MUSIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 955, 24 April 1930, Page 16

MUSIC

(By

F.1.R.)

Bohemian Orchestra The first concert of the Bohemian Orchestra for the season has been

j> istponed until May 1. The programme will consist of the following numbers: "Orpheus in the Underworld,” overture (Offenbach); “Invitation to the Waltz” (Weber); ‘Cleopatra," “Sieg iried Idyll” (Wagner), “Jerusalem,” Sind a piano concerto yet to be chosen. The soloist on this occasion will be >lr. Frank Suthedland. m * * RANDOM NOTES The Napier Choral Society is at present rehearsing “Cavalleria Rusticana” with a view to putting it on toward the end of June. Mr. Arthur Jordan, the well known English tenor, has definitely decided 1 o visit New Zealand and Australia next year. Bizet’s "Carmen” is to be performed by the Royal Wellington Choral Union on May 31. * * * The Levin Choral Society intends putting on “The Bohemian Girl” about the middle of May. * V * Mr. Alfred Walmsley, who arrived la the Dominion a few weeks ago lrom London, has been engaged to ting the part of “Don Jose” in “Carmen” for the Royal Choral Union, Wellington. Mr. Walmsley left Dunedin several years ago, and has sung the tenor solos in the above opera on numerous occasions with the Carl Rosa Opera Company. The combined performance of •'Hiawatha” by the Royal Wellington Choral Union and the New Plymouth Choral Society, under the baton of Mr. John Bishop, will take place in New Plymouth about the end of August. Weber’s “Oberon” will be performed l>y the New Plymouth Choral Society early in June, as the firgt concert of the 1930 season. “Maritana” is now under rehearsal in Wanganui by the Wanganui Choral Society. • * * Elgar’s "Dream of Gerontus,” ■which is being rehearsed by the Christchurch Musical Society, will be performed about the middle of June. • * * Sir Alfred Sißlivan’s, “Golden Legend” is the work selected for the Royal Wellington Choral Union’s second concert of the present season. The Academic Club will hold its next evening on May 5, when an interesting programme will be presented. Members may look forward to several big items, which will be given on later programmes, including a Mendelssohn violin concerto, to be played by Mr. Morris and orchestra, with Mrs. Morris conducting, and two concertos, the Brahms F minor and Beethoven’s “Emperor,” to be played by Mrs. Morris. • * • The Aeolian Orchestra has arranged Its next concert for May 27. The programme will be as follow: —Overture, “Orpheus in Hades”; “Wellington,” march; two Irish dances (Finucane); four Indian love lyrics (Woodforde Finden); “Gold and Silver,” waltz: selection from “The Maid of the Mountains.” Mr. Gerald Lee is at present acting as conductor for the orchestra, which is progressing very well. There are now 46 instruments. which represents an increase on last year. * * * The programme for the Municipal Band concert next Saturday evening will include these items:—Overture, "Le Rol d’Yvetot” (Adam); suite, “Aus Aller Herreu Landler” (Moskowski); variations on a well known melody— Ltzst, Mendelssohn, Gounod, Rossini, Wagner, Handel and Sousa, all by the band; song by Miss Beryl Smith, “My Heart has a Quiet Sadness” (Sergeant) ; song by Mr. Duncan Black, “The Fisherman of England” (Phillips); and two duets. “Sink, Red Sun,” and another yet to be chosen. * * * Beecham's Opera Scheme Sir Thomas Beecham has at last succeeded in forming “The Imperial Opera League.” The famous conductor has had many a set-back, but nothing could stay liis enthusiasm for the establishment of a permanent grand opera scheme for the British Isles, Sir Thomas states that the works are to be produced with perfection of every musical and scenic detail, and he is pledged to give performances for five years commencing in autumn. He has also announced a pre liminary season for spring for which the operas selected form an unusual list. They include Berlioz's "Trojans” and "Damnation of Faust,” Borodin’s "Prince Igor,” Delius's “Fillage Romeo and Juliet,” Mozart's "Casi fan Tutti,” Rimsky-Kor-sakov’s "Snow Maiden,” Rossini's “Italian in Algiers,” and “The Bartered Bride,” of Sinetana.

Scored Recital A sacred recital will be given by the Auckland Mission in the Lewis Eady Hall on Good Friday evening, at 7 o'clock. Stainer’s cantata, “The Crucifixion," will be given by an augmented choir, the soloists being Miss Laura Walker, Mr. Robert Nixon, Mr. Reg White and Mr. A. Lyon Griffiths. The recital will commence at 7 o’clock. Songs That Sold Frederick Weatherly, who composed between 1,500 and 1,800 poems and songs of the class of “Nancy Lee,” “The Holy City,” “Beauty's Eyes,” etc., left an estate n England valued at nearly £60,000. There might be something, after all, in the alleged statement of a great prima donna as to the kind cf song to “give ’em.” But Weatherly's goods w r ere sold mostly in England. Anyhow, a composer of serious or art songs could never hope of amassing such a fortune. Galli-Curci Cancels Amelita Galli-Curci has cancelled the remainder of her European tour and returned to New York. In an interview given in Paris, and reported in a copyright despatch to the “New York World,” Mme. Galli-Curci stated she had been the victim of a newspaper campaign directed against her on the ground that she charged exorbitant fees. This criticism was unjustified, she said, because her fee for a performance in Europe was less than half the amount she received in the United States.

Because Arturo Toscanini was in his audience Yehudi Menuhin insisted r. n playing his recent second New York recital even though he was suffering from a cold and sore throat. Toscanini praised him enthusiastically. “Messiah” Failure The annual report of the Napier Choral Society stated that musically the year 1929 had been an undoubted success, the two works presented, Coleridge Taylor’s “Hiawatha” and Edward German’s “Tom Jones,” proving great favourites. In soloists the committee did the best it could, and felt that it had provided for subscribers the best talent available. The special presentation of “Messiah” given both in Napier and Hastings was also a musical success. Financially, they had unfortunately gone back, this being due to a decline in the honorary membership, and also to poor houses, outside members’ tickets. The “Messiah” concerts proved an unfortunate undertaking from a financial point.

The tenth World Congress of Music will be held in Vienna June 6 to 8. Five community orchestras have been organised in Milwaukee, which aim to provide every person in the city interested in playing a musical instrument an opportunity to receive training. « » » Screened Opera It is understood that an Italian scientist has perfected an invention by which an entire opera can be given cn the screen unbroken. By means of a magnetic process, the sounds are recorded on a fine wire. Then, by linking this wire, at a proper point, with the film, so that both run on the same axis, a perfect synchronisation is obtained. Composers, artists and publishers are not in accord regarding the screening of grand operas, and then fees, royalties, etc., are said to be rather prohibitive. An Italian journal, a short time ago, recorded that Titta Rffo received the sum of £75,000 for recording three operas.