Mimes and MUSIC

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 82, 3 October 1931, Page 17

Mimes and MUSIC

•v "ONfHftm"

Among the Works proposed for next year's festival by the Council of Music, Wales (termed the Three Valleys Festival) are <* Israel in Egypt," "Hiawatha's "Wedding Feast," "Victory of St. Garmon" (Harry Evans), "Now; Hath, the' Grace and Strength" (Bach), and "Elijah." The loss of the National Orchestra of "Wales is regretted, especially in view :of the springing up of a number of local orchestras. A conferonco is being convened for mobilising the orchestral players in Colwyn Bay, Llandudno, Conway, and Penmaenaiawr. :. ' Jocye Frew, «■ '"blind" Australian girl, gained the certificate of merit (the highest award at ■ the Royal Academy of Music, London) for both tho violin and piano, aud also for oral training and transposition,' and was presented by the Duke of York with, the coveted honour symbol. Another blind student, May Walker, of Kent, was awarded the certificate of merit and a silver' medal for singing. - ■■■'. t - The London County Council has made possible the ehc'ouragbment of music study among 'elementary school childfen by"the offer of £200 a year to the Royal Academy so that seventy-five "free places" willvbe made available for them. ■; " . In view of the recent performance or the Boyal Wellington Choral Union of Warner's "Tannhauser," it is interesting to record the London "Daily Tolcgraph" as saying: "It does not often happen that an opera hc3roino can be identified with an historic personage. Elisabeth did exist, and is now a saint whose centenary will be celebrated this year in that hall of song where the unhappy minstrel, goaded to fury by his rivals, avowed openly his belief in sexappeal, and thus lost his brido and rank.'' French-Canadian, Bed Indian, and Eskimo folk-songs were introduced by Madame Cedia Brault, af; the Aeolian Hall, London. This lady had Ivor Newton as accompanist. Vaughan Williams's "Benedicte" was reserved for the last night of tho International Society for Contemporary Music Festival in London. Elsie Suddaby was soloist, and Dr. Boult conducted the choir and orchestra. Following a suggestion made by the chief constable of Southend-on-Sea to the management of a musical show, one of the girl performers appeared the following night wealing moie drapery. The manager of the company had tho following to say anent the protest: "Apparently there are a few people of a very puritanical type of mind. They imagine there is some indecency in what is purely an artistic production." The committee controlling the fate of the famous Theatre de la Monnaie in Bruxelles, is bound to produce every year a new opera by a Belgium composer. An exception is made, however, if tho entries submitted are deemed unworthy 6f production. Hence, this year, "La Koute d'Emeraude," by M. Auguste Do Bock, will be revived, rather than face criticism of a novelty of questionable worth. The annual general meeting of the British Federation of Musical Competition Festivals took place-this year at Leamington, lasting from 25th to 28th September. "Music in Schools." was one of the most important subjects discussed. " Miss Cecil Home-Douglas, the twin sister of Mrs. Jasper Maskelync, was married recently in Kensington, London, to Mr. Geoffrey G. Sanderson, a Southern Khodesian landowner and farmer. Miss Home-Dougias has appeared in several of her brothcr-iu-law's. illusions at Maskelyne's Theatre. Hcrr Eduard Stouermann, tho noted Brahms expert, had a place on tho programmo at Queen's Hall, London, last