The Musin Company.

Thames Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 8604, 8 March 1897, Page 3

The Musin Company.

A RARE MUSICAL. TREAT.

A large audience assembled in the Academy qf Music pn Saturday evening tq hear M. Ovide Musjn and hjs talented company, ijever before has a musical concert been given at the Thames in which the standard of excellence was maintained throughout at bo high a level, and as a natural consequence encores were the order of the hour. The first item on the pcoaainine was Liszt's Rhapsodic No. 2 by Mr Eduanl Scharf, a pianist of power, who performed the number artistically, and established the fact the audience were listening to a virtuoso whose quality is seldom known here. The instrument itself, however, although suitable for ordinary purposes is not of sufficient calibre for solos. Proch's air with variations f >r soprano was introduced by Madame Annie Louis"- Musin, and it may be gafely said that the lady possesses a truly magnincient voice, the brilliant variations being taken without any qpparent effort, while the bird-like trills in the upper register were simply charming. The audience insisted on an encore, and " 'Tsyaj within a mile of E<?itiburg|i town "'. was sung \n a jrptit pitjuant wanner. After tjijs M. Musiri, the " mighty Musin " of whom we have tyeard and read so much as a m-itipe ainpng princes on the king of instruments, appeared before a Thames audience, When he had concluded the "Souvenir De Hadyn " the applause, was tremendous. The " Hymn to the Kuspefor " with its double stopping, ha monies (natural and artificial). pizzicato with the left hand and n\\ the embellishments of a high class solo, was quite a revelation to all violinists, and the encore, a serenade by Pierre, with the chaste and noble quali. ties of tone in cantanle passages appealed to the symyathy of its hearers with a directness which only genius can effect. Madam and Ovide Musin then became associated in Guouod's well-known sereuatu, which was fau'tle«sly rendered and the performers being recalled gave an air from "Pi i Aux Clercs." It was here these truly oreat artists displayed their astonishing facility for which they are so renowned, the voice and violin tone., blending in pe. feet harmony. M iss 0, Hatherley's item, an impromptu for the harp by Obertlmr, was most aitisU callv rendered. Although through an oversight the harp did not arrive unul late in the evening, and the young Hdv *os compelled to uudergo the iriu < or&al of raising'the pitch and

tuning the whole of the strings .while the audience waited patiently the effort on her part ,was fully appreciated, and the encore which resulted, a serenade by Pierre for harp and pi;mo was a most refined composition elo- [ gantly, given. In the second. pni't Madame Musin delighted her hrar rs with a most sorrowfully impassion* d interpretation of Tosti's "GoodUbye," and for an encore she sang " Cdtnin' thro' the Rye" very archly indeed. Edward Scharf's splendid ability in execution wasamplydisplayedin Rubin stein's Etude op. 23 No, 2, and with Miss Hatherley he gave an artistic rendition of a duet for harp and piano by Chatterton, Ovide Musin performed a " Meditation " by VJcCoy in a manner which caused a perfect furore, and being irresistibly encored he absolutely electrified the audience with the Carnival of Venice," which only seemed to whet the appetite for more of what may be termed a rare musical treat. Musin then played his own charming Mazurka, and we can

well say that such violin playing has never been heard in this town, indeed after hearing it wecanstate that Musin stands unrivalled as an interpreter of I classical solo violin music demanding 1 that combination of the greatest (technical skill, with the power of I penetrating into the poetic intentions ! of the composer from which alone the I perfect reproduction of att work can result. On tho whole the concert was an immense success, and will be long remembered by lovers of music at the Thames.