RECENT MUSIC

New Zealand Listener, Volume 8, Issue 183, 24 December 1942, Page 2

RECENT MUSIC

ta ~2((No.~ 42: By

Marsyas

events occur, strange as it may seem, only once in three hundred years. New Zealand tercentennials which coincide with very significant occasions in the development of the country’s poetry and music are even rarer. In three consecutive days, three exceilent compositions by Douglas Lilburn were broadcast, and the one which is probably the most important, was the set of incidental pieces written to accompany (consecutively, not concurrently), the reading of Allen Curnow’s poem "Landfall in Unknown Seas," which was written for the official publication celebrating Tasman’s discovery of the land in 1642, The first piece broadcast was the Allegro for Strings, once before played at 1YA, under Thomas Matthews, and now given its second performance by the 3YA String Orchestra under Frederick Page. It is a symphonic sketch, crammed full of good tunes, unified in a feat of solid musicianship. Perhaps it would be true to say that the pieces by this composer that we have TT stan of historical

heard so far have all been forms of approach to the one problem-attaining this particular stage of development which the Allegro marks; and that henceforward the composer’s ‘best work will have some of that quality which identifies the works of great composers -the appearance of approaching in each one some entirely new problem and mastering it at the first attempt. The Allegro tor Strings calls for further performances. Five Bagatelles played by Noel New‘son at the concert given by the Royal Christchurch Musical Society, illustrated the above speculation the very night after the Allegro made it necessary. They are fresh and individual. The important thing was their great receptionthe applause was loud and long. When I say that this work, too, calls for repeat performances, it is therefore not one person’s opinion, but many hundreds’. It is a pity that at the same concert, Mary Pratt, possessor of a phenomenal contralto voice, fit for anything really good, spoilt her recital by condescending to cheap sentimental songs for encores. It is just not true that public taste demands such concessions. If it did, no artists should surrender.