Mrs. Louis Seifert, Jun., Enlarges Her Musical Experiences

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 308, 30 December 1939, Page 11

Mrs. Louis Seifert, Jun., Enlarges Her Musical Experiences

AND STUDIES AT ROYAL COLLEGE While her husband was gaining legal experience in London, .Mrs. Louis Seifert junior, of Palmerston North, improved the shining hour by continuing her musical education, slio told * 1 Tho Times.” Mrs. Siefort has on occasions impressed members of tho Girls’ Music Club with her violin playing and this was the instument she received instruction from Mr. Paul Beard, at the Royal College of Music. Mr. Beard is. the leader of tho BBC orchestra, now considered by many as the leading orchestra of London. A new avenue of musical experience was opened up for this Palmerstonian with singing lessons from Mr. Cuthbert Smith and with various other branches of the art including Chamber music, which she took as one of her subjects. With students of all parts of the world including tho Dominions who had gained scholarships, Mrs. Seifert felt that she was really in tho centre of things musical where everything possible tor a good musical education was available. There was nothing liko finding one’s own level in such company and this New Zealander had been amazed to find students of 19 conducting orchestras or playing concertos at a moment’s notice. She was fortunate in being in the first orchestra at the College which was conducted by Malcolm Sargent, who recently visited the Dominion, and every week there were recitals by students at the College or orchestral concerts. A great privilege had been hers of Watching the BBC orchestra rehearsing at the Queen’s Hall to realise that even in the best groups of musicians, entrance to which is not easily gained, the conductors are most exacting. Mrs. Seifert was one of the fortunates to be in tho ballot for tho first concert of the BBC orchestra at Queen’s Hall with the great Toscannini conducting, tickets for whicl: had been greatly oversubscribed, and another unforgettable experience hac been to attend the Sibelius Festival Concert by the London- Philharmonic orchestra conducted by Sir Thomat Beecham. A most unusual proceeding at one of the 11 Promenade” concerts ir the period of tho first September crisis had been the broadcasting of the Prime Minister's speech before the conccri opened. A year later the concert hac to be cut short because of the blaekoui which stifled much of the musical ac tivities. Women of Germany,

Women of Germany, | It was summer time when Mr. and Mrs. Seifert paid their visits to the Continent so, that there was not much opportunity for musical experience but. they had greatly enjoyed a festival of music at Munich. Asked about women of Germany, Mrs. Seifert said that she felt they had lost much that had been previously gained, by the decree that they must fulfil their duties as housewives. ' She could quite understand why they lacked smartness for there were no pretty clothes to buy in the shops and cosmetics were not allowed. Mrs. Seifert herself felt that she was conspicuous by using lipstick so gavo it up while in Germany. While studying at the Berlin Univer- ( sity, many outings wero arranged for students including visits to Labour Camps and*”Mother” Homes, and this latter development had impressed tho visitors. The Institute of Social Service had established these homes where mothers with small children who were indisposed wero taken by the day and cared for, being taken home at night and provided with food for their menfolk. If these women, who were mostly gathered for the poor quarters of the large cities could bo away from home, they were sent to large houses in the country for threo weeks and if they i could do so paid a few pence. Service in the Labour Camps was compulsory for men but it was voluntary for women between the ages of .18 and 25. As part of their social service women were sent out to farms to help in the homes while the wives gave assistance with the farm work. If a woman factory worker became ill, one

of these voluntary workers would take her place without pay to ensure the worker of her salary, Despite her varied and exciting experiences of many lands and peoples, Palmerston North appeared pretty good to this wanderer returned.