FRIEND OF BRAHMS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1969, 28 January 1914, Page 8

FRIEND OF BRAHMS.

IN WELLINGTON.

A TALK ON THE GREAT MASTERS, It is something more 'than interesting t<) meet and converse with those, who have been personally intimate with celebrities in the musical world. Such a one is Mr. William Audresen, tho German artist, who is at present working in' Wellington, and whose portraits and frescoes arts being exhibited at M'Gregor Wright's studio oii Lambton Quay. Mr, Androgen, who is Well advanced in years, was but an infant when Jahanucs Brahms, as a j-oung' man (probably 22 or 23 years of npe), hired a room from his (Mr. Andresen's) mother in a little narrow street in tho old part of Hamburg—an area now occit-, pied by tho now harbour, for, quito in. contrast to Wellington, the land was excavated in Hamburg; to make water space instead of tho water being reclaimed for buildings.

''I could not remember of course," said' Mr. Andreseu, "I was only a very little chap, bnt my mother has' told me. Brahms's ther was a street musician—he played tho pah! The son also became a musician. Hβ played the piano, and taught music. - Why, lie used to play, oh, beautiful music in the samo room ss my mother did tho ironing. Sho did not understand his rhapsodies and would sometimes ask him if he could not play something lively—a dance, or /something. Then tho young matt ''would make a race and bang the piano as though ho had gone mad, Tlio Vienna Party and the Strauss Waltzes, "Later in Vienna I met him. Ho was then a great friend of Josef Victor Widmann,, poet and editor, and they would go walking tours together tlirough unfrequ'&itecl paths, in Italy visiting all the old villages off the usual tourist track. It was at an afternoon party, given hj , Jphann Strauss', in Vienna, that I particularly remember Brahms, Stfauss was tho great waltz writer, 'Blue Danube. , ( \Der Fliedflrmans' ), and others. Hd was a 'jolly lively Httlo man, \vho liked plenty.of fun, and ho played for us to dance to t and we danced and danced as .only Germans do. And" there little Brahms sat in a corner, gloomy, frowning like Beethoven, you know! And when Strauss liad played his s waHzeVfor «»,' ho went over to .Brahms, and clapped him on the shoulder and said to his' dear old friend that he was sorry for him to have to listen to such music as his waltzes, but Brahms, at once testified his delight and admiration' for his friend's music, and said-jokingly thathe knew more- about the waltzes _ than tho composer did himself. ■ With' that he walked over to tho piano and played them—oh, divinely—ever so much better than Strauss. Brahms tho Roqluso. "I sot along very well with Brahms, Ho was a modest, retiring, silent man, who did not like to be bothered with the would-bo composer with the lons hair, or precocious yoiing girls. 1 . did not talk to -him or music.. No—he liked to talk about tho Icautiful pancakes which' my mother Used to make so well—pancakes' with layers of blackberries between—-that is what ho used to like. And then I riiet himap;aiu at Thuucr"-Lake, in.Switzerland, where I found that lie had engaged all tho upstairs, rooms in a building, so that he would not ho disturbed by other tenants. Iα one ho had his own coffeemill—he was a great artost as a maker of coffee." '. ■■:>•-■■ - ; , ■■■■■■ Discovery af a Star Contralto. . It was at a house where artists were wont to meet in Vienna thnt-Mr. Alidresen mot Mndaaio Schumami-I-leiiik, the great German contralto, whose voice, tho visiting artist declares will never wearout. ■ "Madame Heink," said Mr, Androgen, "made her first appearances p-laying insignificant roli-s under' Pojini at Hamburg. It was Hans von Bulow, tho first husband of Cosima Wagner, who rescued Madame- Heink from obscurity. Polini pooh-poohed the- kfea. of tho girl being gifted beyond the ordinary, tat Herr Bulow insisted that sho was the making of a great artist, arid promised to conduct tho first performance 'of 'Carmen , if tho leading role- wore allotted to Madame Heink. The performance, was .a brilliant'success, and Madame Heink has boon a great star over since, all through the acumen of. Herr' Bulow. . ' . .'■' Memory of Rubinstein. "I remember Rubinstein, great pianist. Ono day—it was Buliin--1 stein's birthday—his operetta '"'ic Parrot' was produced, but, acli! they did not like it, for, before it was presented Cherubim's 'Water-Carrier. , a beautiful work, full of tho purest melody. And afterwards then? was a lively slipper party on tho stage, iictots'pnd singers, and. plenty of noise, and Rubinstein was presented with a gorgeous bouquet —made of carrots, turnips, and' cab", bases —after a groat speech of congratulation, ' ; On Meeting Verdi. "Ono other 1 met—Verdi. It was in Mil(in, and we were having a glass of wine at a cafe in the gallcric—a Street enclosed in glass—ami alongside of us was a little old man with a ivhito beard, who, seeing that we (I was with my mother, father, and sister) were strangers, offered suggestions as to what we should sre in Milan. Very nice, kind, quiet old gentleman Iro was! When ho went away some girls came up and asked us if we knew who the old man was, and told vis-that ho was tho great -Maestro —Verdi. They all seemed to be vory proud of him.' .Wo met afterwards at tho Samo cafe, and had .interesting talks on matters artistic." ' Mr. Audresen is leaving for Europo in March by tho.Ruapehu. ,