Galt Collegiate Institute and Vocational School - Specula Galtonia Yearbook (Galt, Ontario Canada)

Page 94 text:

- if In 1929 he was overtaken by illness again, in Switzerland, and for a time his life was despaired of, but his old ability to come back was demonstrated by an absolutely superb recital on his seventieth fi!! if PARA TUS ' birthday. Paderewski has done some notable things in composition, but it is as the vir- tuoso pianist that he will ever be remem- bered. THE G. C. I. and V. S. ORCHESTRA Front Rowe-Margaret Dell, Marion Steen, Theodolph Little, Chesterman St. Clair, Helen Fisher, Evelyn Porter. Middle Row-Adam Bendus. William Maddock, Radford Shea, Robert Burchill, Fred Stewart, Lorne Bowey, George Liscombe. Third Row-Stanley Taylor, Jack Stubbs, Lloyd Arnold, Munroe Fraser, Albert Bendus. Afllesume of the Qrchestra By MARDELL PRATT HE Galt Collegiate Orchestra, under the capable direction of Mr. Nicol, A.C.C.O., are indeed to be congrat- ulated on their progress this year. Their appearance in assembly for the first time in the new term was a very pleasant sur- prise to the new pupils and an anticipated pleasure for the older ones. Since then they have continued to play at every Mon- day morning assembly. On November 7th, the orchestra broad- cast a skilfully arranged program of widely diversified selections from Tassie Hall, and a great number of people who listened in were agreeably surprised at the talent displayed. Their presence at the Armistice Day Memorial Service added greatly to the solemnity and dignity of 5-1 the service. The Orchestra assisted at the Com- mencement Exercises and the several numbers given were heartily received. It has also played a very important part in all the meetings of the Literary Society, where it has always been persistently en- cored. At every ensuing appearance the orchestra prove that they are getting stronger and better every day. The Orchestra has kindly consented to take part in the presentation of All at Sea. Much of the success of last year's operetta was due to their untiring efforts so this year we are relying on them to keep up their good reputation. May we add our compliments for their co-opera- tion, and hope for their continued success.

Page 93 text:

PARATU 'l C U L' A A PAHATUS - f G 1-TOM .. - gmlgll fill R301 GNU 9- p Music is the universal language of all mankind. M Pad erewski By MARDELL PRATT HE most memorable musical event in Canada during the waning days of 1930 was the celebration by Ignaz Jan Paderewski, of his sevenntieth birthday, in the form of a recital at Massey Hall, Toronto. Toronto has thus been the scene of two memorable occasions in the life of the great pianist, for it was in this city during the autumn of 1922 that he returned to the concert stage, after 'his adventure in Polish politics. In Goethe's words, one must be able to command poetry: one must have mind and soul, as well as a supple wrist and pliable fingers, if he would reach the heart of lisiteners through the keyboard. And Paderewski meets this demand, for all who heard his recital declared that he played better than in the previous thirty- eight years of his career, regardless of his advancing age. Paderewski is and has been for many decades the foremost of living Poles in any vocation. He was born at Krulovka, Russian Poland, in 1860. He attributes his talent to his mother, who was musical, and started him playing, when he was only three. His father, for some political offence, had suffered six years' imprison- ment in Siberia. He received his early training at the Warsaw Conservatoire, and after six years, when the Conserva- toire had done all it could for him, he was elected professor at the institution. Later he joined the staff of the Strassburg Con- servatoire. He revealed exceptional talent and am- bition, and wishing to become a virtuoso he placed himself under the tuition of Theodor Lescheltitzky, of Vienna. Paderewski made his debut in 1887 be- fore the critical public of Vienna. At once he was acclaimed one of the most remarkable pianists of the dayg and from that time onward his career has been a succession of triumphs. The following year he played in Paris. The beginning 53 of his international fame may be said to date from his first appearance in London, in the early summer of 1890. English critics at once proclaimed him a genius. Their laudations were fthe open sesame to the profitable field of America. After his sensational success in New York in the Autumn of 1891, he became a world figure. In addition to striking individuality and 'ripe musicianship, he is strongly emo- tional, and possesses that curiously in- definable thing we call magnetism, which never fails to enchain the attenition of the public. His flying aureole of silken hair is in itself an asset. But though the public laughed at jokes about his hair, every lover of beautiful interpreltation gloried in his playing, and his Minuet became as popular as the Stein Song is to-day. During the season or two which pre- ceded the war, he was a victim of neurosis. His playing became rather faulty, and he often felt impelled to cancel engagements. When the war broke out he absolutely abandoned music and threw himself pas- sionately into the cause of restoring the national autonomy of Poland. He gave away a vast fortune in furthering his aims and succeeded in securing recogni- tion of Polish demands in the Treaty of Versailles. As a reward he was made first President of the revived nation, but soon had to admit defeat. In 1920 he left Warsaw, a sick and ruined man, heavily in debt, the victim of an attempted mur- der. Through lthe generosity of American friends he lived in California until his health was restored. In 1922 he returned to the concert stage. At Massey Hall, where he made his return, he received an ovation that in Toronto had never been equalled for enthusiasm.

