MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 2456, 8 May 1915, Page 9

MUSIC.

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Paderev/skl's Pathetic Appeal. Paderewski was on his way to New York when tho last mail left America. He will not give any recitals, however. "Others may play. 1 cannot —not at present. My hands have grown stiff. It would take three or four months' hard practice before I should care to play in public again. My hands are given to other work. How can I play when my compatriots are dying?" These words were part of the interview the great Polish composer, pianist, and patriot gave to a representative of the London "Telegraph." The number of the "Telegf-aph" containing the interview (March '25) is now at hand. It takes up more than column, and some further extracts may be printed, by way of revealing Pauerewslu's mission, as well as his character.

It has been said that if Poland should, as a consequence of this war, become once more a united kingdom, Paderewski, as the greatest living Pole, ought to be chosen its King. His mission to London was neither to play nor to talk, but by his personal efforts get as many prominent men and women as possible interested in his appeal for help for the millions of Poles who are starving. "Seventeen million people," ho said, "are enduring, in some form or other, tne horrors of this gigantic struggle, and over 10,000,000 are direotly menaced by famine. Very many of them are actually dying from hunger. In some districts the forests are filled with people who have flod there only to die."

Before leaving Switzerland, Paderewski co-operated at Lausanne with, the great Polish novelist, Sienkiewicz. In Paris he helped to organise a relief committee. M. Loubet, the ex-Presi-dent of the Republic, the Russian Ambassador in Paris, and Sir-Francis Bertie are among the distinguished gentlemen who lent their aid. In London he went round from morning to night. "It is hard work," he said, "but the response is everywhere so kind and so encouraging that I suffer no fatigue. I have not met with a single refusal." At the time of the interview his list already includeed the Prime Minister and Mrs. Asquith, the Russian Ambassador, Arthur Balfour, Cardinal Bourne, the Duke of Norfolk, Lloyd George, the Marchioness of Ripon, Lord and Lady Islington, Lord and Lady Charles Beresford, Mr. Sargent, and Sir Edward Elgar. Paderewski is "paler perhaps than of yore, with a look on his face that could only be described as spiritual— the look of a man who has set himself a task which is to occupy all the qualities of a sensitive and emotional nature. Time has silvered the brown hair and added lines to the line chiselling of his face." Kipling and Army Bands., Kipling's speech on the efficacy of military music, both as a means ol raising recruits and as a tonic to troops on the march, is being printed very freely in the world's Press. Of course Kipling is quite 'ight in stating that the inspiring music of a band is no end of a good thing, and perhaps means another five miles progress on the day's distance, but it was not. Mr. Kipling who discovered that. The influence of music on soldiers ancient and modern j has always been admitted, and not only does it manifest itself with troops of civilised countries (this term will have to be redelined in the uear future), but native races the world oi'er have had an equivalent for tlie military band. Did not the Ethiopian tribes of blackcst Africa go forth to decimate the foe to the sound of the great war tom-toms, whilst other race 6 have dashed into the frav singing their battle songs or cries, the combined effect being calculated to hearten up their comrades and strike terror into the heart of the enemy. Napoleon was a great believer in drums as a lecruiter and inarch light-J ener. The reading of anv ordinance' was preceded by the roll of drums, and every levy of troops was made to the lilt of the drums. Those who have bad the privilege of hearing the drums of the oth (Wellington) Regiment will have some idea of too infection for service that exists in the rhpthmical clatter of a drum band, without any other musical assistance. The music of tie drums is appreciated in America, the home of the shrieking drum and fife band and "Yankee Doodle," just as much as the loud timbrel of ancient Egypt or the tamboura of old _ Persia. If such comparatively primitive noises can work up the emotions what must the effect of a full military band be? We do not have full military bands in Now Zealand at all. We appear to be wedded to the purely brass band, which is a smaller Land, and one that cannot get the effects possible to achieve by a military band which has a full complement of reed instruments. The difficulty in getting skilled players of reed instruments is possibly the reason for New Zealand's predilection for the all brass band. We were given a taste of what a military band is like a year ago when the Band of the Royal Artillery visited New Zealand. Then we were able to realise the truth of tile line in tho musical comedy— . "Tbero's magic in the music of a military band." A Belgian Singer. Wellington is shortly to hear in Wellington a Belgian operatic artist of distinction. Madame Lina Nyberg was actually in Antwerp when the city was bombarded by the Germans, and jtli her two children had to tramp about twelve miles, and incidentally sleep in a barn with thirty other refugees, before they crossed over the border into Holland. Madame Nyberg is a lyric soprano, and has an extensive repertoire of operas within the compass of that genre. The oporas she has at her command are "La Tosc-a," "Madame Butterfly," and "La Bolieme" (all by Puccini), Bizet's "Carmen" (Michaela), V°rdi's "Rigoletto," Gounod's "Romeo and Juliet," "The Barber of Seville," "Faust," and "Lappine" (Delibes). Mr. John Hopkine has secured the services of Madame Nyberg for two recitals to be given in the Grand Opera House on May "i and 25. Mr. Baxter Buckley has been engaged as solo pianist and accompanist. A tour may follow these concerts. An Event. The inaugural concert in connection with the Sydney Conscrvatour of Music was to have taken placo on Thursday last. May 6, in the Con-crvatorium Hall. Mr. Alfred Hill was to conduct tiio orchestra in Beethoven's "Consociation of the Hall," Mr. ,T. Bradley was to conduct iu Elgar's "Symphony in A Flat." and Mr. Arundel Orchard in the overture to "Tin l Mcistersiiigors (Wasnei). The vocalist was Miss Amy jCastlea.