MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Radio Record, 8 July 1938, Page 24

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

BY

SCHERZO

There is no art without life, >There is no life without growth, — There is no growth without change, There is no change without contra versy.-Vrank Rutter

T was my good fortune to be at the Town Hall in Wellington for the second Kipnis concert. All I can say is it was even more enjoyable than the first. It would be hard to imagine more delightful singing than that in the Brahms group. The delivery of "Sonntag" and "Standchen" and the polished performance of "Vergebliches Standchen" with a most artistic term at the end must have won the Brahms songs many new devotees. It is easy to understand why Kipnis was selected by the Brahms Society to record the songs. There could have been no better choice. . 2 m mt HE concert opened with the wellknown "Magic Flute" aria, "In Diesen MHeiligen Haleen"’ ("Within This Hallowed Dwelling’), and to say that this was sung with supreme reverence would be praising it too little. "The Magic Flute" is a masonic opera and the symbolism of that order is supposed to be concealed in it. Mozart has most certainly supplied the yery music required by the libretto. Sarasastro, High Priest of Isis, sings the superb cavatina to two lovers in the Temple. bd * x N the Schumann group we had more magnificent singing. The anguish in "Ieh Hab in Traum Gewerbet" ("I Wept as I Lay Dreaming") and the _ gloriously subdued work in "Mondracht" ("Moonlight") will.long be remembered. I cannot recollect hear-

ing a more peaceful close to s song than Kipnis gave us at the ‘end of "Moonlight." The "I'wo Grenadiers"-si often attempted by baritones-was a revelation. One did not. experi to find so much pianissimo work in this song, and it is to be hoped that New Zealand singers will profit by the performaneée, * ak * It is interesting to note that Kipnis sung Hageman’s ‘Do Not Go, My Love" as his first English song. This was an encore number to the Schumann, and followed the "Faust" serenade. The Hageman song was beautifully sung, and the way Kipnis- treated the word "sleeping" was an excellent example of his sheer artistry. "Leporello’s Aria" ‘from Mozart's "Don Giovanni" was portrayed with the same artistic effect as the other operatic numbers. * wa T was pleasing to notice that the Wellington Town Hall bad more seats filled on this occasion, but I still feel as if the so-called music enthusiasts of the capital have let Kipnis down. He is worthy of far more respect than he received from the professional and amateur musicians of this country. Kipnis is withont question a superb artist, and his musical digtity alone should command the prestige. bo % % NEEDLESS to say, Noel Newson, who played the accompaniments, was a most sympathetic and artistic performer. x * EW ZEALAND artists were ambitious during the week-Dorothy Buckingham gaye us some Brahms and Sehubert early in the week; the Dunedin main National station had the Max Scherek Trio playing a Mozart Trio, followed by Olive Campbell (piano), playing a Rhapsody by Dohnanyi. Then we had more Schubert and Schumann from 1YA by Reva Edwards, more Schubert still from Christchurch on Wednesday by Anita LedShaw; Frederick Page played some Brahms and Qiszt the same night. To complete the Schubert "dose." 1YA had May Mitchell on Friday. This artist performed Brahmg. also in the same recital. Kathleen O’Leary, an Auckland pianist, played the Debussy "Bergamasque" Suite also during the same week.

qt is in & way gratifying to find so much ambition in Ieeal artists. At ‘the same time ali the voeal efforts at least sounded so much to me like. the comparison of a full symphonic orchestra playing a. Beethoven Symphony and the same work being attempted by an orchestra of about twenty. Perhaps Kipnis has spoiled me-still, I do think that there should be more under standing by local performers of how to treat a composer before they begin te branch out into the field of lieder and so-ealled "art songs." ‘It is not an easy matter to depict the mood of many different composers in. a short recital. of approximately fifteen minutes, and I feel it would be much hetter for local artists. to.specialise in the songs of one composer, at least for a term, and sing the songs of that’ composer exclusively on any one programme, until such time as we can find that composer and his songs are perfectly understood by. the performer. Most of the New Zealand singors f- have heard, and pianists too, are inelined to become too "technical in their performances. There is a defjinite lack of what one may term natural uterpretive powers, and this leads me to suppose that the performers are not plauing or singing with that understanding and feeling one should expect from musicians who sing and vlay from the soul. % * = BAL music often is an expression of emotion, and if the heart is not Willing the performance must suffer, When you perform, learn your work thoroughly, get into the atmosphere of your music and, above.all, give evelything you have to your art.