MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1413, 13 April 1912, Page 9

MUSIC.

(By Treble ClefJ

Wellington Musical Union!

Many in Wellington will bo interested to learn of (lie intention of tho Wellington Musical tnion to go into recess. Um-iiiK last season this society showed a Rood ileal more earnestness and n greater desiro to improve tho quality of its perforniances than has been tho case ier somo years, and this together with 1 lie help of somo loyal friends of the «-oeicty and iis honoured conductor (Mr. I'obert Parker) helped to pull the nuim tut of a rather unhappy position. It has struck the writer that what tho union has wanted for four or five years past is an infusion of fresh youuft' voices to add a brighter tint of vocal quality to tho glorious chorales of llandel, Mendelssohn, Gounod, Sullivan, and other creative giants, , and a greater degree of earnest work in order to produce precision and musical exactitude. Mr. Parker lias done great work in Wellington as a conductor and a teacher, r.nd he takes into his retire--5 ment a name that will ever bo respected and even cherished. If the union does commence work again soon, and I hope it , will, I trust that its conductor will bo a man of energy/enthusiasm, and initiative as well as a sound musician. Such are ; few and far between, but these qualities '• are essential if a choral society is to bo ■ a success. The Genius of Guilmant. ■ ' The lata Alexandre Guilmant has (says the ' Etude'.') been 0110 of the most forceful inspiring influences to awaken dignity of musical sentiment in France, lor years lie was president of theSchola Lantorum, a school founded by the late Charles Bordes, choirmaster of St. Gervais, Paris, and located in tho Hue St: Jaqiics. lie devoted one day each week ■ , . sc hool, a labour of love, givin" instruct loll iu ecclesiastical music. In IoJG he received the appointment as pro feasor of the organ nt the Conservatoire Rationale 111 I'aris, and taught there re. gularly hto days each week. His or»ar classes were the most successful that hav< ever been held in this famous institui the time of his seventieth birthday, when ho spoke of retiring, th< matter would not even be considered and he continued up to the time of his death. Ihe best proof of the excellence of Guilmant s music is in the remarkable influence and popularity it has attained amongst all classes—the liberal-minded educated musician and critic, as well as the ordinary listener. Guilmant insisted on tho strict legato—the bel canto of tho singer, and now almost a lost art in the haste of the present dav. Nothing was done with uuduo haste'or without preparation, the same care and attention to detail being followed in'everything he undertook. Shortly before his death he s ? i' , 1 can Icave behind mo a correct st.ue and method of organ playing, it is all 1 ask for." A Successful Australienne. . ss Eileen Boyd, who is well known IV I' o alu \, and Ne,v z «»la«d, and who lelt IS months ago to study singing in Fans, has been in London "for tho last ii\c months. She sang with Rreat suecess and praise from the critics at the United Newspapers' sub-annual concert on lebruary 8. The "Daily Chronicle" refers to the beautiful quality of her contralto \ oice and the artistic renderimj of her songs. She also sang at a grand concert before a large audience at the Georgian.Gallery at Waring's on Februnry 22 at the annual dinjier concert at the Hotel Cecil, and at a grant eoncert at the Stemway Hall in aid of the •Metropolitan Hospital. On February 25 she sang at the Palladium before" an audience of over 4000 people, being recalled three times and having to respond to encores. She has (o fulfil up to the end of 1013, and the critics predict a great future for her. Notes. Madame Clara Butt sends news to Sydnev of lu-r suecesstul Continental lour, in association with her husband, Mr. Kennerley hnmford. On February ]f ( , the distinguished singers appeared 'at an orill I- conc ; ol ' t 111 1,10 I'hilharnionic TTall, I at Jierlin. Later, concerts were given at Budapest \ ipnna, Prague, Leipzig, fol-1 ogne. and Hamburg. Mine. Bull ami Mr I liimuord were to return to England at lie end of lebruary, resuming (heir Kn»lish provincial tour at Brighton nn March I - Ihe bngiish contralto is looking lor-: ward to her revisit to -Australia ' next year. * |

| lie English PierroU are to commence v Zrala » ll "I Wellington on -nay lb. lu s company, which gave considerable pleasure when here la>t vear hw ka "WfttsthcnjU bj tfce addition of a foaa b&uOj