BOY PIANIST ARRIVES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21932, 16 October 1934, Page 3

BOY PIANIST ARRIVES

EARLY MUSIC SUCCESSES A VERY HUMAN PRODIGY "He is all hoy. Thorp is nothing ethereal or other world about him particularly at meal time," said .Miss H. M Garnaut, when speaking ot Philip Hargrave, the boy pianist, shortly after their arrival from Sydney yesterday. "He is just as mischievous as other boys, does the same sort of tilings, and leaves me wondering what he will be up to next. On the trip across* it was not long belore he had been all oyer-the ship, including the engine room and all the other more or less inaccessible, places that bovs find out." Nevertheless, although he may not have the dreamy, ethereal look about him that some people might expect a boy prodigy to wear, Philip most distinctly does not look an ordinary boy The broad forehead, clear intent eyes, sensitive features, are unusual, and the grip of his hands when greeting one is extraordinarily muscular. Those same, hands —the hands of a twelve-year-old boy—are insured for £2OOO. For about six years Miss Garnaut has taken the place of a mother to the boy and in addition teaches him music. When asked what it felt like to be the teacher of a prodigy, Miss Garnaut said there were moments when it alarmed her. There was such a maturity of understanding, such an intuition, such an intellectual grasp of music and at the same time such a concentration of effort that at times it was rather overwhelming "Philip does not care for the work of the moderns, she said. "They have not the slightest appeal for hi in. After all," sbe added, "have we anything among fehem to compare, in beauty of form, rhythm, colour and structure with work of Beethoven, Bach and others?" As an illustration of the concentration and persistency of effort of the boy musician, Miss Garnaut spoke of a programme that was being compiled for one of his concerts in Australia. A certain composition (Bach) had been suggested, and she had suggested substituting another work. "Why do you do that?"" she was asked. "Do you dislike it?" On receiving her answer, that she thought it too difficult a thing, Philip suggested that he be allowed to work at it for. a few days. At the end of that time he played it faultlessly and it was acclaimed one of his best performances at the concert. "J hat will show you his determination," said Miss Garnaut. At seven years old Philip was playing Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata without music. At nine he won the three years scholarship awarded to the most promising candidate in the Public Music Examinations, grades one and two. The examiners were astounded, for the winners of this very much coveted award are anything from 16 to 20 years of age. "Here he was," said Miss Garnaut, "this small boy in a middy blouse and short pants, his feet barely reaching the pedals, astounding professors and music lovers with , his brilliant and matured interpretation of the classics. One of them, a professor of music of very high standing, exclaimed, 'We are walking on holy ground. The boy is a genius.! " And so truly boy-like is Philip that he was spending his morning playing with two black retrievers that he had made friends with shortly after his arrival.