MUSIC & DRAMA

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1919, Page 9

MUSIC & DRAMA

<By Pasticcioji. BEETHOVEN AT TEE PIANO.

He feels the music of the skies, the while his heart is,' breaking; ■He sings the sougs of Paradise, where love has no forsaking; And though so deaf he cannot hear the tempest as a token, He makeß the music of his.' mind the grandest ever spoken. —Eric Mackuy ("Love Letters of a Violinist."), • • • « Farewell, and do not quite forget me after lam dead. 0, men, I have deserved that you should think of mc.'for in my lifetime I have often thought of you to make you happy. May it ever be so! —From the Will of Beethoven. * * • ■• • There have been some strolling fiddlers wider the window, and I hav.e been listening and crying like a child. Some quick music is so inexpressibly mournful. It 3ecms just like one's own feelings—exultation and action, with the remembrance of past sorrow wailing up, yet without bitterness, tender in its shrillness through the mingled tide of pres/eiit joy; aud the notes seem thoughts —thoughts pure of words, and a spirit seems to call to ine in them and cry: "Hast thou not felt all this!"' And I start when I find myself answering unconsciously, "Yes, yes:, I know it all." And then the harmony thickens, and all distinct sound is pressed together and absorbed in a confus.-ed paroxysm of delight, where still the female treble and the male bass: are distinct for a moment, .and the one again—absorbed into each other's melody. .' . . Why should I not cry? Those men have unconsciously told me my own tale! Why should 1 not love them and pray for them? Are they not my benefactors? Have they not given me more than food and drink.} Let us never despise the wandering minstrel! He is; an unconscious witness for God's harmony—a preacher of the world-music—the power of sweet sounds, which is a link between every age and race—the language which all can understand though few can speak. And who knows what tender thoughts his; own sweet music stirs within him, though he eat in pot-houses and sleep in barns? Aye, thoughts too deep for words are in those simple notes—why flhould we not feel them? —Charles Kingsley ("Memoirs")

Harry Lauder is expected to commence a New Zealand tour at an early date. This singer of comic songs was not ao very long ago a miner lad, working among the plain Scotch miner folk not far from Glasgow. Harry commenced as a singer of other people's songs, at wee Scots nichts and Saturday "pops" among the poorer folk in Glasgow, whore the admittance was a penny, and if you did not happen to have it, there was a place to stand at the back. His pergonal magnetism made him popular, and there was always a call from the audiences for wee Harry. Later the idea dawned upon him that he could write and compose the songs himself. Then manager., came to hear of the bright young Scot, and engagements were offered him and accepted. Since that time Lauder ha 3 become worldfamous. When the war broke out, Harry Lauder threw his all into the struggle. Not only did he invest largely in war bonds, but he toured successfully on behalf of the fluids of the Scottish war hospitals, and in America lectured on the Allies' point of view, just at the time when America was trembling in the balance. The supporting company includes Miss Muriel Window, comedienne, Santo Santucei, concertina virtuoso, Eddie Montrose, acrobatic comedian, Moon and Morris, twin dancers, Heather Bell, Scotch dancer, and an orchestra of fifteen performers. Messrs. J. and N. Tait are paying the Scottish comedian £IOOO for every six performances. # » • »

Sydney Drew, the popular film comedian, died suddenly from heart trouble in New York on April 9, aged 54 years. Mr. Drew was in New Zealand some 20 years ago with his first wife, Gladys Ruikin, daughter of M'Kee Rankin, who visited New Zealand with Nance O'Neill. Mrs. Drew died in 1914, and their son, who was.' also a film actor, was killed in France last. May, while serving with the French Aviation Corps. On July 25, 1914, Mr. Drew married Lucille M'Vey, a concert singer, with whom he appeared in the Drew film comedies and latterly on the stage. He was a brother of John Drew, the famous actor and uncle of Ethel Barrymore and her brothers, Lionel and John, and was a member of one of the most distinguished theatrical families on the English-speaking stage. » * * *

Mr. Edward German has just completed his latest composition, "A Theme and Six Diversions:.'' The work is described ai being a piece of. absolute music—in turn serious,- sparkling, tranquil, and pompous, and one that may bo listened to without uncertainty of the composer's intention. The theme in D minor and niaojr, andante U; followed by the diversions, very free in style, in various measures. The work was played for the first time at the London Philharmonic concert, on March 2'J. under the conductors]) lp of Mr. Landon Ronald. * • • «

Miss Ellen Terry, generally conceded to be England's greatest livinar actress, lias just celebrated her 71st birthday. She is living in retirement in a quaint old seventeenth-century house in Chelsea. The panelled rooms are full of curios, souvenirs, and pictures. One of these, by Nicholson, shows Miss Terry as a tiny child taking a call as; the boy Maroillus, in "The Winter's Tale"—the fir'.t part she ever played at the old Princess's in ]8o(>. There is also another beautiful study by Watts. Almost the only photograph to catch the eye is one of Miss Terry's son, Mr. Gordon Craig, and that iu dated ISSfI, showing Mr. Craig as he apepared at his debut in "The Dead Heart" at the old Lyceum. Miss Terry is the constant recipient of flowers and other gifts from her many admirers. Her latest appearance, as the nurse in a revival of "Romeo and Juliet" was the occasion for a remarkable demonstration at the Lyric Theatre.