The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-04-20
HIS EARLY PLAYING.

Music, it may be imagined, early
became a passion with me. In truth /
cannot recall the time when it was not
so. At first / went to an ordinary
school. / did not love my other lessons
as l did music, but my teachers were
satisfied and 1 took prizes. For the les
sons l always got first place, but for
good conduct-no, l was not first. One
the singing-master, asked me to play
a violin accompaniment, for, although
| was but eight years old, people had
already spoken of me as a Wunder-
kind l gave some surprise by playing
at once the accompaniment for two
voices, and then the director babe me
play concerto by de Beriot When l
had finished, he made long speech to
the school and named me as an example
to be followed. But my father did not
wish me to play to audiences as child,
and I only did so two or three times.
Whatever l was studying, the violin
always helped me. At my school there
were five classes through which chill
dren must pass before entering the
but when my father introduced me,
/ was allowed to go from the fourth
class into the Citizens. The same IA
vor was shown me at the Prague Con-
seryatory, where I was admitted at
twelve. although the entrance age isl
fourteen. In those days 1 thought the
woods and hills around Prague the |
largest in the world. Now they do
not seem quite so large, but still ro-
mantle. The little cottage where |
was born is today the center of the |
electric light station. and the garden !
from which my father drew all his |
resources is covered with a plant that |
gives light to my neighbors. Even in |
my old home, I never had any big !
ambition except to become a violinist, |
and from my seventh year / knew I
would be one.
cit was in 1892 that I entered the
Prague Conservatory, and [ left there
in 1898, when I was eighteen years
old. I found my six years rather mo-
notonous, During the last year, my
father was very i'll, and he died just
before the public gave me the reward
for which he had struggled.
ION my first tour, which began soon
afterwards, I was nearly killed in a
railway collision. Beyond this avert
ed accident I was encouraged in every
way, I felt constantly driven for
ward. I have never looked back.
Sometimes 1 have been very dissatis-
fed with myself, but never with my
audiences, who have been most kind
and sympathetic. At the moment it
seems to me that l have never been
particularly impressed by the music OF
any one great master more than an
other / explore and love them all
When very young, I liked modern
music best, but now its IS different,
and every day I sway more toward
classic music. 1t seems to come from
heaven. and is truer, while the mod
ern. if not of earth. is close to earth
ly things. 1t is more human.
DECORATED BY LEO XIII.
Il have been fortunate in meeting
so many famous people; and of all
the honors rendered me none has i'm
pressed me so strongly as my recep-
ton by the late Pope Leo XIII. That
was in March, 1901. and instead of the
Throne Room, I was allowed TO await
his coming in His Holiness private
apartments. AS the tall, slight figure
clad in white entered, his brilliant
dark eyes softened, and, taking my
hand. he embraced me. He called me
by my first name, and said, Jan, my
dear Jan, I know you
He smoke in Italian in a high and