MUSIC AND THE PASSIONS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 6, Issue 154, 5 June 1942, Page 4

MUSIC AND THE PASSIONS

Sir,-It is annoying to read so many letters published in The Listener condemning modern music and recommending that it would not be broadcast. Your correspondents L. D. Austin and H. E. Gunter would no doubt wish all present-day composers to lay down their pens and cease composition: They would do well to remember that without creative effort there can be no progress, and whatever their reactions to modern music, their opinions should not be thrust down other people’s throats. There is no reason to suppose that music composed to-day is in any degree inferior to that of any other epoch. The general standard is probably considerably

higher, and there are composers alive to-day (eg Sibelius, Vaughan Williams), who, in years to come, will be considered as great as the giants of the past. When Ireland’s "Concertino Pastorale" for strings was broadcast from 1YA a few weeks ago, I thought it one of the best modern orchestral works I had heard. I don’t see how music can appeal to the passions. It may possibly in conjunction with some other art, but not by itself. A sensible opinion can hardly be formed by an amateur on a modern work after one hearing only, and I would recommend Mr. Gunter to listen to the "Concertino Pastorale" a dozen more times, if he has the courage, before passing judgment. on it again. And why all the fuss about Busoni’s technical achievements? They are of neo interest to the public to-day, unless he made recordings, which I very much doubt, nor, for that matter, are Liszt’ss What does interest us is the quality of their compositions. And before I close, I should like to express my appreciation of the standard of performance, and also of the music performed by the 1YA Studio Orchestra under the conductorship of Thomas Matthews. My only criticism of the choice of music is that there are not sufficient modern works played that have not been recorded. I enjoyed very much "Quiet City," by Copland, heard last week, and should like to hear it again in the near future, as well as some more "miserable modern stuff," if this is practicable. And one small complaint about your otherwise excellent paper. Is it not possible to publish the items performed by singers in the symphonic ard chamber programmes from the subsidiary stations, instead of just their names? Pianists, violinists nd other soloists all have their iteme nihliched can whe

not singers?

E. W.

THOMPSON

(Auckland). —