KUBELIK IN SYDNEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13767, 4 June 1908, Page 3

KUBELIK IN SYDNEY.

TRIUMPHANT DEBUT.

•'A WHIRL OF ASTONISHMENT." Jan* KrnELiK .in his debut in Australia at- the Town Hall (says the Sydney Morning Herald) revealed himself as probably the greatest executant ever heard * here. In '"", this respect the quality which delighted connoisseurs was the extreme polish, the easy finish, which marked Ids effects in passages of almost superhuman difficulty. This is his distinguishing characteristic as a star, and though his playing is not marked by passion or fire, it does not lack either animation or charm, so that his triumph was legitimately won. Tho young virtuoso, who had the audience enthusiastically with him the whole evening, and was rapturously applauded after a marvellous rendering of a Bach prelude, was fortunate in a splendid attendance, which included five members of the Ministry and their wives, as well as the Lady Mayoress, with whom sat Mme. Kubelik, the cynosure of every eye..

The Austrian Empire, which has produced so many world-famous violinists, has now been represented in Australia by three who .will always be remembered Mine.. Neruda (Lady Hallo), who also came of a Bohemian stock, Remenyi, the Hungarian, and Kubelik, a naturalised Hungarian, born near Prague. The newcomer may be said to occupy a middle place between the other two. In pieces of the firework order, he rivals Remenyi in the clear, " whistling" effect of his harmonies, and in his con-, tempt for technical difficulties, but he also has leanings and likings for 'the classic school, in which his style is delightfully pure, and in this way he" is able to present a programme of . higher worth. Mr. Kubelik may indeed lie congratulated upon the varied "contrasts presented. He did not hesitate to introduce seldom-heard music,he did not shirk the classics, and the necessary '.'show pieces" sent the audience away in a whirl of astonishment at the end of the evening. Kubelik's playing was in effect the whole concert. He opened with a " Symphonic Espagnole" by Edouaid Lalo, who composed it for Sarasate about 30 years ago. The allegro was marked by passages that were fantastically rugged in effect, yet always connected with floriture phrases of the utmost grace;~ and it was in accentuating this repeated contrast that, Mr. Kubelik first exhibited the admirable/ quality of finish" already referred to. In the serious andante the player showed sympathy with the change of mood, coupled with the power of retaining a singing timbre in tho bravura portions of the movement, and he delighted everyone with the buoyancy and charm he imparted to the opening of the Rondo with its bell-like accompaniment. After a storm of enthusiasm the violinist,responded with Schubert's "Ave Maria." His tone proved pure and sweet herein to a touching degree, his octaves were unusually true and strong, and tender nuances diminishing to a pianissimo formed one of the special points in the interpretation. Later Wieniawski's familiar "Faust" fantasia was splendidly rendered. The valse-themc, enunciated in high harmonics, every short phrase of which was divided by extended arpeggio passages in the natural tones of the instrument, was rendered as probably only Kubelik can render it. The encore was the " Traumerei." The Bach " Preludium" proved one of the great events, perhaps the greatest event of the evening. The manner in which the player's mastery of the instrument enabled him to maintain a classic elevation of sentiment from the first note to the last, throughout passages and chords of ceaseless rapidity, evidently struck the least attentive, equally with the most studiously cultivated, of the audience. The prelude was the one in E from the six pieces for violin alone, of which it has been said " that anybody could have coped with their ingenious difficulties when Bach lived, seems now quite as unlikely as that anybody, Bach only excepted, * could have written them." Beethoven's beautiful "Romance in G" again showed Kubelik's sympathy with the classic form of art, and -' he then: rendered wonderfully Hubay's captivating "Zephyr" and Paganini's' " Campanula with its double harmonics, left-hand pizzicatos, and other bravura 'ornaments to a trivial theme. Still the audience cheered, and the final encore then took the form of Wieniawski's " Carnival Russe."