[By Euterpe.]

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 236, 7 January 1888, Page 2

[By Euterpe.]

The marriage of Mr H. R. Harwood and J Miss Docy, ffj3]S&\v.arb (Mrs Colling) has created quite in Melbourne, for Mr Harwood has not boen long a widower. The Melbourne Philharmonic Society were to Dei form " The Messiah " last Saturday aus fMondJtajDecember 24 Js?d 26. The pincers je^sg%L are : — M,i^Palmer iMiss -Kosina^sTranfliina), soprano^ 'JuiatT, ( ' contralto ;] tl Mr A^mea Beaumoiff, tenor ;' and' Messrs' Gordon tSooch and |3. •Lamble, basses. V , ' The tendency to study piano or singing lias 'become almost a mania in America and the colonies, to the exclusion of other instruments. Why, not allow really musical natures to study orchestral instruments more generally 1 - Why nofc follow the German iashion, and have the string quartette in aur homes, whon possible ? More than once I have seen a family of four of iivo all studying the piano, when a judicious distribution would have given the home a concerted music which would have been far in advance of any piano possibilities wliatever. Gounod, before deciding upon the musical piofession, studied for the priesthood in the Ecolo dcs Cannes, and among his colleagues was the present Archbishop of Rheims, Car dinal Langenieux. The latter induced Gounod to compose a grand mass in honour of Joan of Arc, which was pel formed on the 24th July last under his conductorship, and on which occasion more than 10,000 people assembled to listen to this composition. Besides the introduction, the Benedictus with organ and harp accompaniment, also violin solo is spoken of as a divine conception. The funeral of the late Mr Philip Day, comedian, was largely attended, more particularly by members of the theatrical profession, by whom the deceased was highly esteemed. The burial service was perfoimed by the Rev. M. H. Aske. The grave was surrounded by a great number of iriends of the deceased. The pall-bearers were Messrs A. Garner, Dion Boucicault, jun., E. W. Royce, George Darrell, A. Mnync, T. M. Brown, Julian Thomas, ("The Vagabond"), A. G. Mclntyre, and T. Kennedy. Messrs G. Coppin, M.L.A., and H. R. Harwood were also among those present. The tragic fate of King Lud wig o£ Bavaria, I has furnished the subject of a blood and thunder drama called " King Ludwig 11. of Bavaria," which was recently performed in the Saxon village of Denben, The &ix acts are respectively entitled : " The First 'Lohengrin' Perfoimance in Munich," " The Mothe/a Warning Voice," or ■• R. Wagn"r in the King's Boudoir," " King Lud wigs' Engagement," "The King's Favourite" (1 he actor Joseph Kainz), "The Imprisonment in the Castle of Schwanstein," and i"The Catastrophe of Lake Stannberg." ! Finally there is an "illuminated " epilogue, ! " King Ludwig Lying in State." At a recent performance of "Camille," in which Miss Grace Hawthorne sustained the part of the heroine, she was interrupted in the midst of her pathetic death scene by some gipsy fellow in the gallery crying out " Shut up !" The dying woman, suddenly recovering her health and strengh, rose from her couch and coming down to the footlights with plenty of vigour in her voice and walk, exclaimed, "I shall not die until that man has been turned out." He was expelled with the utmost promptitudo, and with very little ceremony, and Camille thereupon returned to her deathbed, and went through the final agony as if nothing had happened to interrupt the protracted spasms. Marie Roze, afc Dublin, lately made a firm stand against the much - abused practice of bouquet - throwing. It must have often occurred to people to wonder what a favourite prima donna does with thG hundredweights of flowers which reach her. Madame Roze sends hers to hospitals, sisters of mercy, and charitable institutions. At Dublin she begged that none might be thrown on the stage in future, but be sent round to the stage door. In the first place, she says, they are always damaged in their flight, and her charity is tarnished ; in the second, the dramatic action of the piece is hindered when she has, however slightly, to acknowledge the offering. The Majeronis concluded their season at Dunedin on Saturday week, when a complimentary benefit was tendered to Mr H. R. Jewett. At the close of the second act Mr Jewett, in response to a hearty call, appeared before the curtain and deliveied himself of a little speech. It was a singular coincidence, he said, that by the kindness of Signor Majeroni, the first benefit he had taken during his seven years' connection with the stage was taken in Dunedin, his native city, and he thanked from the bottom of his heart those old friends who had rallied round him to make the affair a success, and show, as he took it, their approbation of his efforts to get on in the profession he had chosen. Although it was many years since he had helped to uphold the honour of Otago in the field, ifc was unspeakably gratifying to him to find that he was not forgotten as a footballer, but that his football friends had rallied to give him a friendly kick onwards and encourage him in the attempt he was making to score a goal. This last remark was felt to be a very neat touch on the part of Mr Jewett, and moved the large contingent of footballers in the stalls to enthusiastic applause, amidst which Mr Jewett said not adieti, but au revoir, and executed a strategic retreat into the wings." Writing in the "Con temporary Magazine," Mr Spencer Curwen says :— "Having had plenty of opportunties of comparing the results of musical training in France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy, I give the palm to Great Britain. In sightsinging especially England, is far ahead, even of Germany. This is mainly duo, first to the prevalence of the tonic-sol-fa method, and next to the liberal support which tho Bubjcct gets from the Education Department." In tho matter of instrumental music, tho writer shows that an enormous advance has been made in the Old Country d uring the last decade. ' 'Organ recitals have become general. At Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, a.nd in Glasgow the large halls are filled to overflowing on Saturday afternoons and evenings ; in some cases the admission being free, in others a small charge is made. The City Hall in Glasgow holds 3,000 people, and is generally filled. The movement, too, I ha 3 extended to the churches* ■In winter many churches are. now opened on Sunday, afternoons, when an organ recital is jgiven, and oratorios sung without either sermop or prayers. In Yorkshire, d uring the summer ' months, bands often play,' and choirs:singsacred music ,in the fields on Sunday afternoons," ' Even the quiet English ( rectory has; in'sbme instances', awoke to the elevating influence ' of^sacred • musicv for' Mr Curwenr quote's vthe, .following 'from** thei < Church - Times," s of 'recent date ;~- ,'.! The, grounds of V rural jrect.ory ar.e thrown* ope.nto'the i ; f vlllagerV'Bn- Sunday evetjlhge'/ itf summed 'when they-listetf to hymns sung bjr 4 ehoinunder^he.'aimction toft tip reotoxte daughter. People walk five or six miles, ; to fji| j,n the,gar4etvand,4isten tp f , the village ' choir. . People 1 - in the; -Village s ytno feeve their,h6'u%B>anS' : lif)fcle T pnes, feifc'infyhV , dooiwayj listening."^ 1 \ [i\<:> all) "f'«