Mr. Michael Balling Author(s): S. Langford Source: The Musical Times, Vol. 54, No. 839 (Jan. 1, 1913), pp. 9-10 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/906099 Accessed: 06-03-2016 20:01 UTC
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This content downloaded from 202.28.191.34 on Sun, 06 Mar 2016 20:01:23 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES.-JANUARY I, 19I3. 9
was the youngest of six children, and his father
died when he was twelve years old. He went only
Che mlusical Cimes
to the village school, and was intended first for a
shoemaker. But he had a good contralto voice AND SINGING CLASS CIRCULAR.
as a boy, and his singing was admired in the
JANUARY I, I9I3.
Catholic Church which he, with his parents,
attended. The schoolmaster therefore advised
that he should be trained for music, and he
obtained entrance as a free student at the
MR. MICHAEL BALLING.
Wiirzburg Royal School of Music. Here he
Mr. Michael Balling, the successor to Dr. Hans studied the viola with Hermann Ritter, who
Richter as conductor of the Halle Orchestra in was seeking to restore the older and larger
Manchester, has during the past month shown form of viola as made by Antonio Bagatello.
himself a strong man of affairs, and entirely Ritter, who taught not only the viola but the
changed the aspect of musical life in that city. history of music, and was the author of several
Not only has he already broken through the important social pamphlets, sowed also the
conservative musical policy to which the Halle first seeds of idealism in the boy's mind. With
Society had during Dr. Richter's conductorship Ritter he studied for four years, and was awarded
become more and more attached, but he has now a viola of the Italian model as a prize from King
also prevailed upon a committee, which has long Ludwig II. His first position was as viola-player
thought it a duty, and almost an ideal, to preserve a in the Mainz Municipal Orchestra, conducted by
square balance-sheet, to adopt an artistic policy Emil Steinbach, brother of Fritz Steinbach, and in
that may involve the Society in an estimated loss some ways Mr. Balling thinks an even finer
of fI,ooo on each season of twenty concerts, and musician. He worked hard in untimely hours to
an alteration of its articles of association in pass the examination that would exempt him from
consonance with this policy. The guarantors, two of his three years' military service, and
many of whom have hitherto regarded it as succeeded. He obtained the necessary position that
a hardship to supply even the smallest portion would technically give him a secure livelihood
of their guarantee, have not only confirmed the as viola-player in the Schwerin Court Orchestra.
new policy of the committee, but have suggested About this time he had the honour of playing
that the whole amount of their guarantee Rubinstein's Viola sonata, esteemed by Rubinstein
should, in cases where it is found convenient, as the best of all his chamber-music, in public with
be placed in the hands of the Society and the composer. At Schwerin he met Carl Hill, the
funded, to make by means of the interest first Alberich of Bayreuth, who brought him into
accruing, permanent provision for the additional touch, to his great delight, with the prose works of
expenditure. The musical advantages will be Wagner. A pupil of Nietszche and a pupil of
many. Contrary to previous custom, choral works Heinrich von Stein also at this period influenced
will now have a combined rehearsal for choir and his mind strongly towards the study of philosophy,
orchestra; there will be an additional orchestral and his nature developed quickly. He met Brahms,
rehearsal for each concert; and the members of and played much chamber-music with him, and
the Orchestra will be put on a salary during the also with Aloys Schmidt, of pedagogic fame.
winter months. There will also shortly be an His first experience of conducting was obtained
endeavour to found an 'Operatic Festival Society' in here, in connection with the choir and orchestra
connection with the Orchestra, and to inaugurate a of the Protestant Cathedral, where he found great
series of orchestral concerts for the poorer classes, delight in the Motets of Bach and other church
with the aid of the municipality. Mr. Balling music. During his one year of military duty, work
has ventured to disturb Manchester's well-known was sometimes severe. One day he was at military
satisfaction with itself in musical matters, and exercise at 4 a.m.; rehearsing the viola solo of
wounded where it had most pride. Manchester 'Harold in Italy 'with the orchestra at 11 ; back to
is now stirring to vindicate its own opinion of the barracks at 2 until 6; and in evening-dress
itself. ready to begin the solo with the orchestra at 7.
Mr. Balling has thus become a power in English From Schwerin he obtained his first invitation to
musical life. His previous career has also an join the Bayreuth Orchestra. He was its youngest
interest for English musicians, beyond its personal member, and when, on no one starting a viola solo
interest. He was born at Heidingsfeld, near in 'Tristan,' he began, the conductor (Mottl) so
Wiirzburg, in Bavaria, in August, I866, at the much admired his playing that he placed him at
time the battle around Wiirzburg was raging the leader's desk. He was asked to play also at
between the Bavarians and the Prussians. Owing to Madame Wagner's soiree, Mottl accompanying
this turmoil the date of his birth is uncertain. His him. He played the 'Romance Oubliee' of Liszt,
mother held he was born on the 27th; his father as arranged by the composer for Hermann Ritter.
thought it the 26th: the baptismal register gives Here he met Levi, Richter, Hans von Wolzogen,
the 29th. His parents were poor. His father was Humperdinck, Kienzl, and other famous
a lithographer in the employ of the Government, musicians.
at .?4 per month, and had also a small grocery Through the influence of friends in Hamburg
business, looked after chiefly by his wife. Balling he was next invited to go to New Zealand
This content downloaded from 202.28.191.34 on Sun, 06 Mar 2016 20:01:23 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 10 THE MUSICAL TIMES.-JANUARY I, 1913.
