MUSIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 434, 16 August 1928, Page 14

MUSIC

By F.I.R.

Miss Alison Cooke, late of Auckland, is at present singing in the choir of the American Cathedral at Paris, where, shortly, she will take up solo work. Miss Cooke recently returned from Munich and Vienna, where she went to hear the Wagner and Mozart operas.

Malcolm McEaehern is a great basso, as is proved in the “Song of the Volga Boatman” and “The Mighty Deep.” (Columbia 02583.) An Australian who has made a big name for himself at Home, provides a real thrill for lovers of good singing on his first solo effort for Columbia. In “The Mighty Deep” he strikes the A below

the bass stave —with a fourth of the lowest note of the double bass —and strikes it with phenomenal purity. Both renderings are remarkable for a certain quiet sincerity which everyone will relish. A second recital will be given by Miss Beatrice Elliott at the Town Hall concert chamber on Tuesday evening. Miss Elliott, who has studied for a number of years in England, on the Continent and in America, has appeared at a number of big concerts in America, and will return to that country shortly to carry out a contract entered into before her return to New Zealand. “Two artists of unusual personal reputation will be heard in a joint recital next season as one of the events of the Selbtf’ C. Oppeuheimer Subscription series at Dreamland Auditorium. They are B e n n o Moiseiwitsch, pianist, and Efrem Zimbalist, nolinist, says tha ‘San Francisco Chronicle.” “Both of these artists have appeared in recitals of their own. When they come together this time, they will play solo numbers, and will cooperate also In a sonata or two designed to employ both instruments equally. Of the two, Moiseiwitscn attracted the largest audiences when they visited Auckland, but Zimbalist was sadly neglected. In Auckland, strangely enough, there appears to be a rooted objection to hearing any artist unless he has been in the lime- j light for at least 50 years. Friedman, who suffered a like fate, is now attracting considerable attention in London.

A New Zealand pianiste who has just returned from a very successful tour abroad Is Miss Vera Moore, who arrived from Sydney during the week. Miss Moore is a sister of Mr. Fred. Moore, who was in New Zealand recently as examiner for the Royal Academy. After studying under Mr. Moore for some time she took a four years’ course under Leonard Berwick, an eminent London teacher, who died two years ago. Of Miss Moore her late teacher once wrote that she was an artist of the finest endowment, and that he took pride in the thought of having had a share in her development. On her way back to New Zealand Miss Moore was engaged by tbe Melbourne "University Conservatorium to give two recitals, which proved very successful.

The soloists for the coming' production of Berlioz’s “Damnation of Faust” by the Royal Wellington Choral Union have been selected as follow: —Soprano, Mme. Winnie Fraser; tenor, Mr. Hubert CartdV; baritone, Mr. Barry Coney. The bass part is yet to be allotted.