MUSIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 256, 19 January 1928, Page 16

MUSIC

(By

Pablo Casals, world-famous ’cellist, Is conducting the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, * * * Hungary is celebrating the 50th birthday of Ernst von Dohnanyi, its most famous contemporary composer. * • • Montemezzi has practically finished the opera, “Paolo e Virginia,” on which he has long been engaged. An Italian pianist reminiscent of Cortot, is Luigj Franchetti, who made his London debut last month at the Grotrian Hall. Schumann’s “Davidsbund” dances. Op. 6, were the centre of the programme. • A report from Germany states that a hitherto unknown Requiem by Joseph Haydn has been discovered. It was found by a student of music, Ernst Schmid, among manuscripts in the town museum at Berghausen. The requiem will be played at Dusseldorf next month. * * * "Baal Shem,” a set of three pieces for violin, by Ernest Bloch, was played by Isolde Menges at a recital in the Wigmore Hall, London. Bloch is a modern Jewish composer, whose work reflects strongly the spirit and religion of his race. “Baal Shem” is described as "three pictures of chassidic life.” the three movements being entitled "Vidui” (Contrition). “Nigun” (Improvisation), and “Jubal” (Simchas Torah). * * * The London Choral Society opened its season at Queen’s Hall last month with a revival of Sir Walford Davies’s "Everyman,” a setting of the old "morality” play. Originally produced nearly 25 years ago, the work enjoyed ;i. great popularity, but until last month it had not been heard in London for a long time. is probably his finest work. # Leo, Jan and Mischel Cherniavsky, who will appear in this town shortly, have made rapid strides in their music. They are looking forward eagerly to their coming Australasian tour, which the management expects to be the most successful they have yet had in Australasia. This will be their sixth visit to the Southern Hemisphere, where their names are now household words. •Recently these great artists revisited Egypt, India, etc., and pen pictures of their travels will shortly be published in the Australasian papers.

At the age of 83, Leopold Auer, dean of violin teachers, conducted the New York Philharmonic Orchestra recently in accompaniment to one of his young students, Benno Rabinoff. Rabinoff intends to use the receipts of his concert to study law. Auer taught Elman, Heifetz, Hanson, Seidel, Zimbilist, and other leading violinists. He was present at the famous Parisian disturbance when Wagner’s “Tannh tuser” was first played at the Grand Opera. Sir Thomas Beecham is to make his American debut and conduct the New York Philharmonic Orchestra next January in a series of broadcasting concerts. Not so long ago Sir Thomas said: "Ever since the beginning of the present century there has been committed against the unfortunate art of music every imaginable sin of commission and omission. But all the previous crimes and stupidities pale before the latest attack on its fair name—broadcasting by means of wireless.” • • • Joska Szigeti. one of the most gifted and fascinating solo violinists of today, has been honoured by the eminent composers Ravel and Bartok in being engaged to give the first public performances of their sonatas for violin and piano, with the composers themselves interpreting the piano part* No greater compliment could be accorded an artist, and this is no new experience for Szigeti, whose musical insight and artistic creative power bring him many such requests. Arrangements for Szigeti to tour Australia and New Zealand have been on foot for some time, but his engagements on the other side have, so far, prevented finalisation. When Miss Evelyn Bock, a Broken Hill violinist, was playing a Hungarian Lance, while being examined for her L.A.B. degree by Mr. Max Pirani, the examiner asked her to stop, examined the piece from which she was playing, and then having consulted Mr. A. C. Hull, resident secretary in Australia for the Associated Board of the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music, London, announced that he had no option but to disqualify her for playing a simplified edition of the composition chosen for the test. Mr. Gunnar Lawson, Miss Bock’s coach, when acquainted with the decision, protested that the composition was the same edition and by the same composer as set out in the syllabus. Mr. Pirani asked Mr. Lawson and also Miss Bock whether tney understood German, and both replied that they did not. He then informed them that four words in German on the title page indicated that the composition was a simplified edition, and that it was the original which was set as the test piece. • * • Arrangements are being made to give a season of international grand opera at the Royal Opera. Covent Garden, for about ten weeks, commencing in May. 1928. The best available international artists will be engaged. including many of those who appeared so successfully during the last seasons. Details of repertoire and artists are to be announced shortly. Arthur Honegger intends to write a tone poem depicting the sound and spirit of a Rugby match. Igor Stravinsky is also busy depicting modern life, with a ballet. “Apollo” that includes the suggestion of radio waves, a factory strike, and the movement of an automobile. One of the passages in his ‘Apollo” is a four-part movement in which a single theme is used at four different speeds simultaneously.