Hall, Marie (actually, Mary Paulina)
Hall, Marie (actually, Mary Paulina)
Hall, Marie (actually, Mary Paulina), English violinist; b. Newcastle upon Tyne, April 8, 1884; d. Cheltenham, Nov. 11, 1956. As a small child, she gave performances in the homes of music-lovers in Newcastle, Malvern, and Bristol with her father, an amateur harp player, her uncle (violin), her brother (violin), and her sister (harp). Elgar heard her, and was impressed by her talent; he sent her to Wilhelmj in London for regular study; she also studied with Johann Kruse. At the age of 15, she won the 1st Wessely Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Music. She was recommended by Jan Kubelik to Ševčik in Prague (1901), from whom she received a rigorous training; she made her professional debut in Prague (1902); then played in Vienna. After a highly successful London concert (Feb. 16, 1903), she made her American debut as soloist with the N.Y. Sym. Orch., Walter Damrosch conducting (Nov. 8, 1905); toured Australia (1907) and India (1913). On Jan. 27, 1911, she married her manager, Edward Baring, and settled in Cheltenham; she continued to appear in concerts in England until 1955, with her daughter, Pauline Baring, as her accompanist.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire