A GREAT RUSSIAN PIANIST

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 7, 2 September 1927, Page 6

A GREAT RUSSIAN PIANIST

THE CAREER OF MARK HAMBOURG

Those of our listeners-in who, in respouse to our competition recently. sent requests for lecturettes on the lives of great artists and musicians of the present day will, I think, be glad to know that Mr. Eric Bell, studio pianist at 1YA, is already giving a series of chats on great musicians. A recent talk of his on Mark Hambourg was especially interesting, "The musical biography of a pianist,’ said Mr. Bell, "seems to be generally of more interest than that of any other style of musician Mark Hambourg, who travels to and fro apon the earth, delichting great audiences, has now lived far fortv-eierht years, but many will still remember and think of him as an infant prodicy He did uot like being exnlotted and feted as a prodigy. Ladies insisted on kissing him and stroking his hair, and he found it "so tiresome’? Thev brought him flowers, thouzn he told them that bunavets were -io use to him; and at last he made a rule that the ladies could itot kiss him if thev only broucht flowers; they must brine sweets, for he was verv fond of sweets. In those days, when he was ahont nine or ren. he ‘dia not love practising a bit." In fact, the naughty little boy would sumetimes run wood splinters into his fineers so that he shantde% fhe ghte to nructice! The idea of having to play was repugnant to him until he made his first formal public appearance. | Early Days. "Hambourg was horn a* #ogutschar, South Russia, in 1879. Soon after his parents were married they had been arrested and imprisoned on a vharge of Nihilism. They were certainly no: Nihilists, but, they had friends who were, and that created a snspicion Eventually they were released, and they r@moved to London. rhe father, Michael Hambourg, gave Mark his first lessons, and directed ail his prodigy period. Then, on the advice of Dr Richter, he was sent to Leschetitzky, at Vienna, with whom he studied for nearly three years. Tt is said that Leschetitele retrrred him all the fees he had paid, with the remark: ‘Take this, for vou will need it in cour career.’ An extract from a fel-low-nunil’s diary sives a vivid picture of him in class: "He marched up to the piano and sat down, as asnal, with a jerk, looking like a juveaile thundercloud. When he stopped we burst imto a storm of applause, but, grim litHe hero that he is. he was off inte the open. The Professor turned round to us and murmured, ‘Iie has a future; he can play.’ "’ At the age of fifteen, MHambourg made his debut as a soloist at a Philharmonic corcert in Vienna, Richter being the conductor. Since then, as he puts it himself, "I have been to Australia. America, and, in fact, pretty well all over the world." He has given some: thing like 3900 recitals. He once gave one in Milan, on Mev 4&1, and one in Cardiff on May 23.. The mental strain is enormous, and he viould never be:

able to stand it but for the distractions of stamp collecting and photography. A Pianist’s Enemies, He is somewhat cynical abont -his callnig. The professiemal pianist, he declares ,"‘has .enemics all through life. First, his family and neighbours, when, as a child, he begins to prace tise; next, as he succseds, every pianist who is less suecessful, next, all viano-makers except tue one he patronises ; next, all musica! agents except his own; next, organists "n general; next, natriotic critics when he is in a foreign, land; and last, the conductor of the orchestra, who wants all the credit for himself."? Many will think it curious to find him insisting that an artist cannot be ‘too nervous. "TIT don’t mean that he should be afraid, but his nervous svstem cate not be too sensitive, too highly-strung, too readv to receive impressions.. When a musician plavs in the evening, he reflects impressions rece*’ved in the morning-impressions derived from nature and from society. If he plavs a niece a hundred times, it will be a different performance on each occasion. A musician can express any mood in anv piece; but of course he could not nut gaietvy into a slow movement, or sadness into a qnick one." Interesting Adventure, Mark Hambourg has had many interesting adventures, some of them humorous, thourh thev have often left him in an awkward position. Once, during a South African tour, he had to get the help of a party of coolies to carry his grand piano from the station, and allowed them to listen to the concert from the wings. Coming off the platform and wiping his brow, he observed to one of the coolies: "It’s hard work plavine." ‘Oh, is it?" was the reply; ‘you shonld try lifting." But perhaps Hamboure’s most exciting experience was at Warsaw in 1908, when he was compelied to play to a powerful section of the revolutionary party in what scemed to be an underereund meeting-r@->, Te find himself recalled 26 times, ev obliged to play six encore picces. ‘ next evening at the Warsaw Philhermonie Societv’s concert, where revolutionists turned out in full foree, was a magnificent reward. Less eminent pianists might not find the orden! ef soothing the savare revolutionary breast auite so satisfactory} bnt doubtless, Warsaw, like other places, conid do without some of its nianists. Fven a revolutionist may have his leeitimate uses, and this incident suecests one of them. Mr, Hamboanra’g brother, Tan ahd Boris, are well known, the one as violinist the other as ’celiist. They are now hoth with their father at his conservae toire in Toronto. The father could not stand the Fnelish climate, and Mark, after a recent tour, came to the conclusion that Canada is "the land of opportunity."