Musical Examinations.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7849, 15 June 1905, Page 2

Musical Examinations.

The well-known Wellington musician, Mr Maughun Baruett, has been interviewed by the New Zbaland Times regarding the value of- musical examinations—a subject round which' much controversy has centred of late in the Old Country. Wr Maughan Harnett is strongly adverse to theso examinations, holding that they arc ."valueless from an artistic point of view." He sayS" that' the piano music selected for the examinations is such a3 would, were he to give it to his pupils, cause an interruption in the "coarse of study best suited for, them, Moreover, individuality counts for so much in the teaching of music that probably no two pupils can bo treated alike. The argument that I the examinations compel teachers to give their pupils good music is of no value, inasmuch as no Competent teacher woifldido anything else. Onl tho other hand, a teacher who endeavours to tea*jh music bcy«pdi his comprehension, does more harm than good. Again, those examinations can be' of no possible benefit to amateur students. Those students who need a stimulus toi regular- practising will never make musicians. And even should the prospect of an examination infuso an industrious spirit in the. student, this wauki relax after tho examination. There is a risk that all amateur students may make, and,, (in fact, tho majority of them do make, the gaining of certificates.tha solo object of their studies. Mr Maughan Bamett said .'he had had pupils come to him who had passod such examinations, and yoti whose previous training, was of most indifferent characle.r' -Z hen the present arrangements with regard to examiners are so defective that tho latter are not, in many cases, acknowledged experts. "With few exceptions," said Mr Burnett, "tho examiners who have visited Now Zealand during the past 10 or 12 years have been absolutely unknown to mo until their names ap> pea rod in the local press.'- Mr Barnett claims 'that he keeps in close touch with musical matters, at Home, and that there are few musicians! whose names ho does not know*