OUR MUSIC CRITIC

New Zealand Listener, Volume 8, Issue 196, 26 March 1943, Page 3

OUR MUSIC CRITIC

Sir-The column of "Marsyas" seems to have come in for a little criticism lately which shows, at least, that it is read, if not always with the’ care it merits. The letter of A.W.T., however, deserves an answer. It is easy to talk of "verbal flounderings" and "entirely unoriginal arguments" and doubtless these phrases could be used of the writings of Ernest Newman or of Deems Taylor, but it isnot so easy to turn out a column week after week with freshness and critical exuberance, I notice that the last is No. 52. Fifty-two columns; ‘one a week for a year. I admit that Marsyas has,had his off moments, but so have the NBS progtammes, and it must be a disheartening business sometimes trying to extract from them anything worth tasting. It says a lot for Marsyas’ liveliness that he is always able to make his readers listeners. Even his most ardent admirers are ready to cross lances with him. It would be an innocuous criticism that was never provocative, and an ingenuous reader who was never provoked. It is to be hoped that "Marsyas" will be

stimulated further by criticism. His column is one of the things that keep New Zealand music from becoming thoroughly moribund. By the way, A.W.T. cannot have explored the byways of music much if he has never come across anything by Haba or Varése. I do not remember "Marsyas" having mentioned any .music that cannot be found in a gramophone

catalogue.-

I.A.M

S.

(Auckland)_