WONDERFUL SZIGETI.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 252, 24 October 1932, Page 12

WONDERFUL SZIGETI.

ANOTHER GREAT RECITAL.

BEETHOVEN CONCERTO.

Josef Szigeti held another large audience enthralled for over two hours at the Town Hall on Saturday evening, and revealed himself once again as a virtuoso of faultless technique and outstanding purity of tone. The average concert-goer is not concerned much about how the artist gets his effects—results are what counts most with him —and it is this that makes Szigeti's playing so satisfying to layman and to student alike. His art, in one respect, is that it conceals his art; and difficulties are so disguised by his ease of execution that the listener's undivided attention is concentrated on the great master's tastetul interpretation. 'l'he student, however, cannot help being deeply impressed with Szigeti's wonderful bow arm and by the seemingly miraculous manner in which he gets tone from every eighth of an inch of Iris bow, and ulso by his staccato, both up and down. A feature of the evening was the complete understanding that existed throughout between the violinist and Prince Nikita Magalofl: at the piano. It was extraordinary. The recital itself was another example of Szigeti's good taste and skill in pro-gramme-building, the iteins ranging from 10th century classics to latter day modernist compositions. Concert-goers owe him thanks for includng in his programmes so many unhackneyed works. The opening number, the famous "Devil's Trill" sonata, by Tartini, was played in a superb manner, which brought forth all its possibilities and was played with great virility. This sonata may not be great music, but in Szigeti's hands it came very near it. The Beethoven Concerto, which followed, was an outstanding and most satisfying performance, and one which has never been excelled in Auckland. The allegro was given in a manner that displayed the ruggedness and grandeur of this fine movement. The slow movement, which is representative of the typical Beethoven adagio of the "middle period," was presented with poetical insight, and held the audience entranced. The last movement, the well-known Rondo, which gives us Beethoven in one of his boisterous moods, rounded off a memorable performance. The cadenzas played were those of Jachim, and in these the soloist surmounted all the technical difficulties with characteristic ease. The second part of his programme opened with the Goldmark "Air, presented with crystalline tone and faultless intonation. Joseph Achron's "Strempenyu" Suite, a modern composition dedicated by the composer to Szigeti, was given its first presentation in Auckland and made an instant appeal to the audience in spite of its unusual harmonies. The "Fontaine d'Arethuse," by Szymanowsky, a composition of decidedly unusual form, was delivered with lucidity and impeccable technique, while the difficult piano part was played by Prince MagalofT with a remarkable sense of balance. The concluding number was Hubay's "Scene de la Czarda, No. 3," played with fire and spirit. In response to the usual enthusiastic applause Szigeti returned and played four encore numbers: Dvorak's Slavonic Dance in E Minor, Chabrier's Scherzo-Waltz, Yeracini's "Largo," and Hubay's "Zephyr." At the final recital to-night there will be presented Brahms' Sonata in D Minor, the famous Bach "Chaconne" (for violin only), and the equally famous "Kreutzcr" sonata of Beethoven.