MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2630, 27 November 1915, Page 9

MUSIC.

rßr Teibli Ciir.l

"Th# Messiah." Handol the inspired composer of "Tho Messiah,' may be said to havo been tho most English of all tho famous composers of the eighteenth century. Ho first went to England at the end of 1710, when lie was only 25 years of age. It was some years before" his advont in England that Italian music became the fashion, and operas on the Italian model (with tho dialogue sung as recitatives) were first produced at Drury Lane, and afterwards at .the King's Theatre in 1705. Tho opera of "Rinaldo," written by Handel in fourteen <kys, was first performed on February 24, 1711. Soon after that production lie was compelled to return to his post as Capelmeister in Hanover, but January, 1712, saw him again" in London.' When tho Elector of Hanover succceded to tho English throne ho was inclined to look, coldly on his truant Capelmeister, but his "Water Music" composed in tho Elector's honour is said to have softened the Royal resentment. Ho accompanied tho Elector to Hanover in 1716 and on. returning to England two years after, accepted" the pest of chapel master to tho Duke of Chandos. From that time onwards England was practically his homo. In 1741 Handol received from the Duke of Devonshire, then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, a pressing invitation to visit that country. Accordingly, in the month, of November, ho went to Ireland and was cordially received. On April 18, 1742, for the benefit of a charitable society lie produced "The his preatesi oratorio, and that which has obtained the firmest and most enduring hold on public favour. Signor Avoglio and Mrs. Oibber were tho principal singers on the occasion of its first performance. After a sojourn in Ireland of nine mouths, during which he met withworthy appreciation and. also somewhat repaired iiis broken fortunes, ho leturn. Ed to . London, and' "Tho Messiah" was performed for the' first time there on March 23, 1749. It. is -related 'that on this .'occasion-the audience was exceedingly struck and affected by the music in general, J>ut that when that part of tlia Hallolujah chorus began, "For the Lord God Omnipotent roigneth," they were so transported thlt they all. with tho King, who was present, started at once to their feet, and' remained Btandp iug until the chorus ended. Tho custom .or rising during the singing of the great chorus originated from that incident.

! The foregoing is of particular, interest in view of the two performances of "The Messiah" to be given in Wellington by the Musical Union and Roval Choral Society oil December 7 and 14 respectively. Musto In London. Mr. Robert Newman has issued his prospectus for the twenty-first concert season at the Queen's Hall. To those who know tho deep delights of theeo "prom." concerts, it is good to learn that tho war is not to affect their being. Concerts aro to ■be given regularly of composers of tho various countries, not even excepting Germany, which shows a deep-seated reason in the order of things in the hub. A Wagner night is, of course, included, and there are to be Russians nights, with the unfailing Tschaikovsky prominent; a French night, with Saint-Saens as the chief composer; an Italian night, with Puccini remembered, and even an English night. On October 2 Sir Thomas Beecham was to have commenced a grand opera season atthe Shaftsbury Theatre,. "at theatre prices," ■ assisted by the adventurous Robert Courtneidge. The repertoire of tho first six weeks was to consist of. "Romeo and Juliet;" • "Faust," "Butterfly," "Tales of Hoffmann," "Tosca," Carmen," and 'The Magic Flute." ■An innovation at the,. Queen's Hall are the Wednesday afternoon promenade concerts, 'tho' first of which was given oh September 22. Included in thd programme was tho everlasting "Symphony Pathetique" of Tschaikovsky, and the Saint-Saens pianoforte concerto in G. minor, the solo being played by Irene Scbarrer, shortly to be wedded to Mr. S. G. Lubbock, a nephew of the lato Lord Avebury. Caruso's "Hot Tears." ■ Caruso, the tonor, is very angry. •. Ho has just discovered, says a. Paris correspondent, that, while ho was at the other end-of the world, .an enemy slandered him in a Vienna, paper by alleging that ho had written' a letter affirming that all his sympathies were with the Germans. He has sworn to have tho blood of his.traducer, and in a'.letter from Florence to his friend, Siguor Camillo Traversi, in Paris; ho writes: — "The invention was' a cowardly act, but the comments on it call for vengeance to _ the knife. Believe me, my uear; Camillo, I cried with rago ana with hot tears; and if ever I succeed in discovering who has slandered me in this way, I assure, you that the whole .world will speak of me. / "Before I die of a broken heart I hope that the good-God will permit mo the satisfaction of giving as a present to Satan the soul of him who wished for a single instant to make tho world believe that I was not an Italian." Notes. & Mr. Stillman Kelly's "New England Symphony" has been published in America. This is .an American composer whose works deserve moro attention that t'hey receivo in this part of the world, which is nil. His music to "Macbeth," which was used in tho Nance O'Neil production in Australia in 1901, earned eulogistic criticisms in Melbourne and Sydney.-

, "Perci Grendsher" is the way they spell the name of Percy Grainger, the Australian composer and pianist, on Russian programmes. Grainger, who is everywhere referred to as'a British composer now' that his compositions/ are becoming recognised, is the finest pianoforte exponent of the music of Greig that wo have licard in Wellington.

I congratulate Mr. Laslett Exton on getting bis chance to sing the tenor music in "The Messiah." His voico is distinctly light for oratorio, but' he is a. singor who has made' steady progress, and sings good ballads with an cosy suavity and excollent taste. The musical union might do a lot worse than provide a testing ground for some of. our;budding vocalists. The revival of Auber's opera "The Blind Girl of Portici" has led to the editor of the "Musical Courior" expressing the opinion that "tho story of the work is ridiculous and badly told, and the music is spineless when it is not sugaTy." The opera has- been revived in America by tho Boston Opera Company, with the wonderful Pavlova as tie blind girl, and Felice Lyne and Zanatello in leading roles.