The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-26
Anausen1ents
Kocian at Montgomery Theatre.

Kocian is a wonder.
 Kocian is truly an artist. He came as violin virtuoso recommended by most musician of the day and the boyish-iike Bohemian has exceeded expectations.
 Jaroslav Kocian demonstrated his art to a captivated music-Ioving audi ence at the Montgomery Theatre Mon- day night. His hearers were spell bound while he played violin as has probably never before been heard in Montgomery. The yuuthful, blue eyed master of the violin was given an ovation, crowned by the presentation to him of a bay wreath bearing red and white. the national colors of his native country. Bohemia.
 Tone, temperament and technique, carried to their highest degree of per- fection and precision. are the elements of Kocian's success. In each he ex- cells, in each he is q marvel; in each he bewilders.
 The tone extracted from tho string ed instrument by the young violinist is beyond description. In his technique, which is probably his most wonderful asset, he leaves the impression of awe and grandeur, and the question of how he attained that great mastery, over coming all difficulties and executing every passage with unlimited ease and beauty. is uppermost in the mind of the listener.
 But above all, Kocian, in his tenn perament, leaves the ssimpression4 of a born prodigy. Standing before you while he so skilfully manipulates his fingers on the strings and as he draws his Dow delicately across the instru- | Al. whose only thought Is to love and nurture his violin, ever welded to the gift of inspiring his fellow man with the voice-like strains.
 In the selection of last nights pro- gram Kocian had just enough variety to display his versatility. From the standpoint of the most difficult, he probably achieved his greatest success in the Paganiri concert in d major. This selection Is interwoven with the most intricate passages known to the realm of the violin and all of them Kocian executed faultlessly! The manner in which he wielded the bow was a revelation. He also played a heavy selection in Jiranck's Sonata.
 But the artist drew the popular ap- plause more abundantly when he con- cluded series of three selections with BazzinPs Rondo, dainty and yet dif- ficuIt number to which he was com pelled to respond with an encore in which he played a fantasie built on the theme, Way Down on the Sewanee River" the air so we'll known to Southerners. Previously Kocian. in response to an encore. played another dainty selection. delicately shaded serenade by Pierne.
 Kocian concluded his program with the Faust Fantasie, most remarka- ble rendition as to technique.
 While too much praise cannot be awarded the violinist, Miss Volava, whose accompaniments contributed largely toward the success of the vir- tuoso, should not be lost sight of. Miss Volava is a woman of handsome stage appearance and is skilled pianist On the program, she had three solos. playing first Mendelssohn Preludium and Fuga, and later se- ries consisting of Kschaikowskys Notturno and a number by Smetana. She possesses powerful technique and an exduisite touch. As an encore, she played the ever beautiful number. Mendelssohn's Spinning Song. Dur ing the evening Miss Volava was pre- sented with pretty shower bouquet of carnations.
 Kocian and Miss Volava were en- tertained at the Country Club yester- day morning by MT. and Mrs. O. c. Maner. They will remain here until tomorrow morning and will be ac- companied on another drive this morn ing by friends.