Jackpotted Joachim

New Zealand Listener, Volume 14, Issue 339, 21 December 1945, Page 8

Jackpotted Joachim

F you were asked the question, "For what ‘was Joachim famous?" what would you reply? An entrant in 1ZB’s Musical Quiz found himself in that position the other night, and £9 hung in the balance. "For the way he played the violin" was acknowledged to be half the answer, but did not, apparently, entitle him to half the prize money. What the other half of the answer is will rt | depend on the point of view from whic you look at Joachim’s many-sided greatness. He has claims as a teacher and, some might think, as a composer. Those who play violin concertos may see him as the great master of cadenza writing. Others will remember his long, intimate association with Brahms which gave him first claim on that composer’s violin music. His string. quartet leadership is what the chamber music enthusiasts will think of first, and this was the answer the question-master wanted and assumed should be given. Although agreeing with this myself, I do not think the issue is so clear-cut as to be beyond argument. The night before, when the prize money was only a few shillings less, the corresponding question was about Wagner; it was not an easy question, but the answer was a matter of hard fact, ‘not judgment. This, I think, is the way these riddles should be framed when a correct answer is .worth a week’s wages.