MELBA AND HER PIANIST

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 21, 26 May 1909, Page 15

MELBA AND HER PIANIST

INTERVIEW WITH MISS UNA BOURNE

zfA. URING the Melba season in AuekI B laud, Miss Una Bourne, ths J talented pianists of the eomX. J pany, favoured our reporter ■with a very interesting ehat, reminiscent of the tour, Madame Melba, and herself. Miss Bourne is possessed of versatile talents, and ready wit, combined with a charming manner. She expressed herself as being delighted with New Zealand. “I like New Zealand so much that I shall never rest till I come again,” she said. ••The people have all been so kind and hospitable, and I have been particularly struck with the way they have fairly vied with each other to make us feel at home and give us u good time.” "Have you seen any of the scenery, Miss Bourne?” "Well, no; we have just gone from town to town on the tour, but the Makatote Viaduet struck me as being sublime, and I was so delighted with the New Plymouth Recreation Grounds that I visited them three times, during the short time that we were there. We were also driven to a lovely fern glade near Palmerston North, and Madame was so delighted with the glorious ferns that she expressed her desire to have some. She was informed that it was a public reserve, but permission might be got from the Tourist Department. This was obtained, and that night at the Opera House we had the most beautiful decorations of the tour, the whole stage being canopied with tree ferns. The next day Madame thoughtfully had them removed to the hospital and planted in the grounds, saying she would visit them on her next trip to New Zealand and see how they were growing.” “We heard Madame had some difficulty with the Cooks’ Union in New Zealand,” said the reporter, “anti was unable to obtain hot suppers.” Miss Bourne laughed. "I might tell you another like that,” she said. “We found the lighting arrangements hardly sufficient at one place, and Madame sent her maid to ask for candles. ‘Now what does your Misstress want with candles ?’ asked the cook; ‘she isn’t a Roman Catholic, is she?’ Madame only takes

light refreshment at four in the afternoon on the day of her concerts, so it is necessary for her to have hot supper, but we have found it impossible to get this in New Zealand, and her valet htts had to come to the rescue, though previously unacquainted with the culinary art.” In reply to questions, Miss Bourne said the tour commenced in March, starting at Melbourne, after which they proceeded to Lilydale, the birthplace of Madame, where n triumphal reception had been arranged to welcome the great singer baek to her home. The hall was completely covered with ferns, and an aisle of school-children strewed roseleaves before her from flower baskets as she entered. Lord and Lady Dudley and suite journeyed specially from Melbourne for the event, and the party were afterwards escorted to their special train by a procession of bandsmen, through an avenue of townsfolk from hall to station, who burnt coloured lights as they went.” “Your next move was to Tasmania, was it not?” “Yes; we gave concerts in Launceston and Hobart. We had a record house in Launceston, where the hall is one of the largest in the world. It was after leaving Tasmania for the Bluff that Madame met with her accident on the Riverina, which might have been attended with serious consequences. She was proceeding to the smoke-room by the companionway, when the boat rolled heavily, and Madame slipped on the brass-bound edge of the very .steep steps and fell to the bottom. She sustained a, sprained ankle and a nasty shock, bub happily recovered in time to fulfil her booking at Invercargill, though the voyage was not without further incident, the vessel being delayed ten hours owing to the machinery breaking down. Afc Invereargill we were given a reception by the Mayor and other prominent citizens, the hall being beautifully decorated for the occasion, and a programme of music carried out. Indeed, we have had quite a triumphal procession throughout New Zealand, being entertained everywhere, and accorded bumper houses.

We had a record house in Wellington, and also rather an exciting time in the shape ot an earthquake one day and a big fire the same night next door to the hotel. After leaving New Zealand we arc going to Sydney, where we give two orchestral concerts, and then work Tight through the principal country towns up to Northern Queensland. We work back to Sydney in the same manner, but by a different route, and arrive in Melbourne about September. We tour the principal country towns in Victoria, and then do South Australia and West Australia, but this last is not definitely mapped out yet, being so far ahead. Madame’s object in making this exhaustive tour is to enable everyone in her loved Australasia to hear her in her prime, and to accomplish this she had to forego her engagement for the coming season at Covent Garden, which she has fulfilled without a break for the last twenty years. In addition, her father, to whom she is passionately attached, is getting very old, and she wished to take the opportunity of seeing him again, as she is booked right up for the next three years. No other artist has appeared so much in their native land while in the prime of her powers as Melba, whereby she shows her splendid patriotism. She founded and supports a home in England for blind children simply out of the half-crowns paid by her admirers for her autograph. She raised £ 1000 to start this by giving one concert and selling portrait post cards.” “And now, Miss Bourne, a little about yourself ?” Miss Bourne modestly disclaimed any pretensions in this direction, but the reporjter prevailed upon her to givd a brief outline of her career. “I started music almost as soon as I could talk,” she said, “and it came about in this way. My elder sister was learning the piano, and also had to look after me, so she used to sit me up in my high chair at the top of the piano, while she practised. Of course, I used to do

my best, too, aud then she took t« teaching me little things by ear, which led on to my having regular lessons at the age of 5. lar ter, I studied under Herr Benno Scherek, in Melbourne, and continued witu him until he took up concert management. He then arranged for me a little tour to Adelaide with Miss Lily Sharpe, where we met with an encouraging reception. Subsequently, I appeared at several important concert] in Melbourne, and waa engaged as pianiste for the Amy Castles tour. This was followed by a tour to Tasmania, with Heermann, the violinist, which was brought aobut in the following manner. I had arranged to give a recital in Melbourne, and ths day before it Clustani, the composer, asked me if I would play a composition of his at the recital, as he wanted Heermann to hear it. This was short notice, but I had the piece by memory the following evening, and Heermann engaged me for his tour as the result-. After that I went to England and the Continent for 18 months, but did not take lessons, preferring to go about and hearing everybody of note. In London" I gave two recitals at- the Bechstein Hall. I toured with Melba last year, when we visited Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, and many Victorian towns. My method? Oh, well, I believe, first of all, in a simple Jifef on no account to overwork, so that the brain and hand may be as fresh as possible. I practice three hours as regular work, but on tour it- is frequently as little as half an hour. A very funny comment was repeated to me in Auckland, which was overheard in the gallery. A patron kept his eyes glued on my hands all through the performance, and then turned to his neighbour with the remark, “Well, she might have ten fingers 0 eac hand al vy:; ffi; ffi; UNUNN fingers on each hand, by the rate they travel, but she’s only four after all, and a thumb.” TRen, reflectively, “If she goes for her husband like she goes for that piano, all I can say is I’m sorry fox him!”