CHILD COMPOSER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7910, 15 January 1904, Page 2

CHILD COMPOSER.

POPULAR -WALTZ COMPOSER AT THE AGE OF FIVE. No one -who heard the waltz "La Reve" played by Mr Dan Godfrey's band at Bournemouth, some weeks ago, suspected that at the time -when the spell of its dreamy fascination was first woven, its composer was only five years old. That was because little Max Darewski has not yet been " discovered." He has not been spoiled by adulation. Now eight years old, he is still a sweet-natured, intelligent child, with a wide Eton collar, large brilliant 'black eyes, and hair that is dark and curly. In his brain tunes are always finding birth. Only the wisdom of his parents and: his doctor prevents 'him from spending half his time in putting ihis compositions on paper. Because of that wise lestraint, "La Reve" is the only one of his compositions which has reached completion. The son of a well-known professor of singing, little Max breathes at home the atmosphere of music. Born in 1895, he 'began to show signs of musical precocity 'before he knew his alphabet. At- five, without having had a lesson, he had composed " La Reve," and a few months later he was able to play it on the piano from memory. • Had he been a child of ordinary physique his musical education would have been ab once commenced, but his doctor foun^ it difficult; enough to rear him at all. It was not until he was twelve months older that he was placed under Mi 1 Carl WeTber for instruction. After six months, sic kn-ew enough of technique to be able to write down the waltz which lie ; had kept in his memory for so many months. At that time he was unable to write his name. At Christmas Max was to conduct a performance of his waltz by Mr Dan Godfrey's band, which- now plays it regularly as part of "its" repertory. -Next -spring, if ev«3rything goes wel£ he 'will appear at West End concerts as a pianist. Little Max cannot explain the mysteries of composition. "I just sit down to play something," he says, "and it comes into my h-ead. Then I can remember it the n-ext- time, lop if I play a thing once I do not forget it. I often want to compose, but- papa says it isn't- good' forme." Two years ago he co-nvpoEvgd a song 1 of farewell as a. consolation for the family cook, whose husband, a soldier, had teen ordered to the front. "Then I wrote a coon song in A flat," b& adds. "I just, had' a few words I thought of, so I worked on those. Papa stopped! me again, as he did when I began a little minuet once." . , Six months ago Max played the piano : part of one of Mozart's trios, Mr *Weber .playing the violin .and Mt Gallrein the 'cello, without a rehearsal and -without a mistake. Signor Bevignani/ the Covent Garden conductor, hearing his waltz three years ago, christened him' "Little Moxart." He can play over thirty •classical pieces from memory. *»