RUSSIA BEFORE 1918.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 8 December 1924, Page 4

RUSSIA BEFORE 1918.

LIFE IN PETROGRAD

MUSIC AND MUSICIANS

INTERESTING RECOLLECTIONS,

It is rarely that one has the privilege of meeting anyone who has had personal experience in the great metropolis of Raissia and can fell of life in the city of Petrograd before and during the war.. It was therefore with a feeling of great pleasure that a representative of the Star had the opportunity a personal talk with Miss Berta Carr, who, has come to the Dominion with Miss Maida Hooker after soma years spent at the Royal; College of Music, London, and who previously had some years at the Conservatori uni Music in the Russian capital city. The talk—-Miss Carr is a charming and facile conversationalist, who can talk on any subject- in which she is keen, and it may be added that sho is interested in, many and has a very wide outlook on life—ranged over a variety of topics, but naturally music and musicians, contrasts and comparisons, were perhaps what absoibed most attention. .Miss Carr’s father was an Englishman, married to a Russian lady, settled down ta, life 111 Petrograd, maintaining liis status as a British subject She and her sisters and brothers were all horn in Pefcrograd. Her four brothers answered the call o,f the British Empire, and served m France in English regiments. After the war, it may be added, they scattered to other countries, ’and now two are fanning in Canada and the others live m Europe. Miss Oarr had some years at the Conseravtorium, an institution entrance to which was soniewhat. diffiof making music a profession. Miss Carr speaks five . languages—French, German and Italian, besides Russian and English. She has studied and seen acted the plays of Ibsen and Shakespeare, in her birth place, and this study combined, with the influences of the life duying dreadful days in Petrogi'ad, luis given perhaps a, solemn touch to her outlook e.n life, but she has a great gift of humour, and as she talked interestingly of incidents of those times this gift of seeing the humour of -a situation flashed out time and again. The horrors of those days, she said.- she could never forget. She is very hitter against the Bolshevists, under whose rule, or misrule, Russia suffered terribly. There was no : security for the people and no morality in their government; and this, she said, was reflected in the business world of tlie countrv.

Those were troublesome days, said Miss Carr, when the plague struck the country. People in the city were dying in scores daily, and the authorities, anxious to hide the position- from,: the public, arranged, co have. burials conducted in the. early morning. These arrangements under such circumstances, were of the crudest.

Ihe people were in dire want, and although assistance was arranged from the. outside world, there was such a want of ordinary common decency in public life that- in numberless cases the assistance did not reach the povertystricken for whom it was intended. Miss Carr paid an eloquent tribute to the Red Cross service, which, was most effective.

During, these days food and clothing were very scarce, and at times were almost unobtainable. Miss Carr quoted . instances where food prices for ordinary needs rose by a hundred per cent. She reccßs an amusing incident coni nccbed with the old steam- trams which some years ago were running in Petrogrod, and which were actually a laughing stock to the people. The trams generally were run in twos. The management was so bad that the passengers defied the conductor. On .one occasion the second car was crammed, and a rail on which a number of passengers - were leaning gave way, and the whole lot were thrown out, much to, the amusement of the spectators of the scene

Talking of music and musical experiences, Miss Carr naturally was enthusiastic and most interesting in her references. She said that when the Czar was m power he was a most liberal patron of musical effort He supported or subsidised grand opera,- and in this wav the very best talent was attracted to_the capital city. All the best operas —Russian, German, and Italian—were performed regularly by strong companies, the well-known English musiciarrCoates being the leading conductor and the people being able- to hear for a moderate fee all the best opera. There was a wonderful opera house attached to the conservatorium “There ” said Miss Carr “I spent many hapuy dais and gained much musical knowledge. Such soloists as Hidalgo and Battistini VV - ere a .™ on S st those attracted to the £! fc - v *. _ "hat wa s before Miss Carp had rhe idea-of taking up music as a profession. "When she, with her father and sisters, was able to get away from Russia, they reached first Scotland, after a hazardous journey by way of Finland, bveden and Norway. She later came to London, joining the London College of Music, and during her time there securing three exhibitions for singing m French, Russian, and English. The third was in competition with English girls, and she is naturally proud of that success. In London she met and became a f F iend of Miss Maida Hooker. She had no thought of coming to the Dominion, but hearing so much of this little country, and having no ties to keep her in the Old Country, she resolved to see it. She is enthusiastic in her praise of the country and the people. She also met Walter Fennell in London, and expresses herself optimistic of his future. She considered ’ it very difficult to make progress ‘in London, unless a musician had influence and financial hacking, and that tact helped in. her decision to see the lands of the Southern Hemisphere. ,delighted with the life here, and thinks very highly of the country and people, from whom, she said, she naif experienced nothing but kindness and consideration. She thinks the people generally are very artistic and ■overs of good music, perhaps more so than the Australians. Sydney she considers marred by the great growth of 6 ci Cl -,v and consequent cramping oF building room in the city and round .he lovely harbour. In this respect she thinks Auckland superior in natural oeauty. The clear skies and wonderful scenery of New Zealand are to her a great attraction after the fogs of London, in which she has lived for several years. The mildness of the climate bore is so marked, and plants and trees which would struggle for existence in Russia, are "rown with the greatest ease in New Zealand. “Altogether,” said Miss Carr, “I am charmed with your country, and your scenery i s wonderful. , You have a country of which you should all be oroud.”