MUSIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 600, 28 February 1929, Page 14

MUSIC

( By

F.1.R.)

Local Activity Next week v ill see a start made •with practices by the Auckland Choral Society and the Bohemian Orchestra. Both Bocieties have been celebrating their off season and will now be settling down to hard work in preparation for the coming season. The choral Society makes a start on Tuesday evening and the Bohemian Orchestra on Wednesday. Music in the Home Hadden Knight, of Croydon. England. writing to “Musical News,” says: “Let musicians consider for ten minutes. head in hands, that the average youth and flapper would rather listen to the atrocious muted trumpets and percussion-gone-mad of the 'Hawaiian Nine,' or the 'Manhattan Rattlers,’ than to a Queen’s Hall symphony concert. After that, let them ask themselves again whether papa's nautical song or mother’s inane tinklings are likely to make much appeal to the rising generation.” Stravinsky Says: ' Artists -who happen to be in advance of their age are seldom accepted by it; perhaps this is natural. You cannot realise the height of a mountain when you stand close to it, but the mountain is nevertheless a mountain, and will eventually be recognised by every one as such. I am often told that geometry is too predominant in my music. What is the essence of art and creative work if not to give definite shape to what was previously formless?” MUSICIANS’ DINNER A musicians’ dining club is about to be formed in London. It has arisen cut of the uncertainty which, it appears, prevails in musical England regarding the status of Berlioz, Some of the best English musicians, such as fair Thomas Beecham and Sir Hamilton Harty, class Berlioz among the great masters, while for others he is little better than a charlatan. Mr. Hubert Foss had the idea of assembling representatives of both factions round a dinner toble, to see if these views could not be reconciled. Sir Hamilton Harty and Mr. Bernard van Dieren praised Berlioz to the skies, and Mr. Scholes and Mr. Harvey Grace decried him.

No one came away converted, but the dinner was such a success that a whole series is projected.

TOSCANINI HONOURED THIRTY YEARS AT LA SCALA £6,500 COLLECTED Arturo Toscanini’s arduous labours years were celebrated recently in Milan. The London “Times” publishes a Milan dispatch describing the gala performance which marked the culminating event of the festivities. “Thirty years ago last night Signor Toscanini first conducted an opera, ‘The Mastersingers,’ at La Scala. He was then 30 years of age, and had already achieved some success in Italy as a conductor. The audience of La Scala on the night of December 26, 1898, was impressed by the fact that the maestro conducted the opera without a score. “Toscanini’s many admirers tried to devise some means of celebrating the 30th anniversary of his connection with La Scala without outraging his characteristic reserve. A committee was formed and succeeded in obtaining the maestro’s permission to collect funds for a foundation to be named

after him and to be devoted to the benefit of the children of the musicians of the Scala orchestra. The collection reached the sum of 600,000 lire (approximately £6,500). Toscanini asked that no ceremony should take place that night. The performance of ’The Mastersingers’ had been jeagerly awaited; there was a brilliant, audience. several princes of the royal family were present, Signor Mussolini ■was represented by the Minister cf Public Instruction, and representatives had been sent by all the musical academies of Italy and by those of Berlin and Zurich. “At the end of the second act the maestro appeared with the singers in response to the cheers of the public. Then all the artists of La Scala, the members of the chorus and the members of the orchestra, nearly 500 all together, rushed on to the stage, surrounded the maestro and gave him an ovation, the spontaneity of which seemed to move the famous conductor deeply.” A GREAT SINGER TOUR OF DUSOLINA GIANNINI COVENT GARDEN STAR A romance of the musical world is i the career of Signorina Dusolina Gianj nini, the famous soprano who is to ! tour Australia and New Zealand this j year, under the direction of E. J. Gravestock. In March, 1923, she | substituted at the Carnegie Hall, New I York, for a singer who was taken j suddenly ill. Her appearance created a sensation, and critics hailed her as the find of the season. From that date she never looked back—her services were in demand all over the United States.

Not content with her American triumphs, she journeyed to Europe and made her debut in Berlin. She sang in “Aida.” at the Municipal Theatre, and created a furore, and an unprecedented record of 25 curtain calls was scored. The cast was an all-star one, with Bruno "Walther in the conductor's seat. She sang all over Germany, in concerts and operas. "Dusolina Giannini has within one year appeared three times in Breslau and has sold out the house,” wrote the “Breslau Zeitung.” In Hamburg she created a riot, the “Ansieger” critic wrote. “Iu the packed Covent Garden Hall regned such enthusiasm and such joy as I have not witnessed in Hamburg since the days of Caruso.” Signorina Giannini within five seasons of her debut has appeared with practically all the orchestras, in the country, has given innumerable recitals from Canada to Havana, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and has made four tours to Europe, where she has sung in recitals, with orchestras and in opera.

Last year she was a “star” at the grand opera season at Co vent Garden, Loudon, and so great was her success that she has been engaged for the forthcoming season, and will sing in 12 perfo. mances of the following operas: “Madame Butterfly” (Puccini), “Manon Lescaut” (Puccini). "Otello” (Verdi), “Don Giovanni” (Mozart), prior to sailing for Australia, where she commences her tour at the Town Hall in Sydney.

Dr. Eaglefield Hull The death of Dr. A. Eaglefield Hull is a great loss to music and the musical world. Dr. Hull was a noted composer and organist, but during the past few years he became famous as a musicologist. He was for some time editor of the "Musical Record,” and his works include “Bach,’’ “Ser’iabine,” “The Sonata in Music,” and “Modern Harmony.” This latter work gave many old-fashioned pedants and academic musicians a great shock. On the other hand many great composers. including Ravel, Bartok and Sehonberg were very delighted, and wrote the doctor congratulating him Some time ago Dr. Hull was working on a theory of harmony that embraced the quarter-tone system. Dr. Hull was held in high esteem by musicians of all nations. He was born at Market Harborough, England, in 1576.