VIOLIN PRODICY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 22 December 1922, Page 3

VIOLIN PRODICY

WONDERFUL PLAYING IJY LAI) AGED 10.

Tho interesting story of a youth who in tho judgment of such authorities as Sir Landoa HonaUl and Mr Mischa I'dman is a violinist of genius has just been disclosed to tho Worshipful Gompanv of Musicians, says the Daily Mail. The youth is a Scots lad in modest circumstance's named William Primrose, the son of an orchestral musician who lias los to red his sou s tasto for music and in his spare time taught Hu* boy the rudiments of violin-play-ing. Two years ago Sir London Ronald was conducting the Scottish Symphony Orchestra in Glasgow, when one ui tho viola players asked that he would hear his son play the violin. “Of course, 1 consented,”, said Sir Lar.dou. “and I was well repaid. It was a horribly cold morning, and 1 sat muffled up in a fur coat, but I forgot all about the cold when this chid of "L i began to play Beethoven’s Concerto. It was really wonderful, and I i realised at once that the boy, W illiam Primrose, had m him the greatest tallont as a fiddler 1 had heard for many vc-ars.

RAISING FUNDS “[ asked the father what he could do in the way of having the hoy trained. He said; ‘Nothing; J. have taught him myself, hut I can do no more.’ It would liavo been almost a. crime to lot such talent go undeveloped, so I told the father I would do what I could.

•'The result was a grant of £l5O Horn the Music Committee of i.he City Corporation, and on that money Primrose has been trained at the Guildhall School of Music under Max Mossel. The grant is now. exhausted, but happily 1 have boon able to find a sCnolarship of £BO for ban. Mischa Fomin, wiio lias hoard the hoy fnow only just over 16), say- he Ims the 'greatest talent ho Ims heard lor many years.”