A VISITING PIANIST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18625, 5 August 1922, Page 5

A VISITING PIANIST

MR SPrVAKOVSICY INTERVIEWED. It is a curious circumstance, and perhaps not so flattering to our national selfesteem as we would like, that most of the great musicians ■ who visit these shores oome from Continental countries—in the majority of cases from Russia. The latest to visit New Zealand in succession to many of his notable countrymen is Mr Jascha Spiyakovsky, the brilliant young pianist who is at present giving a series of recitals at His Majesty s Theatre. Only 25 years of ago, he has boon hailed in many parts of the world a a a genius of the piano, and his gift has already enabled him very successfully to blaze the trail to fame and fortune. Mr Spivakovsky was bom in Kieff. but his juvenile talent shortly carried him to Odessa, the centre of the rich TTkraino district, where people are to-day perishing by thousands of starvation. During the dreadful pogroms of 1908 the Spivakovsky family suffered severely. Young Jascha had so delighted the wife of the mayor of the city with his playing that she had presented him with a grand piano. When the pogroms broke out the Spivakovsky flat was sacked by the mob, and the boy then only nine years old—endured the painful sight of witnessing his fine piano hurled from the fifth floor balcony on to the street below, and being smashed to pieces. But there was no time to -worry over the piano. It became a matter of life or death to get out of the country. At first they intended to try to get to Vienna, where his father had planned to put the boy under the famous teacher, Leschetitzky, but that course proved impracticable, and they wont on to Berlin, iwnere Jascha continued his studies under Professor Mayer-Mahr, a pupil of Liszt and Clara Wieck. He remainded under that distinguished master for six years, and when 13 years of age he gave his first recital in Berlin, and by his wonderful exposition of Schumann _ and Beethoven he made a great impression on the minds of the most hardened critics of the German capital. From that time onwards ho became his own master, and he continued to advance himself by sheer love of his art and by hard work and ceaseless study. All the time his services were in great demand, and he remained in Germany until the outbreak of war, when he was interned at Ruhleben. Mr Spivakovsky has not been in Russia for a very long time, but when asked for information about affairs in that country he stated that he hod a sister in Moscow with whom he was corresponding. The news from Russia was still very bad, though there were certain changes going on which seemed to indicate a trend towards a different order of things, which in time would lead to a more settled form of Government. Speaking of his Australian tour, the pianist stated that his reception in the commonwealth was so enthusiastic that ho hod to play 15 times in Melbourne. 10 times in Sydney, and five times in Adelaide. Ho has still to complete an extended season in Australia, and, judging by the bookings and the demands for concerts, his engagements there, after the completion or his New Zealand tour, may take him well into the coming summer. During his Now Zealand tour Mr Spivakovsky has visited Rotorua. Indeed, he took care to make that visit the one specific condition of his tour of this country. He considers that Rotorua is quite unique, and said that if’ it were better known to the outside world it would be rushed, from all countries. j