New-York tribune., 1905-01-11
MUSIC.
Precocious Vwtuosos.

1t would be a happy solution OF an irritating
problem if able to exclaim "ProdigiousF'
with Dominic Sampson and with the word dismiss
the matter brought to notice in two metropolitan
music rooms last night At Carnegie and Men
delssohn halls precocious musical children were
placed exhibition. They were by no means in
q class but they make a text for brief preIni-
nary discourse-or might If time offered and incli-
nation invited. 1t Is possible that long music
has been art there have been children of tender
years peculiarly susceptible TO 1t and peculiarly
and mysteriously fitted by nature for its
practice; children who instinctively accom-
plished feats which confound the mature
artists and stagger the understanding. II is
phenomenon peculiar TO the art If not in its exist
ehce at least in its manifestation. The world hears
nothing of precocious scuptors, painters ar
ehltects' and very little of precocious poets. But
ielther does it hear Of precocious tuba players.
uoup4e basses or bassoons. One reason IS obvious
precocious sculptors painters and architects could
not probably be exhibited, and such is the singu-
Alty OF musical precocity that it displays itself
PuoHciy onfS~in departments which permit Of such
exploitation understandable of the many. The
multitude knows nothing of the tuba and bassoon,
ana so nature has kind consideration OF the null
ttude and its familiarity with the pianoforte and
violin. and produces chiefly prodgious talents
for those instruments. If the experience OF
more than a century did not show that
the laws Of compensation and average work quite
as uniformly in the world OF music everywhere
else, there would be something almost terrifying
in the number Of abnormally clever child pianists
and violinists alive. The phenomenon is neither
gladdening saddening; nature knows how to
preserve a balance, and thousands Of the proolgles
perish or go into the limbo of mediocrity where one
develops into an artist. And so the world is pre-
served from overpus Of genius, and the norma!
artist comes into his deserved estate. AS for the
spectacle exhibiting just now, it might belt prop
ably will be some day-explained as a natural re-
suit of the dominance which vrtuosity in mechah-
zeal technique has gained in the executive branch OF
music the compositions Of the advanced lnu-
sicians are in the creative branch.
Now as to the concrete facts which suggested
this brief excursion: Franz Vecsey, the Hun
garian lad whose violin playing received the hall
mark of Joachim's benedicton, and thereupon be-
came the sensation of the hour in London, Berlin
and other European capitals, gave his nrst con-
cert last night in Carnegie Hail. AT the same
time Milada Cerny. a Chicago girl, OF bohemian
extraction, of the age as the Hungarian Lad
(that is eleven years. gave pianoforte recital in
Mendelssohn Hail. AS has been remarked, the TWO
children are not in the same class. The girl 10
Judge by what the writer had opportunity to hear
is an affected little pianoforte actress, with as
tonishing digital facility. She might be said 10
make good her name by being a fine ex-
emplar of what be done in the School
of Velocity. The boy is in a vastly different
case. He is certainly a phenomenon from tech
nical point Of view; such he eXctes amazement'
for ne plays music which has caused and always
will cause vast labor TO mature virtuosi with an
ease and composure that must be maddenlng TO
them. plays it with amazing purity, with a
volume and quality Of tone that are ravishing but
ne plays like the boy that he is All the talk that
has come 10 us from Europe of his capacity for
emotional expression and his mature Interpretation
is so much absurd balderdash. There IS not a
nuance either Of tempo expression in his playing
which does proclaim itself mere imita ton.
The miracle is that he can initiate as well
as he does. The lads command of both the
technical clements in violin playing-tone forma-
ton and tone production-is bewideringly perfect,
but there Is individuality in his readings, no
emotion in his tones Al the charm comes from
the beauty his the purity Of mis- intonation
his rhythmicaI inCisIveness and the absence Of all
afectation in his behavior, which is winning.
NuscaIy at least he Is still all boy, boy full
Of the greatest possibilities chiefly because he does
not yet know the tricks OF the virruoso at
least two of his prodgious professionalism
Huberrnann and Florizel Reuter-knew and prac-
tsed them