' . .' 'Rubinstein said that there were only three pianists in the world during the forties: himself, Kapell and Farrell." For a decade New Zealander Richard Farrell enthralled the concert world with his interpretations of both the Modern and Romantic piano repertoire. Lauded and acclaimed by the critics, he met rapturous applause wherever he played - whether it was Carnegie Hall or Calcutta . . . . Yet if success brought him fame and a measure of prosperity it also robbed him of privacy and peace. His life became a hurried succession of flights, taxi rides, rehearsals, concerts, parties, more recitals .... It could not last. Within him a self destructive impulse began to take hold, finding focus in a strange premonition finally realised by his own untimely death at the age of thirty-one. "It is already more than a quarter of a century since Richard Farrell was killed in a car accident, tragically ending the career of the finest New Zealand pianist of his generation . ... A book putting on record the life story and achievements of Farrell had to be written if there were not to be a serious gap in the archives of New Zealand music . . . . David Jillett's perceptive study fills the gap, It faithfully presents Richard Farrell as the virtuoso, yet unfailingly modest pianist whose playing in several tours here between 1948 and 1956 won him acclaim throughout the country." - L C. M. SAUNDERS (Music critic New Zealand Herald) "How easily might we have honoured the work of Richard Farrell in some practical way . .. perhaps by naming a concert hall, a school of music or even a scholarship after him. Regrettably we have failed to do this . .. . David Jillett recognises the greatness of Richard Farrell in an eloquent biography, detailing the personal qualities and achievements of a very eminent New Zealander." - PETER EMPEN "A tense tale, full of surprises - with the pace of a thriller and the impact of grand opera."- DAME SISTER MARY LEO ISBN 0-908636-14-8 - ABOUT THE AUTHOR DAVID JILLETT'S first interest was the Army. He was a member of the Wellington Regiment, then the 35th Battalion Infantry, and 14th Brigade Intelligence, and was on active service during the Second World War. After the war David Jillett was a journalist for New Zealand newspapers, and was on the staff of the Evening Post, Wellington. He studied music at Victoria University. As a lad he had been a chorister at St Paul's Pro-Cathedral in Wellington and studied singing, pipe organ and piano under Sir Robert Parker. David Jillett's music has been published in Europe, and in Australia by Collins and Allans. The catalogue of Albert's Publishing lists him as a prolific composer for voice and keyboard. Melbourne Conservatorium commissioned Jillett to write the first English mass to be sung in Australia (Inter-State Festival, 1968). At the age of thirty-three, the author entered Holy Name Seminary, Riccarton, and studied philosophy with the Jesuits, then later theology with the Vincentians. He has specialised in social and psychiatric work, and has been chaplain to psychiatric hospitals for the last twenty-five years, working at Oakley and Carrington Hospitals and formerly at Kingseat and Raventhorpe. His work now extends to the new multiple sclerosis units, set up by the Auckland Hospital Board. He is also on the Inter-ChurCh Committee and interested in ecumenical work. The author was the first Vicar ofTitirangi, New Lynn, and is a chaplain to the R.S.A. The author studied in Rome between 1977-1978. His German and Italian songs were published there in 1980. In 1981 he was commissioned to write the beatification music for the French Saint Jeanne Juggan. The composer worked with the choir of the Sistine Chapel and St Pancras, New York. His latest writing is for Cardinal Pio for the Samoan liturgy. FARRELL A Biography DAVID JILLETT ~ Benton Ross Copyright © David Jillett 1985 First published in 1985 Published by Benton-Ross Limited, PO Box 33-055, Takapuna, Auckland 9 Printed in New Zealand by Communication Arts Limited, Auckland from type set by Typocrafters Limited, Auckland Design and production by Phillip Ridge/Paper Dart All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright holder. ISBN 0-908636-14-8 To the m£mory if Maud Trevor and Trevor Symonds. Maria proteggimi e benedici miei genitori, Maria e Tommaso, e tutti miei amici, e beneJattori. Contents page Acknowledgements IX The nightmare 1 2 New York, Carnegie Hall 3 3 New York, Vincent's Food Bar 7 4 Open spaces 12 5 Los Angeles to San Francisco 17 6 Madame Olga Samaroff 21 7 Rooftops 25 8 Florence Fitzgerald 29 9 Juilliard Graduate School 34 10 Maine, York Village 42 11 The Mersing Sonata 46 12 American tunes 53 13 Contracts and deals 62 14 Pott's Point, Sydney, Australia 70 15 Press releases 81 16 Death in the family 85 17 Pacific overtures 90 18 Wellington Town Hall 94 19 Mba, Fiji 98