PROFESSOR SCHMITT'S CONCERT. THE NEW CANTATA, " ART AND MIND." PRESENTATION TO MR F. D. FENTON. Auckland, October 19.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 310, 24 October 1888, Page 5

PROFESSOR SCHMITT'S CONCERT. THE NEW CANTATA, " ART AND MIND." PRESENTATION TO MR F. D. FENTON. Auckland, October 19.

Professor Schmitt belies the old proverb that " a prophet hath no honour in his own country." The large and fashionable audience which crowded the Choral Hall last night resorted thither as much out of compliment to the man as from curiosity to near his latest musical work. In any case the programme wasalluring enough of itself to tempt a people of musical taste, and the inhabitants of Auckland have just cause to pride themselves upon their promptitude to discern and their readiness to appreciate aitistic excellence. The items were arranged in three groups, of which the first and third were of a miscellaneous character, and of judicious choice, while the intercalated part consisted of the piece de resistance, the new cantata " Art and Mind," an essentially local production, thewordshaving been written inflowing and rhythmical verse by Mr W. E. Outhwaite, who must certainly be credited with a good deal of the poetic faculty, and the music having been composed con amove by Professor Schmitt. The event was certainly uncommon, for we are not aware that any New Zealand artists have ever previously collaborated in such an undertaking, and the success which has attended this essay may be expected to produce the happiest results in furnishing a stimulus for others to go and do likewise. At any rate, the affair proves that we possess native talent able to create as well as to execute works of some pretension. The concert opened with Beethoven's splendid overture to *' Fidelio," which -was performed in first-class style by an orchestra of thirty-one instruments, under the lead of Mr Arthur Eady, and guided by the bftton* of Professor Schmitt. The nuances, which form so conspicuous a charm of Beethoven's compositions, were carefully observed, and the general effect was decidedly inspiriting. On the principle of *' Expede Meradem," the audience at once settled down to the conviction r.hat their expectations of an exceptionally good concert were to be fully realised. And in this connection we may be pardoned a brief digression for the purpose of saying that the instrumental morceaux were especially good. The well-known quartette " O Confusion," from "Maritana," by Miss Knight, Messrs Hosking, Sykes, and Hamerton, followed, but the voices did not chord so well as could be wished. Miss Whitaker sang sweetly and with clear enunciation Koeckel's song "I Cannot Say Good-bye," and Miss Buckland gave as a violin solo a pretty romance by Koenig, to which the orchestra played an accompaniment. The lady's pose was good, her bowing graceful, and her interpretation of the rather lengthy piece very acceptable. After this came a selection, "The Tar's Song" (Hatton), by the Grafton Orpheus Club (Messrs Martin, Edwards, Hamerton and Charter), who have won deserved repute for their Orpheus glees, and they executed it with such thorough abandon and skill that the audience promptly enforced the penalty of an encore. The orchestra rounded off the first part of the programme with a very taking and animated march ("Banditen Zug") by Scholtz, which, after a preliminary flourish from cornet and horns, follows the fashion of the popular " Turkish Patrol " by opening with a gradual crescendo from pianissimo to fortissimo, and then just as gradually declining in volume to the vanishing point. It was admirably played, and the performers were obliged to repeat it. In the meantime the chorus-singers had I trooped into their seats, to the number of 62, viz., 19 sopranos, 18 altos, 10 tenors, and 15 baritones and basses, all picked voices, and everything was in readiness for the cantata " Art and Mind " to begin. It is almost superfluous to remark, when the fact is so well understood, that the cantata I was conceived as a means of celebrating the j opening of the Auckland Art Gallery, but that circumstances interfered to prevent its production on that occasion, and that as a consequence it was heard last night for the first time in public. The result was so gratifying as to make it subject for regret that the work was not introduced as originally intended, for it would certainly have lent special attraction to a great event. There can be no gainsaying the statement that the treatment of the theme by both poet and composer is worthy their inspiration. The orchestral introduction is solemn and severe in spirit and becomingly subdued in tone, and was very creditably discoursed. Mr Edwin Hosking sang the tenor recitative, "Angels of light! descend with downward sweeping flight," which of course is in the nature of an invocation. The singer seemed a trifle nervous, but acquitted himself well. Professor Schmitt Has phrased the words very happily, and aptly brings their meaning into relief. A few bars from the orchestra mark a complete change in style, and the chorus bursts into the spirited and well - harmonised descriptive chorus, " Weird as the wind in the forest pines." The execution was bold, resolute and precise, but one could have wished just a little more attention to the gradations of expression, particularly at the passage beginning " Limner ! wave thy magic wand," where the words suggest a slight variation in treatment. Then, too, the quartette of angels hardly achieved its due effect. Perhaps the best features of the cantata were the recitative, "Scholar and sage, with reverent gaze behold," and its associated aria, " O'er the boundless ocean dark," both of which Dr. Maitland Gledden sang most tastefully. He possesses a cultured baritone voice of good volume and agreeable timbre, and he sings with true feeling. He certainly is an acquisition to our musical resources. It struck us that the effect would have been enhanced had the aria instead of following too ciosely in the style of the recitative been rendered more of a foil to it by greater freedom of treatment on the part of the composer. It affords opportunity for elaboration. The concluding chorus — "For bounteous gifts on earth bestowed Praise we the Lord alway," is a really capital number, and was sung both crisply and with studied effect. The entire work does infinite credit to Professor Schmitt's constructive skill, and the audience, by prolonged applause and a liberal offering of bouquets, testified a lively satisfaction with it that left nothing to be desired. In treatment the composer has evidently followed a Handelian model, but if resemblances suggest themselves they are so fleeting and there is so much of freedom in foim and originality in conception that the work is the legitimate product of creative talent. The floral offerings and bhe general oration of which he was the subject had the effect of eliciting from Professor Schmitt a ,neat and well-turned little speech of acknowledgment. He said : — Ladies and Gentlemen : As you are doubtless aware, the cantata you have just heard, was originally projected for the purpose ot, being per-

