THOUGHTS ABOUT MUSIC

Evening Star, Issue 22681, 22 June 1937, Page 14

THOUGHTS ABOUT MUSIC

[By L.D.A.] *• Music gives tone; to ths unirerie: wings to the mind: flight to the imagi- ■ nation: a charm to aadnass: gaiatj and life to everything.”—Pleto. Some weeks ago I alluded in this column to Arthur Hirst, whom I remembered as a very cultured pianistlecturer on a tour of New Zealand during 1926-27, I think it was. When writing about him, however, I had no idea that he was born and brought up in the Dominion, or that he has had the varied afld adventurous career which seems to have been the case, according to an account that appeared in the May issue of ‘ The New Zealand News,’ a London paper published chiefly for New Zealanders residing in England. This account is so interesting that I reproduce it here in full: • e • • “ Those who know Taranaki to-daiy, with its park-like vistas and its excellent roads, have little idea of what it was like in the ’eighties. Then the farms were bush farms in very truth; the settlers had to clear .their properties of dense growth, adding to their stock as pasture was prepared little by little; the milk had to be churned and the butter made by hand, and sold as occasion offered; amenities there were few, and schools were scattered.. “ In such surroundings Arthur Hirst spent the first, 13 years of his life—up before daylight to milk cows and feed calves, trudging four miles to school and four miles back again in the evening ; then more inevitable farm jobs to be done, followed by ‘ home-work ’ before going to bed. After some years of this a move was made to * town ’—the noble city of Patea! —where schooling was better, and where he succeeded in gaining a scholarship to Wanganui College. Instead of taking,this up he elected to enter the Government Railway Department. Three years of hard work in every branch of railway routine 'gavel Him variety .of experience, whjlo in such spare time as he could manage he devoted himself te a study of psychology which he has since regarded as his life’s most valuable asset.

■ “ Offered a post in the Bank of New Zealand at the age of 18, young Hirst immediately accepted, and. after another four years, became relieving officer, and was ordered to all sorts of branches at a moment’s notice, while ever increasing his knowledge of men and things. Then, some time later, cam© a larger move. Persistent ■ eye trouble necessitated specialist advice, and he went to England, travelling via Australia and South Africa, arriving in London during the autumn of 1908.

“ For the. first year there he continued in the banking service, but made acquaintance with artistic activity of every kind. He became an intimate friend of Frank Dicksee, the artist, and met many men of similar type in that circle; he attended all sorts of concerts, and, finally, became so eriamoured of fine art that he saw no other course open to him than to forsake commerce altogether and embark upon some artistic career. With no particular talent for anything, he had, at least, ‘ tinkled the piano and sung in odd; church choirs, and 1 warbled ’ occasionally at football concerts —so he chose music ns a means of livehihood. Being seriousminded to a degree, he lost no time in heading for Germany, where he felt he would find enthusiasm in keeping with his own aspirations. There he met Percy Grainger, who gave him introduction to Professor Engesser in Frankfort, formerly an< intimate of Brahms, and then head of the piano department in the local _ conservatorium; and although this eminent teacher did not usually accept beginners, he made an exception for Arthur Hirst, giving the odd New Zealander a start with five-finger exercisos 1! 1 ” . ' • ♦ • I have paused for a moment in this narrative to emphasise that last sentence with exclamation marks, because it must be borne in mind that Hirst was approaching 30 years of age when he decided to begin piano study. Now to resume: •*■ * • “His early approach to psychology here bore timely fruit, leading the student to apply his mind, scientifically and economically, and making great progress as a result. Eighteen months of intensive study and immense industry produced a considerable technical equipment, later much increased, on returning to London, under the tutelage of Mathilde . Verne, whose professional associate he remained until her death only a year ago; but, meanwhile, Germany. called Him back, , and in 1912 he returned to Berlin, where he was enrolled in Dohnanyi’s classes at the Hoehschule, later studying with Kwast and becoming the latter’s assistant at the Sternschen : Conservatorium. , , , .

“ But 1914, that fateful year for* countless multitudes, upset Arthur Hirst’s plans completely. He was on a visit to Norway (with which country he had become well acquainted, both as to topography and language) when the war broke out, and when he returned at once to England he speedily discovered the value of his extensive linguistic knowledge, which subsequently proved of, much practical use, first to the Foreign Office, and then to the Admiralty, finally resuling in a naval commission. Hirst saw a lot of active service with , the Dover Patrol, the Grand Fleet, mine sweepers, and, lastly, when attached to the - Scandinavian convoy unit 'at Bef-. gen—all of which furnished sufficient change and excitement for the most ardently adventurous nature. But during this hectic period the artist soul necessarily languished, and the arrival of the Armistice saw the physical being languish also, for it found Arthur Hirst lying almost ‘ in extremis.’ and only after a long sojourn in hospital was'he invalided out of the service “ 1919 ” . . . . “ Broken and helpless, he decided on a long trip to America, and for months he wandered through that hospitable country, from coast to coast —and with good results, for although the effects of his illness can never,be entirely overcome, he was able on returning to England at least partly to resume his former artistic, pursuits. Mr Hirst was engaged for a series of illustrated lectures on general musical subjects at London University, which had organised a scheme of this nature, also embracing the other arts and sciences, in various provincial centres. For some 10 years he worked all over England, in more than 100 towns, explaining the spiritual background of great music to tens of thousands. At intervals, also, he renewed his cosmopolitan activities and lectured in several languages throughout Europe. Then came another spell of bad luck. The advent of radio gave people a surfeit of broadcast talks and lectures, and put an end to the univer-

sity scheme, after which Mr Hirst had the misfortune to fracture a leg—an accident that crippled his activities in a double sense. Since then he has devoted himself to quiet teaching and the provision of occasional private concerts in his London studio. Enormous experience of artistic life and close friendship with men eminent in all the arts and sciences, as well as a deep knowledge of the literature of culture in four languages, has constituted Mr Hirst an authority whom we are proud to present to our readers.” e * * * The foregoing is surely one of the most absorbing and instructive stories of faithfulness to an ideal and of artistic heroism that have ever conic under my notice. It should prove an incentive not only to discontented and discouraged students, but to workers in general—to all, in fact, who strive towards the good and noble in life. The more I dwell upon the career of Arthur Hirst the more striking and beautiful it seems. Let no man say after this that the pursuit of farming is soul-deaden-ing or that it closes the door to all higher aspirations. The moral to bo drawn from the story is an old one. but one that can never be reiterated too often—viz., the essential thing on this earth is the development of character and imagination; given these, it is not possible for any man to fail, no matter what his objective. In its relation to music I shall return to this subject later.