Crowded Tour By Maurice Till

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30631, 23 December 1964, Page 1

Crowded Tour By Maurice Till

The Christchurch pianist, Mr Maurice Till, who is on the staff of the University of Canterbury School of Music, crammed more into three months overseas than most who go on study leave. He visited the United Stales, Britain, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Austria, and Russia, attended concerts on two nights out of every three, met hundreds of musicians of all ages, and called at schools of music wherever he went.

In addition, he performed four major solo concert programmes, executed a commission to buy a new concert grand piano, and made widespread inquiries about a new quartet for the University of Canterbury. Mr Till said the concerts

I naturally interested him most the highlights being the Philadelphia Orchestra under Or|mandy in the Philharmonic Hall in New York, the Vienna State Opera performing "Tristan and Isolde” with the great Nilsson in the latter role, and Fonteyn and Mureyev in ballet at Covent Garden. There were also such novelties as “Carmen” sung in Swedish and a young Russian pianist playing three concertos in one evening in the Bolshoi Theatre —"a tremendous feat.” “However,” said Mr Till, “I am bound to say that none of the dozens of programmes I heard was very venturesome. I can only think that ‘box office’ still rules. Attendances everywhere were fantastic (the Albert Hall, holding 8000, was filled for Verdi’s ‘Requiem’), and I would have thought some new works and ■new composers could have [been introduced.” Mr Till observed modern (teaching trends, notably at the Juilliard School of Music in New York, the Royal College 'of Music in London, and the ;State Conservatorium in Moscow. He will report to the university on this. After a day in the Steinway factory in Hamburg, watching all phases of manufacture, he chose a piano which is coming to a public institution (in New Zealand Mr Till’s chief recitals were in Amsterdam, two in Stockholm, and a programme recorded for the B B C. The most heartening impression of his trip was the great number of highlytalented younger performers in all branches of music. Many of these. Mr Till said, had so far not been heard of in New Zealand, but he was certain that they would be. Competition was keen, but this raised (standards.

“This has been a quick tour, even rushed.” said Mr Till, “but I have had experience on which I will draw in both university teaching and concert performances for years to come.”