THOUGHTS ABOUT MUSIC

Evening Star, Issue 25619, 20 October 1945, Page 10

THOUGHTS ABOUT MUSIC

(By L.D.A.) | Pnina Salzman made her final appearance in Wellington on October 13 before an audience which, both in numbers and enthusiasm, probably constituted a record for the capital city—- ! and with good reason, as the subjoined •. extract from tho Wellington ' Dominion ' sufficiently testifies. It had j been my intention to give some account of this memorable concert, as I was fortunate enough to be present, but the following eloquent description by Mr Harcus Plimmer really leaves little ; for me to say : j "My admiration for the.art.of Pnina Salzmau has deepened with' each recital lin Wellington. It culminated in the | concert at the Town Hall on Saturday I night, when she figured as soloist (with the 'N.B.S. orchestra) in a thrilling' I performance of Tschaikowsky's Concerto !in B Flat Minor. The performance of I this prepossesing young person from Palestine . . . was so artistically satisfying that it gave me the impression of an artist already in the first (light; one whose name will, sooner or later, ring throughout the world, providing the pianoforte remains her career. " Years ago one so advanced in the pianistic world as Alfred Cortot told Miss Salzman that there was no one in the world who could teach her anything more in respect to pianoforte 1 technique. I very much doubt that ; anyone who has heard her play would icare to argue that point; but, beyond ! that goal, Pnina Salzman has half a dozen qualities which serve to grace her work—an imaginative interpretative I sense, an almost mystic faculty in tone | colouring, amazing velocity iii torrential passages (and that with clarity in, definition), strength of steel in both' hands, and a command of accent and rhythm that is, at times, almost exciting. These qualities were made manifest in the concerto, in the dramatic and romantic movements of which the pianist was positively electrical, i " The concerto was last heard in Wellington in February, 1948, with fgnaz j Friedman as soloist, under the same ] conductor as on Saturday night, -Mr I Andersen Tyrer, whose catholic knowledge and firm command contributed so i much to the success of the concert. It I was easy to see that Mr Tyrer (who I lias himself played the concerto 100 j times) .enjoyed Miss Salzman's wholly delightful and stimulating performance." * * * * There is not one word of exaggeraI tion in the above tribute—in fact, the I term " ovation," employed in a later | paragraph; is'an understatement of the audience's reaction to the pianist's performance. Taken all round, the concerto was performed, both by soloist audi orchestra, in a manner that would have deeply impressed any body of listeners anywhere in the world. Quite apart from Miss Salzman's phenomenal achievement, the playing'of the orchestra gave me much food for thought. I Not that, .it "had no faults—the woodwind section at times reminded me very forcibly that some of its best representatives are away on tour in- Australia with the Aii Force Band. Hut the potential and actual merits of the orchestra far outweighed its shortcomings There is no doubt whatever that tho bulk of the material [or forming a national orchestra is here, ready to ho moulded into a first-class combination. In this connection 1 must sav that the rumoured departure from New Zealand of Mr Andersen Tyrer comes as a sad blow. If true, it means that the one man on whom musicians might have depended to bring to speedy realisation our dreams of a national orchestra may be lost to this country When 1 say " the one man." I mean it, literally. As far as I know 'there is none other at present in the Dominion who possesses a tithe of Mr Tyrer's i musicianship, orchestral technique, or artistic authority—not to mention personality, perhaps equally important. Eminent conductors are pretty rare birds; you could almost count them on your fingers anywhere in the musical world'. Therefore, it will be nothing less than tragic .if Andersen Tyrer de~ cides to leave us. One from nothingleaves nothing. Good conductors are born, not made, and we really have not time to await the possibilities of another generation. I suggest that urgent efforts be made to retain Mr Tyrer's services in New Zealand. li Attendance at the concert mentioned i above was by no means the end of my j

good fortune—in fact, it proved merely the beginning. The thirteenth of the month is not reputedly propitious, but .some kind fairy watched over me on the evening of October 13. After tiie eoncert I was introduced to Miss Salzman. who, on learning of my identity with the scribe who impugned her interpretation of the Finale "of Chopin's Funeral March Sonata, immediately expressed keen interest, and invited me to lunch with'her and Mrs Salzman at their hotel on the Monday following. This was tantamount to a glorified "interview," and I made the most of it. Pnina Salzman, off stage, presents a totally different picture from that of the consummate concert artiste. She has a dazzling personality—a charm of manner, and 1 the perfection of poise innate in those accustomed to dominate in the social sphere.

But what impressed me chiefly was this superb artist's modesty concerning her own achievements, and her apparent eagerness to ascertain other musical points of view. For example, reverting to my criticism, she pressed me to explain my own idea of the Chopin Sonata Finale. 1 described, as well as 1 could, the interpretations of it I have heard from other great pianists, and at length she said: " I'm beginning to believe they were right " —her tone implying that some modification of her own rendering may be looked for when next she plays this work. On the subject of Liszt's great B Minor Sonata, Miss Salzman was emphatic. "Itis a magnificent work." she said, " do you think I would waste my time on it if it were empty and tawdry, as some try to suggest? That and his ' Mephisto Valse,' are. at present, .the only two works of Liszt in my repertoire*, for, in .my opinion, they show him at his highest creative peak.''

Miss' Salzmaii's command of English is amazing, considering that a year or two ago she did not know a single word. To-day she speaks fluently five languages—Kuglish, French, German, Russian, and Hebrew, and is in hopes, later on, of acquiring Italian and Spanish, and perhaps a few more Kuropean tongues. There is a quiet sense of power in this princess of the piano that seems to remove all limits to her enterprise. One other interesting thing 1 discovered, too. Pnina Salzman, the pianist, is not the product of Alfred Cortot's tuition. He save her a few lessons, in interpretation of Chopin, Schumann, and Liszt, but never a hint concerning keyboard technique. Her chief teacher in the latter respect was the French woman pianist, Magda Tagliafero, who, though born and reared in Brazil, has spent most of her life in Paris. Miss Salzman assured me that it is solely to this teacher that she owes her finger and wrist mechanism, and that during her first two years with Madama Tagliafero she plaved nothing but exercises and scales, for hours and hours daily. There are no short cuts to virtuosity, whatever the musical field. Ulealisni, grit, determination, and sheer hard work have Raised Pnina Salzman to the pianistic pedestal she occupies to-day. J New Zealand is the richer for the visit | of this great artist, news of whose I triumphs in other countries will be read with deepest interest. '