“JAZZ" MUSIC.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4639, 17 December 1923, Page 4

“JAZZ" MUSIC.

CONDUCTOR'S OBJECTIONS. Resigning his conductorship of the Harrogate Muncipal Orchestra, Mr Howard Carr has given as one of his reasons his objection to playing “trivial” music. He told a Daily Mail reporter that he considered light operatic music such as is found in certain musical comedies too trivial' to be 1 presented by a musician of his knowledge and experience. He declared also that “jazz” is a disease —a form of neurasthenia. “ I could not ask my orchestra, which is 49 .strong and one of the best in the north of England, to play what, in my view, is not good music,” he said. “ Music that is played in restaurants and kinemas is not fit for the concert 5 hall. I am a composed of light operatic music, and I was quite willing to — and I did—play good light music, but I would not play rubbish. The primary purpose ofmjifeic is to uplift people mentally, morally, and spiritually—not .to ■, assist -their ; digestion. The comment of the Royal Hail Committee of Harrogate Corporation on the position taken -up by Mr Carr is that the majority 6t- patrons have not been too enthusiastic over the programmes, mainly classical,. and that the hall had been half empty on ordinary nights, whereas on popala?’ nights the house had been full-