November 1922: A Coatbridge Pianist – Concert Given by Mr Robert Taylor, to Members and Friends in the Rooms of the Glasgow Society of Musicians

An article on page six of The Glasgow Herald, on Thursday the 23rd of November, 1922, reads:

 

“A COATBRIDGE PIANIST

 

A most enjoyable concert was given last evening to members and friends

in the rooms of the Glasgow Society of Musicians. Mr Robert Taylor, a

young Coatbridge pianist, was the principal artist of the evening. He is at

present studying in London with the Misses Mathilde and Adela Verne, and

during his temporary sojourn in the North he was invited to play to his friends

in Glasgow. In a comprehensive selection of pieces he gave a very promising

demonstration of his powers, and seems destined to add considerably to the

existing and very creditable musical record of his native district. Mr Taylor

already possesses a very adequate well-rounded technic, which is happily allied to a

genuine musical temperament, and with this double equipment he is able to make

interesting all that he plays. In Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight’ Sonata, a Nocturne for the

left hand by Scriabine, ‘The Island Spell’ of John Ireland, ‘Tragédie’ of Metner, and

Liszt’s D flat Etude, he played with a real understanding of the poetic content of the

music, while Rubinstein’s Staccato Etude, the ‘Perpetuum Mobile’ of Weber, ‘Jongleuse’

of Moszkowski, and ‘Witches’ Dance’ of MacDowell showed that on the virtuoso side

he has already reached a very promising stage of development.

 

He was assisted by Messrs Templeton Moore, James MacMillan, and Alexander

Henderson, whose vocal contributions to the accompaniments of Mr Robert McCallum

were much appreciated.”

 

 

 

Mathilde (1865-1936) and Adela (1877-1952) Verne.

Alexander Scriabin (1871/2-1915), who also used the French spelling, Scriabine

Nicolai Medtner (1879/80-1951), whose romanized Russian surname is Metner.

 

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George Fairfull-Smith, February 2021.