The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-05-08
NOT WIZARDRY
BUT WITCHERY
tFrom Wednesdays Advertise7T;)


The community of culture very large
" abandoned all avocations yesterday
between twelve and two o'clock and
gave itself up to the pleasure of listen
ing to Jan Kubelik, the great violinist.
1t was an unusual hour. But it was
an unusual event, and an unusual op-
portunity. None who attended the con-
cert had aught to say of inconvenience
of the hour
1t was a splendid house that greeted
the master of that wonderful instru-
ment, the violin; and Kubelik was gra-
cious enough to say that it was one
of the most appreciative audiences he
had ever faced. Certainly neither
Kubelik nor Miss Mueller could COM
plain of cordiality of reception or
warmth of enthusiasm.
The concert began with Mendels-
shon's Concerto. Its three movements,
the first stately, the second plaintive,
and the third gay, gave splendid op-
portunity for wide variety of express
sion. Kubelik captivated his audience
at once. Storm after storm of applause
followed each of these portions of the
number. His second number was VIE
niawskis Faust Fantasia" Kubelik
seemed to put into the weird cadences
of the Poles music the very spirit of
loneliness, of unrest, of pathetic seek
ing of remorse and hopelessness. Sure
ly it was more than Wieniawshs
Faust Fantasia Kubelik had added
a depth and power.
Kubelik's last number and the one
with which the program was closed
contained three selections: Wagner's
Preislied from the Meistersinger; HUI
bays Zephyr; and Paganini's Witches
Dance. In the Preislied he drew from
his violin the very voices of children,
tears and laughter, cadences of merri-
ment, and the touch of pathos In the
Zephyr there was the signing of the
winds, the faint and distant voices of
the sprites and elves and fairies of the
breezes. In Paganini's Witches Dance
Kubelik drew from his bow the very
forms of the gnomes and goblins of the
forest. There was the uncontrollable
sprightliness of the invisible creatures
whose sport and pastime was por-
trayed It was magic and witchery.
And then, responding to the storms
of applause he gave Bazzanis La
ronde de Lutins," as gay and capri
cious thing as could be imagined.
Kubelik has a striking presence and
manner, happily devoid of mannerisms.
He stands with his feet we'll apart Civ
ing himself stable equilibrium which
permits of the freest movement and
swing. There is a freedom, an uncon-
straint, a command, in his handling of
both bow and violin that gives pleas
ure. There probably never was such
mastery of technique with so little dis
play of it. In Paganini's Witches
Dance, he used with the perfect ease of
mastery, that expedient first discovered
by Paganini and which gave him
among his contemporaries, the reputa-
tion of witchchaft-harmonics and yet
without the least appearance of musi-
cal gymnastics or pyrotechnics.
Sharing in the pleasure giving of the
program was Miss Mueller, an Aus
tralian soprano of magnificent sweep
and volume of voice and apt manage
ment of it. Her first number was
Pinelli's Aria from A Basso Porto, Her
second number comprised the selec
tions, MacdowelPs, Thy Beaming
Eyes" Edward Cigars Shepherd
Song" and Willeby's "a June Morn
Ing"
- MOQlu Uo uOl " SlNO llSh
praise to Mr. Schwab, the accompanist.
Kubelik goes to the Colonies for a
season of twelve weeks, and then re-
turns to Europe. Whether he will re-
turn by way of Suez or by way of
Honolulu and America, has not been
determined. Both Kubelik and his wife
expressed the hope that they might re-
turn by way of Honolulu. Madame
Kubelik is a handsome and charming
woman, proud of her husband and
pleased with the expressions of gratifi-
cation given him for pleasure afforded.
After the concert, Kubelik and his
party, together with w. d. Adams, to
whom the community owes the oppor-
tunity to hear the great violinist, with
Mrs. Adams, whisked about town in
an automobile, attending to errands
and matters of business, and then to
the Mariana which sailed promptly at
2:30 o'clock, three-quarters of an hour
after the concert was over, for the
Colonies.