MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 13, 23 December 1911, Page 15

MUSIC.

» CBT Tsnu CliiJ John M'Cormack as Ballad Singer. Greatly sifted is tenor John M'Cormack, of the Melba Grand Opera Company. Sydney aud Melbourne audiences have listened with rare pleasure to the graceful facility with which ho sang the arias of "Rigolctto," "Traviata," "Faust," "La Bohemo," and "Tosca." In tho lastnamed, M'Conuack's singing of "Doloe Mano" was a triumph of lyric art. But this young Irishman has much versatility, in that ho is an accomplished ballad singer, and revels in tho warbling of Irish melodies. At tho Royal Albert Hall ho sings old and new ballads nt the Boosey ' Concerts, and is a prime favourite. It J will be good news in Wellington and Auckland to know that before lie returns to America he will give one ballad concert in each of those centres. They will bo under the direction of Mr. H. N. Southwell. The Broken Violin. 8 010 Bull, tho great violinist, was born 1 with a genius for music. To him tho r swaying of bluebells, the wind and rain \ and waterfalls, tho music of birds and \ bees—all theso were tho voices of Nature, i and he tried to reproduce them on his 1 violin. 1 It is said that the musician's first vio- I lin was given him by an uncle when he r was but four years old, and his delight f at. the present knew no bounds. t "My father wanted me to bo a' minis- f ter," said ho in telling the story many r years after, "and I thought I must do i as he wished. But when I was eight years J old he bought me a new violin and ar- ' ranged to have me study under a teacher, c 'for,' he said, 'a minister ought to know j a little about music.' That night I could ' not sleep. I rOse in the night to get a T peep at tho precious violin. It was so c red, and the pretty pearl screws did 0 smile at me so! I pinched the strings f just a little with my fingers, and it ? smiled at mo more and more. I took up ; the bow and looked at it. It said to mo f it would bo pleased to havo mo try it across tho strings. So I did try it just a very, very little, and it did play so softly. v I forgot that it was midnight and everybody asleep, and tho next minute I felt a my father's whip across my shoulders. v My little red violin dropped "on the floor jj and was broken. I did weep vory much » for it, bnt it did no good. They did have £ a doctor to it the next day, but it never p recovered its health." „ i< ii To the Front—Amy Murphy. o Sydney papers have been devoting a , good deal of attention to Miss Amy Murphy, who is to tour in the prima j donna role of Nadina in 'The Chocolate 1 Soldier." After appearing in musical : comedy, Miss Murphy returned for a time to the concert platform, and appoared with the Philharmonic Society in Sydney at different times. She saug'in such.big works as "The I'lying Dutchman," "The Messiah," "Elijah." and "Caroctacus." "Her return to the stage," says tho "Sun," "was in 'The Chocolate Soldier' in . Melbourne. Miss Murphy being engaged 'l to sing Nadina twice a week. Tho first I 1 time that she went on was after one re- P hearsal, and she did so remarkably well " that the whole of the company cheered ." her at the fall of the curtain. ' c "They nearly wrung my hand off," relates Miss Murphy, "and I received many letters from members of the audience l 1! congratulating me, while the gallery girls of Melbourne sent me a beautiful bouquet. The card that ac- fj! companied this lend, 'Wishing to see yon more and more.' It was a good tonic to get so much encouragement. lam glad !- v tn have flu; chance of apnenrinc its Na- JV dina in New Zealand," added Miss Mur- , phy. "Tlicv have never seen me there in i 1! a. good coi)iic oonra role, that, is why I r' am so to be going," "In ad- j?' d'tiou to being a brilliant vocalist, Miss Miirphy." says the "Sun." "is a clever 8? and natural actress—a fact which she has amnlv demonstrated in her appear- nl ances in Sydney as Nadina." Notes. Mr. Ben Davies and Miss Esta D'Argo sang in "The Messiah" with the Sydney pi Philharmonic Society on Thursday "even- CI ing. cli J. C. Williamson's Company, which i' 1 came out t.o play "The Swiss Express" and "Ilis Majesty's Guests," are play- f ' ing at Marlow's Theatre, Sydney. The j° advertisement. reads—".Mr. George Marlow J! will present J. C. Williamson's Company in 'Her Majesty's Guests.'" Quaint! " Mr. Philip Newbury, the popular and CI gifted tenor, is down to give a. concert at tli tho Opera Houso on Monday evening. On gii the same evening (Christmas Day) Mr. ri< Maugh.m Rarnett is to give ail organ re- -or cital.in.the Town HalL . ; m