KATHERINE GOODSON

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2902, 14 October 1916, Page 11

KATHERINE GOODSON

FAMOUS PIANIST IN WELLINGTON' Miss. Katherine Goodson, probably the finest English' pianist living, and ono of the accepted "great" in the' world of nuisic, is at present in Wellington. She has not como to play, which a selcct low will sincerely regret. ■ .Perhaps she is wise, 'when one remembers- the great enthusiasm -with which peoplo 'stayed away when the mighty Carrjeno and tho noetic Leonard Borwick made music in, /Wellington. Miss Goodson Hinton) played last season .in •. America, where her status is the highest, 'and is now taking a long rest, travelling through the Antipodes with her husband (Mr. Arthur Hinton), who is also a figure in the, English musical world. '• In, a recent article in the "Etude," Miss Goodson wrote most interestingly on the subject of how analysis assists the piano pupil. ■ ;"A great many . of the pupils who have come to'me," slip says, "indicate a lamentable neglect in 'aii understanding of the very 'first things-which .should have been, analyzed by: the preparatory teachers. It is an expensive '.process to study with a public Partist. unless the preparation has been thoroughly' made. Reputation naturally places a higher, monetary value upon the services of tlio virtuoso, and l'or tho student to expect instruction in elementary points in analysis is obviously an extravagance, 'jilio virtuoso's time during , the lesson period should ho spoilt in tho finer study of interpretation—not in those subjects which the elementary teacher should have..complsted, ~ Often, the teacher of an advanced pupil is deceived at the start, and assumes that the pupil has a kuowledgo which future investigations reveal that lie does not possess. . . . "Despite the popular impression that music is imitative in the sense of being able to reproduce different pictures and different emotions, it is really very far from it. The subject of programme music and illustrative music is one of the widest in the art, and at tho same time one of the least definite. Except in cases like the Buotlio.ven 'Pastoral "Symphony,' where the composer has made obvious attempts to suggest rural scenes, composers do not as a rule try to make either aquarelles or cycloramas with their, music. , They write music for what it is worth as music, not as. scenery. Very often the public or some wilv publisher applies the title, as in the ease of the 'Moonlight Sonata' or some of the Mendelssohn ' Songs Without Words.' Of course, there are some notable exceptions, and many teachers may be right in trying to stimulate the sluggish imaginations of-some pupils with fanciful stories. However, when there is a certain design in a piece which lends itself to tho' suggestion of a certain idea, as does, for'instance, the Liszt-Wagner 'Spinning Song.' From the 'Flyinsr Dutchman,' it is interesting to work with a specific picture in view—but never forgetting tho real heautv of the niece pul'ely as a beautiful piece of music."