The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-01-07
MR.. GROVER TILDEN DAVIS,
PIANIST, AND A WORD ABOUT HIS ART
By DOLLY DALRYMPLE

those who know, that the day of the long,
haired musician, 1.-The extreme virtuoso,
as he may be aproposly termed. with all
of his eccentricities and peculiarities. is
thing of the past.
Today the sane, conservative, conven-
tional man of business, essays the role of
practical musicianship and follows music
as G. profession. one that is honored
among men, and which gives to art It's
highest and most beneficial influence.
In Mr. Grover Tilden Davis, the new
director of music of the Southern School
of Musical Art, Is exemplified the fact
that has just been stated, that music as
profession-music as practical art-ap-
peals to the modern business man, the
.mal who finds in this particular line an
expression of his talent, and his genius,
just as the banker, the financier, the law
yer and the merchant finds a field for his
talent and his genius in these profess
sions
Mr.. Davis is the scion of notable fami-
lies from the north, as well as from the
south, his paternal grandfather being a
second cousin of the late Jefferson Davis,
Willie vi HIS dttiiidA siuC, o<tiAcCA II
den. whose name he bears, was a near
rela tive
Mr.. Davis name signifies, as he laugh
ingly says, democracy" since he is also
named for Grover Cleveland, whose own
name spells democracy with capital
3D." and this touch of democratic af-
filietion combined with an old, aristo-
cratic lineage, makes him an unusual fig
ure in the artistic world.
Mr. Davis radiates aristocratic, high
bred elegance, and withal an atmosphere
of gentility that is impressive not only
in his appearance and conversation, but in
his art as we'll.
With the splendid ancestry that Mr..
Davis has back of him the dominant note
of his work, as well as his personality.
could be nothing short of artistocratic.
The fact that Mr.. Davis is young, ambi-
tious. and with more than the usual tai
ent accorded the average musician, has
it's decided value, but the splendid success
that this clever young man has achieved
Is as potent testimonial as one could
desire of his ability to give genuine pleas
ure and keen enjoyment by his pianism
alcne a pleasure which recognizes the art
as presented by Mr.. Davis as the lodes-
tar, and puts the man in the background.
People will go to hear Mr.. Davis play.
They will go to Mr.. Davis to be taught.
In fact, he bids fair to have his name
appear high up in the roll of honor in
musical circles here, and to add his en-
ergetic apostleship to the roster of those
x,,l,o a no uuorLipU with might and main To
make Birmingham the musical center of
the south"
In chatting with Mr.. Davis about his
studies and his work found him to be
very practical young man, never for a
moment losing the sense of the artistic,
however yet always with an eye to what
art means to the dilettante as we'll as to
the professional musician.
After leaving college, where I went
through the technical department at the
University of Cincinnati" Mr.. Davis
said, Il had the pleasure of making the
most delightful trip to Panama with
President Taft before assuming charge
of my duties as a teacher at Pomona coll
lege, Claremont, Cal l also occupied the
chair of master of music at Hotchkiss
school, Lakeville, Conn.,, where l taught
piano, voice and the organ, coaching the
Glee club, directing the choir, and pro-
noting music generally. had studied at
the College of Music In Cincinnati for
several years, where I graduated, and
later went to Berlin, where ! was very
fortunate in having cards of introduction
to many of the most noted teachers and
artists"
1T must be difficult task, think, to
choose from so many excellent teachers
when one goes to Europe, and then there
ic oil tha pho Of unlQRtinO
and being sorry later, that you didn't go
to another 1 suggested.
II had no regret as to my choice" Mr..
Davis answered quickly. II studied with
George Bertram of the Sterne conserva-
tory, with Carl Fisher of the Hochschule,
and later with the Lhevinnes."
you've struck a congenial chord in
my heart" observed, when you speak
of the Lhevinnes. Mr.. Lhevinne's vir-
tuosity appeals to me as few others
know. I recall very pleasantly living at
the same hotel with the Lhevinnes one
winter in New York, and I used to stand
outside their door and listen to Mr..
Lhevinne practice"
Mrs. Lhevinne Is not as we'll known,
perhaps" said Mr. Davis, "as a teacher
and artist as her husband, but she is a
wonderful woman in many respects
''She is a graduate of the Conservatory
at Moscow and has the most tremendous
talent for mathematics, which Is very
fortunate, because 1 consider that music
and mathematics are very closely related.
In fact. advocate the study Of mathe-
MATES for every musician. 1t is big
help musically to know mathematics. fol
every musical composition in a meas
ure is mathematical problem. Mrs
Lhevinne has infinite patience and she in
spires a pupil with implicit confidence In
her ability. Mr.. Lhevinne, on the Other
hand, is more phlegmatic In his nature
and doesn't get at the root of trouble
as quickly as she does, but when it comes
to finishing and polishing. he has no equal
in my opinion. Mr.. Lhevinne is a pianist
who has always been noted for his s.rnaz.
ing technique, and while he certainly has
this to a remarkable degree. 1t has never
affected his sensuous beauty of tone
which is a coincidence meriting congrat-
ulation. The way he overcomes technical
difficulties is phenomenal, and his in
depreciation of such pianistic monstrosi.
ties as the Brahms variations on an q
Paganini theme, or the too infreQuently
played Paderewsd Variations ct Fuge
Opus g. Is not only brilliant. but must
cally beautiful and effective. On thu
other hand he Is a wonderful interpreter
OF Chopin, and I have heard him play
with perhaps greater tenderness thar
eny of the great virtuosi. the G-fi1t i'm
promptu. and many Of the Nocturnes
giving them an unusual tonal beauty
that was almost inconceivable with one
whose technique is so dominant"
(which brings me to ask II you think
the average American music student get
any greater benefit from study abroad
than right here at homer" I observed.