TALENTED AUCKLANDER

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 338, 25 April 1928, Page 14

TALENTED AUCKLANDER

MISS T. HALPIN’S SUCCESS Auckland has much to be proud of in her production of musicians, and in Miss Theo Halpin we have one of the younger generation who is carrying on the good work, the foundation of which was laid by the of music in this city. Miss Halpin, F.T.C.L., L.A.8., gold medallist and exhibitionist, recently returned from London, where she had been engaged in a course of instruction at the Royal College of Music. Her work there was most successful, and

she was chosen to play in the first orchestra of the college. Miss Halpin was in London four years altogether, having been awarded an extension after completing the first two years. She is an accomplished musician and plays the pianoforte, the violin and ’cello, and is also competent to handle voice production. Aucklanders will have an opportunity of hearing Miss Halpin this evening, when she plays Liszt’s pianaforte concerto with the Bohemian Orchestra. This was the composition she played with the first orchestra at the London College. Miss Halpin is a daughter of Major and Mrs. Halpin, of Grafton Road. The brilliant Italian tenor, Francesco Merli, gives us “Celeste Aida” —“Aida” (Verdi), ‘Cielo e Mar”—“Gioconda Ponchiello” (Columbia D 1545). Merli, a noted Italian tenor, who has sung in the principal opera houses of Italy, made his debut at Covent Garden two years ago. His first records reveal a strong and resonant voice, and the dominant feature of his singing of the two arias from Aida and Gioconda is energy and virility. There is no mistake about it in his singing of “Celeste Aida,” which is preceded by the complete recitative, “Si Quel Gererier lo Fossi” (“If I Were This Warrior”), delivered with fire and boundless energy. His top notes are of unusually good quality, and he attacks them with great force and ringing power. * * * “It is the fashion, I believe, for some musicians to speak contemptuously of Mendelssohn’s “Hear My Prayer,” writes a correspondent to a London contemporary, “to say that it is overluscious. I only know that it brings all heaven about me, and reconciles the sadness of the world with the peace of God. A boy’s perfect treble — that sweetest of all created sounds, because so unconscious of its pathos and beauty—floating on the top of the music, and singing as an angel, might sing among the stars of heaven, came to my thirsty spirit like a draught of clear spring water. ... I left the cathedral as a cripple dipped in the healing well. While music is in the world God abides among us. Ever since the days that David soothed Saul by his sweet harp and artless song, music has thus beguiled the heaviness of the spirit. And now to-day it is not necessary even to go to the cathedral to hear this work performed. As recorded with Master Lough and the choir of the Temple Church, under Mr. G. Thalben Ball, it is to be prized as one of the precious things of the world, and something which has power tomake us as one dipped in healing waters.”

“The Jewels of Madonna” (WolfFerrari). Introduction to Acts 2 and 3. Percy Pitt conducting the 8.8. C. Wireless Symphony Orchestra. (Columbia 9091). “The Jewels of Madonna” is one of several popular modern operas which are as Vet completely unknown in this country. The story, dealing with Neapolitan “Camorrists,” is sombre and sordid, and, needless to say, ends with the death of both lovers, one by drowning, the other by stabbing. The music, however, is fine, melodious, and well-orchestrated. The introduction to the second act is remarkably beautiful, the melody being very expressive and sad. The introduction to the third act is in the form of a graceful and melodious waltz. Both are extremely well-played.

“Varie” (Sor), and “Gavotte”. (Bach). Andres Segovia has been claimed as the greatest living guitarrist in the world. But, ambitious though this may be, it conveys not the slightest idea of his prodigious abilities. No guitar player, living or dead, has ever been able to perform such miraculous feats upon his instrument at Sr. Segovia. The seemingly limited scope of the guitar vanish under Sr. Segovia’s hand, and we are left both delighted with the fine performance and bewildered at the fact that it has been produced by one player. Two or three threads of melody are produced simultaneously over a suitable accompaniment —all from the one instrument! with as much nuance and expression, as a great pianist could command at the keyboard. The marvels that Sr Segovia performs are best realised from this, the first of his “His Master’s Voice” records. This record must remain a nine-days’ wonder, and of the two pieces he has played, it is a little difficult to choose the more astonishing: our preference goes, perhaps, to the amazing little “Theme Varie” of the old Spanish composer, Sor. (H.M.V., D 1255.)

Leo Cherniavsky is featured in “La Borrachita” —Mexican song, “Caprice Vieniois” (Kreisler), violin solos. (Columbia L 595.) The brilliance of these violin solos leads one to suspect that Leo must be senior partner of the famous Cherniavsky Trio. His sympathetic treatment of the airy Kreisler “Caprice” is entirely successful, and he makes the almost voluptuously rich Mexican song ring with the fulness of his tone and the strong body of his colour. A very pleasantly melodious and finely playecj record. An excellent “comic” is 2FC —“Mike Speaking,” monologue by Charles Lawrence. (Columbia 0943.) One of the few good comics issued lately. “Mike’s” whispered interjections to the items broadcast from 2FC are always to the point, but nat always favourable to the performer. “Mike” is the spirit of the microphone, and speaks with a microphone's eye view of the singers, and so we are privileged to hear something more about them than their voices. Mike’s stage whisper is surprisingly clear and well maintained —something of a feat, I should imagine.