A GREAT VIOLINIST.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 236, 29 June 1908, Page 4

A GREAT VIOLINIST.

—: —«— ; — KUBELIK'S FIRST CONCERT. Thero is, perhaps, nothing so depressing m a concert room, both from tho performors point of view and that of tho audience,-than a chcorless aggregation of empty chairs. It is a circumstance which invariably induccs philsophic roflection, especially when the occasion, such as tho visit of a great virtuoso, might reasonably havo inspired tlio prediction that, on his first appearanco at least, he would havo been greeted by a large audience. But Herr Kubelik, when lie mado his un !0 public at the Town Hall on Saturday night, saw before him an audicnco which was quito disproportionate to tho occasion, and quo wonders why. The public is by this timo quito aware of tlio fact that the visits of musical celebrities such as Padcrowski, Molba, Madame Clara Butt, or Kubelik, aro rare events, and the pleasure of attending thoir concerts is a somewhat expensive luxury. One remembers, however, that Melba,-though expensive, was popular, and tho liomago paid' to tho great prima donna by. tho public of Wellington on tho occasion of her visit, was probably tho greatest over tendered to a visiting artist. It becomes necessary, therefore, to find somo other reason which will partly account for the Vacant chairs at tho Town Hall on Saturday ovening, and one readily suggests itself. Kubelik is a violinist, arid not oven tho circumstance that ho'is in''the very forefront in his art, is sufficient to convert the. public to tho idea that a great violinist is as well worth hearing, and as agreeable to listen to as a great singer. Ho is, porhaps, in a popular, musical sense, less sensational," if ono might appropriate such a theatrical expression, and although thero is certainly no distinction to bo drawn between singing and playing in so far as tlio effort of concentration requisite for intelligent appreciation on tho part of the listener, whoso musical perceptions havo been to a certain extent, cultivated, is concerned, thero exists nevertheless, a "popular"'difference between tlio two, which is to tho advantage of the. former. But if the audience'which greeted-Kubelik evening was not a large one, it was certainly composed, to a' considerable extent, of those'to whom such a performance must havo been at once an education and a treat. Nearly every local musician of noto was present. For Kubelik is a great artist, and his marvellous playing will livo long in tho memories of thoso who heard him. Obviously, thoro can be no question of criticism here. Kubelik can only be-described. As ho on to tlio * platform, dark, slight, and delicato lpoking, he received a hearty welcome, and for a minute Btood strumming oil the strings of his instrument. Then, apart, body slightly inclined to the left, and head almost lying over tho violin, which ho " cuddled " well under his chin, he waited, 'while the accompanist, Herr Ludwig Schwab, played tlio introductory bars to the first movement of Mendelssohn's great violin concerto in E Minor. Towards the end, he raised his bow, tho bar concluded, his bow descended, clear and strong, and he dashed into the : " Allegro Molto Appassionata," while the audience hung upon every pha-so of his marvellous execution."

A concerto, in its modem sense,' is a composition in _ which tho particular instrument for-which it is written is.given great prominence that "the performer may havo tho widest scopo for testing both tho resources of his instrument .and his skill as a musician, .and every conceivable difficulty in technique is, without in. any/way distorting tho themo, introduced to try the performer's ability in oxecution. It need hardly bo said that Kubelik mado the most of tlio opportunities which abounded throughout tho Mendelssohn Concerto, for displaying his brilliant technique, and not .even .in'the most .difficult passages was there to be noted tho slightest suggestion of' "scraping." Throughout, ho maintained a full; rich tone. Tho cadenza ill the first movement was magnificently played, and as ho swept his bow triumphantly on tho closo of tho 'finale,- a storm of applause broke forth, tho artist being recalled repeatedly to bow his acknowledgments.

