FAMOUS PIANIST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20604, 1 July 1930, Page 13

FAMOUS PIANIST.

THE RETURN OF BACKHAUS.

COMPOSERS OF THE PAST. VIEWS ON RADIO BROADCASTING. Delighted with the prospect of making a second concert tour of New Zealand, tlio famous pianist, Wilhelm Backhaus, arrived at Auckland from Sydney by the Aorangi yesterday, lie is accompanied by Mrs. Backhaus and Mr. E. ,T. Gravestock, who is directing the tour. "1 have many happy memories of New Zealand and 'I am genuinely pleased to return," Bacl<haus said. "In Australia I found that IJIO people still remembered mo and still appeared to appreciate my playing of the works of the great coinposers of the past. I hope it will be the same in New Zealand." Backhaus has not suffered from lack of engagements since his last visit to New Zealand. He has given numerous recitals in England and on the Cantinent, visited South America and played at Beethoven and Schubert festivals. Added to this ho continues to reeord regularly for the gramophone. However, as tar as ho himself is concerned, the famous pianist-is not an advocate of radio broadcasting. "There is no guarantee of successful reproduction," lie said, "and tho idea of playing to an unseen and widely scattered audience which has no uniformity of interest in tho artist does not appeal to me. "With tho gramophone it is different. Great improvements have been mado in tlio art of recording and one can judge whether one's work is up to standard. It is a great privilege to be able to hear yourself as others hear you." Backhaus has changed very litt-lo since I lis last visit. lie still has the quiet, cheerful manner and happy speech which made him so many friends in New Zealand before, and he is still wedded to the great composers of the past. All tho greatest composers lived in the past, fie says, and modern music has not tho same power to fulfil the longing in the human heart for some lasting form of expression. There was at present a reaction in favour of the more simple forms of music—chamber music as opposed to large orchestras—and this was perhaps a hopeful sign. Was he composing himself? The groat pianist smiled and shook his head. "One is either a composer or a pianist," ho said. "I imagine that I am doing more for humanity l>y playing Beethoven's sonatas than by writing " music which would not be as good." Backhaus regards the advent of talking pictures with equanimity. They had not spoiled his audiences, ho said, and he thought that on the concert platform people still desired tho personal presence of the. artist. Backhaus will givo his first Auckland concert in the Town Hall on Thursday evening and other concerts will be given on Saturday and Monday next. After his New Zealand tour tho pianist will return to Australia and may visit South Africa on his way back to England and the Continent.