month, playing the piano pieces. Ghosts of the Past. Old-time vaudeville has been introduced into Tivoli Celebrity' Vaudeville at Sydney Theatre Royal by a bevy of veterans of, vaudeville, introduced by Mark Ilagan. Modern vaudeville held the first half of the programmo, an,a a cdntrast was , afforded ill style when the veterans put on a turn that brought down the house. Among the performers were Peggy Prydo,- Maud Fanning, Ida Wright, Sid Doody, Billy Bovis, and Wally Ricardo. Several of those old-timers are well known in Now Zealand. Maud Farming's whirlwind antics on'tho Fuller boards have not yot been forgotten, and some of her daughters have appeared in moro recent years with tho same ealat lhat characterised their .mother's tactics, d Lulla Fanning was with the George Wallace revue at tho old His Mojesty's, Comltenay place, in 1927; Billy Bovis was with tho Band Box JRovuc at Fulleis.' in 1!)27; his laughing songs and clastic mouth arc still remembered. Doody and Wiight put on their popular druniwbacking turn. Writing in the Sydney "Referee," Captain Fiank N. Wyatt recalls appearing on the Fuller boards in Wellington 21 years ago on the same piogramme as Maud Fanning. It was Captain (then fourth officer in. the Tyser Line) Wyatt's try-out, for he haa leanings towards a stage caTCer and had only just then completed a tour of Canada by the same method. He recalls a woll-built, pretty girl of some twelve years of age, who gave a dancing act in a brown velvet Little Fauntlcroy suit, and who T\as Maud Fanning'a daughter, assisting her mngnetie mother. Tho old-timers had a warm reception at the Royal, Australians tendering a sentimental regard for what Captain Wyatt describes as "the never-old children of the stage." The neat footing and still graceful stage movements of-the veterans appealed to the critic, who appreciated "the opportunity of feeling onco more than deep-seated spiritual uplift thai all true performers havo when facing tlic footlights." Theatrical' Triumph. New Zealand talent can claim to have home share in Sir Oswald Stoll's piosentation of Ilassard Short's splendid new production at tho Alhambra, writes the London correspondent of "Tho Post," under dato 21st August. This is "Waltzes, from Vienna"—a "Love-story of Music?'—centred round .Tohami Stiauss, father anil son, uud the music of them both. It was,arranged by four men well known in London musical circles —George, H. Clutsam (erstwhile of New Zealand), E. W. Korngold, Julius Bittnei, and Ileibert Griffiths. Thousands have already scon tho opeietta, and many dcclaie they could go a dozeu times. A colossal production, according to "The Post's" correspondent, it was being given twice daily and seomed likely to duplicate Stoll's first bold venture on new lines, "White Horse Inn," at London Coliseum. The Coliseum box-office recepts were stated to be round about £7000 a week. "Waltzes from Vienna" gripped from the outset; in fact Irom the arrival of the orchestra, all in uniforms of cream braided with gold. Delightful dancing by an accomplished corps do ballet, luscious music, good voices, first-rate acting, wonderful dresses of the picturesque 'forties in Vienna, and all that is latest in lighting: effect and in stagecraft wero used. One lo\oly setting for a ballet was a pardon scene, illuminated by colournl lights against a starless sky of dcop indigo, an ideal background for n ip,'il locket display that equalled the good old displays at Crystal Palace. Mr. C. V. France was Johann Strauss pciV; Mr. Bohert, Halliday (a Scotsman^ with a Now K Xork reputation), Strauss

