MUSIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 298, 8 March 1928, Page 16

MUSIC

(By

F.I.R.

“Poor Columbus.” an opera by Erwin I'rassel, is to be produced at thd Prussian State Opera of Cassel, Germany. The composer is but 18 years of age, probably the youngest contemporary to have an opera produced in so large and prominent a theatre. Leopold Auer recently appeared in the role of conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, at which time he led this noted organisation in accompaniment to a concerto which was played by his pupil, Benno Rubinof, who was then making his debut.

At the annual meeting of the New Plymouth Operatic Society, it was reported that the past season with “A Runaway Girl" had been very satisfactory. The coming season is being looked forward to with confidence. The Stratford Operatic Society will give performances of “The Arcadians” this month.

Within three days of publication, 100,000 copies of a waltz, “Why Did Von Say—?” were recently sold in England. It was written by a blind composer of popular music, William Neill, who is described by Scottish papers as Br tain’s Irving Berlin. The only regret is that the same demand did not exist for real music. • * * Messrs. E. and J. Tait have engaged Browning IVI jmmery, also Elena Danieli, lyric soprano of the Ghent Opera, for the grand opera season in Australia; they will leave London on April 8. Stage c.irector Signor Farinetti sailed by the Oronsay, bringing with him 150 cases of properties, including the complete setting of the opera, Turandot,” with which the season will open. • • * The Rev. Edmund Horace Fell owes, c anon of St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, has been a welcome visitor in the Cnited States, where his lectures on Elizabethan music, by the enthusiasm and zeal of the speaker, have awakened £i real nterest in the treasures ( t‘ that, fecund period of English musi- < al composition.

The London Church Choirs’ Association held its Fifty-fourth Annual Festival in St. Paul’s Cathedral recently. The organisation was formed in 1870, with three objects in view—to bring together the church choirs of London for combined worship; to improve the musical portion of the church services; and to encourage the composition of worthy church music. * * * The ashes of Boccherini, the composer, have been removed from Madrid, where he died on May 28, 1805, to his native town of Lucca, where they will rest in the monumental church of San Francesco. At the height of his career, Boccherinii was feted by royalty; and his chamber music was mentioned along with that of Haydn. He was one of the most fertile composers of all time, though in our day little of his music is heard and to the popular mind he is known mostly as the composer of the famous Minuet in A.