Page 95 text:

'PARA Tu N C U Lp A A L' PAQATUS . The History of Music By GLADYS WILDMAN INCE the human voice is older than any instrument the first music was, of course, vocal. Some of the least civilized tribes of which we have any knowledge, whose language is the least developed, have rude songs or chants to express their emotions. These are not exactly what we would call music as, in order to be so, they would have to be rhythmic and have a regularly graduated pitch. However, it is from these chants that the musicians formed their works. All nations, which have the least cul- ture, have definite melodies and instru- ments with which to play these melodies. The fables, which we read of ancient times, tell us of the charm over beasts and trees and stones possessed by Orpheus, of Pan and his pipes, and of Apollo's lyre. Probably the first idea of a wind instru- ment was suggested by the wind whistling through the broken reeds. A person would not need to be very clever to notice that the shorter reeds gave a higher pitch, and what would be simpler than to bind sev- eral reeds of different lengths together, graduated so as to produce a musical scale? Pan's pipes were just such an in- strument and from them originated the modern pipe organ. Tradition says that Mercury finding that fine strips of dried skin stretched over a tortoise shell produced a musical sound, took this as a model for the first stringed instrument, the lyre. However, it is more probable that it originated in the following way: When the poets recounted the great deeds of the heroes of the battle, the warriors in their excitement plucked the string of their bows to show .their approv- al. Some one noticed that the difference in length and tightness gave the sound a different pitch. From this fact, they likely derived the lyre. In the Greek drama, the language was sung or intoned, not spoken. The roofless theatres were enormous, seating thousands of persons and so, it would have been im- possible to hear the actors. The latter often used masks with brass mouth pieces to help carry the sound. It seems impossible to believe that with their keen artistic sense, the Greeks did not appreciate their music more. This music can be understood only in connec- tion with poetry for which it was origin- ally intended. Both the Greeks and the Hebrews derived their musical art from the Egyptians, and it is from their rough instruments and original music that we get our own instruments, from which we take our ideas of rhythm and melody. All at Sea HE presentation of the operetta, All at Sea, by the Glee Club and Or- chestra of the G.C.I., under the direc- tion of Mr. J. L. Nicol, A.C.C.O., proved to be a great success in every way. Loud were the praises given to the whole cast and especially to those who so ably took the more important parts. All at Sea is a two act operetta, and as the name signifies, deals with the nautical side of life. The good ship, H.M.S. Pinafore, has set out on an ex- pedition to capture the Pirates of Pen- zance. On board, through the hospitality of Captain Corcoran fJohn Thompsonl, and his daughter Josephine fElva Haiselli, 55 is a large party of guests including the Lord Chancellor fGarf. Lorrimanj, Mabel fAlice Iredalel, and Patience fMarjorie Spencerj, who are friends of Josephine, Phyllis fElsie Elstonl, and Strephon CS. EcclesJ, a married couple, noted in pol- iticsg a well-known poet, Grosvenor fStan. Lorrimanl, and the Fairy Queen fMardel1 Prattj with her four attending sprites. Most important of all is the Mikado of Japan fBruce Buchananl, who is studying the manners and customs of the Euro- peans. He has with him Pooh-Bah fDavid Smithjg Koko, who is a Lord High Execu- tioner fTom Stuartl, and his three wards. By a mistake on the Captain's part, Sir Joseph Porter fWendell Cartwrightl, is