MUSIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 826, 21 November 1929, Page 14

MUSIC

( By

F.I.R.

Glancing Ahead — This Evening.— Koyn 1 Auckland Choir. This Evening.— Academic Club (Lewis 32aily Hall). Saturday.—Mr. and Mrs. Towaey's Saturday M uii iri pa I Band Concert. November 25.—Maori Music at McthoDecemher * s.—Bohemia n Orchestra. December t2.—-Tla, Mess!:; b" • \u fcCINEMA MUSIC What is a Personality Conductor ? MR. HENKEL'S ART What is a personality conductor? ... Does he wave his little stick in a different manner, or is it because of his smile? But there is more to it than that. Drop in at the Civic Theatre and see Mr. Ted Henkel at work. You will quickly realise that putting the personal touch into the organising of orchestral and stage music for a modern theatre involves a great deal more than that. It is certainly a full-time job. But it is not much use asking peronal questions. Beyond showing the t nterviewer a number of letters a roily worded in appreciation of his ' ork in arranging the music for some •t Hollywood’s biggest releases—and ' hey bor€» signatures such as Coldwyn, Warner, Harold Lloyd, Syd. Chaplin and William Hart—the personality « onductor was singularly reticent on i lie subject of Mr. Ted Henkel. Ac-; < ording to him, it is not what you have done but what you are doing that | « ounts in this world. The interviewer cast his bait in another direction and this time was successful. To an inquiry about his work, Mr. Henkel rose at once. Starting from the beginning, Mr. Henkel produced a sketch of the stage netting for the opening performance, upon which he was then at work with pencil and brush. The colours were till worked in and from this, he explained. the scenic artist, stage carpenters, and electricians would receive their instructions. The ballet. mistress and costume designer would also be in attendance at the conference to acquaint themselves of their parts in the general scheme. And each week means a fresh idea to be developed and carried out. Referring to the selection of his music. Mr. Henkel says that he draws up his programmes as a chef w r ould prepare a menu, with something light here and there to vary the fare. From the orchestral well will come the more solid courses—the musical meat, and from the stage band the cocktails and ices. In the well he will have an orchestra of about 30 strong, and in the stage band will be some seventeen or eighteen players. The well will bo the home of legitimate music, and on ♦he stage, with its colourful settings and the necessary atmosphere, the , music will be of the lighter and more tiovel variety. “Perhaps I can describe it better in colour,” said Mr. Henkel, whose work all through Is developed in terms of colour. “It will be Rembrandt in the orchestra and futuristic on the stage.” j COMPREHENSIVE LIBRARY “To the musician perhaps the most interesting room in the Civic Theatre is the library. Here is stored an immense collection of music. Mr. Henkel's personal property. The principal unit is the big cabinet containing the first violin parts from which the conductor arranges his music for the programme and stage presentations, and for each violin part tiled is a complete orchestral score. The music is indexed not only under titles but also under the themes to which it is suited. In the library Mr. Henkel also keeps | a photographic record of every stage j set he has designed, and the costumes worn by the numerous ballets he has had associated with him in America and Australia. The costume references are supplemented by cuttings from periodicals and books from all parts of the globe. Magazine advertisements with their strong vein of originality give many useful hints for character and original costumes. Mr. Henkel scores all his own music nnd all the music he plays is his own arrangement. By this means he gets his own individual colour. The wise foundation he set for his j musical training must stand him in good stead for scoring and arranging The interviewer gleaned, from him j that his original instrument was the violin with a study of the piano for a musical foundation. For further experience he mastered the clarinet, and the other reeds, drums, timpani, and also the second violin. For the designing of the stage sets, the arranging of the ballets, the provision of music for the overture and the general arranging of the music That is the keynote of the whole colour scheme, Mr. Henkel is the indt-1 vidua! responsible. Tn other words, he is the personality conductor.

Chamber Recitals

DRY-SOUNDING NAMES BUT DELIGHTFUL MUSIC SIGNS OF REVIVAL “Ii you are unfamiliar with musical nomenclature, don’t let opus numbers and other dry-sounding names frighten you. When this music was written, this was the fashion. In spite of their names, these works are full of the loveliest music imaginable.” The above paragraph which was embodied in a programme announcement sent out by the secretary of the Wellington Chamber Music Players is peculiarly appropriate in Auckland at the present time. At a well-attended meeting on Monday the Auckland Chamber Music Society came into being. Of those present about 50 enrolled as subscribers, which can be regarded as a fairly satisfactory commencement. More members than this will be needed, however, if the society is to do any material good and it is hoped that they will be forthcoming. For this class of music the great tone poets of the world of music gave

of their best. There are hundreds of delightful compositions that fall between the solo and full orchestral classes and the opportunity of hearing them is limited. Despite their “dry-sounding” names they have only to be heard to be at once appreciated. Some years ago, as we are reminded by Mr. Roger Fenton, Auckland' was well catered for in this respect in the recitals given by Mrs. McAndrew, Misses Whitelaw and Lewis and Messrs. Colin Muston, Blitz and Sliaw, and latterly by Mr. Cyril Towsey, the Auckland Trio consisting of Miss Ina Bosworth and Miss Molly Wright. The Aucklarid Trio will still continue to give its very enjoyable recitals, and there is no reason why both organisations should not attract big houses. In the age of popular music, chamber recitals more than ever before are necessary to keep the works of the masters before the people. Signs of a revival are not wanting. POPULAR SONGS Theme songs still catch the popular fancy. "I’ll Always be Mother's Boy,” labelled a song of “tender sentime,nt,'' comes from the Bathe singing and talking picture, “Mother's Boy.” The words are true to label and it is the kind of sentiment that nowadays has a big appeal. The melody is well marked and easy to pick up. “Lady Divine.” from "The Divine Lad}'," one of the hits of the moment., has all the makings of a popular melody. in slightly different vein is “Outside," a comedy chorus song complete with 11 supplementary verses. It should prove very successful. A story ballad, “Old Pals Are the Best Bals After All,” and a bright fox trot entitled "Junior," should also find a place among the best-sellers of the month. Our copies are from J. Albert aud Sou. The Munich Staatsoper plans to give this season the premiere of Albert Coates’s “The Diary,” a new arrangement of Rossini's “Angelina,"' and, later in the season, two ballets, “Skating Rink,” by Honegger, and “The Princess of Tragant,” by Oscar Strauss. * * * Students’ Recital At the Lewis Eady Hall on Saturday evening a recital will be given by the students of Mr. and Mrs. Cyril Towsey. i Songs and pianoforte solos will be given by advanced students, and the programme will also include “Danse Macabre” (Saint-Saens) for two pianos, eight hands. The accompanists will be Mesdames Prime and Singer, Miss Graham and Mr. Bell. Opera Filmed The Vitaplione Company lias arranged to film, with synchronisation of music, Verdi’s “Rigoletto,” Ambroise Thomas’s “Hamlet,” Giordano’s 'La Cena delle Beffe,” and “L’Amore dei Tre Re,” by Montemezzi; four grand operas with a complete company, of which Titta Ruffo, the famous baritone, will be the star. For fhe singing of the four operas Ruffo | is to be paid £70,000. *