A CLOSING CHAPTER.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1465, 13 June 1912, Page 6

A CLOSING CHAPTER.

IN OUR MUSICAL LIFE, MR.. PARKER'S HETIBEMEXT. The retirement of Mil. Robert Parker from his position as. conductor o{ the : Wellington Musical Union, closes a cKaj* tcr in tho life of a musician w-ho may be justly described as the doysiv of his -art in Wellington. hi ■this, cbsmppalita.n city, with, its drift of .population,, tho pul,lie mommy goes back !}iit a few' yeavs, and there are now. iew people in AVcllingftiii who tail .recall important musical events pf a. quarter of' a century afro, or traco: th.rpugh.uut that period Mr. i'jrbrs eohnectio'.i.s vifh the. development of the public tn-le iii lVii'sfo Discussing his retirement with. a,, representative of The Dowji-itHf, .Mr. Parker said that an impression appeared to have, got into the minds of spine 1 .people tlirtt lie was giving np the practice, of his. profession altogether.. That was not; 59. Ho had had a great nmny'•ciVlis- iip.rin his time and energies, and had lately felt; a dssire to concentrate li.is .attention upon fewer activities, llev.ee his decision to lay down his bato.n. and retire from tho eonduetorship of. fh.e' Musk'ai Ilnioil, concentrating the laiigei? part .of his ;itteutions on his teaching i.S'r.fc, w.hicli ih' ; eludes the training; of public school teachers in the art of fchoql . music..

"1 regard my trainnig co.lligb work .its the most important .tff ail' ni'y engagements," saiil II r. .I'arke'i:.. '".My association with the k^chei-s 7 'classes- lias: b.cCn altogether delightful, an.d" I feel. "tl;i«.t jilthe instruction given .nit these'. singing classes in school music.l.'.an)' .sowing' seed in fertile soil. .\lieadv_ there is apparent a more general aiin;-in: t-l.i.e schools to improve the singing 'Infth'ods. of tbis children, and. above, ail;, to improve the., tone. Tho implanting 1 of sound ideas ill. singing 'methods of. the -younger generation could not," said-1 lie. speaker, "t'aii to bo reflected in a later day,, iji tlic adult population bv tho cultivated appreciation of the bettcr'clnss of'Sniisic. and. ir. lhi.se who sing, tho ability to' sing ccrectly. An Interesting Retrospect;: It is not, comparatively speaking, so very long ago that the prot'o.-sion oi'iniisic was popularly associated-' with a boheniiiui vagabondage, at which;the' very correct people of the «arlj(. rather askance, as being not (liuta . respectable, and this prejudice had not finite disappeared whim;. 3hv.,Parked following his bent, elected to become a leusician" against the, inclination of. his

ciders, who would havo p'referreil to .eee : , liim engage in 01:0 of the learned professions, such as "la,w,-. niejljcme, p.r t)ic Church. At thU;'jiniirpiisioniil}lQ /period;'. .l<muy Liud, Sims- Moevesi Xiti.eiiS| iinii;! other great artists were sii;" the. height of their fame: ahd. ybiirig.: musical students' of tluSo days were lucky in tlieir oiiyii'oiiiiitnt. "I havo always. niysblf v.o.ry. fortunate, indeedjs'ysaii]' Mr: l\arkoi;';.'