Schubert

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 7, 28 August 1931, Page 13

Schubert

FULSEWHERE I have referred to well-known islands of interest in seas of dullness. I wish, now, that I had made my simile oases and deserts rather than islands and seas! For while the sight of an island at sea is both pleasant and a relief, still it has not the refreshing contact of an oasis in the desert. All of this preliminary is by way of introducing a warm compliment to Mr. Karl Atkinson for another of his gramophone recitals from 3YA. Speaking of Schubert, he mentioned the extraordinary small sum received by this great composer for all his works; he was exploited hopelessly by his publishers and, happy Bohemian that he was, would prove a very easy victim. Still, one need not pity Schubert; he was happy and he lived! Though his life was brought to an abrupt end at the early age of 35, his name will live for ever-if his publishers’ names are not already forgotten it is only because they exploited an Immortal, Mr. Atkinson studded a brilliant lecture with illustrative gramophone records; never ‘have I so enjoyed the "Serenade," "The Erl King’s Daughter’ and "Marche Militaire’! Incidentally I was much relieved to hear Mr. Atkinson confirm a theory which has been worrying me for some time. When Mark Hambourg spoke over the air he referred to the making of pianoplayer rolls; he explained how for some difficult pieces which virtually cannot be played by one pair of human hands the manufacturers engage two expert pianists, one to play the treble, and the other the base. Now, thought I, if able pianists of to-day cannot play this piece then we must have deteriorated since the days of the composer; this was a sad and an unworthy thought. Sometimes composers (Schubert was an example) would write a piece in a spasm of ethereal brilliance which they themselves were unable to play

It does seem extraordinary until we realise that genius cannot operate and function when tied to earthly matters; hence the conception would be spiritual but the actual manifestation would be partly human, with the result that the spirit would have to pander to the frailties of the body and transpose the piece into an easier rendering. I heartily thank and congratulate MrKarl Atkinson-his recitals are among the gems of the YA programmes, and I wish we could have more of them.