On his re-appearance, Kubelik showed, in tho "Peislied" from "Dio Moistersinger" (Wagner-Wilhclmj), that he could bo as tender and sweet in a quiet mood as he was fiercely passionate in.tho moro florid composition. Bach's celebrated "Praoludium'.': was moro fiery in treatment, calling for'nu ch energy in execution. This followed ty Wicniawski's firio "Polonaise," a most appropriate finale to tho virtuoso's' second appearanco..; ..The-.characteristic rhythm of the polonaise was. admirably-maintained, despite its trembhdous difficulties in technique/ and again a storm'of applauso burst forth Tho violinist added, as an encoro numbe", the "Fibick Poem," a charming littlo mcl- . ody,' exquisitely played. Tho artist, however, had reserved for the last a composition tho playing of which is beyond tho ability of most. Its appearanco on the reportoiro of a player is an indication that ho .is an ' executant ■ of high' distinction. Paganini's famous "Witches' :Danco" is an eccentric composition justifying, in fantastic, construction, eerio passages, and almost supernatural ideas, its uncanny titlo. Hero Kubelik excelled himself. ; ;It was almost impossible to follow tho playerthrough the astonishing intricacies which presented themselves with bewildering rapif dit.v. His bow flashed about , tho bridgo of the instrument as if itself bewitched. ■ His double-stopping was excellent, and his pizzicato work superb. The instrument screeched and howled through tho demoniacal tempest of sound, and as tint bow swept upwards with a final shrill skirl of mockery, a'perfect ovation rewarded the performer, who, .after persistent rcealls, added the dainty "Carnival Russe" (Wieniawaki). > * It will readily bo conceded that sympathetic co-ordination botwoen soloist and accompanist in music, such as has just been describfcd entails, ori 1 tho part of the pianist, that peculiar aptitude of temperament which enables him to assumo a subtlo affinity to the principal artist; to this must be added technical ability of tho fiighest, order. Wlien therefore, it can be said of Sir. Ludwig Schwab that he fulfilled his onerous, task most admirably, we pay him a compliment to which lie is fully outitlcd. : ■ - - For the rest, it may bo said that Herr Kubelik was admirably _ supported' by Miss Erna Mueller and_ Jliss Emily . Dyason. Miss Erna Mueller is a mezzo-soprano, possessing a pleasing quality of voico, marked by 'a slight vibrato. She sang the fino aria in Saint-Sacns " Samson and Delilah"—"Mon Coeur s'ouvro a ta Voix"; Elgar's charming "Shepherd's Song," and " Thy' Beaming ®y c .®" (M'Dowell),. very successfully.' Miss Enuly Dyason, a young Melbourne pianiste, whoso technique is commendable, selected for. her contributions threo most enjoyable compositions—Padorowski's' "Logendo," (a) " Papillon," (b) . "Oisillon" (Greig), and •Godard's graceful "Etude do Concert, in G,"'each of which was played successfully. The second concert of tho season takes place this evening.

AN IMPRESSION. (Br Sylvius.) Taking Hambourg, thojwcll-known pianist, for the purpose of comiJarison, Kubolik has tlio same aureolo of straight black hair, brushed backward from the forehead, but tho face it frames is rounder , and a deal moro boyish. In his playing, Kubolik had mo quito at his mercy. Ho is. the disciplo of the extremely natural that does not seem to havo any connection with stylo, cultivated or assumed. With his precious Guanerius and bow in one hand, ho advances smartly to the edgo of tho platform,. and in responso to the applauso bows low in several directions. Perfectly composed, lie holds tho violin horizontally in both hands, and plucks tho strings at tho neck idly while he looks round. When about to commence a number, ho slips his hand inside his vest to settlo his shoulder rest pad, and commences to play as unaffectedly, as nonchalantly, almost as tho Italian boy outsido a cafe. Kubolik's olaying is quito free from pose. With his heels eight or ten inches apart, ho sways slightly, raising tho heel of one foot as lie puts his weight on tho other. A con fuoco passage might indue® him to loan forward slightly and bend a knee, but there is 110 suggestion of attitudinisation. His chin nestles comfortably in the rest, and only on rare occasions does ho "face tho strings," mavbo at the end of a pianissimo passage. I havo road, that when Kubolik plavs, his "face lights up with an inspirational glow." That is preciselv what I could not detect.—facially, as well 11s otherwise, 110 soomed tho very incarnation of calm repose.