MUSIC IN THE DARK

New Zealand Listener, Volume 36, Issue 924, 26 April 1957, Page 11

MUSIC IN THE DARK

Sir-‘"Player in the Dark’ (Auckland) is obviously very much in the dark regarding the history of cinema orchestras in this country, and more particularly in Christchurch, which he claims to know so well. He writes: "Everybody’s orchestra was founded in 1922 and was the first of its kind in New Zealand." This statement is so incorrect that it is almost ludicrous. The first orchestral combination of real competence was established by John Fuller and Co. at their picture house in Gloucester Street, Christchurch, in 1909. This comprised 15 players, concucted by a very accomplished German violinist named Zimmermann. There was also quite a good little orchestra at Hayward’s Pictures in the then Town Hall, where, if I remember rightly, the conductor was Charles Parnell. In March, 1910, West’s Pictures sent over an orchestra from Sydney to play in a new cinema built right opposite Fuller’s. The conductor was George Mulford and I was the pianist. However, West’s could not compete against their rivals, and the new venture soon collapsed; but that’s another story. Fuller’s triumphed over all rivals for sev-

eral years until other orchestras equally excellent made their presence felt in Christchurch — notably one at the Liberty Theatre, next to Warner’s Hotel. In 1918 I was commissioned by the New Zealand Picture Supplies to conduct the Liberty Theatre orchestra in the music I had specially arranged for the then famous film called My Four Years in Germany, which was first shown at the King’s Theatre, Wellington, under my direction. I’ cannot now recall the personnel of the Liberty Theatre orchestra, except’ that I believe the leading violinist was Gladys Vincent. At any rate, it was a fine combination, quite equal to anything heard later at Everybody’s Theatre. But apart from all these Christchurch happenings, there were first-rate cinema orchestras all over New Zealand long before "Player in the Dark" saw the light-notably in Wellington, first at the King’s, in 1910, then at His Majesty’s (now the St. James’) in 1913, followed by Everybody’s, the Majestic (then called Empress) and the Paramount. In 1919 the King’s Theatre Orchestra of 18 became New Zealand’s leading cinema musical ensemble, and it formed the nucleus of the unrivalled orchestra which was installed in the De Luxe (now the Embassy) Theatre in 1924, when it opened with the recordbreaking film The Ten Commandments. This orchestra set a musical standard never equalled in New Zealand by any similar body, and when it was revived in 1935-36, Dr (now Sir) Malcolm Sarvent praised it as the best of its kind he

had heard.

L. D.

AUSTIN

(Wellington).