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piece, as also that of Violet Vanbrugh, was on a high plane of accomplishment, more than redeemed the comparative failure of an earlier attempt on her part to attract the public to "The Return," adapted by Arthur Wimperis from a French play of the same title. But another French comedy, done into English by the same adapter, and entitled "Bluebeard's Eighth Wife," proved so highly entertaining in its more or less deft skating over the thinnest ice, as well as on account of other qualities, that its success was assured from the outset. It was brilliantly acted at the Queen's by Madge Titheradge (who revealed unsuspected comedic gifts of the rarest order), Norman McKinnel, and Hugh Wakefield, in the leading parts. Yet another adaptation from the French, "The Man in Dress Clothes" (Garrick, March 22) owed not a little of its popularity to the immensely clever performance in the chief rôle of Seymour Hicks, who was responsible for the English version. Although neither of them secured a satisfactory run, mention should be made here of two comedies that revealed very considerable promise in authors whose names were unfamiliar to playgoers: "The Limpet," by Vernon Woodhouse and Victor MacClure, and "Glamour," a really charming play, by Peter Garland, which, if only for the excellent acting of Holman Clark and Frances Carson, an American actress, deserved a better fate. In a more serious-and sometimes sombre-vein Edward Percy's "If Four Walls Told" may be cited as a notable achievement for an unknown playwright.

It would be pleasant to be able to record of so distinguished a novelist as Joseph Conrad that he won success with his dramatisation of "The Secret Agent," but, unfortunately, a story which, in the form of fiction, was found so interesting, dragged terribly in its stage version. Another clever novel that went wrong in process of adaptation for stage purposes was A. E. W. Mason's "Running Water." Curiously enough, a book far more difficult to dramatise effectively-Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island"—was made quite a stimulating and successful thing of by J. B. Fagan in his adaptation of that literary classic produced by Arthur Bourchier at the Strand (Dec. 23). In "The Wheel" (Apollo, Feb. 1), a fairly strong and effective variant of the eternal "triangle" theme, the same author provided Phyllis Neilson-Terry with good acting opportunities, of which she made the most. Among other of our younger actresses who may claim to have added to their artistic stature during 1922 are Gladys Cooper, whose revival of "The Second Mrs. Tanqueray" (Playhouse, June 3) was a notable feature of the dramatic year, and Sybil Thorndike, who distinguished herself almost alike in French (adapted) drama, in Greek tragedy, and as Beartice in a much-discussed production of Shelley's "The Cenci," the all-pervading gloom of which placed it outside the category of plays that could possibly appeal to more than a limited few.

In the way of melodrama the year's productions ranged from the highly spectacular and successful "Decameron Nights" at Drury Lane to W. Somerset Maugham's "East of Suez" at His Majesty's, the latter adding more to the reputation of Meggie Albanesi, who enacted the Eurasian heroine, than it did to that of its accomplished author. American importations of the (more or less) crook type were "The Bat,"

which obtained a long run at the St. James's, and "The Cat and the Canary" at the Shaftesbury. The most successful farce of the year was "Tons of Money," staged at the theatre just named on April 13, and transferred in the autumn to the Aldwych, Ralph Lynn appearing in it as the chief-and very diverting-comedian.

During the year Leon M. Lion presented a welcome series of Galsworthy and Pinero revivals. But only at the "Old Vic," over the water, did Shakespeare find a home.

Of musical plays and revues London enjoyed its usual fill. Among the former "The Lady of the Rose" (Daly's, Feb. 21) came from Germany, the music, by Jean Gilbert, being more remarkable for clever craftsmanship than for freshness of inspiration. But dramatically the book was above the average, and enabled Harry Welchman to distinguish himself in the effectively-drawn character of the “villain.” Another German importation was "Love's Awakening" (Empire, April 19), which was adapted by Adrian Ross. In this case the score, by Eduard Künneke, was infinitely better than the very poor libretto. The wellknown Austrian composer, Oscar Straus, was responsible for the music of "The Last Waltz," which, however, owed its success at the Gaiety mainly to José Collins's well-graced singing in the leading rôle, while another foreign piece, called "Lilac Time" in the English version, was distinguished for being equipped with charming music transcribed from Schubert melodies by G. H. Clutsam. "The Cabaret Girl," with tuneful music by Jerome Kern, was a popular success at the Winter Garden, and on the penultimate night of the Old Year there was a hearty reception at the Kingsway for a modernised version by Clifford Bax of "Polly," Gay's sequel to his famous "Beggar's Opera," of which, by the way, a revised edition was presented early in the year. The music of "Polly," as ingeniously "arranged" by Frederic Austin, was a most attractive feature of this quaint production.

III. MUSIC.

In the years to come it will not be an easy matter for the unprejudiced historian to decide which particular feature of the musical year of 1922 shall lawfully stamp that year as its outstanding feature. The fact is that there was no outstanding feature of any real quality. And yet the contemporary composer, formerly the "Young British Composer," has been very active as well as extremely fortunate. Probably Arnold Bax was the native composer of the year. For not only did an unwontedly enterprising firm undertake the publication of the whole of his compositions, but he himself not only produced a symphony, an Irish elegy and a second violin sonata, but heard more of his own music publicly performed than ever before. Next possibly came Ralph Vaughan Williams with his Pastoral Symphony (Philharmonic) and his Mass in G minor (Birmingham), and Arthur Bliss with his so-called Colour Symphony, produced at the Gloucester Festival. At Leeds, Gustav Holst's "Ode to Death" was first heard, the Philharmonic produced Delius's "Requiem." In the past few years the name of Rutland Boughton had resounded in London frequently, but not his music, which previously had been heard

chiefly at Glastonbury, in the home for it made by Boughton.

