A MUSICAL VISITOR.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9314, 15 January 1896, Page 6

A MUSICAL VISITOR.

«, A CHAT WITH HERR BALLING. (BY OUB SPECIAL BEPOBTEB.) There is just now sojourning in our midst a musician of considerable European reputation, one sufficiently good to take part with Rubenstein in a concerto composed by the maestro. The gentleman referred to is Herr Bailing, who has made a study of an instrument new to us here, and indeed, very rarely heard even in Europe—the violaalt a. Herr Balling will play to-morrow evening at the Art Gallery, in conjunction with Mr Maughan Barnett, himself a musician of high reputation. In the course of friendly chat last evening with a member of the staff of the Pbess some very interesting particulars regarding his career were elicited. Herr Balling is the personification of a musician, and in addition to his playiog the viola-alta is also a fine pianist. "I commenced my "musical \education," said Herr Balling, "at the Wurzburg Conservatorium under H. Ritter, who may be regarded as the modern introducer to the musical world of the viola-alta. You have already stated what the instrument is generally, but let mc add to that description that its lower strings come near to the 'cello whilst the upper come nearly to the lower notes of the soprano voice. At the Conservator ium I studied until 1881 when Herr Humperdinck gave mc an introduction to Wagner, whom I met at Mayence. In 1882 I was at the production of "Parsifal' at Bayreutb, playing tbere, and saw Wagner conduct for the last time. In 1883 I was again at Bayreutb. This time to take part in a grand commemoration festival for Wagner. In ISB6 I travelled through Russia, giving concerts in conjunction with Herr Reisenauer, a pupil of Liszt. In that year I returned to take part in the Festival at Bayreutb, and then received the appointment of Court Director of Music to the Grand Duke of Schwerin. My duties, however, only kept mc employed during the winter, and I attended and played ' at all the Bayreuth Festivals until 1893, when my health being bad I came out to Nelson, where I have remained ever since. I leave New Zealand in February for Bayreuth, where I am engaged to take part in tbe Festival of 1896, which will be held in July. This year the work will be " The Nibelungen Ring," and Herr Ricbter wiil conduct. On Thursday night with Mr Maughan Barnett, whom you know is a musician and a pianist of high repute, I shall take part in the Rubenstein Sonata in F Minor, in which I played with the composer, and alao a sonata by Meyer Olbersleben. In addition to these Mr Barnett and myself will also play solos."