MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1366, 17 February 1912, Page 11

MUSIC.

(Br Tbebm Clot J Dorwick in America. Mr. Leonard Borwick, the English pianist, whose tour was one of the principal events hero during tho musical season of 1912, made his first appearauces in Xew York at the Carnegie Hall in December. His recitals surpassed, every expectation, the New York "Tribune" of December 1) declaring that lie exhibited "the clear, keen intellectuality of Dr. von Billow, and tho charm of Mr. Paderewski" in the Beethoven Sonata, Op. Ill; His return to London was dated lor February 6. at Queen's Hall, Messrs. J. and N. Taifc have now decided to organise a second Borwick tour of Australia for 1913 or 1911. These entrepreneurs havo fixed the Margaret Cooper season in Sydney for the early part of next June. This artist, tlie most noted exponent of song-at-the-piano entertainments now before tho London public, will bring a complote company with her. Indigestion. i Havo you ever stopped to consider (writes Edith M. Cooke, in the "Etude") why it is that so few persons, compared with the multitudo of students, can play a number so that you would care (o hear it repeated? Thero must be something radically wrong, and it is for the wise teacher to determine why the results are at times so pitifully meagre. Can you expect a person to read, write, or speak so -well when he is not sure of .his alphabet? Yet every hour of tho day teachers are asking the impossiblo of their pupils. From the standpoint of assimilation tho mind is not unliko the digestive apparatus of the body. If tho stomach is tilled with too much food or indigestible food it rebels at once. Teachers who would hold up their hands in holy terror at tho picture of an infant eating plum pudding or sausage will give pupils pieces which stand about as much chance of being assimilated mentally as would the indigestible foods in the child's dclicato stomach. Seek with the greatest possible care to avoid giving too difficult pieces or too many pieces at the same time. Endeavour to have the pupil master all the difficulties of technique step by step. Pursuo unerringly along these lines with exercises and etudes. Strive for a better knowledge of note values, signatures, and key relations.. Let us jilay so that we may feed the mind, uplift tho spirit, and, best of all, touch the hearts of our hearers. Ole Bull and Self-Help. 010 Bull, the great Scandinavian violinist, is usually classed as self-taught, since, while ho had lessons in his youth for a limited time, the greater portion of his violin playing was self-developed. As a child he became passionately fond of tho violin through hearing "weekly string quartet rehearsals, in which his undo Jons played tho 'cello. His uncle gave him his first violin when ho was five years old, and such was his talent that ho learned to play all tho melodies ho heard surprisingly well without regular instruction.

His first regular instructor was a musician named Paulsen, the first violin of tho quartet which Ole heard practice. Ilis next teacher was a Swedish violinist named Lundholm, a pupil of Balliot, who did much for his technique. Later in his carter ho had lessons Cor a few months at a time from ablo teachers, but ho never enjoyed tho systematic training such as is given bv the conservatories of leading'Europoan cities. Ho bogged Spohr to give liiin lessons, but the great German refused him as a pupil. The turning point of his life caine when he heard Paganini in Paris, when ho was 21 years of age. The Italian wizard made a tremendous impression on him, and ho threw himself into his studies without tho aid of a teacher, with the greatest ardour, seeking to acquire the wonderful technical skill of Paganini. Musical authorities are generally agreed that Ole Bull would have been a far greater artist if ho could have enjoyed the guidance of some great violinist during tho first few years of liis studies, but, bo that as it may, there are certainly few violinists who have won greater fame, honours, and emoluments, and few who bare given a keener enjoyment to a greater number of audiences.

Notes. Mr. Alfred Kaufmans, tho basso of tho Mellxi Opera. Company, is a passengw by the Omrah, which left Sydney for London on February H. The popular operatic artist has been engaged for the coming season at Milan, and will reach thorp well in tinio for the. opening. Mr. Kaufmaim and MY. M'Cormack were delighted with their Australian ami 'New Zealand concert experiences, and the distinguished tenor slated before leaving that he would positively return lor a comprehensive concert tour towards the end of next year.