WITH THE IMMORTALS IN MUSIC

Radio Record, Volume VI, Issue 8, 2 September 1932, Page 3

WITH THE IMMORTALS IN MUSIC

A talk on the influence of European genius on music, _ broadcast from 3YA by |

Mr.

A. G.

THOMPSON

, A’ the present we are provided with music of all descriptions through the medium of either the mechanical inventions such as the gramophone and radio, or the direct channels of an artist’s performance. Music has, in all its varied forms, become an integral part of our social system, and from music, both instrumental and vocal, emanates an influence on the mind and character which no nation can afford to disregard. Music, of course, has played its part in the development and progress of tribes and nations from time immemorial, but I wonder how many have given a moment’s consideration to the pioneering efforts of those to whom we of the present day owe a debt of gratitude for the tremendous effort, and intense suffering, that has been involved in creating our standards of good music? I refer, of course, mainly to those musical geniuses of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, who with unflagging zeal, gave of their best to the cause of music. My task is to give you an idea of the work and influence of those wonderful European musical giants of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, but as it would require much time to deal-with the work and influence of any one of them, I must

confine myself to a brief summary. Although -the solid foundations of our present-day musical structure were laid ‘in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, we must not forget that the excavations were made and the ground prepared by those men of immortal fame such as ‘Palestrina, who modified and stabilised the church music of the sixteenth century, and our English musicians, such as Gibbons and Purcell; for we have among the compositions of these me% some of our finest examples in madri-° glees and songs. | With George Fredric Handel, who was born at Halle in Germany in 1685, commenced a period in musical history in which, up to the present time there has been no break. | Had the intentions of Handel’s father been carried out the world would have been much the poorer, for Handel was to have followed his father’s profession of barberwhich, of course, in those days included doctor and dentist.’ The genius of Handel could not, however, be checked, and all was put aside for a great career of musical attainment that culminated in the most popular and influential oratorio that has ever been . written-the: "Messiah."

Handel’s attention was first directed to the operas of his day, which were very superficial-the composers being constrained to write to suit the whims and fancies of the favourite singers of the day. These artists displayed to the public at every opportunity their ability to indulge in vocal gymnastics quite irrespective of the meanings of the words involved; and it is easily understood that practically all the work would go to the flexible soprano or the brilliant tenor. Handel was handicapped by this heritage of former composers, and although he improved the opera compositions of his day, he was, owing to the opposition of a body of influential English aristocracy, unsuccessful in his operatic work. For the last 47 years of his life he made London his home, and became to all intents and purposes an English musician. Here with varying fortunes and final bankruptcy he expended prodigious energy in his composition and management of opera. His operas, if, presented to-day, would not find favour with audiences; at the same time we realise that they contain numerous beautiful and brilliant arias which students are most willing to learn and audiences most willing to listen to with delight.

PAK trom their valine . ‘as operatic solos, they provide most excellent exercises for good voice training, and many.of these arias always find a place in standard collections of songs; and, mark you, they were composed 200 years ago! In one part of operatic and oratorio work he has left us a standard which may never be excelled; that is in recitative composition. Handel achieved his greatest contribution and influence in oratorio, and in spite of the number of oratorios that have been composed since his day. we find that the greatest interest and enthusiasm is still accorded to his wonderful productions, of which the best are the "Messiah" (which will probably be accounted one of the greatest of all time), "Samson," "Israel in Egypt" and "Judas Macabaeus." . The quantity of gigantic: works that Handel produced after his fifty-third year is amazing. To endeavour to explain the meaning and origin of the word oratorio would take too long, so suffice it to say that the oratorio and Passion music of Handel and Bach were to the religious-minded what the opera was to the secular; and considerable similarity from. the musical (Continued on page 22:)

---=" a With the Immortals in 4 Music ‘(Continued from page 38.) point of view occurs in each type of composition, It is noteworthy that the oratorio standards were set by organists, and we may therefore assume that, indirectly, the inventive genius of those who, previous to the time of Handel and Bach, developed the organ, should be recognised as having played an im-

portant part in the great progress of the magnificent choral musie which prings to millions of to-day the most, | intense enjoyment. It is interesting toy" note that the original organs such 4 that erected in Winchester about 1000 years ago, had keys about six inches wide which-were struck with the fist. As a poem states :- Twelve pairs of bellows, ranged im stately row Are joined above, and fourteen more below. These the full force of seventy men require Who ceaseless toil and plenteously perspire.

And all this work resulted in the production of a simple tune-single notes, of course, not chords. The invention of the forerunner of our magnificent organs is somewhat obscure, but it is supposed that the first pedal organ that could in any way be likened to the present type was that built by Bernhard, a German organist to the Doge of Venice, between 1470 and 1480; but even’ then the bellows keyboard and pipes were of a crade type. ’ During the following centpry improvements succeeded one another until in the 17th century the "windchest" was invented by one Christian Forner; thus an even wind pressure was obtained in all the bellows. Since ‘that time, of course, the whole structure has been considerably improved, but at the same time we may assume that by the time that the master musiciang such as Handel and Bach had com menced their wonderful work, a reaso ably efficient instrument had been developed, and this paved the way for. the fine organ and choral] works that were composed. [We regret that owing to undue pressure on space it has been necessary fo withhold the remainder of -this articie until next week-Ed.]

The Wellington Chamber Music Players Will present the First Movement of Mendelssohn’s , "TRIO IN C MINOR" From 2YA on MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5.