MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1716, 5 April 1913, Page 9

MUSIC.

TBY Teeble CLEF.I "Carmen." Tho lloyal Wellington Choral Society is making excellent progress in tlio choral music of liizet's "Carmen," which promises to bo 0110 of tho big events of the year, mua'cally. It has been found a little difficult to acquire that spirit of abandon which inlects "Carmen'' from first to last, but with rehearsal and' an increasing familiarity with the. score, even that is being achieved. Miss Carmen Pinschof, who is to sing tile title role, will arrive in Wellington from Sydney by the Warrimoo 011 April 10, and it is more than probable that tiic society's new conductor, Jlr. Christian Hallemsn, will arrivo by tlio same steamer. The committee lias decided to open the box'plan at the Dresden 011 Monday, April 11. The Christchurc'h Choral Society ha's decided to perform "Cavalleria llusticanu" on May <1 and 5, and "Carmen" on two nights in December next, and Mr. W. E. Caldow'has made arrangements to let tlio Hastings Philharmonic Society have Coleridge Taylor's cantata, "A Tale of Old Japan," a work which tlio Timaru Choral Society has decided to perform. The Beautiful in Music. "As tlio same block of marble," says Eduard Ilanslick in his work, "The Beautiful in Music," "is converted by 0110 sculptor into tlio most exquisite forms, by another into a clumsy blotch," so f the musical-scale, by different manipulation, becomes now an overture by Beethoven ami now 0110 by Verdi. In what respect do they differ? Is it that ono of thsin expresses more exalted feelings or the samo feelings,more accurately? A'o, but simply because its musical structuro is moro beautiful. One piece of music is good, anotli&r bad, because one composer invents a themo full of life, another a commonplace one; because the former elaborates his music with ingenious originality, whereas with the latter it becomes if anything worse and worse; because tlio harmony in ouo case is varied, and novel, whereas in the other it dTags on miserably in its poverty; becauso in one tho rhythm is lake a pulse, full of strength and vitality, whereas in tho other it is not unlike a tattoo." Thalberg's Contempt of Liszt. In his "Musical Memories," Dr. Spark, a well-known English organist of former days, relates the following anecdotes of Liszt and Sigismund Thalberg: "Thalbsi'g'a immense popularity, and tho unbounded enthusiasm his playing and works produced in Paris, unfortunately excited tho iealousy of Liszt, who was striving for the applause of the public at tho samo time. On one occasion the two met, and Liszt proposed that they should play a duet in public, whereupon Thai* berg sharply replied, 'Je n'aime pas d'etre aecompagne' (I don't like to ba accompanied), which greatly amused the Parisians. On another occasion Liszt made free to tell Thalberg that he did not admire' his compositions, when ' tho latter replied, 'Since you do not like my compositions, Liszt, I do not like yours; indeed, their style is wild and unconnected, eo odd that it can scarcely bo called composition at all!" 1 The learned Dr. Spark is evidently, from his subsequent remarks, in full agreement with Thalberg as regards Liszt's compositions, yet. if he could return today lro would, doubtless bo surprised to find that Liszt's "wild and unconnected - ' works are on every pianist's music rack, while Thalberg's works are almost completely forgotten! Exit the Crystal Falace. Tho famous "Crystal Palace" in London, according-to'a Erench authority, is to bo torn down at last. It has seen some notable gatherings in its day, ahd has ten. one of the principal "playgrounds" of ■London—lll fact of all England. Its musical associations ■ are very numerous. Tho great, Jlandel festivals h-avo been given 'there for many years. 1 Sir :Arthur..Sullivan gave' orchestral concerts thciy, and his work was <jarr,icd on for a long time by "Sir. August Maims—that 'genial, hilp"fnl friend of.young British composers. Sir George Grove,'tho compiler of the famous dictionary, was for many years its musical director. The Crystal Palace was built for tho Universal Industrial Exhibition of 1851. It is* a huge edifice of glass and contains what was at one Mmo tlie largest organ in the world. It is rather remote from the centro of things in London, and for some years has been struggling manfully against its fate. Vocal Metamorphosis. Ever since Mme. Meiba rose to famo connoisseurs of music have regarded Aus? tralia as a country likely to produce great singers. That the climate matures the voice is the opinion of Signor Antonio Zanelli, who arrived hero three years ago (rays tho Sydney "Herald"), as'a high baritone, and sails by tho Roon on April lji as a full-blown tenor bound once more for tho Lajul of Song. This artist, who was bom and educated in Chile, was subsequently trained under Pintorno as a baritone at tho Milan Gonservatorium, and had been on the Italian operatic stago three years when he made his Sydney debut with Mile; Bel Sorel in tho original Australian production. of "Madame Butterfly" (April, 1!)10). Later lis was engaged for Mine. Melba's season, and whilst singing as Valentine became convinced that his voice was "moving up" —and on reflection he remembered that fine tenor voices ran in his family. For a whole year he has been training as a tenor, and his recent appearance in his new capacity with the Sydney Madrigal Society, under Arundel Orchard, convinced good judges that he lmd a suro and certain career before him as a dTamati.: tenor. On reaching Italy Signor Zanelli will study under Perilli, of Naples, and will then leave for tuition in Paris under Jean de Heszke. Zanelli was in Wellington with tlio Bel Sorel Company.' Ho gave a conspicuously poor performance.as Escamillo in "Carmen," and was quite undistinguished vocally. ' Mr. Horace Hunt Departing. I. learn that Mr. Horace Hunt, ono of our. brightest and most artistic pianists, is. leaving for Europe. Mr. Hunt's recitals have marked a steady improvement in his art, and his ready services have been always available where the object is a worthy one. Mr., Hunt deserves a good send-off. Madame Meiba. Mmo. Meiba, who is to appear at Cov-, ent Garden in Juno, after two years' ab-' seiiee from tho grand opera stage, will sail in August 011 a five mouths' tour of Canada and the United States. Tt is stated that Mme. Melba's remuneration for this tour will be .£IO,OOO. "Lyric Diction" is the titlo of a new book 011 singing. Mme. Meiba. in a preface, writes:—"lf verbal diction were early acquired, vocal diction would not bo so serious a stumbling-block to our singers. If you wish to sing your native language beautifully—and you all should—you must lovo your native language, and the nearer you get to it the more you will love it." Notes. If the European critics are to be believed, a new star is to arise in the operatic firmament in the person of. Carlisle Kawbawgun, a full-blooded Chippewa Indian. Ho is the son and heir of tlio late chief of the tribe, and is a graduate of the Carlisle Indian School, and Yalo School of iJiedicine. At tho present time 110 is appearing in vaudeville, but ho is goiii£ to renounce it to study opera in Berlin. Cesar Thompson, the famous Belgian violinist, has 'declared in an interview that 110 would like to have an international law against tho exploitation of infant "prodigies." He believes that, the custom of exploiting children in this way is a menace lo the child, and an obstacle in tho pathway of tho art of music. Sir Hubert Parry, the distinguished English composer, is said lo be contemplating tlio formation of a chamber music club "at which members will be assured of finding the ingredients of a trio 01 a 1 quartet, much as a golfer is assured of a P'.me it, 011 putting ill an appearance at liis club without a partner, he may play a round with a professional." Mr. Lemare, father of the celebrated organist, Edwin 11. Lemare (who opened the Wellington Town Wall organ), has just completed fifty years" continuous service as organist at Holy Trinity Church. 111 order to mark their appreciation,-the members of (lie congregation presented him wiih a purse of fifty sovereigns 011 liis seventy-second birthday.