ORGANIST'S TOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23052, 1 June 1938, Page 15

ORGANIST'S TOUR

YOUNG FRENCH LADY MLLE. RENEE NIZAN "MODERN ST. CECILIA" For tlio first time in possibly a generation New Zealand lias an opportunity to welcome an organist of high repute who has come to the Dominion simply for the purpose of giving recitals. The visitor is a young French lady, Mile. Hence Nizan, who arrived at Auckland from Vancouver by the Niagara on Monday and intends to stay for a month. She will make one appearance in each of the four centres and will then tour the capitals of Australia. In spite of her youth Mile. Nizan lias made a definite place for herself among European organists, and is well known in the United States. She considers that her talent is hereditary, for her father was for many years organist of the Church of Notre Dame de Boulogne, Paris, and her two brothers, one of whom, M. Alain Nizan, accompanies her as manager, arc also players of considerable accomplishment. A Child Prodigy She was a pupil of Dallier and of Louis Vierne, who was organist of Notre Dame, and who at his death last year was in the front rank of modern composers for the instrument. At the age of 14 she gave her first, public recital in Paris, and at 15 appeared as soloist with the Pasdeloup Symphony Orchestra.

In 1931 Mile. Nizan toured the United States, giving 49 recitals in 50 days and appearing also ■with many of the leading orchestras. She gave 14.0 concerts on a coast-to-coast tour in 1934, and paid a third visit at the beginning ■of this year, appearing in the principal Canadian cities as well. Some years ago she made a series of nearly a dozen appearances in London and her Continental tours have included Belgium and Switzerland. | She has also visited the West Indies. Mile. Nizan brings with her the highest commendation of critics in Europe and America, many of whom have described her as '*a modern St. Cecilia" and a virtuoso of the first rank, from the aspects of both technique and interpretation. Her repertoire covers almost the whole range of organ music, from Bach to some of the newest French composers, whose works she rarely plays at public recitals, as she has found them caviare to the average audience. Arrangements for Tour Her programmes include a judicious selection of Bach and such other names as Cesar Francis, Widor, Dupre, Vierne, Daguin, Gigout and SaintMartin. She finds that, although many concerl-goers are unfamiliar with the organ except as incidental to church services, they show genuine _ pleasure in its music when the latter is chosen and grouped to give the maximum of variety. The first New Zealand recital by Mile. Nizan will be given upon the Wellington Town Hall organ next Tuesday. The organist of Christchurch" Cathedral, Mr. J. Maughan Barnett, is arranging the next, in the cathedral, on a date yet to be fixed, and the third will be in the Dunedin Town Hall, with the co-operation of the city organist. Dr. V. E. Galway. Mile. Nizan expects to give her Auckland recital on the Town Hall organ late in June, before she leaves for Australia. She has already tried the instrument, and those who were privileged to hear her -were much impressed by her performance.