MUSIC & DRAMA

Taranaki Daily News, 24 May 1919, Page 9

MUSIC & DRAMA

(By Pasticcio) There is in this loud stunning tide Of human care and crime, With whom the melodies abide, Of th' everlasting chime; Who carry music in their hearts, Through dusky lane and wrangling marts, Plying their daily task with busier feet, Because their secret souls a holy strain repeat. —John Keble. » * • • There are seven notes in the scale: make them fourteen; yet what a slender outfit for such a vast enterprise! What science brings so much out of so little? Out of what poor elements does some great master in it create his new world! .... To many men the very names which the science, employs are utterly incomprehensible .... yet it is possible that that inexhaustible evolution and disposition of notes, so rich yet so simple, so intricate yet so regulated, so various yet so majestic should be a mere sound which is gone and perishes? Can it be that those mysU'i'ious stirrings of the heart, and keen emotions, and strange yearnings after we know not what, and awful impressions from we know not whence, should be wrought in us by what is unsubstantial, and comes and goes, and begins and ends in itself? It is not so: it cannot be. No, they have escaped for some higher sphere: they are the outpourings of eternal harmony in the medium of expressed sounds: they are echoes from our Home they are the voices of Ange';, or the Magnificat of Saints, or the living laws of Divine governance, or the Divine attributes; something they are beside themselves, which we cannot compass, which we. cannot utter, though mortal man .... has the gift of eliciting them.—Newman. * » * • For some time prior to the cessation of hostilities there was great anxiety as to the fate of the bells of Bruges—for ever associated with the well-known poem of Longfellow, 'The Belfry of Bruges.' Now, however, there is definite information that the bells are safe and uninjured M. A. Nauwaelaerts, the official City Carillonneur, who served in the Belgian Army, visited Bruges at the first possible opportunity, and found that his house was in good condition, having been cared for by friends, and that the bells of the carillon were intact. The Huns stole every sheet of music he possessed, and severed all the connecting wires of the clavier. It did not take long to temporarily adjust the actionwork, and very soon the bells were pealing forth 'La Brabanconne,' 'The Lion of Flanders,' and 'God save the King,' to the great joy of the inhabitants. All lovers of bell-music will be very glad to know that this historic carillon has not been destroyed, and there are now great hopes that the magnificent carillon of Malines has survived. The Tour des [Halles, Bruges, containing the carillon of forty-seven bells, is 352 feet high and dates from 12S0. The octagonal superstructure, was added after 1482, and the parapet in 1822. The bells are by Joris Dmnery, 1743, and replace thirty-eight bells by the great Hemony, 1G62, destroyed by fire in 1741. The reputed we'ght of the largest bell is G,OOO kilos. The Malines carillon consists of fortyfive bells, the reputed weight of the largest being 8,884 kilos and of the carillon 114,098 kilos, 33* tons.

"Sir Frederick Bridge, who hafl resigned the position of organist of Westminster Abbey, lias written his autobiography," says the Daily News. "It is called 'A Westminster Pilgrima.ee.' "The organist of the Abbey lives in the Litlington Tower, and there lived his predecessor, the greatest of English composers, Henry Purecll. The outlook from the study window transports us at onfc into the seventeenth century, and the world of London might be scores of miles away. it is a room full of memories!. As the. visitor walks up the stairs Sir Frederick tells him that he is treading on the same steps that Lady Hamilton, Nelson's Lady Hamilton, used to clean when she was a maid employed by Mr Dare, probably a vicar choral of the Abbey. Only one of his predecessors had a longer term of office as Abbey organist."

An innovation has been introduced in the King's Theatre, Wellington, by the inclusion of concert interludes between films. The new order of things was filiated by the engagement/ of Miss f ■rrjo Lanceley, the popular soprano, who will be remembered hove as haviug scored such a success in connection with Chautauqua. In a notice of the event the New Zealand Times said: "Miss Lanceley has a much more powerful voice than the average successful concert vocalist, and would certainly thrive in opera. She sings with considerable verve. In fact, for the concert platform she is almost too strenuous, her voice being of metallic fibre. A modification of tone and more varietv of coloring would secure mi improvement. She may also be advised not to iaihalge in .liberties with ballads beloved by the people." Associated with Miss Lanceley on the same occasion was Miss Avo Synions (violinist), who also appeared, here in Chautauqua. * * » •

Speaking of Chautauqua calls to mind 1v £"* that Tarftn ak:i's popular tenor, the Rev. N. H. Papapakura, has been induced to undertake a tour in America >n connection with the big brown tent movement. In conversation with him recently Mr. Papapakura said that while he appreciated the privilege of such an opportunity, he also ho»ed the change abroad might do something to set up his -health. He dees not expect to leav« EMew Ze»toad till about August. May su«e9* go wkh him, and he mav be sure of a w*na welcome from old friends when he returns. His presence in the Chautauqua will no doubt be a great novelty for Americans. A farewell benefit to Mr. Papapakura is announced to take place on Wednesday night next in the Empire Theatre. * * • »

The services of Mr Tom Pollard have :bee* secured by the newly-formed Auckland Amateur Operatic Society to produce Gilbert and Sullivan's opera "The Gondoliers." Mr V. R. Meredith, formerly of Wellington, is chairman of the committee of the new society, and Mr F ißari, K.C., is the presidant. * • • *

This is the day of uakuusm Now E circus downs of tie United States, re formed one. Forty members of aaoient and honorable downing proFfessfea, meeting at the Hippodrome New York, on February 16, formed the, : nucleus of the organisation, known as the "Joeys," The principal motive of' -the union is to protect the jesters both from managerial encroachments and* from, each other, this complaint being made that they steal one another's ,'aWf," The president is Poodles Hanaefordj treasurer, Bhwh Laudolfj and.