THE HEERMANN RECITALS. A GREAT VIOLINST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 61

THE HEERMANN RECITALS. A GREAT VIOLINST.

- The world's great violonists do not waste ' much time in New Zealand. The famous Wilhelmj is little better than a distant memory now to the few, and though the visits of Ovide Musin, the impassioned Belgian artist, and of Camilla Urso do not carry one so far back, they are still now sufficiently remote. So much the more grateful should one be therefore at the arrival of Professor Hugo Hesrmann, who comes to add his name to the comparatively small list of those whose great attainment in the world of music has not prevented their teaching these shores, and to whom peaceful victories must be cheap, judging'by the way Professor Heermann came and played and conquered at His Majesty's Theatre last evening. Professor Heerniarm comes quietly, but net altogether unheralded. Of his reputation in these places where reputations are gained, and are worth gaining, it is un- ; i necessary to add anything here to what the public . have already been told. Professor Heermann is a great violinist : of that we have been assured many a time before the pleasure of hearing him arrived, and the phrase has been reiterated, paraphrased, and enlarged with all the glowing embroidery with which j man is wont to fail in convincing his fellows that an appreciation of the actual power of music can be realty adequately expressed in ' plain black and white, no matter how rhetorically resonant. True appreciation of : music is perhaps silent, maybe exclamatory, I but surely not discursive if judicious. It was truly delightful to see how Professor Heer- j rhann last evening disarmed criticism from J the outset, and took his hearers by storm. An audience, moreover, such as Professor Heermann played to last evening is itself interesting, and invites speculation. The penalty of climbing too high upon any tr&e of artistic fame is the loss of the appreciation of the many — ' whose appreciation matters not. Their ad- [ miration may be retained, but if they do , not know why they admire they cannot he n said to truly appreciate. Many of us at times ; make -the confession willingly, it is to be : hoped, and evidently we do £0, for- we obviously ; rely oh the cognoscenti, oh the criticism of , those "are qualified to be critical. Who, j then, shall the artist cater * for? For the few 1 or for the.. many, for thosa.who fully under- ' stand -his best or for those who want hia : exposition of their own peculiar delights in , music? Surely no answer to the query is ] required — in justice to himself and to those ' who look for it, the artist must give of his ' best, • and, if he has time, something, not ] necessarily always a Fantasia on Scotch airs, J for those others. Last evening's progrananie (

i was to a degree admirable. Howevei, it is > not only the cognoscenti who can realise that Herr Hcermann is a gloat violinist; it is palpable to a child at music. But the epithet is too weak, for Heermann is a master, and , magnificent is a better word. After listening to him one is rather satisfied not to be a student of the violin, for then one's selfesteem lias not suffered any shock, and one need not worry over the length of the road to be traversed. The audience last evening was a large one, and those present settled themselves down to two hours' cteady enjoyment and edification, and no higher compliment could surely be paid the violinist than to say that all expectations were more than realised. Herr Heermann's style as a violinist itself marks a great artist. He palpably resents ostentation, empty external, and pretence and mannerisms have no place with him. Simplicity and naturalness are virtues he , never loses sight of, and depth of feeling marks his playing to an unusual degree. Endowed as lie is with a finished technique, all difficulties vanish before the sureuess of his skill ; thirds, chromatic octaves, double trills, arpeggios, and the like are aecomjjlished by him with astounding ease, and even in the highest positions of, the instruuiexit the absolute purity of his tone is remarkable. He w'ote, indeed, truiy of Heermann who said " a truly classic repose, the token of genuine mastership, characterises his playing, and exe'ts an imposing effect upon the undeveloped as well as the trained listeners. All the advantages of the G-erman and French schools are united in his style — fire and elegance, combined with soul." One will just not go so far as to say that Herr Heermann plays " like a god," for that were to imply an experience of playing not usually vouchsafed the ordinary wayfarer. But his bow is of a truth as cunning in wooing as Cupid's. For him the lark will carol, and again, 10, " it was the nightingale and not the lark." The violinist opened his programme with the great Mendelssohn Concerto in E Minor, and a better choice in which to evince his rare , genius conld hardly have been made, and the audience were at once made acquainted with his magnificent executant ability and power of interpretation. The allegro appassirnata movement was mai-ked with great brilliance, and its warm colouring and the feeling im- ' parted to its passages never failed to airest ' and hold the attention irresistibly, and its I effects never failed to make their true appeal. The delightful succeeding Andante was the epitome of grace, and no brook could be more limpidly caressing in its notes than the song of the violin here at times tn " softest music j to attending ears." The tone was seductive, j Then in brilliant contrast came the rondo and finale, full of sparkle and daintiness, trippingly hastening on the laggard heel of enchanted fancy in its blithe crescendos and diminuendos, changing the mood of the audience and working them tip to an expression of great enthusiasm at its conclusion, Professor Heermann's being recalled several times before his hearers realised that, as he had been playing I to thezn for nearly half an hour, an encore ' might perhaps be dispensed with. Professor Heermann's next contribution was a most taking " Introduction and rondo" by Saint j Saens, delightfully exhilarating in its expres- j sion ; and in response to an imperative encore the violinist gave a charming " Melody in F" (Eubirstein-Auer). TlTe concert was brought to a triumphant conclusion with the perform- { ance of Hnbay's " Scenes hortgrois." dedicated to Heermann by the composer, and the audience found the quaint effects of the Hungarian music so fascinating that they absolutely declined to leave the building, applauding till the professor again appeared and satisfied them with a delightful little Berceuse by Cui. | Mr Emil Heermann's playing was worthy of that with which it was associated on the programme. His playing presents some strong contrasts to that of his father, and features of it are its virility and brilliancy. The great Paganini violin concerto was a remarkable feat of execution, to a degree brilliant in the facility with which dreadful difficulties of execution were brushed aside by his unerring fingers, and the young violinist plays with a power and a confidence withal that augur strongly in respert to his future place as a violinist. In response to an enthusiastic encore, Mr Emil Meermann played Thome's "Andante religiosi," and herein displayed his ability to play with a marked degree of feeling, the solo being perfectly impressive and beautiful. Subsequently the violinist was heard in the Schubert- Wilhelmj "Aye Maria," and the devotional tenderness of the interpretation made the contribution infinitely pleasI ing, and, an encore being insisted on, "Abendlied" (Schumann- Joachim) was forthcoming, and a charming addition it proved. Mr "W. A. Layer, who during the evening played the accompaniments with conspicuous taste and ability, is also a solo pianist of marked attainments, and contributed three solos — namely, Chopin's " Polonaise Op. 26," Schumann's " Romance in F sharp," and Rubinstein's j " Staccato study." Mr Layer's playing was <artistic and finished, and his brilliant rendering of the Rubinstein number earned him a hearty recall, in response to which he gave " Hungarian dance" (Brahms). Another concert will be given this evening, and no musiclover should an any account miss the opportunity of hearing Professor Hugo Heermann and his talented son.