MUSIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 760, 5 September 1929, Page 16

MUSIC

(By

F.1.R.)

Glancing Ahead —

Saturday. —Municipal Band Concert, Town Hail. September 9.—Auckland Piano Students’ Association Evening. September 14.—Westminster Glee Singers, His Majesty's. S-ptember 26.—Bohemian Orchestra. •September.—Lmsolina Giannini. October IT.—Auckland Choral Society Concert. The Dunedin Choral Society is at present rehearsing Edward German’s ‘ Merrie England” for its next concert. Sullivan’s “Golden Legend” is to be put on this month in Christchurch by the Christchurch Musical Society. Mischa Elman is spending the summer in France. Later he starts long tour of various European countries, returning to America in time tor his first recital in Carnegie Hall «;Q January 11.

The guest performance of Beniamino Gigli and Giacomo Lauri-Volpi, in “Rlgoletto,” “II Trovatore” and “La Boheme” were the outstanding events of the early summer season at the Opera of Budapest. Preceding the Italian singers, Mme. Jeritza gave a series of performances. Commenting upon the great success of the visiting artists, the “Monde Musical” remarks that, with all its liking of modern composition in concert halls, the Hungarian public prefers the old repertory in the opera. • * • Levitzki’s Tour Max Levine, who is now in Melbourne for Dusoiina Giannini’s season as the representative of the singer’s American managers (Daniel Mayer, Ltd.), is a brother of Mischa Levitzki. Mr. Levine visited Australia with the pianist in 1921, and confirms the news that Levitzki will make another tour of the country in 1931. The pianist will give recitals in England in October of this year, and will subsequently make another tour of America. * * • New Bach Sonata A recently discovered “Sonata per Violino e Cembalo di J. S. Bach” is among the works of the master found in Germany, according to the “Signale.” The manuscript includes the eix pages of the Sonata and a vivacious Praeludium, two pages long, also written by Bach’s hand. The newly discovered composition was introduced to the German public on June 8 at the seventeenth Bach Festival in Leipzig. • * * Felix Salmond, cellist, has been engaged as a soloist at the music festival to be held in Montreal next November under the auspices of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The festival. which is an annual event, was instituted primarily for the purpose of presenting the folk-music of Canada, though it Is now following the more general lines of other American music festivals. Beethoven Operetta An operetta has been arranged by Vilhelm Komor from the works of Beethoven, according to the “Allgemoine Musikzeitung,” which says that “such mutilation of masterpieces phould be forbidden by law.” The book is based on an episode of the composer's life in Vienna. It is also rumoured that the Opera Comiquc of Paris is to present an opera bouffe •with a score based on works by Schumann. Maintaining Opera The British National Opera Com-j pany, which for some years has given I operatic performances throughout j (treat Britain in the face of deepen- j ing financial difficulties, now an- 1 pounces that it is unable to make this year its usual autumn tour. In- j deed, a meeting is to be called to ; consider its final winding-up. The I company would have ceased opera- j tions long ago if it had had to depend ! on box-office receipts. It has been j sustained by money generously given j from many quarters. These resources i have now failed. This bad news is accompanied by a welcome alleviation. The Covent Garden Opera Syndicate, which has had some successful seasons in London, is going to step into the breach, and is arranging to give performances in the centres outside London which have usually been served by the British National Opera Company.

’ STRONGER THAN EVER

MORE PLAYERS FOR BOHEMIANS NEXT CONCERT For its next concert, to be given on September 2(3, the Bohemian Orchestra Is preparing a programme that should be sufficiently bright and varied to meet most tastes. It will include Beethoven's “Egmont” overture; Tschaikovsky's “Italian Caprice”; “La Boutique Fantasque,” an arrangement by Respsghi of some works of Rossinis; Rimsk>Korsakov's "Bumble Bee" and "The Merry Wives of Windsor” (Nicolai). The soloist will be Madame Cora Melvin (soprano). The orchestra has been strengthened by the return to its ranks of several musicians who until lately have been playing with professional orchestras. It Is pleasing to note that the orchestra is stronger now than it has been for a number of years. The next concert will be looked forward to with keen interest,.

Wide Repertoire In these days of musical change the lighter side is emphatically necessary, and the Westminster Glee Singers, under Mr. Edward Branscombe, who will commence a tour of the Dominion this month, have paid due regard to this in the drawing up of their programmes. To this end a large selection of humorous quartets, plantation songs, vocal dances, solos with an accompaniment of voices, and many other novelties, have been included in their repertoire. Their singing will be of special value to church choirs, choral societies and schools, and in particular will be exemplified the wonderful perfection to which boys’ voices can be brought. An international convention of blind musicians took place in Paris recently. Band Concert The next Municipal Band concert will be given at the Town Hall on Saturday evening, when a special request programme will be given. Items by the hand will include; March, "Holyrood,” “William Tell” overture, “Onward, Christian Soldiers,” “Deep Harmony,” the andante con molto from Beethoven’s “Fifth Symphony,” selection from “H.M.S. Pinafore,” “Les Hugenots,” “Evening Hymn,” “O Gladsome Light,” a glee number, “See How the Fates,” and the grand overture Solenelle, “1812.” Vocal solos and duets will also be given by Miss Molly Atkinson and Mr. Karl Atkinson. Mr. Christopher Smith will conduct, and Miss Thelma Gordon will be the accompanist.

Musicians for Talkies Carrying out the policy of the Joseph M. Schenck organisation of securing the finest talent for its sound film department, Adolf Tandler, widely known in American and European musical circles, has been signed as assistant director of Dr. Hugo Reisenfeld’s recording orchestra at the United Artists Studio. Dr. Reinsenfeld took charge of all musical activities on the United Artists lot when sound films were first launched. Tandler was for many years director of the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra. He also won fame abroad as conductor of the International Mozart Festival in Salzburg, Austria, and during the past five years has conducted the Little Symphony in Los Angeles. He and Dr. Reisenfeld were schoolmates at the Vienna Conservatory, from which both were graduated.