MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2647, 18 December 1915, Page 9

MUSIC.

— -9 TBy Tbjebls CLBT.I Permanent Camp Band. llio idea of establishing a permanent camp band for Trentliam suggested by a correspondent of The Dominion, is quite a sound one. There are plenty or good instrumentalists, who for ono reason or another, cannot offer their services for the fighting line, who would probably volunteer for permanent duty at Irentham, where they could be utilised in their spare time ill the performance of clerical or fatigue duties. Such a band would be extremely useful as an exhilaratuig factor in recruiting work in the district, and in playing now recruits into camp. The value of a good band at such a time as the' present cannot very we'll be over-estimat-ed, and as the position stands at present practically a new band has to be torrned after each contingent departs, which procedure scarcely makes for the highest efficiency from a musical or any other point of view. , Sousa Honoured. t anniversary of Jehu Philip Sousa, conductor and composer, was celebrated during the first week of November in New York by that distinguished and popular personage. Hundreds of felicitations, verbal and by letter and telegrams, reached Mr. Sousa at the New York Hippodrome, where lie and his inimitable band now are an integral part of the very successful show there under the Dillingham management. The 1274 employees at ihe Hippodrome presented the celebrant with a massive silver token, which was given to him at the performance, to the' thunderous applause of- the vast audiA\alter Damrosch) representing the musicians of America,, made a' speech. Other members on the committee with him were 'Dudley Field Ma'one, Collector of the Port of Now York and. representing the Government; William Courtleigh, .representing 'the Lambs Club; Leonard Liebiingj repressriting the musical newspaper -'fraternity; 11. H. Burnside, Charles Dillingham, etc. Mr. Sousa enters upon his sixty-second year (says the '"Courier")' feeling "younger and fitter than ever," as he.admits freely, and not only does lie look it, but also the quality of his most recent composition . proves it. The "New York Hippodrome March" is one of the "March King's" best works in point of melodic invention, directness o*; expression, rhythmic, appeal, and originality of instrumentation.' .. A set pf verses ; written by Joseph Herbert in celebration' of the event are as follow:— BATIN' TIME. In Paris an' London, in Galway and Cork, In far-oil: Austhjialia, in nearby New York, ' They're blessin' the day the benivolent slitork Delivered young John Philip Sousa. The docther was plazed; took his lave; put his hat oil, An' ordhered a bottle for John to get' fat on; v The gossoon bate time with the bottle as baton— A niusioal divil young Sousa. The proverb (I've heard it from one in the know): -- ■ . , ■ ■ • "Begorra, ye'll reap just the same as ve sow.-' ' That's why; from the minute ye started .to grow. Ye kep batin' time, Miether Sousa. ■ An' whin. the time oomes thafs allotted to men— They say that the figger is three 6core an' - ten— The Reaper I hope will postpone the "Amen" An' you'll bate Father (Time, Misther Sousa. , John M'Oormack in Chicago. John M'Cormack , sang on Sunday afternoon (says the N.Y. "Musical Courier" of October 28) before the usual capacity house that greets this artist every time he appears in Chicago. More than two hundred were turned away— a proof that M'Cormack's popularity does not wane. The_ two Handel songs which opened the recital ivere sung with the. art of a vocalist who progresses each year. Only' one. group of Irish songs appeared on the programme, and these were given in inimitable fashion. The American- group included'Cadman's "0, Moon Upon the Water," Burleigh's "Her Eyes Twin Pools," Ganz's "Love's Rhapsodic," and MacDermid's "If, You Would Love' Me." John M'Cormack's ease in singing, and wonderfuli enunciation, made his numbers a joy to his listeners, and his art grows each year.. When the writer left the hall he was G singing his fourth encore after the final c group on the programme. There are 1 only a few/, artists who can hold their audience at the conclusion of a long programme. Beethouen on the stage, David Bispham, the" American baritone, is appearing this season in America in the one-act play "Adelaide," in which he figures as Beethoven, greatest of tall composers. It was written by Hugo Muller about 1862, and has loiig been a classic on the German stage. Its. romantic, story is founded upon fact—the attachment of the great composer for the Countess Julia Guicciardi, to whom the "Moonlight" Sonata was dedicated. Pictures of Bispham show that in personal appearance he presents a fairly faithful portrait of the likeness of Beethoven. Teachers arid Mothods. Mrs. Arthur Mead,-, of ChristcViirch, is a great worker. : She believes that as a singer and a teacher of singing one can never know enough, and she -has just returned from a two years' absence abroad studying vocal production and interpretation under the most distinguished teachers, • though ' her equipment before she left New Zealand was. by no means a poor ono. On reacliing London, 6lie took a course of instruction in oratorio and the old operas from the veteran Charles Santley, now in his eighty-second year, but still ' teaching many of those fine conceptions whsch made his name famous in the world. His knowledgo was very profound. He was inclined to be rather austere, and seldom did ho let drop a word of praise to a pupil. Mrs. Mead specialised .in the music of "Elijah" vith the great doyen of English baritones, and when he said on her leaving that/ sho need not bo afraid to sing the music anywhere in the world, she nearly dropped through the floor. Then she wont to Paris, and took a six months' course from M. Algicr, a great teacher aHid a groat artist, a specialist in the interpretation of modern French ojcrj and ballads, and a really great man on Languages. "No student of music could have a finer teacher of French," said Mrs. Mead. "He makes tho meaning of every word so plain, and gets one •to write out every syllable of a song •phonetically, so that the pronunciation •! cannot be wrong. He is au artist as a i pianist alone. With him I studied the modern Italian opera and "Lakme," "Manon," "Louise," and much of the j ballads of Massenet and Debussy, and : other French writers. On the way back I spent six months studying undor Mr: Yeatman Griffiths, of New York, the- ! solo teacher of Florence Macbeth, a j beautiful light coloratura soprano. This j teacher lias a wonderful method of attack' in production, which can be better illustrated than explained in cold print. It makes little or 110 demand on the breath, and cultivates an amazing free- I dom —a perfect flow of tho voice. Giveu good voices, Mr. Griffiths is a man that is going to bo heard of, for his method is certainly a marvellous one, ami there is no one would soonor recommend to young students with good voices to study under than he." Before leaving New York Mrs. Mead gave a recital al ■> v '""\miker's Hall, and received some ii£alX laudators, oniicisms.■- *