MUSIC IN NEW ZEALAND

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 17 October 1921, Page 7

MUSIC IN NEW ZEALAND

+__ , NOT ALL GENIUSES COME FROM ABROAD.

A fortnight ago the Lytteltoh Times Sublished a leading article on music in ew Zealand, and gave high praise to Levitzki, whose genius and brilliance I are freely acknowledged by all who had i the pleasure of hearing him at his all-too-few recitals in New Zealand. The article, however, made no reference to I the? achievements of New Zealand born pianists, and the omißsion caused Mr. | T :W. Denk of St. Alban's, to write as I follows to the Times :— MUSIC IN NEW ZEALAND. . ~ "Sir,—-The leader in your issue of Saturday covers the above subject capably, comprehensively, and, in the main, correctly, but as your remarks, to a • extent, also epitomise the capabilities of our little country to produce 'musicians generally, but pianists in particular, it would at least have been a gracious act to have made reference therein to the achievements of some of the New Zealand born pianists, several of whom Have won more than local recognition, and one in particular has achieved what, so far, Levitzki has yet to do i.e., capture the London cntica-~altnough there's but little doubt that he will—when he gets there. The particular New. Zealand pianist above referred to is F,rank Hutchens, who, born in Leeston, was denied the advantages of adequate tuition and the congenial environment enjoyed by most of j the world's greatest pianists in their prodigy days, nevertheless, went j straight from a New Zealand country! town to the Royal Academy, London, in which, although he was by two years' the youngest competitor, he won from the world's.best pianistic prodigies the Sterndale Bennett scholarship, the Thalberg scholarship^ the Heathcote Lon°prize, and the Chappell "gold medal—the only time it was ever awarded. His successes at the R.A.M., London, constituted him—for the'time being—the greatest v among pianforte students in the British Empire, and he was appointed to a sub-professorshitf at the R.A.M. at the age of sixteen—the youngest ever appointed I In his recitals in New Zealand in 1912 and 1920 he played almost precisely the same programme as did. Levitzki recently, including the Walstem Sonata, the Scarlatti Sonata, the Chopin Ballade in A-flat, likewise practically all the Chopin Studies, the Lizst Rhapsodies, and. with the New South Wales State Orchestra last year, the great Lizst Fantasia! Quite unaided by professional'"boosters," by his own talent and inherent charm, he gave successful recitals throughout New Zea- !? i a? d Austr^'ia, and who, in New Zealand, are competent to define any line of detrimental demarcation between his mterpretition and technical treatment of the great works above referred to with Levitzki's? Opportunely a letter from Frank Hutchens has just reached the undersigned, in which he casually mentions that he is to adjucli-: cate.the various (piano) scholarships at the Royal Academy this year, also tnat he intends giving, three recitals in Ixmdon before Christmas. Trusting that the foregoing will prove that, although generally jiandicapped, by British nam* and surrounded by ""*"h Pnlegmatw moods, conditions, and traditions, the pianoforte music of JNew Zealand is not entirely dependent upon foreign talent; al&o that, given proper encouragement, we can at "times produce players whom the cognoscenti in the.wojrld's musical centres hail a? maestros, and honour accordingly.—! am, etc.—Thos W. Dent." The Times, in reply, thanks Mr. Dent for. havuig reminded us of Mr. Frank Hutchens' New Zealand recitals, and w<= nf^^ hl m t]^ at they were warthj Of notice, m the circumstances even it nfni UT tlon i^l^ such names as thos< ot Faderewski Carreno, and Borwick.' The Timets refers to Mr. Hutchens aj JL J eK, bnli iant young New Zealam SSS? frf %* r S. ? lfe SV re that th( SSPi, thls d*3trict > where he is s< well known, will keenly await th. arrival of reports of his I.ondon recitals