Correspondence

I promised to read you something from her letters. So here we go!  In reading some paragraphs you will get to know a young woman who was full of life, wanting to make the very best use of her opportunities and above all please her parents.

9 October 1916: “…  Yesterday afternoon we gave a concert in the Salon to the Sisters and the students who wanted to hear us. I played, from memory, the Caprice Waltz and the Allegro Appassionata of St Saens. They were very kind to us. Bernadette played the Sermon to the Birds of List. Yesterday morning we went to the High Mass in the Church of St. Francis Xavier. Beautiful singing. I will return there if I can. In the afternoon we went for a walk in Central Park. Tomorrow we will go back to Macy’s. There I saw escalators. My father would have enjoyed riding up on them. What a huge store! How rich, how beautiful. I want to carry out my intention of going to bed early, for I do not want to lose my rosy cheeks. Here they tell me that I have not got New York colours …”

13th October 1916 “…the temperature is ideal. Aline and I went shopping like real Americans. I found some high boots, brown and very smart for $3.85.  I needed them and so bought them, as well as a bag for $1. My companion is very funny and how I laughed.  In another shop we bought white silk stockings. On Wednesday afternoon we went, with an Irish girl, to visit the Fine Arts Museum, or rather, we began to visit it. One needs to spend many days there to see it all. We spent time in the room where there were pianos and musical instruments… In the morning I go to Mass in the church of the Assumption Fathers. My appetite is very good, you certainly will not recognise me at Christmas. We play ball games and laugh – I should say so! If the Yanks are forming an idea of us French Canadians they will just have to recognise the virtue of cheerfulness...”

19 October 1916.”… Let me tell you about the Conservatoire. I did not receive my timetable until Tuesday. My piano teacher is a Mr Newstead, I have Mr Richardson for harmony and also lessons from Mr Tappe.  I met Mr Newstead on Tuesday and, after asking me to play the Bach Prelude, he told me “your fingers are strong and you use them well. Now, as necessary, you must use your wrists more, your arm and your fore-arm”. He then made me play the Allegro and at the very end he gave me a little pat on the shoulder and said “You are talented, I hope you will have a very good year”.   He is English and does not want to speak French. No problem, I will break my neck to speak his language…”

5 November 1916.  “I have just returned from a concert given by Paderewiski. It was worth coming from Quebec simply to hear him. At present he is thought to be the greatest pianist in the world. He played eight pieces and of them, the audience made him repeat the Second Rhapsody of List. There was rapturous applause from the audience - the great Carnegie Hall was completely full.  You cannot imagine how good it is to be in New York.”