went back for it, returned and was soon- whisked away to tho hc..-:ic of. his hostess. The soil informed his mother ol the toothbrush episode, and all through tho evening they wero both expecting him every moment to produce his toothbrush, or at least to make soiuo excuse so that he could get away for the purpose of using it. Nothing happened, however. On the way homo the son's curiosity was so great that he could not retrain from asking, the old man whv ho was obliged to bring his toothbrush with liiin. "All, my young friend," replied SaintSaens, smiling, "that is very simple. The lock of my front door is very stiff, and it hurts my lingers to turn the key, so I pass the handle of my toothbrush through the head of the key and turn it in that way." HINTS TO SINGERS. INTERVIEW WITH MR. PHILIP ■ NEWBURY. "A singer, and when I say a singer I mean a professional singer, cannot do his or her best work without observing strict rules" (said Mr. Philip Newbury, in the course of an interview yesterday). For instance, experience long ago taught me that ou the day of a big-performanco all the vocal organs should bo rested as much as possible. I have known this carried to extremes. .There was one very escellent artist, and a very nice woman who positively would not speak to anyone for two or three hours before she had to sing. In reply to questions she would nod either sideways or up and down, with a sweet smile, but speak— bless you. nothing short of the hotel lwing on fire or the presence of a sportive mouse could induce her to open her lips. "All the same, rest is absolutely essential on the day of a big effort. A runner would not run all the morning if ho were going to race for a championship (hiring the nfternoon—it is much the same with a singer. Personally I usually have a lie down, and sometimes a sleen —which means absolute rest to the vocal organs. A good idea, too, in learning a new part, is to run through the music just before going to bed at night. Being the last thing the brain is troubled about, it makes a deep impression—sort of sinks into your mental being, much more so than if you did a dozen other things betwwn rehearsal and bed. "A certain amount of exerci9o is absolutely essential. A long walk is as good as anything for 'rehearsing' the liims. While I walk I am in the habit of taking a long, deep breath every now and then, holding it a few seconds, and then ex-, hale exhaustively, and take in another breath. This deep breathing develops tho. air-cavities in the lungs, and is invaluable to the singer, as tho great amount of air a singer can liold and control the more he can do with his voice. Ono of my favourite recreations is bowls, though I am still keen on cricket when tho opportunity servos. Si nee I have been in Wellington I have spent some delightful afternoons on the Wellington and To Hiwi Clubs' greens.' I think the Wellington Club's premises are the finest in the world—l havo never seen so wellapnointed a pavilion in my travels." "My present intention is to stay in New Zealand for a few weeks until the hot weather in Australia is over. It is very trying in New South Wales and Queensland in Decemlier and January, and I wanted very much to visit New Zealand once more, and here I am. It is just possiblo that my wife (Madame Emil.v Spada) may come ovfr shortly, in which ease we will probably give concerts throughout New Zealand. Sho is in splendid voice just now/ and is very fond of New foalnnd. but has not been very wc-ll of late. You will be luckv to get .lolm M'Cormnck over lwre. lie is a delightful singer, and going to be one of the very greatest ill opera." Mascagni's "Isabeau" is achieving a great success in South America. The premier of this opera was originally intended to take plane in the United Stales, but Mascagni and his managers failed to como to an understanding. The work is to be given ill Homo next January, mid subsequently in London, Prague, Dresden, etc. Mendelssohn is a great landscape painter and bis palette has a richness that is unequalled. No ono transposes tho external beauty of things into music as ho does. Ho is able, conscientious, ami clevor. Yet in epito of all theeo gifts 1m fatla to lixjvo us to tho ileptha of the cecL—fiiohinl Wagaor.