Melba's Tribute To Friedman DAME NELLIE MELBA

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 96, 14 July 1927, Page 16

Melba's Tribute To Friedman

DAME NELLIE MELBA

“DEAR GREAT ARTIST” What might be termed a tribute from one great artist to another was recently received by Ignaz Friedman. It is a letter from Dame Nellie Melba. Written on dainty mauve notepaper with a border of royal blue, it is rather an interesting epistle, if only for the initials N.M. embossed in mother of pearl at the head. Its delightfully informal style is characteristic of the Queen of Song.

“Dear Great Artist,” she writes. “I hope very much to be in Melbourne on August 6 and shall certainly come to your concert.” In a charming little note conveying warm greetings to Poland’s ‘‘genius of the piano” is also contained a generous tribute from Australia’s great song artist. In their own spheres both are world famous—one just passing the zenith of a great career, the other at the height of fame, and, incidentally, the third and last of that noble cycle of living Polish pianists which musical history will reveal as the greatest trio of artists of the pianoforte ever to be produced at one time by one country. It is interesting to note that although Friedman was born in 1882 and studied pianoforte and composition from a very early age. he did not make his debut in New York City until 1921. How quickly he established himself is revealed by the fact that last year he was chosen from the world’s pianists to play the “Beethoven Concerto” at the Beethoven centenary in Vienna last March. So great was his success that he was invited to play the Beethoven trio with the world-famous ’cellist, Pablo . ,^ ss p r ls - and the great Viennese violinist, Huberman. Three days later be repeated the piano concerto with the ienna Orchestra under the conductorship of Weingartner. , •n ri v dman ' s first Auckland recital Saturday?" 611 at the T . own HaU