MUSIC AND LONGEVITY

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 68, 29 September 1928, Page 20

MUSIC AND LONGEVITY

STILL YOUNG AT EIGHTY. : Does music increase life? Vladimir dp Pachmann, the world-famous pianist and greatest exponent of, .Chopin's genius, was $0 on-27th: July. A few days bofore- this wonderful old-man worked a vast audience up into'a furore, of enthusiasm,, when ho made his ',' positively last -appearance "-r-full of jokes, pouring scorn on the old men of 60 who hobble along the Boulevard dcs Italiens in Parish' Sir Henry Coward, who has just retired from the conductorship of' tlio Leeds' Choral Union, will be 79.'a few'months^ Rafter. Pachmann achieved his . 80th . birthday. . Here are. pe ages'Of .sonic, of tho kings and queens of melody:.—Sir.Edward Elgar, 71;. Christine Nilson, '78; Mario, 73; Scarlatti (A.).,~66; ScarlattJ (grandson), 72; Yon Saver, 06; Sir' Charles Santley,,' 88; Saint-Saeiis, 86; Wagner, 70; Sims Reeves, 82; Jenny Lind, 67; Edward. Lloyd, 82; Puccini, 66; Liszt, 75; Pafti, 76; Clara Novello, 9.0; Albahi, 76; and Paderowski, 68. ■■ ...,'." "We. are not permitted to know.tho ages; of Dame Ethel Smyth, the. composer, or of Dame' Nellie Melba" (says a writer.in the Cape "Argus",who l»s looked up' the faCts just given). The latter, who is of Scotch and Spanish descent, has, however, been 'married 42 years) while Damo, Ethel, who composed the -battle-song of the "Suffragists," produced her mass in D Minor at theAlbert Hall in 1893. I have an .idea, that about a month ago she celebrated her 70th birthday, and .that tho celebrated operatic soprano is three years her junior. Damo. Nellie was born at Australia's Burnley, which is on the "Yarra Braes," near Melbourne. The world -hopes that these two great geniuses of music will continue to dolight some of us at least. ■ Damo Nellie officially retired .two years' ago, 'but still "obliges" now and then. Oddly enough, with the two or three exceptions! have given—■ Liszt, Puccini,' Wagner, and Elgar, and ono or two others—composers do not achieve old ago as a rule. Mendelssohn was 38; (Mozart, who even as a child of three showed a love of music in an extraordinary manner) was 35, Strauss was 45, while Leoncavallo died somewhat unexpectedly at 61, at the height of his power. It is the executant who reaches long age in a marked degree, peoplo who take so much out of themselves; aud even if tlio composers do not pass the three-score years and ton, they get fairly near. , Wo delight.in honouring genius. In music wo have honoured many, including foreigners. The King's birthday comes near Pachmann 's—will he bo recognised, one wonders? The genius who is still young at 80?"