Progress Report for 1949

New Zealand Listener, Volume 21, Issue 545, 2 December 1949, Page 7

Progress Report for 1949

| Written for "The Listener" by

J. A.

RITCHIE

T is three years since the National Symphony Orchestra gave its first concert; and in view of the very rapid development and progress made it is perhaps fitting that some opinions be expressed in summing up its past and pondering its,future. At the outset it must be said that this season has been marked by the highest stand-

-ard of playing so far achieved. Men of goodwill and knowledge willingly con-

cede this. The improvement is more perceptible to those who hear the orchestra after periods of some months than it is, probably, to the musicians themselves. They looked almost overcome, even humble, when the Christchurch audience wildly applauded their playing at recent concerts. Such enthusiasm shows that New Zealanders have been starving for this type of music-making and intellectual stimulus. The avidity is more apparent in younger men and women whose gramophone collections are swelling and whose knowledge of the classical repertoire is increasing. This is as it should be. But it brings to mind another aspect of the man-in-the-street’s reaction~ to this renaissance of orchestral playing. A new sense of values has been given to listeners. The growth of a large school

of amateur critics is evidence of this. Earnest people, young and old, invest their pronouncements upon technique, performances and, of course, conductors, with the imperiousness of an embankment croWd at a Rugby match. A healthy sign, surely! But it must be understood that their source of comparative standards is in most cases the gramophone record. Ask them outright, and reluctantly they

will admit it. The gramophone gives a false impres-

broad reasons, First, no orchestra is as accurate as the records would have us believe. The eight discs comprising a symphony are not the one performance given by an orchestra. Up to half-a-dozen attempts are made for each "side," so that the final result becomes a selection of the average best of some forty-eight performances. Obviously, it is an unfair basis for comparison. One need only hear overseas orchestras in the flesh to realise this: For instance, the first horn seldom gets his opening flourish in "Till’’ absolutely accurately. Secondly, the disc cannot accommodate the wide dynamic range which is one of the characteristics of the orchestra. Listening to a record or a broadcast of an orchestra after hearing a living performance: is not unlike drinking a glass of water after one of port. We must abandon the record as a means of

comparison. Otherwise we shall remain in the pitiable state of having to say "too loud" every time a brass climax tomes our way. Sir Henry Wood said to His brass players once, "Gentlemen, in this Passage you are asked to make the old ladies jump in their seats." Let us

not be old women in another sense.. If we must make comparisons, let them be with something human, not asdead piece of scratched wax and celluloid. CLEAR-CUT STAGES In retrospect the*last three years show clear-cut stages of development. The inaugural season was presented by an orchestra containing a remarkably fine woodwind section-no guest conductor failed to remark on it. The brass, too, showed qualities hardly expected so early. The strings by comparison were weaker. This probably will,remain a symptom of early growth in every new orchestra. It is not apparent now. One of the revelations of the Brahms and Beethoven symphonies in September and October was the fine cohesion evinced by these’ players together with, and as a result of, the uniformity and unanimity of ‘bowing. Then followed the middle period ir which few tangible improvements were noticeable — a time of consolidation.

Considerable enlargement of the repertoire took place. There were occasional bad patches-a performance of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in Christchurch comes to mind. With, 1949 came the season of Italian Opera. The resulting break in ‘normal routine is not to be recommended as a general practice, particularly with newlyestablished orchestras, but facing the fait accompli, even this scheme’s most hostile critics observe no evil effects. Furthermore, without the orchestra we should have been without the opera, and many consider this work to be the most important function fulfilled by the players so.far. Whether the present high standard reflects experience gained dur‘ing the opera season cannot be known, The fact is that we now possess an ofchestra in which the strifigs take their rightful place as the foundation. They are a team of.consistent quality from basses to violins. The woodwind have suffered two severe losses-oboe and clarinet-but these have been replaced y capable, though less experienced, players. At the moment it is this group which should concentrate on sectional practice to get unanimous attack in ensemble. Tonally their work is good. PIONEER WORK IS HARD WORK As a whole, the orchestra has advanced spectacularly. One very important reason for this is easy to find. The initial selection, from a very narrow field, was a-good one. The orchestral tradition had not flourished in New Zealand since the advent of the talking films. Standards of playing had become in most places notoriously low-and public and. players alike remained unperturbed about it. Proof of the’ possibilities, nevertheless, had been given by the Centennial Orchestra in 1940, This organisation and other war-time activities were to be a valuable pointer to any potential strength surviving the indolent 30's. Andersen Tyrer made his choice. and work began. To anyone who has started a musical ‘team from scratch, it is clear that the beginning has its pros and cons. The novelty of a new experience plus a very -human enthusiasm combine to overthrow many difficulties. But against ‘these there is pitted the ever-present dictum of "the chain being as strong as its weakest link." To offset this, appropriate choice of music can exploit the stronger links. At the level being discussed this is not as easy as might at first appear. In -fact, it is a most limited device. More to the point is the concentration of attention on the less malleable sections in an endeavour to equalise the competence of (continued on next page)

Report on the Orchestra

(continued from previous page) the orchestra. Probably a blénding of the two has been followed with great success. Pioneer work means _ hard work as well as farsightedness. It is not only the mental, but also the physical, endurance which we admire in the early settlers. Really hard work has characterised the early years of the orchestra’s existence. For the players they may have been "years of endurance’-for the concert-goers years of unalloyed pleasure. WHERE NOW? Where is the orchestra to go from here?. What of the future? No threat of "recessions" should be allowed to carry with it’ the corollary of throwing overboard "an unnecessary expense." There must be good music in this country whether it pays for itself or not. Sincere musicians have as much right to demand security as sincere public servants. More disturbing is the question of the future orchestral players. The late musical editor of The Times, ina leading article on a visit to the Dunedin Technical High School, wrote, "New Zealand has not yet established a national orchestra, but it is acquiring the stuff from which to make one." Dr. H. C. Colles was not given to exaggeration, and his statement has had enlightening fulfilment. The lesson to bé learnt is that the recruitment of players from a natrow field will not always make for the present high standard. Widen the field of selection and.the standard will. rise.

Therefore we should have more schools following along the lines of the Dunedin school, where every student has the option to play any orchestral instrument. Where should the impetus come from? Surely not from a pioneer in every case. Vernon Griffithses are not born every year. It is up to the authorities of education to accept this proven scheme and provide Mr. Tyrer’s successors with a broad field for selection. A shorter-term policy in the nature of apprenticeships may be workable, New Zealand is perhaps not geographically suitable for the establishment of a centralised conservatorium of music. But it may be possible-and I can imagine consternation written over the faces. of the orchestra at the thought of it-for selected young players to "sit in," or even "play in," at certain rehearsals, in ‘order to gain experience before being called upon to participate in the itinerant orchestral activity. The conductor could sum up the trainees much better than he can under the present audition system. Difficulties spring to mind, but the solving of them may establish a scheme whose value to the orchestra may be no less than the good bestowed upon the apprentices. The future calls for vigour and vision. J. B. Priestley has written: "A great symphony orchestra must be counted among a country’s capital achievements." New Zealand has qualified for the compliment by dint of hard worle under sound guidance.