Student Musicians Too Serious-Minded ?

Like students in most university organisations, those of the Music Department tend to take themselves too damn seriously. They love their music—they discuss it enthusiastically, making declamatory judgments, and frantic gesticulations. They avoid like the devil the appearance of not being "Kultured." The women sin here more than the men, who can, and do, sandwich cricket and cars between pompous criticisms.

But—what do they do, these "queer" musicians? They are really quite normal in that they attend lectures, take part in Tutorials, and do written exercises. Their compositions, however, are rather an attempt to write ugly sounds, so that they may afterwards prove them to be beautiful—supporting their arguments by the works of masters such as Schoenberg or his noted pupil, Webern, forgetting that these artists spent years in absorbing the mastery of the established writers of former centuries. Our aspiring composers at this university are achieving renown, not because of their genuine artistry, but by a clever imitation of the "Moderns." In the process, however, they tend to develop a very happy temperament, and enthusiastically organise extra-curriculum activities dominated by a profound love of music, and the desire to get together and make music (and play each other's compositions).

This year Miss Margaret O'Shea has undertaken the direction of the University Madrigal Group, which Will be meeting in the Music Room each Thursday evening. As the name suggests their prime study will be Madrigals, but they will also tackle works of the modern song-writers, and when available, the contributions of Victoria Composers in 1961. (The 15 or so members of the Madrigal Group, were warned by Miss O'Shea that those in the last category may prove a little difficult!) Miss O'Shea pointed out that additional sopranos would be welcome—from any faculty!

On Wednesday, March 22, Mr Farquar met the instrumentalists interested in forming a Student Orchestra. Among those who had "enlisted" were Mouthorgan-grinders, Ukeleleists, and Bagpipers, but it appears that all had prior engagements on the night of the first rehearsal. The players who did turn up, however, proved to be a fairly competent group, but made the choice of music difficult because of the abundance of 'cellists, and lack of essential Brass instruments.

The Orchestra and the Madrigal Group are at the moment working on whatever music they can get hold of, but both are looking forward to the production of students' compositions, as "something to get their teeth into," and this will culminate in the "Composers' Concert," which will he run along the same lines as last year's.

Those members of the Music Department who neither play nor sing but love to listen, will be found on Wednesday evenings in the Music Room, where the Music Society meets every (or every alternate) week when orchestra rehearsals are over. Here, masses of these people congregate in a congenial atmosphere of stimulating friendliness, to listen to musical items provided by staff and students, or to the wit of the Society's Secretary-Treasurer, Mr R. Maconie, or just to talk—about music, of course! All of which is inevitably followed by coffee and biscuits.