ANDERSON TYRER'S VISIT

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 34, 16 February 1940, Page 12

ANDERSON TYRER'S VISIT

Interesting Experiences En Route

F you think a musician is a fawn-faced, long-haired esthete, you had _ better meet Anderson Tyrer, who has arrived in. New Zealand to direct the music of the Centennial Celebrations. He comes from Yorkshire, is a family man (when he can get home to his daughter and cricketer son), speaks with a pleasant slight broadness of vowels, and enjoys nothing better than a good joke. The roundabout route he and Mrs. Tyrer

followed on this visit provided them with some interesting and amusing experiences. " Flies Like Camels " Sailing from England in May of last year, the Tyrers first went to Egypt. In Cairo they spent several weeks. During most of the stay the temperature was round 115 degrees in the shade. It was. impossible to go out in the street without a fan, and "the flies were like camels." Egypt was too uncomfortable to live in for long; but one or two amusing things occurred there. Most humorous was the incident of the Egyptian customs officer who showed much interest in Mrs. Tyrer’s violin. Was it new? he asked. If it was new, it was liable for duty, but if it was old it didn’t matter. Also the number — that was very important. Where was the number? Mrs. Tyrer protested that fiddles didn’t have numbers; but the official was sure it must have one. Soon he uttered a cry of triumph. "There’s the number," he said, pointing to the date. © — Turkish Music In Cyprus Mr. Tyrer found an idea for an orchestral work when he and Mrs. Tyrer

visited a large Turkish school, founded by two millionaire Turks, at which all subjects are taught, including industrial occupations. Here they heard music by a choir of Turkish children. The melodies were sung on the pentatonic scale and the rhythm was outstanding. "I have never heard such rhythm," says Mr. Tyrer. "I am going to write an orchestral work on it." After Cyprus, Palestine. Here the strife between Jews and Arabs was in full swing.

It was necessary to travel on a guarded train, while ahead of the train went a special engine equipped with "feelers" for land mines. The night on which they were supposed to arrive in Jerusalem, but did not, a large, newly-opened cinema was destroyed, South Africa and the War Mr. and Mrs. Tyrer were in Johannesburg, South Africa, when war broke out. Feelings ran high, and Mr. Tyrer has mixed memories of his experiences that night when, returning from the broadcasting studio, he ran into crowds round the German Club, and also into the tear gas with which the police were dispersing the people. Many German cars were burned in the streets. The South African Broadcasting Service has a fine symphony orchestra, with two _ conductors, Schulmann and Went. "Dr. Faustus "" was performed in the Johannesburg studios, and for the presentation five microphones were used — one for the harp, one for the orator, one for the choir, one for the woodwind, and one for the orchestra as a whole. Mrs. Tyrer assisted in the control room. With so many "mikes" bristling all round the studio, great care had to be taken to get the correct balance of instruments and voices. With the orchestra augmented to 75, Mr. Tyrer was also able to conduct big works’ such as Strauss’s "Til Eugenspiel" and "Don Juan." Now, after their long and adventurous trip, Mr. and Mrs. Tyrer are happy to be safe in New Zealand.