Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Composer, tenor, pianist, and accompanist to many great singers and instrumentalists worldwide.
On the island
Eight records
Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
GUEST: 'the Allegro Scherzando from the third movement'
GUEST: 'You were accompanist to Mischa Elman for a long time, weren’t you? Yes, for seven years.'
In conversation
Presenter asks
6:06How did your career start? What decided you to become a musician?
I think because my parents were both very musical. And wanted all the boys and girls to learn music.
Presenter asks
10:12You accompanied Caruso very often. Was he a pleasant man to work with?
[I] enjoyed working with him immensely. At the Knickerbocker Hotel, I went and sang some of my songs to him … and he was very, very pleased with an Ave Maria which I had set to music. And he said, 'Oh, I'll make a record of that if you can write an obbligato for Mischa [Elman] and we'll record it next week.'
Presenter asks
17:20How are you going to look after yourself on this island?
Well, first of all, I should be very lonely and I think I could manage that all right. … I once gave Sandow, the strong man, some singing lessons and he in return taught me some of his famous exercises and I think I should be able to climb a tree and get some coconuts. I'm still very agile at seventy-seven.
The keepsakes
The book
Not recorded.
The luxury
a tape recorder with a big supply of batteries
I would like to take a tape recorder with a big supply of batteries. I want to uh sing some melodies which I can record and compose music to them when I return if I can get safely off the island and also I want to listen to the birds' beautiful voices.
Presenter asks
You were Richard Tauber's accompanist and coach right up to the time of his death, weren't you?
Yes, I spent 15 thrilling and happy years with him, and during that time travelled the five continents of the world. He was a great artist, a great singer, great musician and a great conductor.
Presenter asks
21:50What are you going to take with you as a luxury?
Well, it's very difficult to say. Because I should be very, very lonely there. And I think I would like to take a tape recorder with a big supply of batteries. … I want to sing some melodies which I can record, and compose music to them when I return if I can get safely off the island and also I want to listen to the birds' beautiful voices.
“I hate loneliness. I like the cheerful company and I'm afraid it's going to be very difficult.”
“He [Rachmaninoff] came to the Knickerbocker Hotel in New York when I was rehearsing with Misha Elman several times accompanied by Pavlova and sat and listened to our practicing. Very distinguished audience.”
“She [Tetrazzini] trilled on the stop B. And not a sound came out for the last top E. So I walked off the platform … and practically off the platform when she ran after me and brought me back promptly on the piano stool, And asked me for the cord. I gave her the cord and she trilled on this top E magnificently.”
“I jumped from my piano stool, clapped my hands together wildly and said, 'That was perfectly splendid.' And so I spoilt the record. … Caruso took it all in good part and laughed heartily … regardless of fatigue, of course we had to do it a fifth time.”
“Piatigorski, the famous cellist … told me that Horowitz had told him that Barere could do more with four fingers than he himself could do with his ten.”