The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-07-20
jan kuaELIk. MUSICIAN.

1tcN lnat some men are Dorm great, thai
some achieve greatness. and that sons
have greatness thrust upon them. Jar
Kubelik can not be said 10 have been borr
great, though emphatically he was born
/ q genius. Neither did he have greatness
thrust upon him, in the sense in which
| that phrase is generally understood. That
| he has achieved greatness, however, none
can gainssy, and. seeing how he has
worked, seeing how he has overcome OBJ
/ stacles that at first seemed insurmount-
able, none. l take it. viii be SO mean as
10 grudge bin his success
Much has been said and written con-
corning the childhood and early youth
OF Jan kubelik, but a great deal has
been omitted. No one has hitherto made
! II known, for instance, that kubelik did
not belong TO the class Of reprehensi-
about from time to time. that we heard
| so much about in the musical world a
/ few years so especially.
/ On the contrary. though intelligent 10
a degree, Kubelik is said 10 have entirely
! lacked as a child, anything in the least
| resem bling precOcity. His father, as most
| Of us know b. this time. was a garden
| er in quite a small way of business in the
I little village OF Niche, near Prague, and
| though himself of no mean ability, was
far from being a genius.
! From the tine his son was quite a tiny
| boy, however, the father would seem 10
have been aware that his yoUngster pos
sessed talent out Of the ordinary run, SO
far as music was concerned, and, with
I a fathers natural ambition to do the
best he could for his offspring, he scraped
together what money he could in order
TO defray the cost Of having little Jan"
taken in hand by q finished teacher after
he had himself thoroughly grounded him.
To Professor SeveI'k, of the Prague
Conservative, he finally condded jan
little thinking, however, even in his Wild
est moments, OF the fame that was in
store Tor the pale-faced boy With Sew
elk, Jan Kubelik remained some six
years. Subsequently, he studied diligent-
~ IN Vienna and elsewhere, but il was
only last year that we heard of his
achieving IN Milan, Bologna, and other
parts Of Italy success now said to have
been quite phenomenal.
AS usually happens in such cases, it
then suddenly flashed in upon the mind
Of an enterprising impressario that here
lay a fortune which could easily be re-
allied if the young viOlinist were to be
taken in hand and judiciously brought
70 the front. Negotiations were at once
entered into in this country, with the
result that last winter Jan Kubelik, at
that time practically a cipher in English
musical circles, was brought over TO
aQQlEQCt.
As might have been expected he
caught on at once. From the very first
experts recognized his genius. From the
very nrSt the musicians of England pro-
claimed him marvel. From the very
drst the press OF its own accord set to
work to boom him, and at once the
general public began to flock to hear him.
Accustomed as one is in London-and
elsewhere for that matter-to run across
hrfh --rrftl, -,TF
TEEN who have nothing in the world 10
be proud Of, it is distinctly gratifying 10
meet youth who, though he has reach
cd a pinnacle Of fame while still under
age, yet remains entirely free from what
Americans have SO eXpressively termed
'swelled head"
Kubelik, indeed, is as unassuming is
a schoolboy-a great deal more unassurl-
Ing than some schoolboys-and as modest
when speaking OF his wonderful talent as
the truly great usually are When alluoi1g
to their own merits, in spite of the absurd
dictum that modesty AM merit have
nothing in common but their initials. II
is sincerely to be hoped, indeed. that the
endless compliments poured ihto the
young mans ears viii never bring about
4 change in this most excellent trait in
his character.
His technique, of course, is magnif-
cent-a fact which impresses itself at
once on all who hear him. In addition,
he is the posseSsor of a clear and
healthy tone, while the intelligence of
his phrasing must commend itself even
to those who do not deem him an expo
nent OF the most emotional style OF play
ing. Naturally, the assertion has been
made that he gives US a surfeit OF Pag-
anini, "a thing" one OF his critics re-
marks, mo really self-respecting violinist
would dream Of doing"
But, l would ask, how many violinists,
or otherwise, are there
who are able 10 play Paganini in the
perfect style that 50 charac-
-erizes Kubeiik2 Assuredly he would lay
himself open to the charge of lack Of |
ordinary intelligence, and conine him |
self 70 that which, needing less execu- !
live skill, would necessarily afford him /
ever opportunities OF displaying his pro- /
1igious technique.
Then there are sceptics who urge that 4
'Kubelik won't last" He may not al 4
ways be so strongly in vogue, especially /
among Society that spells itself with a |
capital but TO say, as I have heard it /
aid, shat he Will "hzzle out" is worse /
han childish. 1t is true that he has /
;oTae 10 the top with what may be called |
squirt, and that in some cases the
irust who comes to the top in that way i
s liable comparatively soon to sink back
nto oblivion.
This, however, happens but rarely, save
when the star is in reality a sham, a
in plain English an impos-
er, and certainly his worst enemies will
lot unless they are layuentably deficient
n intellect charge Kubelik with being
otherwise than a genuine musician. and "a
genuine worker. After all. why In the
world should he not last2 There IS room /
nough at the top for many more violin
SITS, both men and women, than are like /
Y 10 get there for many years to come.
or at the present time the leading violin !
SITS OF both sexes may practically be |
ounted on the fingers Of both hands,
kubelik celebrated his twenty-first
lrthday on Friday, July 5, and on the
venlEg Of that day he made his last
ppearance this season, at Queens Han.
nder the management OF Mr.. y. Vert,
y arrangement with Herr y. Dunk
HIS plans for the future are at this
moment unsettled, but in al probability
e VIII take a long-neeGed rest before
making decisive arrangements. The re-
ort that q wealthy EnElishwoman OF
tile has offered him her hand IS en-
rely without Foundation, and SO are
Their rumors concerning him that have /
ltely got about. Indeed. as he himself /
eclares. just now his professional en-
ageraeuts take Up almost AL his time {
nd though he IS no longer an infant. /
e has 10 intention Of entering the mar ,
led state for a good many years 70
ome.-London Express.
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