in place of another musician, ostensibly to carving the Maoris achieve much beautiful work.
found a college of music. He journeyed Mr. Balling thinks this aboriginal race is also really
by way of Australia, and at Melbourne met musical, and capable of refined musical culture.
the English musician, Mr. Marshall Hall, and Mr. Balling was brought back to England by
heard under his conductorship the first Wagner Mr. Harold Large to conduct the music to
concert ever given in Melbourne. He had 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' for Mr. Benson's
booked his onward passage in the ill -fated company, on their tour through England, Ireland,
Weirrarapa, but at the request of the Austrian and Scotland. In London he gave two recitals
Consul he delayed his voyage two days. On on the Ritter viola, and a lecture before the
arriving at Auckland, he found all the flags at Society of Musicians. For the play, he added to
half-mast, and learned that the Weirrarapa Mendelssohn's music a chorus, 'On the ground,
had gone down with all her 300 passengers. sleep sound,' which was much admired. The
In the newspapers he read his own name tour began with a Festival at Stratford, and Miss
among the list of the dead. He felt encouraged, Agnes Nicholls here appeared for the first time,
and persevered to good purpose. Nelson, his singing the part of the Chief Fairy.
destination, he found a most beautiful place, of A return, as assistant, to Bayreuth came in I896,
15,000 inhabitants. A Mr. Cock, of Devonshire, when the first performance of the 'Ring' series was
who was musical and spoke German, proved a given since 1876. Mr. Balling now became
great help. Balling soon discovered that he on friendly terms with the whole Wagner family.
was expected to play pianoforte duets with He was next appointed chorus-director of the
the wife of Dr. Johannsen, a Dane, who, Hamburg Stadt-theatre, and in eight months he
finding that he was not a pianist, shelved him prepared ninety different operas, and conducted all
entirely. He was stung by this incident into his music behind the scenes, attending every rehearsal
first attempt to learn the pianoforte, and began his and every performance. This experience very
studies with the Prelude to 'Tristan'! After two much widened his knowledge. Here he wrote
months' stay he ventured, with little knowledge of music also for the 'Christmas plays.' Called upon
English, on a public speech in behalf of his projected suddenly to conduct 'The Barber of Seville,'
School of Music, and raised 300o at his first without preparation, he became obsessed with the
meeting. The money was spent on instruments, idea that he might develop into a conductor.
which, some of them unknown in the land, aroused Soon afterwards he was appointed conductor at
great curiosity when displayed in the shop windows. Liibeck, where he gave the first performance of
ANewZealander, Miss Dogtail, taught the pianoforte, the 'Ring' without cuts.
and played well; Mr. Balling taught all orchestral In this small town he gave thirty-four performances
instruments and history. In his first harmony of 'The magic flute' to packed houses. He was
class there were twenty-three pupils, including a next at Breslau, and then became successor to
Colonel Branfield, who had been through the Mottl at Karlsruhe. Here he had his first
Indian Mutiny and was now over seventy years experience of orchestral concerts, and gave all
of age, and a little girl of nine years, daughter of the Symphonies of Beethoven and Bruckner.
Mrs. Houlker, the teacher of singing. Choral At the Lyceum Theatre, Barcelona, he gave
Societies were soon formed, and military brass-band twelve performances of ' Die Meistersinger,' the
players were quickly converted into wood-wind first given there. He next conducted a Beethoven
players for the orchestra. After two years' work the Festival in Rome. Then came an invitation to
Music School had 200 pupils, and it still continues conduct ' Tristan 'at Bayreuth, and his appointment
to be a prosperous institution. Before leaving as conductor of the 'Ring,' in succession to Richter.
he conducted Symphonies by Haydn, and the Afterwards illness compelled a year's rest, and he
'Walpurgis Nacht' of Mendelssohn. On visiting was next heard of as conductor of Mr. Denhof's
the King Country, Balling was much struck with operatic Festivals in Scotland and the North of
the aboriginal music of the Maoris. In the England. His popularity on his appearance at
forests bordering the Wanganui, the Rhine of Manchester in this connection virtually assured him
New Zealand, the melancholy of their chants of succession to Richter, as conductor of the Halld
mourning reminded him of some of the oldest Orchestra. How much Manchester expects of him
Catholic hymns. With the corpse placed on a may be guessed by the present support accorded
green-laurelled bier in their midst they chanted him. S. LANGFORD.
the story of the deceased, and over it all there was
a solo contralto woman's voice, keening in quarter-
tones in clear, six-eight time, a tune revolving
JOSEPH MARX'S NEW SONGS.
about the central tone D. Whenever a notable
BY ERNEST NEWMAN.
deed was recorded her voice was raised to a point
of ecstasy, and always she ended with a falling In the AMusical Times for March, I912, I
sigh, like the groan of an animal. Their war-dance, reviewed the songs of a remarkable new writer,
with its strong, rhythmical shouts, 'He, hu, hi, ha,' Joseph Marx. These were published in two
he found equally striking. At a Court Festival collections, the first containing twenty-eight songs,
Mr. Balling played viola solos for the Maori King, almost all of them of unusually distinguished
and was presented with a stick deftly carved by quality, and a second set of nine, the general level
means of fish-shells and stones. In this art of wood of which was not so high, though one or two of the
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firomz a Photograpkh by Lafayette.
MICHAEL BALLING.
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