Music And Theatre By "FIDELIO"
SYDNEY is to have a cath- edral organ that will rank with the world's most modern, as well as with the world's larg- est. The instrument will con- sist of the two organs now in St. Andrew's Cathedral, com- bined and extensively rebuilt. It will be completed in from two to two and a half years. The building and consolida- tion, says the "Sydney Morn- ing Herald," is in the hands of Hill, Norman and Beard Pty. Ltd., of London. The manag- ing director of the Australian branch, Mr. W. A. F. Brodie, said: "The organ will be one of the most flexible in the world. It is possible to attain this flexibility only through the use of the most modern electro- pneumatic action. It will also be the largest cathedral organ in Australia, and the job itself is the most noteworthy of its kind since the building of the Melbourne Town Hall organ in 1929." Schubert, with five songs, is prominent in Elizabeth Schwarz- kopfs first recital list for Octo- ber 25. Other composers therein are Scarlatti, Handel and Pur- cell (two) in an opening group; Bach, Rameau, Grieg, Rach- maninoff (three), Tschaikow- sky, Faure, Hahn and Charpen- tier. In the second programme for October 27 Hugo Wolf (five items), Schubert. and Strauss (two each) are the representatives of Lieder com- position. Bach (two items), Gluck, Beethoven and Mozart (two) are also to be drawn upon. Douglas Dain, with Frank O'Grady as associate, will pro- duce the musical comedy "Florodora" for the Repertory Club at His Majesty's, for a
season running from October 13 to 29. Originally given in London in 1899, the piece Was last seen in Perth in 1931, at the hands of a J. C. Williamson Company. The last amateur performance here was by the Society of Concert Artists in 1920, when Percy Hill and Arthur Davies were the pro- ducers and Ted Jacoby the musical director. (Billy Ed- wards has that post for the coming revival). Montague Brearley, now back in Perth after years in England and the Eastern States, was leader of the orchestra for the 1920 pro- duction. Leading players in the revival, with the names in parentheses of the corresponding artists of 1920, will be Elise Longwill (Mrs. Hope Robertson) as Dolores; Roy Anthony (Stan Dangerfield) as Abercoed; Brian Walton (Claude Deeley) as Gilfain; John Luke (Percy Hill) as Tweedlepunch; June Badham (Mrs. N. E. Moran) as Angela. At the annual concert of the students of the Teachers' Col- lege at the Assembly Hall on October 12, 13, 14 and 15, part of the comic opera "Merrie England" (Edward German) will be "presented in Eliza- bethan costume and fully dramatised," it is announced. There will also be an instru- mental ensemble, a ballet and a one-act play. In retirement at South Perth lives Mr. A. E. Arblaster, who possibly holds the record in Western Australia for length of membership of a musical organisation. He joined the Fremantle Orchestral Society in 1896 as double-bass player
and claims to be its oldest mem ber. The orchestra ended its career about two years ago. Mr. Arblaster. now 77, came to N.S.W. from England as a boy and studied music in Sydney. One of his records is having played at every Sunday school anniversary in the cen tral Methodist church at Fre mantle for 40 years. A string orchestra conducted by Vaughan Hanly will give a programme at the Winthrop Hall on October 15. under Adult Education Board auspi ces. Works to be heard are the "Capriol" Suite (War lock), Concerto Grosso No. 12 (Handel), "St. Paul's" Suite (Holst), "Serenade" (Elgar) and, with piano-played by Marshall Sumner-Bach's Con certo in D Minor. Lorna Mc Kean will sing a concert aria by Mozart. It is not only in the matter of concert-going opportunities that the citizen of London is fortunately placed. A recent publication contains a reminder of amenities that will fill the Perth music-lover with envy. "Even the poorest music-lover," one reads, "can command the loan of all the music, scores and books be requires." This is by way of libraries, but there is more than this. At the Cen tral Lending Library in Char ing Cross-road there are over 6000, items of gramophone records "available to any bona-fide individual or society ... Records can be borrowed by individuals who live, work or pay rates in the city, free of charge and without deposit." They can borrow up to six records at a time or a com plete work of more than six records. Societies are given a limit of 30 records at a time.