SPIVAKOVSKY-KURTZ

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 116, 19 May 1933, Page 8

SPIVAKOVSKY-KURTZ

FINE TRIO RECITAL EXCELLENT CHAMBER MUSIC Chamber music is seldom hoard in New Zealand, and pernaps it has never beeu heard at the same level as it is now being heard from Tossy and Jascha Spivakovsky and Edmund Kurtz. This combination is an excellent one, the superlative term being not out of place when applied to these musicians? Those who remember the famous Cherniavsky Trio will have a criterion to apply to the present combination. Comparisons are odious, but as the Cherniavsky’s are no longer working together, it is not now out of place to compare their work with that of the artists now in Nevi Zealand. It is safe to say that the present musicians arc masters when compared with the Cherniav sky’s. The present visitors would indeed stand high in any company. Individually they are musicians of the first rank and, what is more impor tant to tho immediate notice, they combine with remarkable fidelity and precision. The outstanding characteristic of their work, both individual and combined, is its colour. There is that indefinable quality which comes from a heightened appreciation of what the composer meant—which was such, a marked characteristic of Szigeti’s playing—in the work of each artist. Tho three instruments, singly and combined, provided a delightful variety and the audience appreciated the combined and solo items and showed that appreciation in no uncertain way. It is remarkable that strength seems to be possessed by each player, but this strength is not marred by loss of tone quality, while the demands for synchronised effort are arrestingly supplied by all three. In fine, the Spivakovsky-Kurtz combination provides chamber music at its best. The programme opened with a Trio. B Flat Major, Op. 99, by Franz Schubert and right throughout the four movements the trio Kept fn perfect combination; light and shade and phrasing wore delightfully in evidence all the time, while the bowing of the violinist and ’cellist was a treat to watch. The four movements revealed the wide range of musical experience and the thoroughness of education which these artists possess. Tossy Spivakovsky is a violinist who is sure <f himself. Ho knows what is demanded by a composition, and he has no doubts as to the rendering which he intends to give. There is never any indecision and tho result of this is than he is a very convincing player. This was very marked in his contribution to the second movement in the first number on the programme. In his solo numbers this confidence and sureness of mind was even in greatpr evidence. The playing of Prchidium. e Allegro (PugnaniKreisler), was of a high’ order, as was also his rendering of the Carmen Fantasy (Bizet-Sarasate). For an encore number the well-known “Ave Alaria” was played with fine devotional feeling and was greatly appreciated by the audience. It is unusual for New Zealand audiences to hear violin and violin-cello in combination without piano accompaniment, and the novelty was by no means disappointing when Tossy Spivakovsky and Edmund Kurtz played Passacaglia (HandeLHalvorsen). The two played as though they were one man and the fine combination revealed itself again in rich passages. Edmund Kurtz for his solo number rendered Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33 (Peter Tschaikowsky). As a test piece this number would indeed be exacting, but was played with such masterly ease by Kurtz that the difficulties thereof were not to be noticed. The late Professor Weissman, of Berlin, wrote of him: “There are few ’cellists that really make music; Edmund Kurtz is one of them.” The writer of this notice has never heard his equal. For an encore number this artist played “Lo Fluvial” (J. Casearo). The concluding portion of the programme was entrusted to Jascha Spivakovsky, who rendered Tn an impressive manner Balade, G Minor, Op. 23 (Frederic Chopin), and with appropriate vigour Raskoczy March (Franz Liszt). For an encore 8 delightful number entitled Musical Box (Siadow), did not satisfy the audience, and he returned to provide a delightful “Valse” by Chopin. Thus a mefhorable concert came to a close.