TEMPO FOR SINGERS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 22, Issue 551, 13 January 1950, Page 5

TEMPO FOR SINGERS

Sir,-W. H. Warren’s letter in your issue of December 16 ‘instances Dr. Bradshaw’s remarkable slow-down at the end of the "Thunders.and Lightnings" chorus of the St. Matthew Passion (followed by a final 12-beat pause, which he didn’t mention) and its impressive effect. No one who sang this oratorio under ‘the Doctor will be likely to prefer the strict time of the recent edition. Dr. Bradshaw, in the main a. stricttimeist, knew when to take the law into his own hands, But it was only of solo singers I wrote. I hold that lieder composers — from Schubert to Strauss-presuppose strict time from their singers (except where a variation from it is composer-com-manded) or they would never have written the pattern accompaniments they did write. These cannot be played unless the

singer sings what’s in front of him. In an art song, singer and accompanist are not master and humble servant, but are joint interpreters of a Master. ~ Reproof of the typical timeless wobbler was never perhaps more neatly ade ministered than by Sir Alexander Mackenzie. At a rehearsal, having at Jength given up the vain job of trying to adapt his orchestra to the timeless one’s nonstarts, spurts, slowdowns, and general lawlessness, he stopped proceedings and said in his good broad Scots;:"I wish you’d have the goodness to temember that this is an orchestra, not am elastia

band!"

F. K.

TUCKER

(Gisborne ys