The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-25
mENDELssoHN,s YOUNG pRoTEGE
How Joseph Joachim Attracted the
Attention of the Great Composer.

Attention Of the Great Composer.
tHarper'a
1t was in 1874 that, during one of
Mendelssohn's visits to London, he
talked to his English friends great
deal about his young protege, Joachim,
then lad of fourteens The boy had
never played before the English pub
lie, but Mendelssohn declared him a
wonder, and there was grave discussion
as to the propriety of giving him the
first violin at the Philharmonic; but
later Mendelssohn arranged for his ap-
pearance at the private gatherings of
the Musical Union, as well as at the
public concert of that society. This
last was notable occasion. Mendelssohn
played with Joachim, Ernst and Haus-
mann.
The boy created a furore; seated by
his masters side, drawing inspiration
from the moment, and producing music
which at one touch held. the hearers
spell-bound, again sent them into an en-
thusiastic tumult of applause. Twenty
! five years divide that scene from the one
of which l speak at st. james Hall, yet
the same sensation greets the now world
famous violinist; the same power,
strengthened and developed, exercises its
magic over the most critical audience of
the day. Joachiml we pronounce his
name almost reverently, recalling the
vivid pages of %Charles Auchester." in
which he is described-the boy with the
little "viofn face" the tender, passion
ate, tremulous friend and follower of
Mendelssohn. Looking about the i'm
pressive concert-room, where animation
was suspended while waiting for his ap-
pearance, one felt the rustic of his ap-
proach, almost like the reopening Of that
impassioned story.
In another moment he is before US;
then he has lifted his violin, and in the
brief pause the impression Of the outer
man is given-a man of middle height,
dark-haired, dark-bearded, the deeply
set eyes, full Of kindly humor and intel
ligence; the mouth, though so heavily
shadowed by his mustache, showing
lines of firmness and amiability; the
figure strong and youthful. But Jo-
achim is only one of an impressive
group who open the concert: Ries,
Straus and Patti make up the famous
quartette, over which, of course, he pre-
sides, and as the music slowly rises and
fills the air, there comes that delicious
sense of perfect sound. One can afford
to lean back with half-closed eyes, letting
harmony drift in between criticism and
hearing; there is no enervating influence
at work, but for once we feel that art
triumphs over all possibility Of objec-
tion.
One can hardly criticise Joachim's
playing; it differs from that of other art
lists in its complete superiority over
them; it has strength and that peculiar
vigor which makes one feel conscious of
unlimited reserve force; it has self-con-
troll, and yet an overpowering, passionate
sweetness. 70 him his violin is a me-
dunn for the most perfect expression of
the most perfect art; he governs it, let
ting the art govern him; and so insepa-
rable seem the two that, as lie plays, we
lose sight of their distinct individuality.
We listen to concerto Of Beethoven, a
symphony of Schubert, or a waltz of
Brahms, realizing only that we hear the
music laden with the inspiration which
created them.