RUSSIAN MUSIC

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 136, 5 December 1929, Page 14

RUSSIAN MUSIC

Of very great interest to music-lovers and exceedingly instructive was the recitallecture given last night in. the Blue Triangle Hall by Miss Valeric Corliss, A.R.A.M., L.R.A.M., and jt was a pity that the rain and counter-attractions rather thinned the attendance. Those who were present, however, were rewarded. The subject was ".Russian Music," and this, Miss Corliss said, compared with the music !of other countries, w;as of but recent birth, and had a brief and exciting history. The Russian school of art music came into existence only a little over a hunched years ago, and had developed to a certain extent from the old folk music. Tho folk songs of Pvussia, owing to the country's vastness and varying climes, were varied and displayed a number of characteristics— it was usually either very gay or very mournful, reflecting the moods of the people, who were given to extremes. The same spirit was to be found in the modern Russian music. Miss Corliss touched briefly ou the Russian composers of pianoforte music, both she and her pupils playing examples of these composers' works. In their chronological order these composers were Rubinstein (1829-1894), Moussor"skv 1839-1881), Pachulski ■ (1859), : Arensfcy (1861-1906), Blumenfeld (1863), Gretchanlnow (1864), Goedieke, Scriabine (IS7I--1915), Rachmaninoff (1873), Gliere (1875), Zolstaurev (1879), Medtner (1879), Szymanowski (1882), Cirnzis, Abasaw, and Pozorovsky. Madame Merlin assisted by singing most delightfully a number of songs iv Russian, and Mr. K. H. Thow operated an electric equipment which played gramophone records illustrating points emphasised by Miss Corliss. Amongst the pupils who assisted by their playing to make the lecture-recital such a success were Mrs. Gwendoline Thow, Misses Marjorie Carey, Judith Giesen, Catherine Moncrieff. Eileen Amo Bennett, Nora Cotton, Muriel Allen, May Watson, ami Myrtle Chote.