MUSIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 606, 7 March 1929, Page 14

MUSIC

( By

F.1.R.)

Coleridge Taylor's “Hiawatha” is i the work decided on by the Dunedin j Choral Society for its first concert. Leopold Stokowski, leader of the Philadelphia Orchestra, is writing a symphony, reports "Musical America.” One concert followed the elaborate announcements and plans of the Beethoven Symphony Orchestra in New York. It is no more. Funds were lacking. Felix 'Weingartner, conductor aud composer, has finished his sixth symphony, ‘La Tragica,” in which he uses sketches of the third movement of Schubert’s unfinished symphony. Puccini’s “Turandot” was strangely accused of plagiarism not long ago by iwo women musicians of Palestine. It is now indicated in Germany that the sister composers and their father are unbalanced, and seized with a persecution mania. Covent Garden to Go Covent Garden will start its opera season on April 22, earlier than last spring, in 1929. The German, Italian and French opera series will end June 28, when the historic building closes its doors for all time. It is soon to be torn down to permit the expansion of the Covent Garden market.

IZARD SISTERS VIOLIN AND ’CELLO DUETS HAPPY COMBINATION A special and unusual feature of the programmes to be offered by the 1 Izard Sisters. Constance and Mar- | garet, is their playing of unaccompanied duets for violin and ’cello. These gifted artists are to give concerts at Auckland under the auspices of the Stanley Concert Direc - lion on April 2. April 4, and Apr? 1 3. A concert will also be given / t Hamilton on April 1. This combination—for which the re exists a considerable repertoire— l> assesses a peculiar and subtle charm., ranging as it does from the intertwining of two threads of sound -te the full-bodied double-stops vlise'n rival in their sonority a string q.ur.rtet. The visit of these two exponesit' j of this little-known form of ensan jble will be awaited with interest.

Choral Society “Piays to the Gate” PROGRAMME PROBLEMS POLICY DfoCUSSED “On account of. t .lie falling off of subscribers we j compelled to put on programmes o'"' general interest and play to the ga ie,” said Mr. C. B. Plummer, preside: it of the Auckland Choral Society at the annual meeting on Tuesday even’fng. This, he said, was a policy that ' would have to b e considered in drawing up program ates in future years. It is indeed i nteresting to note that | of the four concerts the Maori night ; proved the most popular. On that occasion lull’s “Hinemoa” was presented ar d t,he second half of the programu _e was devoted to Maori numbers , in. which the choir was assisted by native performers. That experience has proved that a little “‘playing to the gate” is desirable if th j interest of the public is to be r.iai ntained, and that it can be done ’.vit’ lout lowering the status of the society. On that occasion also the soci »ty went to the trouble to produ' fe stage decorations appropriate to th( ; o ccasion, and these undoubtedly assif ted largely to the success of the conr ;er':.

if . isi certainly to be hoped now the gi'fjund is broken that the society will cr.ntinue to make their concerts as a ttn-jctive as possible by endeavour- ’ ng to relieve as far as humanly possible the drab dreariness of the Town Hall stage. As its president remarked, the society has many competitors. Furthermore, they are competitors who strive to please the public and cater for their comfort and convenience. ’Jnfortunately it is very hard for a (Choral society to give the public what it obviously wants and retain its character. It would be a comparatively easy matter to make a great success of the Auckland Choral Society, but it would meg,n replacing their present band instruments with jazz appliances, obtaining in place of Mr. Colin Muston a first-class, up-to-the-minute American ballet master, and an ultra-modern wardrobe. Between those who insist that it Is the duty of the society to sing what the public wants and those who

are equally insistent that it is the I society’s duty to educate the public. ! those in authority are not in a very I enviable position. Past experience has gone to show j that the public apparently is not j prepared to pay for the privilege of ? being educated, and that if music un- i familiar to the public is to be given | it can only be done with the assist- j ance of a healthy subscription list. Obviously one of the first things to i be done by the society this year is j to build up its subscribers’ roll, and ' this is not the task for the committee, but every member o£ the society. MISS TONER’S RECITAL GOOD PROGRAMME PROMISED An interesting pianoforte recital will be given in the Town Hall concert chamber on Saturday evening, when

Miss Margot St. Lawrence Toner, an ex-Aucklander, will make an appearance after several years of study in Australia. Miss Toner was a pupil of Mr. L. Godfrey Smith at the Sydney Conservatorium. Before leaving Sydney she gave a recital, and Press critics commented on her dexterous technique and beauty of tone. Her programme on Saturday will include works of Bach, Chopin and Schumann, in addition to several moderns.

German opera companies have, lately shown a disposition to engage American artists. Dusolina Giannlni, for instance, or Eleanor Painter and her husband, the Americanised Louis Graveure. Now Paul Althouse, tenor, is announced to sing in Hamburg opera this season, and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra has chosen Richard Crooks, also tenor, one of its soloists.