A GIFTED PIANIST

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7929, 12 October 1911, Page 8

A GIFTED PIANIST

MR FRANK HUTCHENS,

"X would far prefer to see an eminent New Zealander painting his pictures in his own country and sending them to European academies than that he should go to" Europe and send an occasional picture to New Zealand," declared Lord Islington at the Academy of Fin© Arts last Monday. These remarks were applauded. But how many of "those who applauded were genuinely sincere m their open concurrence with his views? Apply the same method of reasoning to our own little musical world, and wo do not see much encouragement for the gifted New Zealander here. Frank Hutchens, fresh with London laurels, returns to show his native countrymen the results of his six years’ study. He plays before a handful of people. True, “Mia Gibbs” was in strong opposition last night, but there should be sufficient patronage left in a community to show a talented young artist that the occasional homilies we get on "art encouragement aro not mere idle words. t

Mr Hutchens, then twelve and a half years of age, went Home seven years ago. Blueing himself under Mathay at the Royal Academy of Music, the young New Zealander’s genius soon brought him to the front. The gold medal qi the Academy, awarded for the first time by the principal. Sir Alex. Mackenzie, became his on merit. He was a sub-professor at the Academy at sixteen, with the Sterndale Bennett scholarship and the Thalberg scholarship in his possession as well. Throe silver medals and three bronze medals were amongst his successes. His memorising feats gained for him much jjraise—on one occasion he mastered thirty-six pages of music in ten days. The concerto ■work with the Academy orchestra at the Queen’s Hall, Loudon, gave the student further opportunities for gaining valuable experience. But this by the way. Mi* Hutchens was not deterred by the lack of numbers in his audience from doing his best. His work throughout was of a very high order. One saw why it was that competent critics had classed him with tho most promising pianists. He plays with all the skill of tho cultured artist. The lover of Chopin could have desired nothing better than the series of studies he selected from this composer; he caught the true Chopin atmosphere, refined delicacy here, adequate force there—tho artist throughout. The York-Bowcn miniature (“Humoresque," “Nocturne," and "Scherzo") was delightfully played; so wore the brilliant "Hungarian Rhapsody" (Liszt) and the same composer’s “Love’s Bream/’ with fino appreciation of a theme that will always interest. There were also Chopin’s Sonata in B minor (Ist movement), and a Chopin nocturne, alike enjoyable for tho graceful treatment they received. There was not quite enough Hutchens on the programme. To-morrow night ho appears again. Ho merits a full house. Mr Hutchens had assisting him Miss Ethel Carter, Miss Agnes feegrief, and Mr Will Hutchens. Miss Carter sang with success, “Break! Break! Break! (Lewis Caroy) and Meyerbeer's cavatina “LieU Signor," besides two encore pieces, "A Birtlulav" (Lewis Carey) and "Elcanore” (Mallinson). Miss Scprricf’s programme items were—" Stride la A ampa" from "Trovatore” and "Down iu tile Forest” (RonoldJ, both of which were encored, and she also sang "Love's Whisper" (Willcby) and “I Sometimes Wonder ” (Amy Finden). Mr Will Hutchens. who possesses a robust voice, welltrained, sang "See! There she Appears” and “Where’er you Walk” (Handel), "A Memory” (Goring Thomas), "Tho Brownv Bird” (Frank Hutchens), "My Queen" (TUnmenthal), and as one of his encores “The Yeoman’s Wedding.” The accompanists were Miss Mahelle Harris and Mr D. Kenny. Mr Hutchens, amongst his pieces tomorrow night, will play Beethoven's "Sonata in C minor,” Six Waltr.cs (.Brahms), and Chopin’s "Presto” (Sonata, B minor).