He Often Saw Famous Pianist Godowsky

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 25, 2 December 1938, Page 4

He Often Saw Famous Pianist Godowsky

LEOPOLD GODOWSKY, pianist of whom it was said he did with one hand what others did with two, whose death was reported by cable last week, oncs nearly jcame to Australia and New Zealand to coach and give recitals. Gordon Short, well-known Well- | ington musician, told the "Record" last week that three years ago, if only the guarantee could have peen raised, Godowsky was prepared to come here and hold a

series of artists’. classes. The guarantee could not he raised. Russian Pole who served like Kreisler with the Austrian army in the 1914-1818 war, Gedowsky wos held to be @ pianist in the class of the famous Lizst. *"} saw him often when I lived in Vienna,’ said Mr. Short. "He was. retiring, extremely modest and amiable.. His students worshipped him." ahi

At this time, before the war, Godowsky Lad been chosen to conduet the artists’ classes at the Vienna State Conservatorium, @ post given only to world-famous pianists, "Wis fame spread to Australia through a friend of mine in Adelaide, Paul Howard," said Mr Short, Paul Howard, himself a brilliant amateur pianist, who could give 20 major recitals a year from memory, for 25 years made it his mission to make the works of Godowsky known. He formed a Godowsky Society 12 months ago and invited = membership from the greatest pianists like Josef Hofman, Petri and Rachmaninoff. Members pledged themselves to learn a new Godowsky work every year, to ask visiting artists to play Godowsky works, and, if they themselves were giving public performances, to play one Godowsky work at each recital. °.. : Godowsky was called the modern Viennese Bach, said Mr. Short. There was a Viennese sweetness, elegance and grace in his werk. Godowsky regularly wrote to Paul Howard in later years, telling him all the details of his family life, Lately he lived in America where he lost all his savings in the Wall Street crash. He had a curious illness. Qne day he was looking out of the window of a taxi when a deg with hydrophobia pit his nose. The pianist was a long time recovering. Family tragedies overtook him. Each letter Godowsky wrote to him, Paul Howard had copied and sent to his friend Gordon Short. The letters tell a fascinating story, much of it too intimate for publication.