MUSIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 78, 23 June 1927, Page 14

MUSIC

Arturo Toscanini, according to late reports, will retire from the active musical world for at least a year, to recuperate from mental depression and over-wrought nerves occasioned by the long strain of overwork. After his recent season of concerts in the States, he sailed for Italy on February 12. ♦ • * A Mattio Goffriller violoncello, made in Venice in 1700, at one time in the collection of Paganini, and for many years the solo instrument of the celebrated Alfredo Piatti, will be used by Felix Salrnond, the English 'cellist, cn his next season’s tour of America. 0 * * The annual Salzburg festival is announced to occur from July 30 to August 28. There will be a gala performance of “The Marriage of Figaro” on August 16, in honour of the International Mozart Congress. There will be two performances of “Don Giovanni,” four of Beethoven’s “Fidelio,” many programmes of Mozart’s instrumental compositions, and miscellaneous programmes besides. Franz Schalk and Bruno Walter are to be the leading conductors. * • * Anna Roselle, American soprano, who had great success in Vienna and Berlin in the title role of Puccini’s last opera, “Turandot,” has been engaged for this role for the San Francisco Opera Association’s production of the work in September, it has been announced. The engagement of Roselle, following that of Giovanni Martinelli, Lucrezia Bori, Antonio Scotti, Lawrence Tlbbett, Mario Chamlee, and other stars, forecasts the most brilliant season offered by the association, in addition to by far the most interesting repertoire.

Ignaz Friedman, the celebrated Polish pianist, who is: due here next month, was born at Podgorrs, near Cracow, Poland, in 1882, and is thus in his prime. He took his first lessons from Madame Grzywinska and later studied with the famous master, Deschetizky, whose friend and assistant he subsequently became. In composition he received his instructions from Rieman. In Continental Europe Friedman quickly won fame as a brilliant Chopin player, and his constant recital tours and the great number of original compositions and editions which he undertood demanded so much of his time that he had no opportunity to make a tour of the British Isles until quite recently, and it was during his London season that Mr. E. J. Carroll Induced him to visit Australia and New Zealand. As a composer he ranks high, having already published 85 works, which are on sale in all countries. His profound musicianship and scholarly endeavour is vouchsafed by his editing the entire works of Chopin and Liszt, an edition used by so many teachers. Friedman had the honour of being specially engaged to play the G Major Concerto at the Beethoven Centenary Festival in Vienna in March of this year, and he was also engaged to play the same Concerto by the directors of the London Symphony Orchestra at their orchestral concert in the Queen’s Hall. His final appearance in London was at the Royal Albert Hall, where, instead of playing from the platform, he had a specially constructed platform placed in the centre of the hall. He received a splendid ovation from an audience of 10,000.

(By F.1.R.)