THE WIRELESS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
(Leader, S. KNEALE KELLEY )
Conducted by JOHN BARBIROLLI JOHANNE STOCKMARR (Pianoforte)
THIS fairy tale Opera, by Humperdinek, to a story written by his sister, was produced in the first instance without any thought of public performance, intended only for the amusement of young people in the Humperdinck's circle of acquaintance. But the world at large was not to be denied such attractive music, and the Opera has long since won a world-wide popularity. It ia a favourite alike with young people, to whom it is no more than a beloved tale presented in a new and charming guise, and with the most enlightened musicians, who recognize it as a masterpiece of art. It makes use in the most skilful and fascinating way of actual German Folk tunes, and its melodies throughout are of the simplest and most immediately pleasing order. The Overture begins with the Evening Prayer which the Children sing before lying down to sleep in the woods, the prayer in which they ask for fourteen angels to watch over them till morning :—
' Two at my head to guard my thoughts
Two at my feet to guide my steps,
Two on my left to watch my heart,' and so on. Then there breaks in the stirring music of the witch and her gingerbread house ; the merrymaking of the children is heard, too, and the song of thanksgiving at their deliverance from the-witch's spell ; but the music of the Prayer dominates most of the Overture, and it is welded with the other tunes in the most cunning way.
JOHANNE STOCKMARR
Pianoforte Concerto in B Flat Minor Tchaikovsky
TCHAIKOVSKY'S first Pianoforte Concerto was dedicated originally to Nicolas Rubin stein, to whom the composer played it before giving it to his publisher. Rubinstein's verdict on the Concerto was so utterly damning that Tchaikovsky altered the dedication, inscribing it instead to Hans von Billow, who played the work repeatedly with constant success. Ru binstein afterwards changed his mind, and had the generosity to admit his mistake ; he, too, played' the work for many years as a regular number in his repertoire.
It begins with one of Tchaikovsky's noblest tunes, given out with the whole sonority of the orchestra, the pianoforte accompanying with great chords. In one of his letters, Tchaikovsky says that he first heard this tune sung by a blind beggar, adding that in little Russia, all blind beggars sing the same tune with the same refrain. It is astonishingly unlike any tune which blind beggars ever sing in this country. After brilliant use has been made of that first subject, a new theme appears, in which the pianoforte acts mainly as accompaniment. Then there is another expressive melody, and before the actual working out of the movement begins there is one more tune, in which the soloist has a large share.
The slow movement begins, after a few intro. ductory bars by the strings, with a melody given first to the flute. The middle section of the move. ment, in more lively time, is founded on an old French song which Tchaikovsky tells us that he and his brother * used continually to troll and hum and whistle in memory of a bewitching singer.'
The last movement is a brilliant Rondo, that is a movement in which the chief theme keeps on returning after others have interrupted it. The chief theme is the one with which the movement opens.
THERE were two brothers named Mareello, both of whom were important figures in their own day, but it is the younger, Benedetto, who is best remembered. A lawyer by profession, he held several important Government posts, and was a man of more than usually high scholastic attainments. But in spite of pressing official duties, he found time to achieve distinction both in music and in literature, and his biggest work is still regarded as taking a very high place as a historical document. It consists of eight folio volumes of Psalms for one, two, three or more voices with figured bass, and sometimes with obbligatosfor violins and violoncello. The collection was held in high esteem not only in Marcello's native Italy, but elsewhere, and the whole eight volumes were published in an English edition in 1757. Ho wrote a good deal of instrumental, music, too, as well as songs, madrigals, operas, cantatas, and at least one oratorio, furnishing the texts Himself for all these last. He wrote besides on musical and other subjects and many of the European libraries have interesting MSS. of his. To us, one of the most interesting is a Cantata, Timotheus,' for which the text is a translation by Mareello of Dryden's poem. It is in the State Library at Dresden. His music was so highly thought of even in his own day that it is odd to find our historian Burney speaking rather slightingly of it, suggesting that it had been too much praised and that it was not very original. Burney was so much more often carried away by his enthusiasm that it is odd to find him at variance with a contemporary verdict which history has wholeheartedly endorsed.
There is a monument to Mareello in the Church of San Giuseppe at Brescia, recording his achievements as Statesman, musician and poet. It is almost solely as musician that we hold him ia grateful remembrance now.