-'fliat, I was ablo to coiiie; ii'ndef thcS 'influence., of such artistry when I w;as, .a beginner-,: for their work made'« lasting Impression upon me. Early Sosieticsi Mr. Parker cain.c out to New Zealand in 1878, and settled in ChrMchui eh. Biit he did not care for the climate there, and the following roar came up to Wellington, where he was Wppo.iiitijient' a? organist at St. :lV:tor's, i.iiOn "a little barn of a phice.VV:A'f/'ci:jiwof the church and its organ,, lie-made up his mind that ho coul(i::iio.t\:*cc^ went, and just abo.ut. the, same time ho was offered and accepted the organ jit. St. Paul's. Jlr. Pai'keii. ; 'is ; .still', 'organist''-vat < St. Paul's. Winn Jlr. Parker caine to Wellington lie found in exj.stfiijjb, jb musfcirt-'eQpiltj-called the Philhar.niohic. Society, joitd- qI. the activities 01* St. Peter's I'arWi. There was also the llai:rnpriic' , ' Ciub, coji'dhcfetl by Mr. Parker.. The -Philharmonic lived for a year or two, and then went out of existence. Thtsi'i.follbwed. a ih'iipii of. musical forces, ...which... created, tho \Vei-. lington Choral S.oeieiy. Tiiis iiuily, am dor Jlr. Parker,' 9ml; iii conjunction: witlf the Wellington' Orchestra! Society, .(lid:, much valuable service in the development of the public taste in iiiusi.c> Two' important festivals, 'liavb one in the early; ,80's. iiii the o|/i Drill Shell, near the Suprenio Court, and the second about ten years 'later in. the Opera House. •■UTho" Ja'tteir; festival: Jistf to the institution of {he l'e-tivai Choral Society, which l.'at'cr 'eiTected: ait. organic union with the;- Wellington (>roh".-'tral Society under th's-hamo of The Wellington Musical U'iiio.n.. . ■ The Wellingi'ui Qrcl.icsfral. Society gn ye its first concert iii 'So.p.toijiiw'i;; 188'', anil although in recent ym?? it lia.s been de,funet in. fact, it really ilid. nofc yieid-iip tlie ghost till iiie formation <h the; Munic.ipal Orchestra. Chamber concerts were i na ugu rn tod by the W'el.li'.ngtbSi ■■ Orchestra[ Society in 1890,' awl jve'fe very Stpu'lar, at that time. . " '■ : . The lin'eal predecessor of the Tiiedertafei was the Orpheus Wee Club, .which, its first concert in IBPO. '[-lie 'Tac'deftafel was founded ill-^js.s)2n.hd:.:is, stiil in -existence, although the passing b.f the years its pers'qin'tel lias; fil.ll.3ost changed. A Life's Work. It is by lti.« public services in the development of the pub':!'; tusk* iii music, however, that Mr. Parker is best, known to the community at'hjrge. As. niu'si'eai director of the old Wellington. Orchestral Society (of blessed memory), the Musical I'nioii, the Gl.efca.hd'.;Jla(lr.igal : Society,.a iid the Ueueriafe!,. lie, ha? been able to give Wellington [HMiplo mere than a nodding acquainlancs with representative music bf the very best'kind; 'Ttyeiiihftva yeatsiigo symphony concerts' wore tlie .One lieard then of a symphony coneer! by .ai'f orchestra conducted 1 j >y Mi'. Parker-' being' crowded to tlie doors, and received' with I ho greatest enthusiasm'. .It is'e.ttrc : inciy' doubtful \viieilHT s!K ; h entluisir.ni coiilii Ije created in NVllingiim |n-cliiy over a symphony concert. Tbi« de.pre'sijiig, il'inibt. was one of the points snimiiltnd to. Mr. Parker durin;.; the jntirvi-.w. Ve---'thero was come justi.'ivnlion .fia- the ••kineiit of doubt. "But," fe-sai.d, "t iht tjp.i- flunk that we need i-.vl d<-|>r<ssvd obi.