MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2156, 23 May 1914, Page 8

MUSIC.

"Marl tana*" On Thursday evening nest the old familiar strains of. Vincent Wallace's melodious .opera "Maritana" will bo hoard onco more, not in operatic term, as •in the days of Martin Siimmst-iii Charles Turner, and Annis Montague, but in formal concert order, as befits the functions of tlio Wellington loyal Choral Society. The opera is i,|d enough to be new to tho rising generation, and on that score it will be" interesting to heiii' in proper sequence the numbers that charmed our parents and grandparents, Tlio society has arranged a good caste, which includes at least two artists new lo Wellington, who are being especially imported from Melbourne. These, are Mrs, Gregor Wood, who will sing Laz&rillo's music, and Mr. Gregor Wood, who will sing Don Caesar. Miss Helen Garn'ne-r Uiß talented Dunedm soprano, will bo bean] as Mantana, and Mr. Hamilton Hodges will double the- rales of Don •Jose and the King of Spain, Mr. Giinstian Hellenusnn will conduct.

Wanted—A Wellington Cawthron, 'Wellington is badly, sadly in need of a Thomas Cawthron to endow an orchestra. As far as this city—tho Empire City—is concerned, orchestral music has had a distinctly slipshod existence for some years.. No o-»3 can point to-day with any certitude to tho existence of any permanent orchestra. Th<s nearest approach is tho Wellington Professional Orchestra, which,- judged on last Sunday evening's concert, is -full of. promise for the future; if it can bfs kept going. ' But—there is always a but with orchestras—tho Frefessienals are largely recruited from the local theatre, orchestras, and, consoquently, their services are only available on a Sunday evening. In a city of the size aiul importance of Wellington tliero should be au orchestra of fifty or sixty performers available for week-iiight concerts—something that- will tend* to (lispo! the musical ignorance- that so i stifles artistic ■ effort'in Wellington, How can Mr. Bernard Pago's recitals command -even moderately good audiences if little of nothing' is known of tho meaning of tho mtisi-o which he plays. It is the regular attendant, who reads,{iml listens intelligently and insistently, who catches tho golden joy that is born of understanding. Bad there, been oven a moderately competent orchestra continuously giving concerts in Wellington for, say, twenty years past, people would not ho writing to tho Press, suggesting that the City Organist should play "Siiboky Oakums,'' instead of the "Symphonic Pathotitiu-e." An orchestra is a great educator, and the most perfeet form of presenting music to the ear, yet, in Wellington, we have no suelt permanent hotly. It is of little use approaching the question from a commercial point of view. A paid orchestra can never pay in Wellington or elsewhere, and .those who are interested had better realise that right away,. On the Continent, most of the permanent orchestras are subsidised either by the State or by tho municipality, ' and tiroro tlic.v would just as snwi think of being without a water supply as an orchestra. But, though tilt; paid orchestra cannot pay, it can be run in sueh a manner as to make the loss inconsiderable,' with the aid of the Bnuiieipfllity and subscribers, who are prepared to•'guarantee tlio loss —or, better still, have vrc in Wellington a Cawthron, who, for - art in its most delightful form, is prepared to foot tho hi!!?

The,, dbfieit on the New York Symphony 'Orchestra last season (only 6fJ,i.]flQ. dollars) was paid by Mr.H. H. Flagler,: who made no fuss about it. Tho. late Joseph I'alfeor endowed tho New York . llMlharmonic Society with a million [ dollars, and 3lr. Henry Ij. Higginson has supported the Boston Symphony Orchestra'since its beginning. Those aro millionaires, and wo do not raise millionaires in New Zealand. Still, there should be, and possibly are, moneyed mon, who are prepared to contribute to an endowment fund for an orchestra —to do something worth while for music. g imputation and Refutation. *. It would almost seem thai the title of Franz Lehar's successful new operetta, "Alone at Last" (now running in Vienna), has been misconstrued into ft subtle kind of ch«llcnge, for, an intruder lias Appeared on the scone in the shape of an obscure Italian composer— Brimuhis dell' Frorc-Poj>peseu<—who charges Lobar with having "pirated'' the score of "Alone at Last" from his (Psppescu's) manuscript of ''Hor Birthday," and who now demands half ; profits for the run and subsequent roy+ allies, on th© piece. The story may be told in a fpw words (says the Musical Courier"). It. would seem that Poppescu approached LetiaV at- Ischl; last summer with a request to the effect that Leha.r should help him tfl place his oiieratta. Poppescu, left tlio manuscript in Lota's hands, who forwarded it te his publisher, with a word or so of commendation. The .manuscript was refused and re-turned. The maliciously inclined how whisper most unjustly that the intellectual resotirces. of operatta composers soon run dry, and they are often .■constrained to go far afield in search of new "inspiration." Also that those who wander far afteld occasionally poach. Lehar has placed the matter in the hands of his solicitor, who contends that his' r&'ent never looked at tho manuscript, and that "Alone at, Last" was already written and awaiting publication before he had ever heard of Poppesetf. Poppcscu's solicitor has appealed and obtained an order' for a trial against Lehar for iufringMsent of tho' right of authorship.

