He Is No POSEUR

Radio Record, Volume X, Issue 5, 14 August 1936, Page 7

He Is No POSEUR

This Musical Man of England

(A special interview with

DR.

MALCOLM

SARGENT

the

world- famous conductor, at present in New Zealand.»

E is no poseur, this musical man of England. I liked Dr. Malcolm Sargent for his straightforward manner and his utter lack of "frills."’ In a room at Government House, Wellington, where he was the guest of the Governor-General (Viscount Galway) we sat before a fire while Dr. Sargent gave clearcut answers to my questions. The winds and sun of the Pacific had bronzed his skin, the shipboard rest had brightened the eye of a man who is hailed as one of the world’s greatest conductors. On modern composition and the wider appreciation to-day of good music Dr. Sargent had_ several things to say. "Composition is the creative side of art -I look upon a composer as a miracle, a being who sets foot on this earth but once, perhaps, in a century. There are more people doing musical compositions today than ever before, but too often the standard is mediocre.’ As in the world of letters, so it is in the world of music-general education has increased: the number of writers, but it hasn’t increased the number of geniuses. "TI do think that the Government of a young country should help its musical societies. Every schoolboy knows the _ names of Beethoven and Brahms, Mozart and Schubert, but to every schoolboy does not come the chance of hearing the works of the masters. The people must hear the music if a genuine appreciation is to be born and fostered. An orchestra exists for "art’s" sake and should rot be run as a "business." This appies to some of the greatest and most famous orchestras in the world. They need a subsidy. "Music has always existed: under the patronage of wealthy people. In these more democratic times there are fewer wealthy people, and the State should come to the rescue. Just as the State assists libraries and art galleries, so should it assist, the musical societies of the country. Sibelius, for instance, has an annual’ grant from the Finnish Government and, so great is the respect for his talent in his native Finland that restaurants refuse'to accept’ payment for the meals he eats there." oo

I mentioned the possible benefits of broadcasting on a public often musically ignorant. "The standard of music put out by your National Broadcasting Service should be high," replied Dr. Sargent, "but don’t let the excellence of recorded‘broadcast music cripple your musical societies. So long as broadcasting. stimulates a desire for music, well. and good, but when it causes local societies to languish and die, then it is harmful. & ~ "The B.B.C. had a new job to do when it began the broadcast of good music, a job that it had to tackle alone and without precept. It has learned many lessons, swallowed many bitter pills of criticism, but today, I venture to say, the B.B.C. has one of the finest. musical organisations in Europe. And England too has advanced musically so (Continued on next page)

{Continued from previous page.) that, at the present time, there is probably more good music in London than in any other city of the world. In Elizabethan days musie flourished in the Mother Country; to-day, music flourishes again. alded by that instrument of science that can put a girdle round the earth in less time than Ariel ever dreamed of." The entrance of broadcasting organisations into the concert platform field was also discussed. "How far ean broadcasting "organisations go in the matter of public con-certs?-it’s rather a fine point. There's the reasoning of the concert agents which says that, while broadcasting is, in most cases, a State monopoly, enjoying the direct monetary support of of people. it ts unfair that these organisations should enter into competition with concert managers and theatres. .There is the other side of the case which argues that, were it not for the large incomes of the broadcasting orgunusations, wany paris vt the

world would never have the chance of seeing or hearing famvuus artists, The problem is not for me to solve, but if the broadcasting corporations made it their pleasure to built up musical aetivities there need be no difficulties." "Who is the greatest figure in British music to-day?" . "Without a doubt. Sir Thomas Beecham | know him very well, and I always liken him to a voleano-he may only rumble, or he may .blow right up. But, whether you like volcanoes or you don’t, you can’t ignore their existence. Neither can you ignore Sir Thomas Beecham. He's a man with genius and a brilliance of intellect that is amazing. London owes the success of its last opera season to Sir Thomas." Dr. Malcolm Sargent has two chil-dren-a boy of 10 who has this year become a King’s Chorister at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, and a girl of 11, whose chief interest at the moment is riding,