Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-24
KOCIAN CONCERT A TRIUMPH
Demonstrates to Large Audienos that He is
Master Of the Violin.
THOSE WHO DOUBTED FORCED TO PRAISE
Inspires the King of Musical Instru-
ments to Give Forth Sounds
which Entrance Musician
and Novice Alike.

last night. Not them alone, but so many
other music lovers as to pack the Boyd
theater from it's pit to It's gallery. Scarcely
so large an audience as Kubelik had but
one large enough to be a compliment to any
entertainer and particularly to one who
has only individual genius, devoid of pic
turesque setting, to offer
And that Kocian has genius there re-
mains none to deny He won them all. The
plain and honorable man who frankly ad-
mits he doesn't know a serenade from a
gallop was there, applauding. The girl
with the three months course at the con-
servatory and just beginning to dissertate
upon ''Vogner" and "shopang" was there
applauding And those whose whole heart
and soul (and bread and butter) are in
music were there, applauding.
Music of the Heart.
II had been claimed for Kocian that his
was the music of the heart; that his soul
was in his rythmic message, and that
withal, mastery of his instrument was not
lacking. There were those who doubted
but they doubt no more. The last OF their
skepticism vanished as he gave them Baz-
zini for a parting remembrance. Such
ttmbre, such marvellous runs, such un-
slurred clearness in all the intricacy of
changes left no opening for attack of what.
for lack Of better word, may be termed his
skill" And as for feeling" It was OBJ
vious to the least musical of his auditors.
He INDUCED in no gymnastics in either his
lingering or his bowling, but his every touch
was a caress. He played as though the
pleasure was his as we'll as his auditors.
and he lent the fire OF youth to the conf
dence and mastery of maturity. Kubelik
played as a boy. Kocian plays as a man
and still retains enough OF Young April's
ardor to give his playing a warmth that
Kubelik's lacked. This was another claim
made for Kocian that many people dis
counted before they heard him. Not after
ward The comparison is made not in un-
friendliness for Kubelik but In fairness to
Kocian. The admirers of the former have
not abandoned him, but simply exalted two
young artists where before there was the
one. Equally honored for their superb
technique. Kocian simply gains an addi.
tional plaudit for a warmth the other did
not show.
Merely n Natural Difference.
To presume a little, It may be asserted
that this Is Natures own doing. She built
them different in their interior equipment
When I<ubeiik came TO the theater he came
under escort Of his valetN and required
shielding trom every annoyance. Alone in
a special dressing room he rehearsed him
self into condition by a process that oc-
cupied more than half an hour. When
Kocian came last night he had no attendant
and no companion but his "chum" and ac-
companist. Franz spindler. He sailed
through the stage door jauntily and with
a laugh on his lips. sauntering to the
apartment where Miss Geyer and her
mother were waiting he made them an ex-
quiste little bow and then an exquisite
little pun in oldest English. Tossing of
his great coat and hat he gave the two very
commonplace "yanks" at his retreating
| cuffs. then leisurely reached for the Astor
violin. Once OF twice he drew the bow
across the strings, then paused to Jest
again He reached the theater at S:15 and
at S:25 he was ready to go on. In those
ten minutes he had done all tho practicinR
he deemed necessary, with others talking
freely at his elbow, and bad founD MIN to
be an active participant in the conversa-
tion. more composed or more care-freo
performer would be hard to imagine. He
even enthused the. other members of his
party and Miss Geyer, who had been hud-
ding wearily in a wrap. thawed readily
into smiles under Kocian's banter.
| When it came time to go on he was the
first to face the audience leaving his ac-
! companst to come at leisure. The latters
/ Introductory was a bit long and In frank
! ness let IL be said that Kocian, while wait
! ing, was not particularly graceful, but he
was easy, confident and sufficiently COM
! posed to look over the house from its
| packed gallery to it's half filled boxes, and
| to seem to signal cordial greeting to all.
! Then his bow touched the strings and all
things else were forgotten.
His Triumph Complete.
During the intervals between his num-
bers he was just as composed, Just ss
| affable. as before, and when he had bowed
his Acknowledgements for a last time he
shook hands with the little group in the
| wings and thanked its members very pret-
| tily for coming back to see him. There
were several local musicians of prominence
In the party.
In the dressing room were flowers too
numerous for the capacity OF any pair Of
F, arms. The local committee on arrange
ments had sent over the footlights a huge
basket for him, a bouquet for Mr.. Spindler
and another for Miss Geyer Another bou-
quet had been sent him by Tel Jed SokoI
a bunch of American Beauty roses by John
Rosicky and family basket of violets and
lilies Of the valley by Vaclav Buresh and
! tIhmlly anu a bHhCh VI NdInhlloub Dy W
Hoffman and family Of Havelock, Neb.
That the tributes oral and applauditory
should be shared by Kocian's supporters
seemed eminently appropriate. Mr.. Spindler
had proved himself an accompanist OF rare
merit and Miss Geyer, unassuming and
strictly attentive to the keys, had created
a most favorable impression upon both
those who we're entitled to judge critically
and those who were entitled to Judge
casually. Repeatedly encored. she played
''Hark Hark! the Lark" (schubert- Llszt)
and "Bereeuse" (Henselt). Kocian's re-
sponses to his recalls were a Pierne sere-
made with muted strings, Motto Per-
Petuo"' (Rles) and "Rondo des Lutins"
(BazzinD. The program proper follows;
Concerto d major. .,..... .Paganini- -wihelmj
Kocian.
(a) Novelette,, r mator....,........,.Sc Schuman
(b) Chant Polonais. is.....::;... Chopin Liszt
(c) Valse...................N Nicolaus Rubinsteln
Miss Julie Geyer.
(a) Canzonetta -..'..''.'''...'''..'DA ID Ambrosin
(c) Scherzo Tarantella............W Wienia wski
hocian
Caprice Espagnol. ............. Moszkowskl
Miss Julie Geyer
Fantaisie BOheme. me........................Se Sevcik
Kocian.
s:ark sinks at Its Dock.
/ PHILADELPHIA March 23.-The French
bark Alto T. Isabel, which arrived on sun