VISITING MUSICIANS HAVE FEW HOLIDAYS

Northern Advocate, 31 May 1949, Page 3

VISITING MUSICIANS HAVE FEW HOLIDAYS

AUDIENCES in New Zealand were excellent and showed real appreciation of good, music, said Mr Richard Goldner, a member of the Musica Viva Players, who presented a varied programme at the Whangarei Town Hall last night. The quintet arrived in Whangarei yesterday afternoon from Auckland. Their recital was presented under the auspices of the Community Arts Service in Whangarei.

Members of the quintet were Robert Pikler, a Hungarian, Richard Goldner and Theo Salzman, formerly of Vienna, and Edward Cockman and Maureen Jones, of Australia. They live permanently in Sydney when not touring Australia.

The quintet was last in New Zealand in October and November, when a similar tour was made. The present visit will also be of two months’' duration. The musicians arrived in Auckland from Australia on Saturday, May 21, and will leave New Zealand by air on July 16.

The Musica Viva quintet is the only chamber music society in Australia. It was founded by Mr Goldner, and is now in its fourth season, having proved a great success. At least three concerts a week arc given in Australia, and during the year an average of 40,000 miles are travelled, mostly by air. Once a fortnight the quintet broadcasts on the Australian ABC network.

During the two months 30 works will | iave been performed. On its' return Australia, the quintet will continue to g[ vc concerts, including its usual 20 at Sydney and Melbourne, 10 at Adelaide and five at Ballarat, which have been held every year since the Musica Viva was formed, New Zealand audiences were excellent, and had a deep appreciation of the works performed, Mr Golcjner said.