MUSIC & DRAMA

Taranaki Daily News, 28 June 1919, Page 11

MUSIC & DRAMA

(By "Pasticcio") There la in souls a sympathy wiJi sounds; And as the mind is pitched the ear is pleased, With melting airs, or martial, brisk or grave; Some chord in unison with what we hoar Is touched within us, and the heart replies. How soft tho music of those village beils Falling at intervals upon the our In cadence sweet I —Cowper. • • • • Some little time since a correspondent of ,the London Times gave some details of the work of the Egyptian Laber Corps in Egypt. 'He said: "Their wonc is always done to music Before they settle down to a job (they are inclined to be dilatory starters) one of them .will in,tone, as it were, any remark that may occur to him as suitable to the occasion. If, for instance, the work consists of pushing railway trucks about the docks he may consider that 'Allah? nl. Allah!' meets the case, and the gang, ituopting it as their refrain for that particular task, chant it briskly in unison, using the minor key. To this chorus the soloist contributes an antistrophe of stimulating cries, facetious asides, or any nonsense that comes into his head, and thus encouraged, the gang work with a will. Or perhaps it would be truer to say that without such encouragement they would not do a third as much work. Chanties of this sort seem to be a necessary part of their existence—as necessary as breathing. At dewy morn, formed roughly into fours, they march out to work, childishly holding hands and rather crossly murmuring some drowsy selection from their repertoire; when evening falls and they return to camp they bellow a lusty stave at the ,top of their voices l to a handclapping accompaniment, pleased with the prospect of supper and repose. When the expiration of their contract is within measurable distance .the circumstance is evident from the change in the burden of their song. Kam lila, oh kam youmt ('How many days, how many nights!') they iterate longinglyj or, Ya habibl, salamat! ('I am coming tp you, my darling son!'). This recourse of workers to rhythmic song is common ail over the world. The foundations of music are very deeply laid in human souls. If all its developments by way of high art were annihilated (a consummation devoutly wished for by some musical futurists) it would not be long before a new art would emerge. • • * * "The Gondoliers" is to be produced in Auckland at the end of August by the newly-formed Auckland Amateur Operatic Society. The personnel of the society is as follows:—President, Mr, F. Earl, K.C.; vice-presidents, Messrs. Edjward Anderson, Arthur Gillies, -A. M. Ferguson, and Bart- Kent; oommit.tee, : Messrs, A. Coutts, S. Coldicutt, R. E. ' Fenton, A. N. Hunt, .T. H. Jackson, Nelson Levien, N. B. Meredith (chairman), C. B. Plumer, J. J. Walklate, and Mesdames E Davis, Archdale Tayler, and Sutherland; hon. treasurer, Mr. lI.'T. Goldie; hon. secretary, Mr- W. ,T. Crowther. Mr. Colin Muston has been appointed musical director Mr. Tom Pollard, ci Christchurch, will manage the Auckland production. • • » « Mr. John Galsworthy, the weii-nnown English playwright, in discussing the state of the British stage, said recently:—"Seriously, our drama needs a lift at both ends. We want an arts theatre at the top, rendered absolutely and permanently independent of public taste by some millionaire benevolent and publicspirited enough to sink his money and his own whims, and confide its direction to two or three men who really know what art is. Such a permanent arts theatre would soon become one of the most sought after in London and a model for dramatic effort at large. At the other end we want our elementary and other school .teachers instructed in aesthetic canons, and we want them to pass their knowledge into the minds of their pupils, so that a demand is created for art ail over the country" » • • • ' The repertory movement in Australia, instituted by Messrs. J. and N. Tait, has been highly commended by the Melbourne critics. The latest production at .the King's Theatre was Galsworthy's excellent fantasy, "The Pigeon," followed by Shaw's "How He Lied to Her Husband." The tale in tho former eoneerss a philanthropic artist with noble theories which fail absolutely when he applies them in an effort to redeem a vagabond Frenchman, a flower-girl, and a drunken old cab-driver. Galnworthy's study' Of this old English gentleman! who draws confidences from all three, and finally accepts his fleecing with quiet dignity, is a masterful piece of character work. It is sincerely to be hoped that the company will eventually play a season of literary drama in the Dominion. Mr. Howard Talbot, composer of musical comedy, has a long list of successes to his credit. Tt is just 25 years since <iis maiden piece, "Wapping Old Stairs," was staged at one of the London vaudeville houses. Courtice Pounds, Dick Temple and Jessie Bond were in the caste. Then followed "The Arcadians" and "A Chinese Honeymoon," the latter running for 1073 performances at the old 'Strand Theatre, London. It was generally considered that in "The White Chrysanthemum," 1003, and "The Belle of Brittany" he did. some of his most graceful and attractive work, but thfe numbers in "The Boy," which recently celebrated its 600 th performance at the Adelphi, London, are said to be without doubt the best Mr. Talbot has yet penned. This niece, adapted from comedy, "The Magistrate" and re-chris-tened "Good morning, Judge," is on the list of pending. J, C. Williamson productions in Australia , Mr. Talbot.js riotv at work on the of another Pinerio adaptation,,'.in".Oijipcer.y-" A desire which litis been simmering beneath the surface of things in Waitara for some time was brought to a heaC recently, when those interested in the formation of a chcral society met and determined to put their wishts into oractical shape, and formed a choral society. Quite a number of prominent citizens have identified themselves with the movement, which should meet with hearty support from all musu- lovers in the riverside borough and its surroundings. Those responsible have thown that they are in no way ,to be bound by ciutoms and conventionalities, and the appointment of Miss Marlow as the conductor of the society indicates that the committee will not fear innovations Lady conductors arc rare in New Zealand, though not altogether unknown, and some excellent lbiults have been produced under the baton in u feminine hand. "Pasticcio' congratulates .the {.romoters and wishes the. new society every Buccesn ■' v< i ,