Great Progress of Musical Life in England

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 28, 3 February 1937, Page 15 (Supplement)

Great Progress of Musical Life in England

“A MUSIC LOVING RACE.’ Home from an England where sho heard the children about the streets whistling and singing good songs and not jazz tunes (as they do in New Zealand) is Miss M. J. Fearn, who has spent 15 months in London studying at the Royal Academy, and listening to and absorbing beautiful music, and is now back in New Plymouth ready to begin her work at the Girls’ High School with fresh inspiration and zest, states tho Herald. * ‘ln England the children are growing up into a music-loving race,” said Miss Fearn. “They have a background of music which they do not possess here. They have excellent training in school orchestras and they hear tho best music oyer the air, at concerts, at school and at the various competitions (which are for choirs and not individuals).’’ Miss Fearn prophesies an age of great composers, and an era rich in music which is definitely English in spirit, for she says that tho love and knowledge of | music is being engrained in the ciiildren Jin the right way. There are already many promising young composers in England, more than in previous years. Modern Trends. “The modern trend in musical compiosition is to give nothing definite to hold on to, no definite tune or melody,” continued Miss Fearn. .“Present day music is atmospheric and so difficult to understand that it cannot bo fully, appreciated until it is studied. Rhythms, carrying on the Brahms tradition of exceedingly long phrases,-are of outstanding interest, and the young composers write in varying kinds of time with sometimes five or seven beats in the bar.” Another tendency of the young composers was to write music without key signatures, using accidentals all the time. 'An interesting feature in modern music was the unusual combination of instruments.' There were far more compositions for ’cello and oboe combinations, for instance. Then Miss Fearn had heard an oboe and harp accompaniment with a tenor voice. More students ■vtere being encouraged to play the viola as well as the various wind instruments, of which there had always been a dearth. ... j Ousstanding Composers. ! Dr. Vanglian Williams was .considered by Miss Fearn to be thp mast outstanding composer in England to-day. His works were typically English and full of the music of the English countryside, sfce said. His opera, “Hugh the Drover,” was given two years ago, and was a great success, as was his violin concerto, “The Lark Ascending.” He was a composer of wide range, and his school songs and accompaniments to such old English songs as “ Cherry Ripe” had gained him fame just as had his well-known London Symphony. His most recent work was his Mass in G Minor, and Miss Fearn had been fortunate enough to hoar that at the Southwark Cathedral. A much younger man whom Miss Fearn spoke of as a composer of great promise was William Walton, who wrote mainly orchestral symphonies. Tho distinguishing characteristic of his, work was fhat he introduced twice as many brass instruments as Wagner or any other previous composer had done. His first symphony, performed in London last year, was an amazing thing, and contained a fugue for the brass instruments. At the Royal Academy. At tho Royal Academy Miss Fearn took a conductor’s course under Ernest Reed and had personal auditions with Sir Henry Wood, the conductor of the famous Promenade concerts at Queen’s Hall and of the 8.8. C. Symphony Orchestra. Indeed, she had the interesting experience of conducting Sir Henry’s senior orchestra of 119 student players at the Royal Academy of Music. She also studied oral culture and took lectures on choir-training with Dr. Stanley Marchant, who had been organist of St. Paul’s Cathedral for many years until he became principal of the Royal Academy of Music last September. A course on school music at the Mary Datchelar School proved most helpful and Bhe also took piano lessons from famous masters. Miss Fearn spent most of her time at London, but she also visited Vienna, and was thrilled to hear Richard Tauber sing and to hear orchestras conducted by the famous Weingartner. Although her time abroad has been rich in musical experience, Miss Fearn says she is glad to be back in New Plymouth once more.