The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-20
SOCIETY AND HOME TOPICS FOR WOMEN
Miss Prudence Neff Popular Pidnste Talks
 About Concertizne and American Musicians
By DOLLY DALRYMP.E


 ality, charm that is undeniable in its
 insistence, graciousness that is at once appealing and compelling, Miss Prudence
 Neff the newest addition to the faculty
 of the Southern School of Musical Art,
 proves convincingly that another Amer
 ican girl has achieved a successful career without rushing across the boundary line
 to leave behind American shekels and
 return having acquired no better training
 than could have been gained right here l in our native land.
 l Miss Neff has shown that the Made in i America" brand of pianiste Is just as pop
 ular, just as much sought just as much
 admired, and just as capable, as those
 with unpronounceable names and pecu-
 iarities and eccentricities plus, who pose
 and advertise and produce no better art | often not half as clever-as that of our
 own American musicians.
 1 Miss Neff, besides being a pianiste of
 the highest order. is a young woman
 whose personal attributes will make her an important factor in this community
 and the Southern School of Musical Art | is to be congratulated upon numbering
 her among its artists, and Birmingham t, is to be congratulated in turn upon pos
 sessing an institution progressive and appreciative enough to secure her serv- l Ices.
 l Miss Neff is western girl with all the vim and enthusiasm and ambition that is associated with the people of that section, and she never loses an opportunity to in- | xrbo ipfa ad hal he studies have all been with American mu- sicians, right here in America.
 l In the piano. she has been a pupil of MT. Glenn billiard Gum, the distinguished pianist and critic; in theory of MT. Adolph l Brune, the noted composer, and MT. Felix ! Borowski, composer and eminent crirc. At the age of 19 Miss Neff made her Chicago debut presenting a programme that represented Schumann, Chopin, Ru- binsten and Liszt in important compost tions. Flattering enga gements followed and she has toured the west with such artists as Hugo Heermann. the great Ger man violinist. Ludwig Becker, late con' cert master of the Thomas orchestra; kocian, the Bohemian violinist, and sev- eral chamber music organizations She has appeared as soloist with the Minne- apolis symphony orchestra and the Rus sian symphony orchestra of New York. Miss Neff will contribute her talent to various musical affairs in Birmingham during the season, the premiere of which will be her recital in the Cable hall Thurs day evening" when she will present a pro- gramme which will be interesting both to the amateur and the unprofessional alike. In chatting with Miss Neff a few days ago about music and musicians, she said l among other things:
 II began my studies at the Wesleyan | university, and later studied with MT. I Glenn billiard Gum, which resulted In my | engagement assistant to him in his work i'll Chicago. I was fortunate enough | to receive three free scholarships under l Mir. Gum, and I am also the happy pos sessor of three gold medals received at college during that time. I have been | reared mus.cally. you might say, on 1 American musicians, for Mr Gum, as you know. has exploited the idea and has probably done more to promote them and
 their talents than anybody else in the
 musical world. MT Gum was the initial l spirit in presenting programmes by | American composers, and played at the | big Americans Chicago symphony con-
 certs, two of which are given each sea- I son with MT. Gum, MT. Stock, and MT. l Charles E. Dawes as the committee in charge"
 Did you appear in any of these con- l certs?" I asked.
 l T played the Borowsld concerto, Miss
 Neff replied "at the last concert which MT. Gum conducted, with all American
 programme. I gave the first reading of l this concerto-in fact, it was in manu- 1 script, and I am the only pianist who presents it. I was rather pleased that | my success with the BOrOWslI concerto l enlisted the attention of the Mu Phi 1 Epsilon sorority which, as you know Is
 a national institution, with such honorary members as Madame Schumann-H enke
 and other great artists. They offered to
 send me to Europe to perfect my studies. l Of course, declined"
 There was reason, I presume. l What was it?" I queried
 q preferred to remain loyal to the
 cause of American music and it's promo
 tion and perfection.' Miss Neff replied, periodically, "and I have done this to the
 letter."
 ''Is there any reason, in your opinion," I asked, why America cannot have a
 musical standard worthy of this great country of ours just as foreign countries l have? Although many failures to write
 an American grand opera, or an American l symphony, or even songs that will outlive | tradition have been enrolled, still do you
 not believe that modernity has provided l a way for us to made through and win?" | When you take such geniuses as Mac Dowell,' Miss Neff said thoughtfully, l Mrs. Beach. MT. Cadman, Helen Ware | Arthur Durham, Carpenter. the song
 writer; Bollinger and MT. Herbert's Ma
 toma,' which had a hearing at the Metro l politan opera. l see no reason why Amer ican music should not eventually reach |