The Man Who Comes Back

Radio Record, 13 May 1938, Page 15

The Man Who Comes Back

AD it is, but true, that the New Zealand artist, writer or musician who hopes to keep abreast of © the times in his profession, must : spend a considerable portion of his working time overseas. And there’s the rub. ‘ Once overseas, art, writing, or

imusic assumes in their eyes a greater stature than it ever seemed to have in that hearty, healthy, pioneerridden country where it is more profitable to work for that doyen of departments, the P.W.D., than to wield the brush of a Whistler or the pen of a Huxley. So they don’t come back. At least some of them don’t. Some, in generosity, or because old associations are strong, do come back-with information and enthusiasm that means much to the army of those performers who cannot get away, or have yet to "manage" if. One of the ones who comes back is Mr. Victor C. Peters, conductor of the Christchurch Harmonie Society. A few years ago musical Christchureh felt the benefit of one of his periodical visits to Murope. Now he is in the midst of another English and Continental study tour. In a letter to me last week he told how many of the scores of young New Zealand

musicians now overseas are getting on with their work. Abroad ARLY last month he met Merle and Malcolm Miller, of Lyttelton, Mrs. Vaughan and Terence Vaughan, Hubert Carter, Naney Bowden and Nelle Seanlon, all New Zealanders who are doing well in the English world of music and art. Terence Vaughan. who

won a scholarship for pianoforte at the Royal Academy of Music, has blossomed out as a composer, and recently won the Agnew Prize for composition at the Royal Academy of Music. He bas suecessfully conducted a choir at the London School of Economics. Malcolm Miller is in St. Paul’s Cathedral Choir and the London Madrigal Group, consisting of six professional singers. Hig sister Merle hag just returned from a tour of the Continent as professional soloist with the famous Fleet Street Choir. While there she contracted searlet fever, but has fully recovered. She has done a lot of work for the BBC, and at her own recital received unusually high praise from the leading critics of London. Representing Otago nobly is Dennis Dowling. He is doing good work at the Royal College of Music, and has had a number of professional engagements in different parts of Iugland. The Blamires sisters, of Wellington (piano, singing and violin), recently gave a successful recital at the Royal College of Music. Their father is a member of the wellknown family of cricketing parsons. Douglas Lilburn, of Christchurch, is studying composition with Vaughan Williams, and there are good reports about his work, Edith Astall (Wairoa) has earned distinetion by winning the Chappell Gold Medal for piano, Royal College of Music.

Cecilia Keating (West Coast) has

just given a successful recital in Ireland. Many Christchurch people will remember Grace Wilkinson, who toured with the YA stations recently. She is at present studying at the R.C.M. with Dawson Freer, Mr. Peters’s old teacher.

Incidentally Dennis Dowling is with him, and the Millers studied with Freer, too. While in Germany, says Mr. Peters, he had the pleasure of hearing opera in Berlin-Sir Thomas Beecham conduciing twice during his visit. He visited Bach’s birthplace, Eisenach, and played on some of his old instruments. In The Schools "MOST of my time," Mr. Peters wrote, "is spent in studying school and orchestral music as requested by the Carnegie Corporation. I have visited schools in the Midlands, Yorkshire, Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as in and around London. The thorough work of the schools explains why the British adult singers are so much ahead of ours in sight reading-though our voices are as good. "In Birmingham there is a first-rate choir composed of school teachers: 900 applied

and 800 were selected. All are expert sight-readers. They practise out of school hours and do difficult works, mostly by living British composers. "T visited Leeds for a rather unique concert. The | choir consisted of 400 men from the London NorthEastern Railways-all working men. A full orchestra of about 90 players accompanied the choir, and these were also employees. "T attended ai rehearsal

of the famous Huddersfield Choral Union and heard a wonderful choir of highly competent sight-readers. While there I stayed with Mrs. Pullon, mother of Dr. HE. D. Pullon, of Christchurch. Dr. Pullon’s two sisters sing in the choir. Another most interesting musical combination which I had the good fortune to hear was the Scottish Fisherwomen’s Choir, with all the members in the traditional costumes similar to those worn by the fisherwomen of 400 years ago." QCHOOL music in Scotland, says Mr. Peters, is on a very high plane, particularly in the secondary schools. Most, if not all, the large secondary schools have a full-time musie master. He attended school festivals in London and suburbs. The bamboo pipe bands he found particularly pleasing, and he hopes to stimulate interest in that type of playing in New Zealand. The children make their own pipes and the sound is like that of many flutes played on the middle nofes, and is very-mellow. Children themselves conduct; there being a different director for each item. Naturally, he has been spending a lot: of time at the BBC, listening to rehearsals-every one being an education in itself. He particularly enjoyed being with Sir Walford Davies and the professional BBO singers. Sir Walford is kindness itself, and very easy to talk to. "TI have found the meu at the top of the tree the most generous with advice and kindly (Continued on page 37.)

NI EW ZEALANDERS who go overseas have @ habit of making their own way, perticularly in the world of music. In this article, based on a letter received by the "’Record’s" Christchurch correspondent, "Record" readers will find much interesting gossip about home-town boys and girls who are preparing to show the world that frozen mutton isn’t all the Dominion exports.

Man Who Comes Back (Continued from age 15.)

criticism," Mr, Peters declares. Another one of the great men who has been of yast help to the New ZeaJand musician is Dr. Maleolm Sargent. As to his own personal activities in music the Christehurch conductor says he goes to London every possible weekend for private tuition in singing with Dawson Freer aud string orchestral conducting with Reginald Jacques, conductor of the London ®tring Players, and the Bach Choir. Jacques is also director of music for the London County Council schools and direetor of the Reading University, in music, "T have heard all the English and foreign conductors and, while in Glasgow, interviewed the official in charge of entertainment for the Jixhibition. They know how to cater for all tastes, L hope our Wellington committee will he as wise," coneluded the Man Who Comes Back,