Municipal Music Yields Poor Return

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 564, 17 January 1929, Page 14

Municipal Music Yields Poor Return

RECITALS A FAILURE PUBLIC STAY AWAY When reviewing Auckland’s musical activity during the year 1928 in these columns last week, the fact was deplored that our j principal musical organisations, ; which at least command fair aud- j iences, had suffered a lean year. j Unfortunately this is not the worst side of this sorry state of affairs. Auckland’s municipal j music during 1928, judging by the j numbers who have listened to it, : has proved a rank failure. r PHE' musicians of Auckland, and that section of the public that accords music practical support, will not quarrel with the desire of the City Council to spend money in an endeavour to encourage an appreciation of music on the part of the public. Neither will it demand that its 'value be assessed altogether in terms of pounds, shillings and pence. But they will ask if the money is being spent to the best advantage. It must be admitted that with the exception of the band the money now being spent on municipal music is practically wasted. It is essential that the town should have its own hand, and this combination is certainly attracting audiences and also has a broadcasting value. The organ recitals, however, have proved a lamentable failure. For the six months ending August 22 it is admitted that eight organ recitals attracted an average attendance of 120, with receipts averaging £3 18s 7d. On two occasions the audience comprised mere handfuls of 46 and 54 respectively. It has been said, quite rightly, that the value of municipal music to the community cannot he assessed on the revenue it produces. But the number of people who take, the trouble to listen to the concerts certainly gives a sound indication as to whether they are performing useful service, and if only one resident out of every 1,750 goes to hear the organ it is very evident that not only is the best use not being got out of that fine instrument, but that the best part of £I,OOO a year is being thrown away. Further proof, if it were wanted, that the organ recitals are not reaching the community or affecting it in any shape or form other than through the ratepayers’ pockets is to be seen in the refusal of the Broadcasting Company to put the recitals on the air. It stated that the recitals were unpopular with the listeners-in. Plainly

speaking, they did not want them at j any price. Notwithstanding the fact that the city organist has excellent qualifications the lifting of the embargo against guest organists would be greatly appreciated. In the big musical centres of the world the appearance of guest conductors and guest organists is largely featured. In Auckland the practice is practically unknown. BETTER RESULTS This unappreciated expenditure of civic money on organ recitals and choir concerts is particularly deplored, more especially as at the present time organisations such as the Bohemian Orchestra, Choral Society and the j Male Voice Choir, organisations whose only financial desire is to make ends ! meet, are striving to the best of their resources to keep the spark of music alive in the community. | These are organisations that, at- \ tracting much larger audiences, could | spend municipal subsidies to good aclj vantage, and there would be still left over sufficient to engage organists for occasional recitals to be given in conjunction with suitably varied programmes. These are questions upon which very little comment has been forthcoming from the musical organisations of the city. True, occasional complaints have been heard concerning the high charges levied on them for the use of the Town Hall, pianos and organ, but no serious organised attempt has yet been made to solve the perplexing problem of popularising music in Auckland, and at the same time turning the present municipal expenditure to better account. From the musical organisations of the city should come the lead.

Shorter Wagner The editor of the German musical revue, Melos, wants the works of Wagner, particularly the “Meistersinger” and the “Ring,” substantially abbreviated. “The long and tiresome passages should be eliminated and replaced by declamation,” he recommends. “The music should be reduced to the playing of the prelude, interludes and the fragments in which the orchestra underlines the spoken word.” The Menestrel of Paris quotes the German editor with tile comment that what he desires has already materialised in the moving-picture houses.