UNIQUE Two-Hour Musical FEAST

Radio Record, 3 July 1936, Page 12

UNIQUE Two-Hour Musical FEAST

Visiting Celebrities in N.Z. Epic for Charity

re O present the story of Hinemoa and Tutaneckai from 2YA on Saturday, July 11, there will be the finest aggregation of musical talent ever heard in the Wellington Town Hall. Florence Austral, Browning Mummery and Sydney de Vries will be the solo singers, Johu Amadio the flautist, and Carl Bartling the pianist, assisted by Frank Crowther, and Lawrence Haggitt will be at the organ. The Royal Wellington Choral Union is to supply. the choir voices, and the whole performance will be under the very able conductorship of Mr. Stanley Oliver. Alfred Hill wrote the cantata, describing it as "An Hpic of New Zealand." The importance: attached to the broadcast is further illustrated by the fact that the 2YA Concert Orchestra is te be specially augmented for the evening, and Miss Ava Symons, the popular violinist, will lead. Considered al! round, it is obvious that every care has been taken to ensure an outstanding success, and the "Hinemoa" cantata evening should unquestionably be the most memorable of musical performances and broadcast occasions in 2YA’s history, a completely. satisfying treat to all those who love good music and fine singing. When New Zealanders go to London they see Westminster Abbey, the British Museum, the Tower, and the Zoo, places which hordes of Londoners have never visited. When an Englishman comes to New Zealand he often becomes interested in Maori legend and history and even language-affairs which the New Zealander born and bred treats with pained apathy. It is therefore not in the least incongrouous to find a party of artists from overseas, conducted by a Canadian, providing listeners with a rare broadcast of a New Zealand tale. In order to better appreciate the cantata form, listeners may refresh their memories with the following precis of the love story. On Mokoia Island, in Lake Rotorua, lived a Maori chief who had four sons, the youngest, Tutanekai, being famed for his manly beauty and physical prowess. On the shore of the lake dwelt the lovely Hinemoa, whose: beauty. attracted

suitors from far and near. Among these was Tutanekai, who much impressed the maiden with his excellence in war dances and trials of strength. Tutanekai, perceiving her interest in him, went back to the island, and every evening used to play his flute, hoping the sounds would reach Hinemoa across the water. One day he sent his friend Tiki to tell her of his love, and ts urrange that one night she should paddle a canoe across the lake to the island, guided by the music, Unfortunately, on the night arranged, all the canoes were drawn up so far that she could not launch one. Not to be outdone, she determined to swim to the island, reaching the shore just as her strength was completely failing. Finding a hot pool she rested awhile in it to restore warmth to her chilled body. As she was resting a slave passed in the darkness on his way to get his master a drink and assuming a gruff voice, Hinemoa learned that he was Tutanekai’s slave. Demanding a drink of him-a request no Maori can refuse -she dashed the calabash containing the water on to the ground, bidding him go tell his master what had happened. Furious, Tutanekai rushed to the pool to punish this insolent intruder, but great was his delight and astonishment when in answer to his’ query, "Ha, who is this?" a soft voice replied, "It is I, Hinemoa." Throwing his cloak around her, Tutanekai led her to his house-which, in the custom of those days, made her his wife. And great was the rejoicing the next day on Mokoia Island. For the second half of the programme that evening the same artists will be heard in operatic, choral and flute solo numbers. The whole concert evening will be a feast of rich music such as Wellington audiences have never before been treated to, for there has never before been a combina. tion of such celebrated artists on the same platform in that city before. Whether one listens to the relay or pays a shilling or so to charity for admission to the Town Hall, there can surely be only one prospect; for the eveningsheer musical enjoyment.