The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-27
Miss Prudence Neff, Brmnehdm's Brilliant
 Pidnste, Talks About Contest of Artists
 Al Memphis in Which She Was "Winner
By DOLLY DALRYMPLE


 By the finished piansm and brilliant vir- tuosity of Miss Prudence Neff of the Southern School of Musical Art, Birmng-
 ham climbed high up in the list muslcally the past week, when this clever young woman appeared in the Southern artists l contest at Memphis. winning the distinc- tion of appearing at the meeting of the National Federation of Musical clubs in California next July, over 10 representa- tves from the south.
 Since Miss Neff's residence in Birming- ham last January, at which time she be- came a member of the faculty of the Southern School of Musical Art, she has supremely demonstrated her wonderful ability as pianiste as we'll as her splendid talent as a teacher. and the beautiful programmes that she has presented on dif- ferent occasions have given Birmingham the opportunity of judging of this re-
 narkable young womans genius when 1t comes to pianistic accomplishment and the verdict has been unanimously in her favor
 Miss Neff is a many sided and well bal anced artiste the three .rrso namely. technique. taste and temperament" be- ing the happy combination that she pos sesses
 Miss Neff has an exceptional breadth of tone or delivery and her superb reading of different marvelously difficult selec- tions. full of diabolical technics and other virtuoso seductions. has demonstrated su- premely truly monumental piece of piano art
 Aside from Miss Neffs amazing tech niaue she is musically emotional. she makes the piano sing or storm at will and her staceatti are like sparkling sunlight on the water and with all this she com | Lines ,an artistic intellectual esprit with technical adroitness.
 As accurate as Miss Neff's playing is, the story cannot be told of her that is ac- credited to Busoni about Godowsky Mr. Busnoi, It seems, was inspecting some pianos in a Berlin warehouse one day and overhearing in an adjoining room an amazingly brilliant and accurate passage in thirds, exclaimed:
 "Ah, that's either a piano player or Godowsky."
 l say this story cannot be laid at Miss Nens door, because while she is always technically accurate, she has none of the automatic hardness and lack of poetic sentiment that many of the big artists are minus: instead. she possesses ten derness of tonal quality with a sensuous beauty which in spite of it's power never degenerates into noise, an attribute for which she is to be highly recommended It is to Birmingham's credit that that splendid institution. the Southern School of Musical Art, with it's usual foresight and perspicacity, has engaged Miss Neff for period of several years as instructor in piano. and the advantage that this gives to pupils desirous of studying with a finished musician. is hardly to be found in any other city in the south. Miss Nen upon her return from Mem- phis, full of enthusiasm and naturally quite proud of her success, chatted with me most interestingly yesterday about the contest las week
 Tt was the first time that I had eyer been through such an ordeal she laugh ingly said, and l assure you it was nerve racSing to degree. As you prob ably know, the United States has been divided into four division by the Ma tional Federation of Musical Clubs, the southern division being the one which held its contest in Memphis. Ten states were represented, each by a vocalist a violinist and pianist. None of the judges knew who we were, each of us choosing a number and by that we were identified
 'I drew number five" Miss Neff con tinued, 'and we were told that the piano contest, which followed the vocal and violin contests. would take place during the afternoon. All of the contestants were naturally a bit nervous and when 6:30 o'clock came and we were told that the vocal and violin contests were not over and that the piano contest would not take place until 7:30 o'clock in the l evening, you can imagine our chagrin 1 over having to go through hours more of waiting and wondering"
 Mrs. William James Gilfillan.~ the vice president of the southern division man. aged the contest Miss Neff continued