# 46036
TATE, Henry; O'DOWD, Bernard (intro.)
Australian musical possibilities. (Signed by the author)
/ by Henry Tate ; with an introduction by Bernard O’Dowd. Melbourne : Edward A. Vidler, [1924]. First (and only) edition. Octavo (210 x 140 mm), publisher’s illustrated papered boards; signed and numbered by the author on the front free-endpaper ‘Henry Tate / 77’; pp. 72, including several pages of musical notation at rear (compositions of Henry Tate); a few passages underlined, otherwise internally excellent, a very good signed copy.
An eccentric work by Melbourne musicologist Henry Tate (1873-1926), in which he explores the potential for the environment and Indigenous music to contribute to an Australian musical identity. The volume comprises articles previously published in The Argus, The Herald, The West Australian, The Theatre Magazine, Corroboree and The New Outlook. Tate discusses the artistic potential of Aboriginal music, with references to Aboriginal songs recorded by Dr Torrance, Rev. George Taplin, Tom Petrie and Sir Baldwin Spencer. There are also chapters entitled ‘Racial Music’, ‘Bush Rhythms’, ‘Bush Melody’, ‘Bush Harmony’, ‘Bush Orchestration’, and an Appendix entitled ‘Bell-birds at Belgrave’.