The Washington times., 1902-01-11

Well. Washington has had second op-
portunity of hearing the 'wunderkind''
Jan Kubelik. Truly, wonderful boy is
he; a latter-day Paganini is the great
fiddler in his adolescence The last time
l heard Kubelik he played before an audi
ence which packed Carnegie Hall,
New York, to the dome. an audi
ence of unbounded enthusiasm, in which
respect it contrasted strongly with the
gathering yesterday afternoon at the
Columbia Theatre. Last week | quoted a
friend who told me that Washington. was
not a musical city.
Didn't tell you so?' said he to me. as
! left the theatre. Doesn't the GOODNESS
of this audience prove it?'
Quite the contrary / replied THE
attitude of the audience is an argument
quite the other way
How so?" said he.
simply" said l. because Mr. Kubelik' s
managers chose to give Washington a
programme utterly unworthy OF its musi-
cal taste"
In fact, more 5anal programme can
not well be conceived. Read it for your
self at the head of this column. Paganini,
Paganini, Paganini, Paganini ad nauseum.
l saw more than one person OF good mu-
sical taste yawn during Kubelik's S second
number, and almost go TO sleep during the
third Right here let me say in defence
of our little Bohemian boy that It was
no choice of his that his programme was
not worthy of the occasion.
You like playinR papapiniT" said IN
him as he left the stage
oh, yes" he said. smiling in his mod
est way Il like to play Paganini just as
any boy likes to do trick in which he
excels most of his pisymates. but for
genuine enjoyment give me Bach and
Beethoven"
Thank Cod" said TO myself. This
boy has the real stuff in him after ali. ''
and SO | an sure every real lover Of uu-
sic who reads these words will feel
OF course, little kubelik played with
unapproachabie skill. He can do any
thing with that marvellous left hand Of
his. His thirds. his sixths. his octayes.
his tTeifths. his double octsves, and his
harmonics were inpecca bic. Not once did
he vary from the pitch Even the great
Vase could play out Of tune, but yester-
day afternoon no such charge could have
been made against cur little Czech fiddler.
What beauty OF tone truly did he always
maintain. tone Of which any master OF
the violin might well have been proud
l noticed another thing about his play
ing yesterday afternoon, especially in his
rendering OF the concerto. 1t was much
broader in style than his performance Of
the same work in New York. The beauti-
full slow movement OF the concerto was
played with q rare charm. | did not know
that the boy had so much power OF emo
tionaT expression in him, another fact
which augurs well for his future.
There is little more to be said about
the concert. Anyone who has heard Kube-
lik during his American engagements can
not help but feel that he has a marvellous
technique. There only needs to be added
that feeling which years of life and suf-
fering alone can add. When Kubelik has
really lived and loved and lost, then will
he be the truly great artist.
His accomplishments were played with
excellent taste by Mr. Rudolf Friml. Some
incidental piano music was furnished by
Miss Maria Victoria Torrilhon Miss Tor
rilhon is a lady of very agreeable per-
sonality but students of the piano should
not be advised TO regard her playing as a
very high type Of artistic work The least
said about her numbers the better.
w I e.,