fils;' Evelyn Herbertj- ■ an. ; Amewcan singer, was the heroine, in. the role ot the pas%cbolc'B daughter; being taught singing by young Strauss, but loved, by a soldier, played by Dennis, Noble, ot grand opera fame,. tl'iej possessor, of;_a very fine baritone voice. Miss mano Burke (who New; Zealand , in 1927 in "Katja" and""Fraßqmta") played the Russian jsounteea: superbly. Believing in : the : JEtotsiro;': of. ";*yoilng Strauss, she helps' him to attain: fame, and .designs a> ruse to get old':'Johann (who has been trying .to -dissuade his son from a musical career) out of We way, so that the,son may deputise for him and conduct the,first performance, in a lovely and cloveriy-staged ballroom scene of Mb famous "Blue Danube. This.,was the climax to the evening a remarkable triumph of stage effect. The orchestra pit gradually rose to the height of the stage; the- Jiving.musicians playing; the stage then.receded until the orchestra .was right away from the audience, the pit, became a flight of stairs, and the foreground a great ballroom. To the haunting strains of "Blue Danube" the dancers waltzed, young Strauss . conducting. Strauss senior, discovering the duplicity of the' Countess, rushes in, but hearing his son's triumph, himself joins the dancers with'the'Countess as partner, Mr. Clutsam scored the music for the ballet of sixteen bridesmaids, in delicate green tulle, who danced to an adaptation of "Wein, Weib, und Gcsang" to polka rhythm. .From every first-night critic, reports "The Post's" correspondent, there has been a paean of praise for tho wonderful musical show. Mr« Hassard Short has been described as a wizard of illumination, and at the Alhambra was controlling what was probably the most elaborate system of lighting in the, world. Wondeiful sunshine effects wero achieved by,the use of powerful lamps of ambeiy pink, and. blue. Elgar Suite. Under the direction of Sir Udward Elgar, tho London Symphony Orchestra plays tho distinguished English composer's orchestral suite, the "Crown of India," which was composed in 1912 to celebrate the visit of King George to India. The suite consists of an introduction, dance of the Nautch Girls, v minuet, a warriors* 'dance, and tho march of the Mogul Emperors. # There is plenty of rhythmic vigour in the spirited music of the "Crown of India" suite, as well as in the fifth "Pomp and Circumstance" march, which is on the fourth sides of the two twelve-inch records. (H.U.V., D 1899 and 1900.) Scenes from Wagner. The well-known. Wagnerian tenor, Lauritz Melchior, some itme ago recorded several excerpts from "Siegfried," which were issued in. an album. In three further scenes issued this month the tenor completes the third act o* the opera. In "Was ruht dort," whic' actually begins on the record with the- words "Selige Oedo," Siegfried discovers Brimnhilde asleep on the Valkyrie rock.,"Das ist Kein Mann!" ("That is not a man") is the continuation of the same scene, and "Wie end' ich die Furcht?" is its conclusion, preceding Brunnhilde's awakening. Mclcltior sings with convincing sincerity, and is admirably supported by the London Symphony. Orchestra, conducted by Robert Heger. i Oa tho odd side is a monologue from tlio end of the second act of Wagnori's "Tristan and Isolde." (H.M.V., D 1836 and 1837.) An Astonishing Boy. In tho serene Adagio from Mozait's G Major violin concerto and in Leclair's "Sarabande and Tamhourin," arranged by Sarasato, Yehudi Menuhin, the youthful genius of the viplin, once again reveals bis astonishing gifts, maturity, insight, and absolute mastery of the instrument. Hit violin ton is of surprising depth, and vibrates 'with real feeling. So great'was this boy's impression on the musical critic of the "London Daily .Telegraph," Mr. Robin Leggc, that ho described Menuhin as the greatest prodigy sinee-Mozart. No greater praiso could, bo given. (H.M.V., D 81295.) . , Mighty Symphony. One of thj big achievements of the gramophone is the recording of Brahms's "Symphony No. 1 in C Minor" by tho Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski. Although Brahms made many skotches for symphonies, he did not write a work in this largest, of orchostral forms until he was forty-three yeais of ago, his first work being this Symphony in C Minor. Brahms follows the "classic" symphonic model, this work .having tho cu&tomaiy four movements. The iir&t movement is preceded by an introduction, mil poco sostenuto, which leads directly into the- first aJlegro. The first subject is heard on the violins and is worked over to considerable length before the second subject enters on the wood-winds. Tho themes are given an elaborate 'development1, . and then brought back for a regular recapitulation—a lengthy coda brings this movement to an end. The second movement, andante sostennto, opens with a lovely theme in strings and bassoons, but the wood-winds soon bring forward a contrasting theme which is followed by a passago of gioat boauty for oboe aud clarinet. There is a short dovelopmont and a paitial return, of the material heard at the beginning of the movement, the lovely song theme now being played by the solo violin. Tho third movement, allegretto,.«-grazioso, is composed by Giovo to a folk song because, of its '' simple sweatness and grace." The opening subject is given by tho clarinet and later by tho first violins. This is ; followed "by a new passage for wood-winds and later by tho iirst violins. The second portion is really a trio and brings out an. intoresting combination for wood-winds and strings in which two flutes havo a lovely passage. There is also a beautiful andante passage for the French horn with muted strings sustaining the harmony and the sombre notes of the trio of trombones announce softly,tho choral-like theme which later, ends the movement. Tho allegro now troppo begins with the first subject in tho violins, and the theme is given considerable development. The second subject enters softly in the strings, the accompanying bass figure being one previously used in tho introduction. The iiiiafo follows tho sonata pattern, bo a lengthy free fantasia or development now takes place, followed by a recapitulation, and tho. movement-ends in a brilliant coda. The Philadelphians have never been t heard to^better,advantage. Their playing is-always vivid aud has been realistically recorded. (U.M.V., D 1499-1503.)