MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1605, 23 November 1912, Page 9

MUSIC.

TBt Treble Ckef.l Kirkby Lunn's Advent. On Monday next Madame Kirkby Lunn, peerless ' among English contraltos, will sing for tho first time in New _ Zealand at Auckland. When it is stated that there is positively no contralto in England who can be compared to Madamo Lunn, either as an exponent of, tlio great oratorio roles or those florid contralto parts in tho header grand operas, one is able to grasp the importance of tho visit of this artist to these shores. Australia naturally takes a great pride in Melba, in whom tho world possesses a well-nigh flawless soprano, and it is pride of that kind which England has always manifested in Madame Kirkby Lunn. Apart from her attributes as a vocal artist of rare temperamental powers and a stylo and presence to grace her art, Madame is extremely popular throughout the Kingdom, and such lias been the demand for her Gervices that she has travelled comparatively little compared with other grand opera artists. It was' only by an extremely lucky chance that Messrs. J. and N. Tait were able to secure her foi* an Australasian tour. To fulfil this engagement 6he hail to leave London before tho close of tho last opera season at Covent Garden,- where she had repeated her former triumphs a.s Delila and Bruuhildo —two of her greatest performances in grand opera. In Australia Madamo Kirkby Lunn won everyone by the sheer weight qf her artistic powers. She lias been hailed as the finest contralto ever heard in tlw country, unil one critic, fired by pardonable enthusiasm, described her as "A singer by the grace of God." Madamo Lunn is supported by Mr. Andrew Shanks, a Scottish baritone, with a London and Continental reputation; Mr. Wm. Murdoch, a brilliant pianist; and M. Andre do Ribaupierre, a violinist of culture and raro capacity. The box plan for the Wellington season (December 3, 5, and 7) will be opened at the Dresden on Wednesday next. The Passing of Frances Allitsen. Miss Frances Allitsen, whose death in at the age of 03/ is chronicled, did the State some service when she composed "There's a Land." Miss Allitsen's songs and duets numbered over a hundred, among the best-known being: "A' Son"; of Thanksgiving," "The ' Two Psalms," "Like as the Hart," "The Lord is my Light," "The Lute Player," "Prince Ivan's Song," and "Since We Parted." Tho gifted woman also wrote a "Dramatic Scena, Cleopatra," and settings to poems of Heine and Tennyson. Included in the Frances Allitsen songs 'which have reached Australia are: "Answered," "An Old English Love Song," "Before We Part," "Be Sly Star," "Break Diviner Light," -"False or True," "Like as the Heart Dcsireth" (sacred), "Lift Thy Heart," "Norsoman's Song," "Not Quite Alone," "Oh, for a Burst of Song," "Song of. tiie Gun," "Sunset and Dawn," and "Unto Thy Heart." "The Music-Makers." A new work by Sir Edward Elgar, "The Music-Makers," was produced at the Birmingham Festival last month. It is described as strikingly-" sonorous,. expressive in style, and likely to win favour because of its fluent grace and beautifully accomplished workmanship. It is a choral setting of an ode by Arthur O'Shaughnessy, whoso theme is that the music-makers and dreamers are really the creators and inspirers of men, and their deeds the,, true makers of history. Amongst other new works produced at the Festival were Mr. Granville Bantock's" orchestral drama, "Fifine at '• Fair," which is written of as original and modern in its ideas, and masterly in -its orchestral . treatment; Dr. Walford Davies's cantata, "Tho Song of St. Francis," a graceful setting of some of the ascriptions of St. Francis of Assisi—the praises of tho elements, ending with that of death; and a new symphony in A minor froiii Finland, by Jan Sibelius, who is said to have invested this music with that strangely romantic beauty of which ho is such jtin exponent. Interesting Statistics. "Musical Canada" states that London harbours 1700 professional vocalists, and no fewer than 838 of thesa are sopranos. Of "professors" of the voice, piano, violin, etc., there are more than C 730. Of solo violinists there are a round thousand, but strangest of nil is the fact that there uio no fewer than -100 musical directors. The choral societies of London and outskirts number 73. The New York "World" recently furnished its readers with somo interesting musical statistics regarding the profession of music teaching in New York. It is estimated there are 10,000 piano and organ teachers, who have 100,000 pupils, giving tlie'm 150,000 weekly lessons at the average price of a dollar a lesson, the total outlay for a thirty-week season being -1,500,000 dollars. There are 2001) singing wceklj lessons at the average nricc of two dollars, involving c,n outlay of 3,000,000 dollars a season; there arc also 2000 violin and other teachers with 20,000 pupils, giving 20,000 weekly lessons at an average of one dollar a lesson, involving 000,000 dollars. The total outlay for'the season adds up to 8,100,000 dollars. Opera in Yiddish, To those Londoners who live in tho East-end, opera in Yiddish is now a familiar experience. Not many months ago the opening of the "Templo" in "Whitechapel was regarded by many persons as „tho beginning of a new epoch. The groat masterpieces of opera were to be brought "within reach" of the people not only in regard to their purse, .but also in regard to their language. Among other works, \ erdi's "Rigoletto" was performed in the vernacular, and "Kin? Ahaz," written directly into Yiddish bv the clever young conductor of the "Templo" orchestra. A later development was reached towards the end of September, at tile Mile-End Empire, otherwise known as the "Paragon." Here was performed Haleyy's "La .Tuive" for the first timo in, Yiddish, and an enthusiastic a'udienco applauded the production. "Der Rastebbinder" and "Wiemor Blut" are to be given shortly. The Mile-end authorities, known as tho "Yiddish Opera and Operetta Company," hope to produce"Faiist," "Carmen." "Aida." "II Trovatore." "Tho Merry Widow," "Les Cloches do Cornevilje," ( "Romeo and Juliette,"'and "Tho Geisha." Some of the operas are to be sung in- German. Notes. In Ma.v,' 1913, Madame Clara Butt and Mr. Rennerley Rumford will commence their second Australasian tour, under tho management of Messrs. J. and N. Tait, in i Sydney. Fifty havo been arranged. Tin? first is fixed for May 1"). During tho first week of October, the great contralto sang in "Elijah" at the Birmingham Festival. It was then stated that her English engagement book was full up to April. Tho following appeared in "The Stage," October 3:—"A clever young soprano,'by name Lucille lieiisled, made her London vaudeville debut at tho Palladium on Monday. She sang the "Caro Nome" air from "Rigoletto"' in excellent style, and followed this with a pleasant rendering of George Clustam's "Ma Curly-headed Bobby." Miss Brnsted possesses a fresh voice of good quality and line range, anil articulation and expression leave littlo to be. desired. Monday's audience gave her a very liearlv welcome, and the applause she received was well deserved.'J. Something new under the sun was heard a few weeks ago at Cracow, Moniuszko's oporu "Haika" wivj sung, with tho libretto ..translated Into EiDaranta,