But last year, if his "Alcestis was produced there and so far has remained there, his best-known work, "The Immortal Hour," ran for months at the Regent Theatre and was still being played at the end of the year, having passed its hundreth consecutive performance in the one theatre. Its success drew the attention of London to another Glastonbury work, "Bethlehem," which at Christmas was performed in several of the suburbs with complete success. Elgar confined himself, in original work, to the scoring of the Fantasia in C-minor by Bach which precedes the Fugue mentioned last year, but "The Apostles" aroused a wide interest on its revival in spite of the comparative fiasco of the Leeds Choral Union performance given in Queen's Hall in Whit Week; and the resuscitation of "The Kingdom" at the Gloucester Festival drew attention again to a master work of exquisite beauty that has been grievously neglected.

During the year London was visited by innumerable foreign artists, many of great distinction. In the early part of the year the old war was temporarily renewed between the whole-hearted admirers of Stravinsky and those who were adverse; and the note was decidedly "contemporary." Bela Bartok, who was acclaimed to be the leader of contemporary musical thought in Hungary, came to England and created a mild sensation but it left little aftermath, and Prokofieff's piano concerto failed, after his "Chout" of the year before, even to muddy the waters of criticism. The conditions under which orchestras existed, and still exist, precluded the probability of any great exhibition of enterprise in the orchestral concert world. A performance of Bach's B-Minor Mass at a London Symphony Orchestra Concert, advertised as sold out a week before the concert, failed by some 70l. to defray its cost. It is, then, hardly surprising that Sir Henry Wood and the Queen's Hall Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Royal Philharmonic under various conductors, relied rather upon brilliant soloists of established attraction than upon new works. Thus we heard Lamond, Busoni, Moiseivich, Thibaut, Suggia, Casals, Siloti, Murdoch, Kreisler, Harold Samuels, Pouishnoff, Myra Hess, Harriet Cohen, Rachmaninoff, Backhaus, Mitja Nikisch (first time, son of the late Arthur Nikisch), etc. Walter Damrosch conducted two London Symphony Orchestra concerts while Albert Coates was in New York conducting the Damrosch Orchestra there.

From time to time there was a certain liveliness in the greater Choral Music, and the visits of the Vatican Choir who specialised in Palestrina aroused a great deal of interest. At first their remarkable singing staggered the audience, for their ideal of choral singing was quite different from our normal ideal, but as time passed it was realised that, whatever other opinion might be held, there was no denying the complete success of the Vatican Choir technique. The Glasgow Orpheus Choir, the Newcastle Bach Choir, and the Leeds Choral Union were among the visitors to London. The London Choral Society, under Arthur Fagge. converted themselves into a more or less unaccompanied affair owing to the cost of an orchestra, and the Langham Society under Hugh Marleyn did much good work. But even more was accomplished by the Oriana

Madrigal Choir under Kennedy Scott, and the Bach Choir under Ralph Vaughan Williams, who performed the conductor's "A Sea Symphony " and "London" Symphony. The Royal Choral Society put its conductorship into commission, as it were, on the retirement of Sir Frederick Bridge, and Albert Coates, Adrian Boult, and Eugène Goossens directed performances of the Society, and among them, of Holst's "Hymn of Jesus " under Sir Hugh Allen.

In course of the year two Seasons were given by the British National Opera Company at Covent Garden, the one in May and June, the other an experimental, and apparently, successful Christmas Season. "The Ring" and other familiar works were given, a new more or less Offenbach score "The Goldsmith of Toledo" proving something of a fiasco. Also the Royal Carl Rosa was heard to much better advantage than before, and, possibly the production of Adrian Beecham's version of "The Merchant of Venice "-the work of a boy of sixteen-should be recorded. But the Old Vic under Miss Lilian Baylis kept its flag flying, and flew it, operatically, higher than before. In course of the year the affairs of the Old Vic reached a climax, and despair reigned on account of a L.C.C. ruling in regard to reconstruction of the building. Happily a generous gift of 30,000l. restored the balance and peace, and the Mozart Cycles, "The Boatswain's Mate," by Dame Ethel Smyth, and Nicholas Gatty's "The Tempest," were among other operas all enjoyed to the full.

In the summer the Royal Academy of Music celebrated, by the space of a fortnight's concerts, dinners etc., the centenary of its foundation.

F

FINANCE AND COMMERCE IN 1922.

It was remarked of 1921 that it was a more disappointing and depressing period in British commerce and finance than had been experienced for 100 years. The year 1922 was a little less depressing. The improvement was slow, but the aggregate improvement was by no means negligible. The collapse in commodity prices which began in April, 1920, and continued throughout 1921, was definitely checked in 1922. The Times index number of wholesale prices on the last day of December was 158.6 (100 representing the average monthly price level in 1913), as compared with 162.1 per cent. on December 31, 1921, 251-2 per cent. on December 31, 1920, and 352.9 per cent. on April 30, 1920, which was the apex of the price rise in commodities. It will be noted that the index number was lower at the end of 1922 than at the close of 1921, but it was higher than it had been during the year. The lowest number was 155.6, touched on September 30, 1922. The monthly average during this year was 157.8, against 189-5 in 1921. We reproduce below The Times index numbers since January, 1921, based on the prices of sixty commodities with the percentage change in the total index numbers compared with the preceding month, also the numbers on January, 1920, and April of that year :

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The actual prices of the commodities included in the calculations are shown in the following table, comparison being made with the quotations on December 31, 1921 :

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