CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

New Zealand Listener, Volume 25, Issue 634, 24 August 1951, Page 5

CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

Sir,-After reading Frederick Page’s interesting article, "New Music in London," in your issue of July 6, I am wondering just where he stands’ on the subject of modern composition: Has he any definite views about the matter, or does he merely "sit on the fence"?

ihe question is both pertinent and important. It is pertinent, first, because in his article there are obviously some inconsistencies and contradictionséithet expressed or implied-and secondly because of the fact that Mr. Page is currently engaged upon a series of broadcasts comprising the entire Welltempered Clavier of J. S. Bach. This latter circumstance is comforting .and reassuring, since it tends to allay whatevet fears might otherwise be entertained concerning Mr. Page’s musical beliefs. The question is impoftant bécatise of thé high position held by Mr. Page in the educational sphere of mitisic in this country. As lecturet at Victoria Collegé he cannot fail to wiéld powerful influence upon embryonic musical taste} cofsequently, his true attitude towards the presetvation of law and order in harmonic creation becomes a paramount consideration. Mir. Page rightly divides modern musical manifestations into "goodies" and "baddies," though one may not alto= gether agree with his respective alloca: tidns: Bad music is so rampart today that it constitutes a dangerous menace

to artistic health-I allude to the type of concoction which violates every aesthetic canon and all the rules, written and unwritten, of hafmony and musical syntax. This kind of composition is subversive in every sense of the term; under the pretence of éstablishing & novel and progressive idiom it actually sows the seeds of decay and--aims at destruction of all the standards built up during nearly three centuries of musical growth. : The time has arrived; Sir, when genuine musicians and music lovers as ‘a body should inite td face this peril that threatens the art they "love, and take: ‘collective steps ‘to combat it. As ~ H.Hudson dnce wrote, the sense of the beautiful is God’s greatest gift to

the human soul, and the opportunity of passing that gift on to others is one of life’s supremest privileges. Frederick Page’s status in the musical community offers him that privilege, and as one who has. the highest respect for his outstanding abilities, I urge him most earn. ‘estly to cast his vote against musical anarchy.

L. D.

AUSTIN

(Wellington).

(Abridged.-Ed.)