BRUSSELS CONSERVATOIRE. MR. THOMAS TROWELL'S - TRIUMPH.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 37, 12 August 1905, Page 9

BRUSSELS CONSERVATOIRE. MR. THOMAS TR O WELL'S - TRIUMPH.

Mr. Hugh Wilson, who is now in Wellington making preparations' 'for' the tour through the colony of . the Hugardes, "magical sketch artists and illusion pantomimists," sends to our contributor "Orpheus" the following interesting note on Brussels and its Conservatorium of Music, at which, as noted" a day or two ago, Mr. T. Trowell had gained first prize at the annual competitions : — - "Dear 'Orpheus,' — Mention is made in" the Post of Mr. Thomas Trowell having gabled first place for the 'cello at the Great Concern's ('competitions') held in the Salle de la Grande Hannonie at Brussels. This hall is quite close to the famous Palais de Justice, which is said to ba sinking every year, and even r.ow is quite on a slant There is no doubt the Brussels Concours is the highest form of examination in the world that any aspirant can possibly face, .et alone pass through with triumphant honours. The Conservatoire at Brussels" is the hardest Conservatoire in tho world for string instruments. 1 had ,the honour- in 1898 and 1899 to be present at the Concours, to which it is a most difficult matter to obtain admission. Brussels is quite a city of musicians and singers, and in mj r brief stay of eighteen months there I had the pleasure of. meeting Louise .Nanney, the young English violinist, who laced the Concoars ordeal ; also young Raymond j Roze (son of Mark Koze), and Madame ; Frances Saville (who is well known in these latitudes). The latter went to the . ..and Opera House, St. Petersburg, after her season at the Theatre de la. Monnaie ' in Brussels. Among others I met in the Belgian capital were Madame Lemimns-Sherr.ngton, Madame Wieniawski ' (an Englishwoman), wifo of the late_ Jacob U'ieniawski, the famous Polish -violinist, Jacob's brother, the well-known ' pianist, and the Rev. Haskert Smith, ' whose' delightful . lectures on Egypt and the East will long be remembered in Wellington. Mr. Haskett Smith's daughter was studying at 'the. Conservatoire. At the time I was in Brussels Ysaye, the great violinist (who, I hear, is to visit Australia shortly, and who must be an old man now), was head of tho violin section at the. Conservatoire. "There is no doubt that the distinction gained by young Mr. Trowell is one that should make everyone in New Zealand proud of their young countryman, not only from the fiict that competitors from all over the world go through the course at the 'Brussels Conservatoire — and out of the large number only tho eight best are weeded out for final competition — but also because English people at the Conservatoire are .by no means the greatest of favourites. I have never met nor hoard of Mr. Trowell, but recognising the great honour he has gained for himself and his j, country, I could nob refrain from trying | to impress upon thoy who may not j know already the importance of the I sjiws he has.gnincd. It must be'remembered that out of the hundreds that go through the course at this famous Conservatoire yearly from all parts of the world, only one can win this prize, and when that' fills to a New Zonhnd'-r it is indeed a thing to be proud of." Pickering, in the Wbitby division (nays the Manchester Guardian) is an old market town with a castle which was built in the time ol Rufus, a matter of eight centuries ago, and with a church famous for soms^ remarkable mural piiintim<« of the fi'leenth century. Onp is struck hare, as in Whitby iisaif, with the larjre numbei of dummy windows to the houhes painted to look like < windows that aro re.il. On enquirinc;, you find that tho I houses which are decorated with these imitations wero built late in the seventeenth century or at any time in the eighteenth when there was a window tax, and co form excellent memorials of those good old Protectionist times I when the very licht was a monopoly.