-.i! ft.' There are fa'.'slii'pns 111 all things where the public is cohcyTned, anil so it is >vith music. To-day,''■t,liis ; .cb[.n;po-:ev iiiay'lie. ths vrgue; t.vnioirow, s:ir,in!i.n!y el--.'. At: one time the ?he fashion, as we niighiy.si\s',. and tjie.'ii. G.r.i'eg, Dvorak, ami so oa'. I oilbwirig iiie cycle of change, liieifi the dii.v 1.1 syniidiuny (eneerts may coine rjr.mi ;e. , : ui. Qive in a newspaper ■soiiii'tunes t.lii- reitiark that such ami -licli a. piece is. t'o',- 'lie plnved for the. :lhM tiiiie iii ■We'i.lingSo.iiror Xew Zeal.ti.d. 'I'lit'Se -l:itements ; oileii are amusing ti). tho c e fr-luv caii renienilier, for example, .that t;li? very same piece Was ]>erformed iwcniy-live years agn. in Weilinglon. Scii'iicciiicv. the other day Hint (lie. piihi.i'e vvoiiiri ).;!;c fo'.lie.ti' : the overture. io ;']!'u.y Bla.#' jda.yved. niore' i'vef|iiently iiv \Vci]ir."tcii. \Vh ; v. [ have : ccnilweted lli ii mrrl'ii'f. 'l.i'H 1 .al'i)ui=l. Wrnnio ri-'< nf 11-" vird ef it'. Mind ljou," said the- Ej.enkor, "m. b.aji i very

■ fine oroliestTa in thoso dave.. Many pcaplo hero will remember Mr. Bpn.n.ingtpn— one of tho most eaixiblo orchestra leaders I have eve? known—the Hermanns, and others." The City's Indebtedness. ■Mr. Parker's .remark suggested it ro- ' view of. the principal works performed utt- I ■ der his baton. The list was surprising ■■ in its ' scope and dignity. Beginning . : with tlio choral works, and classifying, i these by coaiposer?—liot in t.lio. order of . filuls jacih's celebrated VaSr ' sfo.ii .Music, periormed :in Wellington not very iSiig ago, and four works from Handel—his great ■C'in'ißfhias .Orcstorio "T.he iiicssiaii,'' "Ji!(las Jlaccijbe.us," th'e cpl'Obraied military oratorio; the .li.iytliical ' Cantata "Acis- and Gaiateit" (itamlel. who : was, i-ai-eiy siiecess't'u.i when at'empting Sigii'ter subjects—lie was 4 failure in opera, a fn-iniant trfuni.pli with- tii'is . caoiatii); arid tli'ti st'ipendo.us. and draiiiaH'c "'lsrael' i'll Egypt" oratorio. Haydn, that .imi.sf: gracehi! of-COiiipOscM, «'as i'ntreduced to Wellington folk by .Mr. Parker wiiyn -his. society performed "Tho | Creation," one of the classic oratorios, nnil. "The .Seasons. I '' Mendelssohn's "Klijah," "St. Paul," "Lobgesang," "i'irst Wialpiirgis; iN'iifli't;," "Tjiiiida Si'on," "A'thiil'ic," ; and '"joreley;," complete the- list of t.lio choral works of that delightful composer which were..pcr'forni.cd under .Mr. Pareer's batm.. The remainder may bo set out a.'s foljow;—• ... ; Spoiir—' The Last .ludgment"; and "God liuiu Art. fcireat." .tia(le^"l'.syche''; "The Cr'i'ish.dersi" SU'rndah' liei'.uet.t—''May Queen." Sir Arfhiir. Si.iil.ivah— I "J'he. tyr of ■■ Antioelr"; "On Shore, aiul Sea"; "The ' Golden I.egend." Ovorek- "The S])eetre.'s liride"; "Stabat ■ Mater.'' \ Rossini—"Stabat Mater." Sir. A. G'.. pf SliiirOn-." . yi.llisr's .:Staiifbi:d^- ! ''.Tlie: ReVengo"; : "J'iiaiuln'g Colioore"; "Tho last I'o.sf." Sir Ihibei't Parry—"Hlest ' I'a'i'r of ■.