HIGHER STANDARD OF MUSIC

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 144, 14 March 1939, Page 7

HIGHER STANDARD OF MUSIC

Interest In New Zealand CASE FOR A NATIONAL ORCHESTRA By H. P. Widespread interest has been manifested in M. Antal Dorati’s outline of a scheme for a national symphony orchestra for New Zealand and has not been contined to Wellington, where M. Dorati (conductor of the Covent Garden Kussian Ballet orchestra, and formerly of Budapest, Dresden, Paris, London, and New York) first mentioned his scheme. M. Dorati, in the first instance, suggests a very modest beginning by securing the services of some young enthusiastic conductor who would grow up with the country and the orchestra, and economically proposes that only half a dozen “leads” be secured, some of them possibly New Zealanders, whose spare time, when not engaged in orchestral work, might be utilized on the teaching staff of a conservatorium, or orchestral school. Not only does he realize the need for economy in staff, but outlines, practically in detail, how the full year could be employed, if not with profit, with a fair chance of not incurring a serious loss.

Coming from such an unprejudiced authority in the orchestra world—bis ballet orchestra set a new standard for New Zealand —the project cannot fail to interest the genuine enthusiasts for an advancement in the standard of music. Those who listened to the ballet orchestra playing the entrancing music of Tschaikowsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Chopin, Weber and Schumann, may realize, however faintly, the heights to which even a small orchestra may raise under competent instruction. 31. Dorati informed the writer that when this orchestra ( there were 40 in, its personnel in Australia) was first assembled in Melbourne it was crude (his own word). “They all seemed as if they wanted to play as loudly as possible, probably to convince me how well they could play,” said M. Dorati, “and it took twenty rehearsals before they were ready t o play for the ballet in public.”

In such circumstances New Zealand need not despair'. She has a fine lot of players, enthusiastic, too. who are only too anxious to improve in their works, people who know perfectly well that a good conductor, with a keen knowledge of music, inspiration to interpret it, and a practical acquaintance with the possibility of each instrument, is the only one who can so instruct. Government's Intentions. What is pleasing to note is that M. Dorati’s ideas coincide almost exactly with those of the Government, though, so far as the writer is aware, he had no knowledge of its intentions wfien he first advocated a national symphony orchestra for New Zealand. The present Government’s intentions regarding the raising of the musical, cultural, and broadcast standards in New Zealand were expressed in a speech made by Professor James Shellev on the occasion of the opening of the Titahi Bay radio station on the? evening of January 25, 1937. On that occasion, after outlining the Government’s proposals for the creation of ‘a national conservatorium for music and the spoken arts,” Professor Shelley said

“Guest artists, conductors, aud producers from overseas will be invited, not only to broadcast and then go away leaving the Dominion little better for • their visits, but to stay for some considerable time, and teach in the conservatorium our own performers . . . We are assured by famous visitors from overseas that the talent is here, but it needs stimulation, higher teaching, and organization.” Later in the speech Professor Shelley said: “A national symphony orchestra will naturally be associated with such a conservatorium, and it is hoped that within a few years the employment of musicians will no longer be the casual thing that it has necessarily been in the past.” So that it appears that there is general agreement on the part of the Governmnet. the Director of Broadcasting, visiting musicians of eminence, and the music-loving people of New Zealand as to what should be done to build up the nation to a higher standard of musical culture. Deeds aud not words are now the order of the day.