Vinogradoff

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 33, 26 February 1932, Page 1

Vinogradoff

Russian Virtuoso associated with Cesaroni Bulmas Dillon in Grand Concert from 2YA

ELDOM before have been associated so many artists of outstanding ability in a 2YA programme. Great virtuosos have visited New Zealand; some ave talked to listeners, but none broadcast their art. | Now comes ‘Vinogradoff, the great Russian pianist, who, since the age of eight, has given’ concerts the world over and who in latter years has been engaged in recording on music-rolls. He is a personal friend of Lucien Cesaroni, the well-known Italian maestro, and it is ‘mainly throuch his acency that the creat Russian pianist will broadcast.

On the evening of March 6, when this notable broadcast will take place Vinogradoff will have associated with him Lucien Cesaroni (bass), Aida Bulmas (soprano) and Mavis Dillon (pianist). The works of Beethoven and Mozart will predominate in the programme, while Chopin, Verdi, Koenemann and Luigini will also be represented.

Paul Vinogradoff was born in 1888, and already at the age of five began to show . wonderful musical capacities. In 1896, after two years’ tuition from his mother, he gave his first concert, being at that time only eight years old. He met with great success, and that same year gave a series of concerts in the towns of Kalouga, Smolensk, Waitsaw, etc. ‘(n 1897 he was sent to Paris, where he entered the Paris Conservatory of Music without examination, and studied the piano under the tuition of the famous Professor Emile Des Combas. Nevertheless, owing to the fact that a foreign-conserva-tory does not give any rights for Honours in Russia, he remained in Paris only for two years, and was removed from Paris to the Moscow Conservatory, where he graduated brilliantly in 1911

Mts a pupil of Professo K. Igumnoff. Then he began to himself to become a pianist-virtuoso. After having several concerts in Petrograd and Moscow he was offered the post of Director of the Tomsk Musical Academy of the Imperial Russian Musical Society. In this town he gave solo concerts and also_

directed symphony concerts, in which many known artists took part, among them, for instance, the world-famous violincellist, Bogumil: Sykora. | After remaining for two years in Tomsk, Vinogradoff returned ' to Moscow, but the political conditions forced him to take refuge in, Vladivostock, where he opened his own Music School and continued | giving concerts during four years. ; In March, 1921, he left Vladivostock and went to Japan, where continued his successful concerts, playing many times in Tokio, Yoko-

hama and Osaka, solo and with different artists. HILE in Japan-in 1923-Vinogradof { was destined to be an eye-witness of | the great Yokohama earthquake. He had left the Specie | Bank five minutes before the disaster happened, and in! that building alone a thousand people lost their lives. At: the moment of impact he was on his way home by train. His only excuse for escaping death was that at the moment of upheaval they were clear of most buildings which he could see falling around him like a pack of cards. : To reach his wife he had to crawl over mountains of broken masonry, twisted wires and human corpses. Upon arrival at the place where his home was, he found noneit was razed to the ground and the debris on fire. His wife, however, was safe with other refugees in a field near by, but.for two days they were without food and drink, At last foreign steamers came and took them away. ; Continuing his brilliant career, Vinogradoff gave many recitals in Australia, as a solo pianist and as the conductor of the New Russian Chorus. Vinogradoff, during this time, broadcast from 2BL and other Austra- lian stations. He gave many recitals in 1931, and it is from Australia that he has come to New Zealand to broadcast. _ Vinogradoff’s items on this programme are a piano solo-first part of the Sonata Appassionata (Beethoven) and a piano duet, "Concerto in D Minor" (Mozart). In this number he will be assisted by Miss Mavis Dillon, F.T.C.L. The Beethoven Appassionata contains a wealth of melody of dramatic power and (Concluded on page 2.)