"A Untfon Symphony." Almost unheralded, a \v>\y w«rk m the largest scale by the greatly gifted Dr. Vaughan Williams—by name "A London Symphony"—bad its first hearing at Mr'. I l '. B. Ellis's concert at Queen's Hall last nisht <savs tho Lmi» don "Daily Mail" of March 2S). Us success was so marked that a speedy second hearing should be assured. The first movement in particular was tro» mendously applauded. The others wore, perhaps, sometimes found lodger than the composer's sustaining powers always warranted. Many passages in this fine work aro eloquent of the stonier side of London's mighty poetry—such aro the solemn, veiled opening; of tho slow movement' and the harsh energy of tho opening of the finale. Gay London is represented by ragtime ditties in tho first movement, which are, perhaps, unnecessarily trivial. Leonard Berwick Again. Mr.' Leonard Berwick, wild delighted audiences by his interpretation of Chopin on his first visit ia Now Zealand, is again in Australia. Ho eamo from London by tho Onirnh, but will not reach Sydney until be has appeared in Melbourne. It is probable that ho will give- four recitals in both cities, and will afterwards visit Adelaide, and later Gwlong, BaHarat, and Bendsgo. and then Xew feiland. Returning from Australia and New Zealand, the pianist will play in tho United Stater, and some, of the Canadian towns. Ttao Ornstcfn Style, Alas that Sir W. S. Gilbert was horn too soon! His sarcasm at tho mild aesthetics of tho 'eighties should hav-e been saved for tho Futurists of the "London Group" and the Newest Music J'"ato was rrucl not to allow him who conceived Bunthonie of "Patience" to see Mr. Wyndhaßi Lewie's "Cbristojfliur Columbus" at the Geupil Gallery or M,

Leo Ornstein enlarging over the piafro at Steauway Hall on March .27. M. Orlisteiii, a pale.. Russian youth, dressed in velvet, crouched over the instrument in an attitude all his own, and, for all tho apparent frailty of his form, dealt it the most _ ferocious pamslithcHit. M. Ornsteiji did not disdain til© ohfcr masters altogether; he ployed -some Bach and some. Arnold Sc-lioutprg. But his serious efforts were reserved For -a series of his own mora advanced worts, Thero. were a- soliata, itti.pftssiafis of Notre Damo and -of ilio .Tluvmcs, Daiico of Wild Men, and ÜBscellainiis. . The Wild Men ware not confined iv the' Dance; they Ivero sorfiehow in. NotreDamo and the Thames too. On«* listened ; with considerable distress but at tho ssffie tinn> no little inner satisfaction at living in an ago when sttcl!. joyous extravagances are ' possible.—"Daily Mail." " ' ' Madame Nikisch's Opofa. Says tho. Lcipsic correspondent of the ; "Musical Courier" :— "On March 6 tho Hamburg , City Opera gave the very first performance of Ainelio Nikisdl's three-act bw-l.esqtie ■ ; 6.pci'a, 'Daniel in tho Lioite' Dftii.' As : test, Ernst, ran Wotegeii's book had been, arranged for the stage by Mrs. Nikisch's hidustriows collaborator, Ils-n Friecllauder. Tho new work is- avowedly a rctnra to the serio-comic school of Offenbach, and has therefore nothing whatever to do with operetta.' spirit' The full modern • opora orchestra, the large musical score, and tiro far greater , Kinsieal earnestness, of the •Daniel' conto as a great.and agreeable surprise to those wlio_ had first hoard Mrs. Nikisch's Christinas operetta, Trinz Adckr' (1906) and her thrce*-act fflier-. Otta. 'Jleino Xante, deiito Taute" of three years ;igo. Bccait.se, thi l . new w»rk is very ti-nlilse tho others,, this capable . and gifted woman now appears as an; entirely 'different art liorsoimfity,

"One must .imraedktel.v nhse-n-n that lior 'burlesque opera shows unfailing aeuitten and it very pronounced tyilc of musical awl hite-i'leetual energy. . Bvefy pbrai'e- she touches, whether building ■solo or- ensemble, whether sketching sfttHfi plain orrfie.stra'l device or by way of diaraetcri-siiig the lost, liriugs con* vincing evidence of shrewd, routined stages, talent and the anp.rowiato orchestral means to 'early it.' The i.uu»)e. shows eromvliere this definite intent in broad, fr-pe discourse, so tlist tho [composer is known never to be in doubt, i tTie listener feels the work proceeding vigorously awl directly to its appropri' 'ato eti.-J. A'ii of this is in keeping with Mrs. Xikisoh's chn motor as a Womo-n, and that the 'Daniel* score shows it so positively, is irwely a sign that, after sorrro seven or ci<rht years ftf ciJliiposiiiac, 3>er nature is finaljv civiug out t3iat which is rightly individual to her." Moles. I liavb received a postcard from Miss Mosinft Bficknian, written in Paris,! which- reads as follows: —"tfiist having a flying visit wer hero to see Madftirio : Me-l'ba, She has been so sWcet to inc, and I mi! playing Munctta. rfl "Bnlicme" with lier atCovent Gnide-n. Isn't it' EOk>»did! Kindest remembrances to all : Wellington friends." At latest advices 'Miss Clara Butt and Mr, Kenner-l? ftwmford Were singing at the Carnegie Hail. Now York, tft ' big houses. Messrs. Wi-fli-ani Murdoch and Harold Craxteii wore still members of the company. s