MUSICAL TALK GIVEN BY REV. K. LIGGETT

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 112, 28 May 1937, Page 15

MUSICAL TALK GIVEN BY REV. K. LIGGETT

Great interest was taken in the very abl© musical talk which the Rev, Kenneth Liggett, I/.R.A.M., gave to the members of the music circle of the Hastings Tovnswomen's Gujld at their meetixig in the G.F.S. room last evening. The speaker, wlio needed no iixtroduction to the mettibera, as he has already iixterested tlleffi with a talk, was welcomed hy the cxrcle leader, Mrs G. Marsicano. Mr Ligget spoke about the early beginning of music, saying that most probably music began vocally if one considered animal noises of pain, pleasure or other ejaculatidns to be music. The first instrumental music was undoubtedly the wood wind and probably cracks in the reed produced different pitches which later developed into the notos of the diatonic scale. The first string music was the ' bow, this being discovered When boWs and arrows were used when seeking for food, the early people notlcing the delinitely muBical txvang, The percussion group originated in war drums, when the people of the very priinitive races liad a very thorouglx knowledge nf acoustics when sending messages over very long distaflees with their drums made from hollow logs. "The early people realised that it was not necessary to go through the mechanics of producing pain to produce sound," said the speaker, "and the different shades of tona between the sotxnds of pain, sxirprise and various oinotions produced different types of noises, Soineoiie probably strung these noises together and produced pitch. "Then speeclx canie along and words were attaclied to the pitched notes, and this fitting in the words and music emotionally is still the basis of a good song." Mr Ligget then gave several piauo illustrations to show how true these remarks were. "Most composers realise ^he necessity to make their lines rhyme/' said the speaker, "though theBe days we do meet music which appears to have neither rhyme nor reason " When speaking about construction and form, Mr Liggett said tbat. the composer usualiy worked out a plxrase which required an answer and followed this with anotlier statement and second answer to i'orm a simple quadruple tune. Mr Ligget illustrated tliis on the piano, and then gave a second example to which the circle members supplied the missing lines. Mr Liggett greatly amused the members wheri sliowing how pieces could be lengtliened by lengthening the cadence at tlie end or else the introduction. He told the members that their own ear

should' be the final critic of a piece of music, but much could be done to train and improve one's ear for music. Mr Ligget entertained everyone with several 'pianoforfe items, and was later thanked by Mrs. Marsicano for his interesting talk. Mrs Marsicano said that she considered Hastings people very fortunate to have in their midst aixy6rie with such musical ability as Mr Liggett. Supper was then handed round and everyone enjoyed chatting together before tbe meeting closed.