( formed at the formal opening of the Art Gallery, but in consequence of a change in the Gity Council's arrangements that intention was not carried out. However, by the kind assistance of my friends, I was induced to give it this evening. I take this opportunity to especially thank my good friend Mr Outhwaite for the really excellent manner in which he wrote the words for me, and that, too, I may add, at very short notice. (Applause.) I also thank my musical friends on the platform, both vocalists and instrumentalists, for their kind and able assistance whereby I have had my work, on its first presentation, so well performed. I likewise thank my friends in the hall for so largely attending this evening, and for their evident appreciation of my humble efforts. It is a matter of deep regret to me that Mr Fen ton, who had promised to be present, has been compelled by illness to remain at home, because it is to him that I have dedicated the cantata. It is but a slight recognition on my part of the valuable services he has rendered to the cultivation and progress of music in Auckland. lam really sorry he is not hore in person, but as that cannot be helped. I would ask Sir Maurice O'Rorke (President of the Auckland Uni-i versity College) to accept, on behalf of Mr ITenton, tho dedication copy of the cantata. Sir G. Maurice O'Rorke said :—lt: — It is with very great pleasure that I accept this piece of Auckland music and verse. I very much regret thafc Mr Fen ton 19 not here to-night because 1 am sure he would be extremely touched and gratified, both by the performance and by the "Complimentary terms in which he has been referred to. And if the audience will permit me, I shall, in handing over this dedication copy of the cantata, add the accompaniment of your kind feelings and appieciation of the many services he has rendered to musical art in New Zealand. (Applause.) I feel sure that few things are so gratifying to him as the knowledge that the torch of music he lit in Auckland has been fanned by Professor Schmitt into such a steady flame and is likely to continue to be fanned. This is no ordinary occasion, and when I read on the title page of the cantata that the words for it have been written by my old and esteemed friend, Mr Outhwaite, himself an Auckland-born gentleman, and that the music has been composed by another Auckland friend in the person of Professor Schmitt, I feel doubly pleased to know that it is so entirely a local production. lam sure I need only mention their names when your kindly feelings will prompt you to second the hope that they may still further prosecute the studies in which they are separately engaged — poetry and music. (Loud applause.) They have treated ns to-night to what, in the words of the author of " Art and Mind," must prove an incentive to explore the " Times and scrolls of the mighty past — relics o master minds," while furnishing an idea of what can be done by students of poetry and music in this city. 1 only hope the performers of the Choral Society and the students of music at the University College will continue to have that support and sympathy from the public which are so necessary to their well-being. The breath of popular favour is essential to the existence of such institutions, and I cannot doubt that they will have it when I look upon the large attendance at this performance. (Applause.) After an interval the concert was resumed with Professor Schmitt's striking dramatic overture (dedicated to King Humbert of Italy), which the orchestra gave in first-class style. Miss K. Gilfillan and Messrs Edwaidb and Hamerton sang the grand trio from the finale of the tbiid act of "Ernaiii," but it was rathe* too ambitious a venture, albeit creditably done. The orchestral accompaniment had been scored by Mr Thomas Wood. Miss Maud Hogg, a little maiden of ten summers, and pupil of Professm- Sohmitt, made a most successful debut as a solo violinist. She played memoriter Dancla's Italian fantasia with purity of tone ana in exact time and tune, while her bowing was firm and facile. In response to an encore, she gave also from memory and A\ith a nice expression, a sweet little berceuse, by the same comDoser, part of it being played with muted strings. Miss Knight produced a very favourable impression by her interpretation of Mattel's "NonTorno." Recalled to the platform, she then sang a trifle, called "Two's Company." The Grafton Orpheus Club earned another flattering encore by their excellent rendering of "Absence" (Schneider), and " Hilarity " (Dehu), and, as a consequence, they supplemented these pieces with " Come, Boys, Drink." Professor Schmitt's capital national fantasia for chorus and orchestra fittingly closed the concert. The piece introduces " The Marseillaise," "God Save the Emperor" (Russian National Anthem), " Der Wacht am Rhein," Sicilian's National Hymn (led by a hidden quartette), "God Save the Prince of Wales," and "God Save the Queen," all of which received full justice from tho chorus. We understand that Professor Schmitt intends to send his cantata to be published by the musical house of Andre", at Offenbach on the Maine, and that after being translated into German, it will be produced at Schwerin under the direction of the Court conductor, Herr Alois Schmitt, Professor Schmitt's brother.