brilliance, which no doubt explains its popularity. In both the first and second subjects of the movement Beethoven builds largely on an arpeggio form. The first subject deals in unison with the voices at a: distance of two octaves, investing mystery and character in what proves to be only the arpeggio of that minor. The second subject bears a striking resemblance . to the first, just as in the famous Numper 5 Symphony we hear’ throughout the movement, the fateful triplet figure. Beethoven no doubt. intended this sonata to bé played without a break so beautifully do the love scene and variations follow the first movement to give place again with dramatic suddenness. to the breathless finale, ushered in with clanging, diminished sevenths, which no douht sounded extremely modern in Beethoven’s day. The striking coda carries its hearers breathlessly to the final arpeggios and closing chords. SIGNOR CESARONI’S items include "Tn Questa Tomba," by Beethoven, sung and madefamous by the Russian bass,’ Feodor Chaliapin. Being a dramatic song of imaginative. interpretation, it is admirably suited for broadcasting. "He kneels before the tomb of his beloved; suddenly she appears in his vision and tells him, ‘Let me rest io this cold tomb. Why, you have not Joved me when I was with you in this world. Don’t weep, your tears

are poison falling on my ashes. Ungrateful!!!) " With the last "Ungrateful" she disappears, and the final soft accords of the pianoforte describe the mysterious surroundings which only the great genius of Beethoven knew how to portray. Such an item is a monument of vocal literature. ‘When the King Went Forth ‘to War," by Koenemann, is another beautiful composition performed with great success by the inimitable Chaliapin. War is declared, the king leaves his country, triumphantly carrying with him the best wishes of his people. But Hodge, only a private, answers the call of his fatherland and bids farewell to his sweetheart and family, but without the pomp and honours of his king, Battle is in progress; the king, well behind the firing line, gives his commands; but Hodge is in the first firing line defending the honour of his flag, and is wounded. ‘The battle is won. The king is returning victorious and re-enters his city triumphantly amid great acclamation of his people. ButHodge, mortally wounded, is carried with his companions only in time to die in his beloved birthplace, and in that .cool night one could hear the distant sounds of the carillon, the everlasting honour of the hero. SIGNORA BULMAS’S items include "Saper Vorreste," from "Masked Ball" (Verdi). Third act, "The Grand —

Ballroom in the Governor’s House." . Reinhardt in vain seeks the governor among the masked guests. At last he meets the page Oscar, who,- however, taunts him in the sprightly "Saper Vorreste" (You would be hearing). This Singularly felicitous little scherzo ‘is grossly out of tune with the vengeful Reinhardt’s mood. He tells the page harshly, enough, that affairs of state make it imperative he should know the governor on sight. He is told that Richard is dressed in black with a red ribbon on his right breast. "Knowst Thou the Land" (Beethoven), a well-known and _ popular soprano item rich in expression and admiration of the natural beauties of the land in which citrons and orange blossoms complete a perfect picture. Violetta’s "Romance," from final act, "La Traviata" (Verdi). Violetta’s apartment. She is asleep on the couch. The illness with which Violetta has been afflicted from the first has been intensified by these new developments, and she now lies upon what is to be her death-bed. The doctor comes with reassuring words, but they do not deceive her, and the doctor confesses to the maid that she has not long to live. Left alone she again reads a letter she has received from Germont, and then- sings the beautiful "Farewell to the Bright Visions I Once Fondly Cherished." Duet, Signora Bulmas and Cesaroni. Final duet of the opera "Rigoletto"

(Verdi). Rigoletto returns. He pays off the assassin and receives the sack with. its gruesome contents. The murderer, fearing discovery, offers to throw the body into the river; but this is to be the revengeful jester’s own special privilege. He bids’ Sparafucile begone. Left alone, he gloats horribly over his vengeance. He is about to drag the body to the river when he hears a sound that makes his blood run cold. It is the voice of the duke, in the inn, making fresh love to the charming Maddalena. At once: he begins to tear at the sack, and, holding wide his mouth, he discovers the crumpled form of Gilda (his daughter). Though unconscious, she is not yet quite dead, and she revives under the night air just enough to bid him a last farewell. The duet which closes this strangely powerful work is a noble piece of music, the "In Heaven Above." \ q