Colin Horsley to Play Medtner Concerto

New Zealand Listener, Volume 26, Issue 660, 29 February 1952, Page 18

Colin Horsley to Play Medtner Concerto

_| HOUGH : the charm and lyricism of Medtner’s works have always been more popular in Canada and the’ United States, the Rus-sian-born composer-pian-ist who died last November preferred to live in England, and it was here he wrote some of his finest works. One of these, his third piano concerto, is to be played by Colin Horsley, the Wanganui-born _ concert Pianist, at the Medtner Memorial Concert at the Royal Festival Hal] on April 5 Colin Horsley was a personal friend of Medtner’s in the latter years of the composer’s life, and on several occasions was asked by him to give public performances of his works when failing health prevented him from playing them himself. -Medtner was a great admirer of Horsley’s playing, and more than usual significance attaches to the fact that the New Zealander will be playing his third concerto at the Mem-

orial Concert. He is to do so at the personal request of Medtner’s widow. Medtner’s works were widely played in Canada and the United States and on the Continent. From time to time they appeared on the programmes of London concerts, but they never received the support that greeted them overseas. His works belonged to a past age, not popular in all parts of the world, but he lived in England from the time he left Russia in 1927. Nicolai Medtner was born in Moscow 71 years ago and he was professor of music at the Moscow Conservatory in the Czarist days. Much of his music had the old-world charm of the Russian aristocracy about it. When he first came to London he was offered the position of professor at the Royal Academy, but

he refused it. A man of great integrity, he would never attempt anything which he felt he could not do justice to, and in this case he felt the language difficulty too great a handicap. Medtner had no sympathy with the moderns. ‘His own music always had great charm and lyricism, with no trace of the more pungent modern tendencies. His third piano concerto undoubtedly was partly stimulated by the search for mental refuge as the bombs fell round his London home during the war. It is a remarkable work which is dedicated to the present Maharajah of Mvsore, who has been for some years an admirer. of Medtner’s work. ~~ In his latter years the composer was a gentle old man whose personality still bore the imprint of the old-world aristocracy. His wife’ also is an accomplished musician, and she made copies of many of his manuscripts for sending to the publishers. It was Medtner’s wish that on his death such works of his that were not completed be destroyed and his wife has done this. The Memorial Concert is to include some of Medtner’s songs, to be sung by the-soprano Oda Slobodskaya, and*® the third concerto. The Royal Philharmonia Orchestra will be conducted by Fistoulari.