MISCHA ELMAN VIOLINIST

Evening Star, Issue 15539, 8 July 1914, Page 10

MISCHA ELMAN VIOLINIST

(From the Melbourne ‘Age.’)

When the great Hans Richter, beloved and reverenced by all who knew him,' spoke- the memorable words, “Remain unsullied and unspoilt in music, as you are fo-niglit.’’ to a boy in the middle of bis teens who bail just played the Brahms violin concerto in a manner that the famous conductor himself had never hoard surpassed, the world began to realise that Mischa Elman bad successfully left the days of his wondcr-childhod behind him, and had become—in spite of his easilv reckoned years—a. grown artist of the firstrank. Joachim, too, hailed him asa brother musician, when at a London concert he throw ins anus around the boy, exclaiming ; “Mischa Elman, you arc no longer an infant prodigy —you are one of us!” Joachim, the intimate and admired friend of Brahms, even in hie old age the most famous of living violinists, thus presented his own ultimate successor to the world, while, proud and happy in the glory of his art, the tears fell down the veteran’s cheeks.

Legally, Mischa Elman has only recently come of age: but it is some years since he arrived at his artistic maturity, and it is as an experienced musician that he will shortly stand before Australian audiences. In Europe or America his name and prowess are so familiar that any article devoted to the young violinist would be scanned with the dexterous haste that denotes acquaintance with the methods of .his advertising agents; but in this remote part of the globe (where, by the way, one is occasionally asked: “ Who is this Mr Elman V”) it- is to Ixi hoped that these words may serve as a preliminary introduction to one of the very few supremo artists alive to-day. In honoring him we honor ourselves, and for our dignity’s sake we must prove ourselves artistically worthy of his sojourn in Australia. !le conies to us in his first fresh bloom, with the early laurels of the whole Western wre-ld still green upon his brows. With the dignity of manhood lie retains the Joyous temperament of a- youth who, in Richter’s gracious phrase, is “ unsullied and unspoilt in music.'’ Too often artists reach these shores in the evening of their career—■ though they should receive a welcome none the less warm and generous because of a fact that is due to circumstances—but we may rejoice whole-heartedly in the knowledge of Mischa Elman’s early pi.me, and cou -t ourselves more than ordinarily fortunate.

The virtuoso is the acrobat of music; he it is whose lot is to dazzle and bewilder tie with feats of daring and difficulty. The virtuoso is ever something of a mountebank, a. charlatan who does things in the name of art that have no more to do with art than gieen cheese has to do with the moon. He icommits sacrilege by using music as the means whereby he can best display his own diabolical technical ingenuity, and conjure hard-won gold from the pockets of an undi&cermug multitude. His lingers represent his sole claim to distinction, and he leads an easily duped world to confuse the means with the end. Now these same virtuoso fingers are, in themselves, things supremely good and valuable—to the artist ; but, ham lust to last, they are nothing more—if nothing Jess —than delicately adjusted tools. Ii is th« artist mind that matters in art, and the artist mind alone. In the case of Mischa Elman, as it was with Joachim and is with Ess aye and Fritz Kreisler, the hand of the virtuoso is dedicated —in all truth and loyalty—to the service of an unselfish art. The significance of great music is 'beyond the comprehension of the virtuoso, while to the artist of the type exemplified in the person of Mischa Elman it the one vital interest of life. Therefore it is not the man alone whom we must prepare to welcome fittingly, but rather the music he Born on January 21, 1891, at’Talnoje, in Russia, .Mischa Elman was the son of the schoolmaster, who also gave lessons on the violin, .As a very young child, having received a birthday present of a small-sized violin, he began to play by ear, imitating with surprising correctness the pieces ho had heard his father play. IVhen no more than five years old he performed at a public concert with sue success that his father—fully alive to possibilities —decided to sacrifice his own career in favor of his son’s, and took him forthwith to Odessa. It was in May, 1896, that Mischa appeared before the august examiners of the Imperial .School of Music in the last-named town, performing so ably that—in spite of all rules to the contrary—ho was admitted as a student under Alexander Fidelman, although only five years old. In November of 1902, Professor Auer, the justly celebrated teacher of the violin at the Conservatoire in St. Petersburg. while touring in Southern Russia, heard the bey play. His astonishment was such that ho expressed his willingness —his desire, indeed—to take young Elman as' a pupil. In order that this might be possible, it was necessary for the Elman family to remove to St. Petersburg, but for this permission had first to be obtained from the Tsar of All the Rusaias. For a considerable period tin’s was withheld, and it was not until the now exasperated Auer threatened to. ■relinquish Ids own position that the royal consent was finally obtained, and the year 1905 saw Mischa in St. Petersburg pursuing

his studies with such success that all ids fellow students- were, quickly outshone. Towards the close of the following year the first of the young violinist's long series of triumphs occurred. It was on the occasion of the visit of one of the most ■belauded of fiddler prodigies to St. Petersburg. Auer, who was present at one of the much-advertised concerts, de-clared--when asked for his opinion—that he had a pupil who was as a king to a commoner when compared with the visiting prodigy. His friends apparently conveyed by their manner that they were, to say the least, incredulous, apd their attitude determined the professor upon a line of action that was to have immediate and far-reaching results. Auer was engaged to play at a concert given by one of the most important musical societies in St. Petersburg, and he determined secretly that Mischa Elman should take his place. Accordingly, at the last! possible moment, he sent a message to the authorities to the effect that as he himself was too unwell to perform, ho had sent his best pupil to take his place. Thus it was that Mischa., at the age of 12, played the Mendelssohn concerto and a piece by Paganini with a success that justified his professor in arranging for the lad to play in Berlin. In Berlin, Joachim, who had been a marvellous youngster himself, almost refused to believe the boy to be so young, stating that his ability was such that even the fact of genius could not render it as anything less than incredible that a youth of *ls could play “with such masterly skill.” The Berlin concerts created so much enthusiasm that Elman quickly found himself touring through such towns as Frankfort, Dresden, Hamburg, Dusscldorf, Leipzig, and Hanover. In London he made his. first appearance at Queen’s Hall on March 21, 1906, playing the Tschaikowsky concerto with so much poetic fervor and finish that he was immediately engaged for two additional concerts. From London Mischa Elman proceeded to Paris, where fresh triumphs awaited him. From that time onwards Ins career has been one long and unbroken serieJ of successes, every year showing an ever-increasing mastery, not of his instrument alone, but also of a superb musicianship. Briefly this is the story of Mischa Elman as far as essentials are concerned. There are many inte ’.‘.sLug adventures that are popularly supposed to have occurred to him—some of which quite possibly may be true—but of these American magazines may be permitted to retain the monopoly. Here in Australia we are chiefly interested in the violinist-musician ■who so shortly will make his bow in our midst. We care not what he cats or drinks, and neither do we care a- ray lor whatever particular political opinions he may possess—if any. The artist, apart from his public appearances, is a private individual, and the modern custom of putting him under a microscope during his leisure, moments is unutterably deplorable. As a- musician, however, wa must welcome him with all the honors at our command, for without any shadow of doubt be comes to us as an accredited apostle of the divine art.