MUSICAL TREASURE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 115, 18 May 1927, Page 11

MUSICAL TREASURE.

A £10,000 STRADIVARIUS.

ZIMBALTIT IN AUCKLAND.

A FAMOUS VIOLINIST.

It looked an ordinary violin as it lay in its case on the top of a bed at the Grand Hotel this morning. But it was a genuine "Strad."—a Stradivariua violin to the uninitiated—and it cost just £10,000.

A "Star" representative gazed at it — to touch it would be sacrilege—with becoming awe and reverence, thought of a violin of irreproachable tone which he secured on one occasion at a lost luggage sale for a paltry five shillings, and watched with interest how Efrem Zimbalist, who ranks with Kreisler and Heifetz as one of the greatest living violinists, tenderly handled the treasure.

Mr. Zimbalist, a Russian Ly birth, but a naturalised American subject, demonstrated just how a "Strad." should be handled. Unlike the ordinary violin, it is not grabbed just any where; it is reverently caressed at both ends, and then tenderly nursed into the crook of I the arm. Although the Tofua had rather a rough trip up from the Islands, the '"Strad.," while not exactly seasick, felt a bit poorly, but when daintily posed this morning so that it would receive a few gleams of Auckland's fitful autumnal sunlight, it recovered in a remarkable manner, and promises to give its most hauntingly lovely tones on the New Zealand tour. Perfect "Strads." It is claimed to be a perfect "Strad." and the perfect "Strads." are said to be counted on the fingers of one's hand. Likewise every perfect "Strad." has a name—even as you and I—and "Titian ,, has been bestowed upon this one. It is 208 years of age, and, although a double centenarian, is as perfect as the day the master created It. Mr. Zimbalist mentioned that Mr. Henry Ford was a competitor for "Titian ,, when it came into the market* but it was a case of art, backed by the necessary finance, triumphing. From the virtuoso one learned that it was a case of "Strads." and "Strads.," for, although there are a couple of hundreds in existence, the perfect "Strads." number but four, including "Titian." One is "Joachim." possessed by a wealthy Berlin banker, and another is "Alard," the possession of a Scottish laird, who was evidently of the opinion that some other instrument in addition to the bagpipes was worfljy of recognition. A first violinist at the tender age of six years, Mr. Zimbalist was trained at the Petrograd conservatorium, and his American debut, in 1911, established him as one of the greatest violinists now before the public. The visitor, in a vivacious way, touched on quite a number of subjects. He considered that the demand for the best music would live for ever, despite the gramophone and the wireless wave. He believes that a violinist's musical accomplishments should not be confined to violin master. The Broader Vision.

"The violinist who knows only the fiddle," he said, "shuts off from" his vision the broader aspects of music. It is possible to gain much from the violin, but if you play only that instrument and study only its literature, you willbe in the position of the Englishman in Kip-'-ling's poem—"What do ye know of England, who only England know?" A knowledge of the piano is indispensable for every musician, for the piano provides a short cut to acquaintance with almost every form of musical composition. A musician who has not mastered harmony and counterpoint lacks the foundation which enables him to understand master works. And, finally, a musician must learn to know almost every sort of music, from the song to the symphony, from the etude to the opera. Then, if he be violinist, his instrument becomes not merely an instrument, but a musical medjum. Mr. Zimbalist is quite a young man, with culture, charm and music embraced in a rugged physique. A long-expressed wish to visit New Zealand has at length been gratified, and he is looking forward with feelings of the deepest pleasure to seeing some of the wonderful scenic attractions of the Dominion, which he has heard so much of in lands afar.

Back to Its Case. Through all his travels his beloved "Strad." goes with him. No Auckland infant is guarded so tenderly, nor can any, without undue optimism, expect to reach the same age. After brief experience of Auckland balmy autumn, the £10,000 "Strad." was returned to its case to nestle amid wadding and similar cosy things, there to recline daintily until a bow wielded by a master hand will induce it to reveal its tonal qualities to a discriminating Auckland public.