The daily sentinel., 1912-06-08
Small Crowd Hears Great Artist: !:
Enthusiastic Appreciation of Haroldi.


As is generally the case, the ma
jority of the people of Grand June
tion turned down one of the chances
of a lifetime in a small town, the op-
portunity of hearing a great artist,
last night at the Park opera house
when a mere handful of an audience
gathered to hear Haroldi and Polak
under the auspices of the Grand
Junction band. About one hundred
perhaps were treated to such a feast
of real music and wonderful genius,
as one does not often have the chance
TO hear in towns the size of Grand
Junction. Such artists as Harold
do not often condescend to stop off in
towns of this size and 1t is hardly
likely that it will happen again on
the heels of such small encourage
ment as that of last evening. 1t is
deeply to be regretted that there
are not more people in our city of
calibre fitted to enjoy the real
good things of life, when given an
opportunity to do so, but who will
crowd house to see Mutt and JEFF
and such like.
The program last night was a gem
and what the audience lacked in num-
bers was surely made up for in gem
core was given, one of the greatest
tributes to Haroldi's music being at
the end of the program, when the
audience, which as a general thing
rarely ever pays the tribute of COM
mon politeness, in letting the actors
get off the stage before 1t is put
ting on hats and filing out during
the finale of the act, last night not
person moved when Haroldi retired
from the stage after the final num-
Der and refused to move until he re-
turned and gave another selection,
which he finally did in most gra-
cious manner. Never have Grand
Junctionites had an opportunity in
their own city of hearing such violin
music as Haroldi's and many who
have heard Kubelik and other great
artists in Denver are making most
favorable comparisons.
II would be hard to compare the
different numbers on the program
each one in itself was a gem. Per-
haps the second number, "BaIlade
and Polonaise," Vieuxtemps, was
the most wonderful, the audience
fairly holding its breath with delight
until the last exquisite note. The last
number On the program. 'Zigeuner-
weisen," Sarasate, gypsy melody,
human in its expression, the
melodies, with plaintive minors and
most wistful notes being more than
exquisite, voicing the longings and
pathetic plants of the Lost Tribe, -
in weird. sad melodies, suddenly
breaking forth into the joyous light
hearted, measure of the dance. There
was one long-drawn breath of delight
at the conclusion, a moments silence
and then an enthusiastic recall,
There was not one person in tho
audience with soul who did not fee,
deeply the wonderful charm of Har-
oldis music and when as an encore
he gave that old favorite. "The Last
Rose of Summer" it was a revela-
tion of simple melody and absolute
sweetness of expression.
Harold is a great artist and there
are many who might have heard him
and did not.
Polak, as an accompanist, left moth
ing to be desired in that difficult
role. His playing was the exact COM
plement of Haroldis violin. There
were many in the audience who
wished to hear him play, but besides
acknowledging the enthusiastic en-
cores, there was nothing doing.