MADAME GODDARD.

Evening Star, Issue 3640, 22 October 1874, Page 2

MADAME GODDARD.

A® Madams Arabella Goddard will shortly commence a totir through New Zealand, the following brief sketch of (he artistic career of the g-eatest living pianiste may be found interesting ;—Born at t-t. S’ervan, in the South . ? ra «ce. Arabella Goddard-showed surpiising aptitude fir music at a v< j ry early age ; and, when six years old, was taken to Paris for the benefit of Kalkbrenner’a instruction. t >nder that distinguished master, to whose admirable system her great executive power owes not a little,. Miss Goddard mad-, such progress that after two years’ study she appeared in public, performing one of Hummel’s concertos. The child being brought to London, Mrs Anderson firpt. and next Thalberg, continued the work Kalkbrenner had begun ; fantasias and music of a like class serving meanwhile to exhibit M si Goddard’s precocious ability in public. Her first important debut took : place at the “ Nationa- Concerts” conducted by Balfe, at Her Majesty’s Theatre, when the young artist performed, with great success, the music of Hummel and other popu'ar writers the piano. The year following Miss Goddard was placed, oh '1 halberg’s recommendation, under the care of Mr. J. W. Davison, who at once discerned his pupil’s great capacity for more serious work than had before engaged her attention. So speedily did the young pianiste profit by the counsels of her master, that her real Rebut as a classical player took place some few months later at one of the New Philharmonic Concerts, then given in Exeter Hall under I.indpaiirer a direction. The work played en that occasion was the Concerto in 0 minor (3) of Sterndale Bennett, who marked his sense of the artist’s ability by presenting her with a handsome souveair. From this time Miss IGoddard led an active life—constantly adding new classical works to her repertory, and producing them at recitals given by herself, or at public concerts where she was engaged. Her crowning achievement in connection with the great works of Beethoven took | place at a concert of the excellent and too short-lived Quartet Association, established by Messrs htainton and Cooper, when the played from memory the Sonata in B flat (Op. 106) a task no pianist had ever ventured to essay before a public audience. Miss Goddard repeated this memorable effort in Benin, and received from Herr Rellstab, the eminent critic, and friend of Beethoven, such praise as was due to a young artist, who, corning from an “unmusical country’’ to musical Germany, successfully accomplished a task shunned by all Beethoven’s compatriot Having returned to England, MGs Goddard resumed her favorite work of reviving neglected masterpieces, . How, later, she added novelty after novelty to the programmes if the Monday Popular C- ucerts, was the first to play Mendelssohn’s pos* humous compositions, revived the name of Friedemann, Bach, Kberlin, and many another half-forgotten worthy, and persistently vindicated the genius ©f our.own composer, Sir Sterndale Bennett all there things must be fresh in the public mind. It is impossible to look back upon such a career without admiration, and without a consoiousness that the retirement offsuch an artiste from the musical world of Europe is a loss ’to music hot easily overrated. ' But although Madame Goddard retired from those bril iant arirstic oireles of which for so many years she had been the bright particular star, she fortunately, did not retire altogether from the profession In« the beginning of 1873 she conceived the idea of making a tour throu hj the Australian C olonies, the United States, and Canada acd her farewell concert given in St. James’© Hall, on the 11th of February of that year was an event of most extraordinary interest*« It has often to belaid, as regards the muail cal profession, that “superfluous lags the veteran, qn the stage” bus Madame Goddard, rpretaing this order of things, made her England while in.the prime, ot, life, and.-in the zenith of dier powers. ■ Tha. grea hall : was crowded,; the priicinS vocalists and instrumentalists assisting Vstir r 4istioguished. aiHste ** Dutch Colonists of Batavia; and the ™ «-wss-