Five Girls And A Man In A Family Orchestra

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 34, 3 February 1939, Page 4

Five Girls And A Man In A Family Orchestra

Love Of Music Is In The Blood Of The Roland Sestet

JOT many cities-countries as tar as that goes-can have a talented family of six overseas-trained musicians, who have earned the title of the "Family Orchestra." New Zetland has the Rotand Sestet-five girls and a manat present fiving in Christchurch, but working out a concert tour which may include Australia. Touring is nothing to this young combination. It has pe formed in Vienna and in London. Leader of the orchestra is Max. The others are Stephanie, Hlza. Phyllis, Margit and Olga. All were born at Te Aroha, children of Mr. and Mrs. D. Roland, the father being a Hungarian. They were taken abroad for study in 1927, and spent about ten years overseas, later appearing in big musical centres, including London. When they arrived in Vienna, said young Max, who directs the activities of his five sisters, they found things in a very disturbed state, and so for six months they had a holiday in Hungary, camping for many weeks beside the Blue Danube, of which they had heard and read so much. Though in places where the river flowed through cities, its waters were not true to repute, in the open spaces they found the beautiful, romantic river of their dreams. There was.only one drawback to their months of leisure — their ignorance of the language, for in New Zealand they had spoken nothing but English. They devoted their time to acquiring Hungarian and before long had mastered its difficulties. Then came Vienna. The carefree existence they had led beside the Danube gave place to serious study, but so much did they love music and so keen were they to learn everything that was

to be learned in the home of music, that they never allowed their interest to lag. Here came real, hard work. Their master was Professor Rudolf Matcher, leader of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and, incidentally, a great friend of Kreisler. Macame Kreisfer took a keen interest in their progress. They had special studies with Johann Strauss, grandson of the great composer, and with him play: ed at the Strauss celebrations. In Budapest they found that life, then, really began at night whe much of the time was given te music, and Hungarian Gipsy bands played in every public garden where the people met to talk, smoke and drink coffee. Vienna, however, was no longer the gay place the films made it out to be, yet the people had not lost their love of music; they were steeped in it, and could never lose it. The Sestet lived two doors from the home where Beethoven composed his famous "Ereoica." Sister Olga had the thrill of playing on the composer’s piano. They saw Schubert’s piano and the original manuscript of his "Ave Maria." In London the Sestet of New Zealanders played before the Marchioness of Cambridge and on the same programme were Freddie Bartholomew, now famous film star, Nellie Viveash and the London Diocesan Bandette. Margit Roland has a cello given to her by Leo Cherniavsky, of the famous Cherniavsky Trio, wher the two musical families met in London. It is believed to be of great age. Naturally she treasures it. Margit also has a bow which belonged to Fritz Kreisler, but she does not risk it on her travels.