THE CONCERT PLATFORM.

New Zealand Tablet, 21 August 1913, Page 36

THE CONCERT PLATFORM.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — It is evident from the tone of A. C. Nottingham’s letter, which appeared in your issue of July 24, that the writer is a, person with a very elementary knowledge of music. He asks why singers sing in foreign languages. He says that a singer sings in Italian because afraid of the criticism which might be levelled at her English rendition of the song. Now let us study the position. Firstly, what Songs are sung in Italian ? Assuredly only those which were originally written in Italian by Italian composers. 'We do not hear colonial singers singing songs in Italian which were originally . written in English. But why, you may ask, are the Italian songs not translated into English so that we may all understand what the singer is singing about , For answer let me ask the questioning one to take up his copy of Mascheroni’s For all eternity.’ Let him sing it first in Italian and secondly in English. Then let him ask himself to which he was able the more artistic rendering. He will find that wnere, in the Italian a phrase ended, in the English translation he was only half-way through a word and had to pause here most likely for breath, thus interrupting the flow of the words, which make up the story upon which our friend sets so much stress. The beauty of the melody, too, which is perhaps the most integral part of the song, is by this bad phrasing marred. I could enumerate the instances a hundred fold, out space does not allow.. In conclusion I would like to draw your correspondent’s attention to our own Masses. Let him translate these into English and then ask himself if he thinks they sound as beautiful as when sung in Latin.l am, etc., Reg. R. Oakley. Palmerston North, August 10.