THE OLD MASTERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 April 1927, Page 8

THE OLD MASTERS

CHARM NEVER STALES. I am sometimes asked why I do not play more “modern” works, writes Mischa Elman, the famous violinist in the London Daily Chronicle. There are many reasons, chief of which is that little music of outstanding merit has been written for the violin recently. Again, learning a new work is no light task. My memory has already stored in it some two or three hundred pieces, and to add new works to this store every year is almost impossible. Yet I would attempt even this if I could be sure that the pieces would be appreciated. Only too often I have memorised a modern work to find that it fell absolutely flat at the first concert. I dared not play it again, and my time and effort were wasted. More and more one has to turn to the old masters. There are some who think this playing and appreciation of the old favourites a sign of indifferent or uncultured taste. Now, no one is more ready than I am to study new music, but I love, the old masterpieces which have Withstood the test of time.. ....

The charm of these old pieces never stales —one discovers new beauties in them at every hearing. It is the same as with poetry. ‘Every time you read a passage by Shakespeare, . for instance, you find something new in it. You may think you have probed its meaning to the*'full, but read it again a few weeks later,, and you will find something fresh.. That is because—although , you may do it Sub-consci-ously—you always apply your own experiences and feelings to the words. It is the work of the artist, whether he. be poet, painter or musician, to bring out these little details. It is impobpible to 'fifing out every detail ill a. piece at evdry performance. Sometimes, you'emphasise one, sometimes another beauty, and. thus give variety dhd, keep the interest alive. Even the 'most hackneyed piece can be made- beautiful again by a fresh interpretation. The who discovers tfipse beauties 'fo£..fiiniseif,. -instead'' of Ta&ifig fliem Toady-made 'ltdin

the interpretations of other artists, always keep his audiences interested. The justification for playing these ■ old favourites —or any other pieces—is that tljpyare beautiful and give pleasure. At many of my concerts I play j a violin concerto accompanied only ; by the piano, and many have condemned the practice. A piece is :written for violin or orchestra, they say, and it should not be arranged for violin and piano.

Now there are only one dr two vio- ; linists in the world who can afford to ' pay an orchestra at every concert they give, and we are :faced with the y problem either of playing, a programme of only small pieces or -adding a 7 concerto arranged for piano. Personally, I think no programme that - does not include one big'Work is Sat-' isfying and therefore I do not hesi- i tate to use a piano in place of the -r orchestra. •>

There are some concertos I would not think of arranging in. this way. ,•$ But, others, notably by Mendelssohn, are admirably suited to this treatment, thus justifying, the practice. It is foolish to deny an artist and his audiences pleasure by making purely ’ academic objections. -. Many concertos - would only be 'performed once in ten years, if arrangements were not used. The test is—does; Tthe work’ So'und -j beautiful, satisfying? If it does, the arrangement is, I think, justified. j