■Sirens." .Sir P, C.'owen—"Tiie Sleoping-. Beahtf' , ; : "Si. John's. Eve?'; ".Tohti Clilpin." 1 Sir Kdwanl Klgat—"King Olaf"; Kpi'l.ogiie from. "Tlio. 'oi':' Sft George.'' Stuart--"liride of .Dunkerron." Coleridge Taylor— 'Hinwathn." d.. f. liariicit—"The Ancient Mariner," Hubert Hather—"The Wedding ol' Slion Jlncleaii." C. Harford l.loyd -"Hero end T.c-an-drf' • "Song of Balder": "Loiigbearil's' Shgn;" (iounod's "Faust" (concert, version). Sc I\ubei:t. —"Soi 1 g of Jliriiim." Instrumental -Music. Mr. Parker's laboi:rs in eonnection with tlio performance .of., instruniental work's have Id-en finite as onerous. Ileethoveii's : sj'tuph'b'nies; Ulie ''iiicoiiiparaljle' Nine") 1 ,- excepting the third, ninth, and part "of l;io .seventh.', were introduced to the. piib- ; .lie,; as also were that composer's "Violin . ('ouceilp in I)," the "Cinnoforte COll- - in (I,'''' nnd, tlie. .overtures' -to- ■ "l-'idelis," "Leonora,-" and "Kgiiiont." .Mozartf who .is regardeil l>v Mi-, linker :. a.s bdng the most finished aiid elega'nt of all • ;t!ipigrea,t. c.ohipgsc.fs, was.-reprSsehted'. by'hisi ''^ v,ll Plioiiy in G" (Jupiter), ar.d the i i 'S.Vjnfiliqiiy in E I 1'! ' t here- were . also ' f ho piana-: : forte), and the :ovcrt.ures. to "Don Giovf :anni," "I'igaro," and "Die Zauberilote." t 'The:.6y?'f.tii.re.s' to - JVeUcr's.' celebrated : i operas;-. "Oberon," "Der " :Ej:ey^ihultz v "; ;. and- "Precrdsa,'" and fho ''CotiMi'Wuck.ia . C.Major," complete tiie .sum of the .woi'ks f 'byj that 'Cphi'liosD'c which werei'.lpbrf.prjii'eil.. iunclei;- Mr,../Parker,.; I"i*s- ) inVoSt;;'^ele.tira'tfcl;.. overtures. -"Tho -.Hel> ■ rides," ".Midsmnnier N'iglit.'s Dreain," . ; "K uy : Blas," "Heinike]ir :aiis;(ier ; ;Freniias," ..■'aiid\ ! :' :; Melusi the great. .6011-. J certos—"Concerto for. the \'iolin in. K Minor" aiitl. the pianoforte concerts in Or J and I) Minor—tlio; "Italian Symphony" ;. and tilt l . Scotch Syuipliony" were also . performed, ai'ul. .in "addition to the.-e, Wellington folk ...wero! indebtedto Mr. : ;-Parkbr;for Grieg's "C'piicertp 'ih ij ' and his (iraniaiie. "Peer 'Gynt Suite" (at ;■: present 'very popular in Wellington); i Siiint-Saehs'i "Cbiiccr.te -in ; G Minor," I Wagner's overtures to "R.ier.zi" and "Die j and Scliumaiiu's "Coticerto ,r i.Ji. ,A Minor." 1 ■ . ■

■ With the exception of the.-; "Scotch Symphony" (Mendelssohn), Moza.rt.'s "J'igaro." Weber's "L'er Kieyschut/," ■;' and "I'recipsa" overtures, Handel's ' "Judas Maccabeus,'* "Acis . and'. ..Galatea;"' and "Messiah." Haydn's ' Creation," ■ -and Spohrs "Sas.fc Judgment" and' God, Thou Arf, : C!i-eat," tlic- whole OftheabPvc- list-we.re;. conducted by Mr. I'a.rker at their first' p'rodnction in M'eilingtoii-.-many of them i'nr the first time in New Zealand. He was iiiso it pioneer of those delighiiiil "KveiiiiigS-.witli. G.fea.t.'.iGorijposers;'-" >yhich. : have become so popular iu. England in recent, jears. s At fhe' Town Hull on Friday evening h;=xf, Mr. Parker is io l>e tenderecl a cpiiipiimeiitary concert.. by his. old associates in musical work.. "The. Golden ftgeii*d|"-. always ,ii favourite, with niii'sic-iovei's, -i.s-. one- oi- the items oiv ihe programme.