The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-11-08
At THE RECITAL.


Maud Powelrs recital at the Grand
theater Friday afternoon was one OF
the most important musical events OF
the season; not because it accomplish
ed a remarkable display of violinistic
art-that may be taken for granted
with her, but because it's program as
sembled some of the masterpieces of
violin literature, great and small. in
effective sequence. and because the
artist presented each number with a
power that served the two-fold pur-
pose of Interpreting the composers
designs, and at the same time making
q sympathetic appeal to the minds of
the listeners.
Maud Powell, who. in private life.
IL Mrs. H. Godfrey Turner, il regarded
world. and like the wonderful tone her
bow commands, her genius is insistent
and had demanded and gained recog-
milton almost equal to that of the
greatest men vio1inists OF the time.
She has studied in various foreign
solidity and sincerity of the German
ideals with the sparkle and finesse
Of the French. Her art has perhaps
less of the honeyed quality Of Elman's
but it has more grace. Her command
of the delicate shading of the melodic
outlines are. at times. more delicate
than Kubelik's for her bow rests with
less weight upon the strings.
The art Of program making has
been thoroughly mastered by Maud
Powell. To excite the listener by tech
nical display and an appeal to senti-
ment, she chose the Weiniakski d
Minor Concerto. The sombre trag-
edy of the Russian spirit sweeps every
thought Of difficulty out Of the mind
though of course to draw the sobbing
violin. was a feat OF dazzling execu-
ton. Even the men who came out be-
| cause their wives wanted them to,
added a round of bare handed ap-
plause to the muffled kid glove clap
ping, after the Romance movement.
| The Strauss sonata in E fiat, in two
movements was the second number. II
| was an agreeable vehicle for the dis
| play of those transcendent technical ac-
complishments which the audience
would have been dissatisfied without
though many find little that appeals tc
them in Strauss music.
| Schubert's Ava Maria was full Of
melting tones and Il went straight
home, for it is a number to which ev.
! eryOne attaches q concrete meaning
that he can grasp. and that is a strone
reason for the love that people have fol
the music. A Hungarian dance by
Brahms. arranged by Joachim, con-
trasting with the preceding number
was popular by its dash and spirit
with it's full major tones and it's syn
] COPdtcO Tl1y OllOW1uS lndt uuI1OGl
Miss Powell played Meditation" from
Theis. by request. Her next numtel
was the Minuet Waltz by Chopin ano
arranged for the violin by herself. Il
was dainty little piece, which con
tanned some spiccato bowling of much
closed with a Sarasate 'Cobbler's
Dance" Tho number was repeated II
response to the applause that Il
brought. A quick intaking Of tn,
breath audible through the house fol
lowed a feat of portamento stopping
that gave a tone Of amazing penetra
ton.
Schumann's Traumerei was on thu
program. No violinist of note has pre-
scented the piece for a long while. fol
it is so much played that there Scent
to be fear of presenting something
hackneyed. Needless to say, it had u
such effect, and there was evident j.!
at its resurrection. In response to tn,
encore at end Of the program, Dvorak
HumoresQue was given. This compost
ton Is usually as light hearted as ,
4 smile. but the artist was in a loft!
mood, and she gave'i It q dignity tina
made its title seem almost inappro
pirate.
The musician is accompanied on he
tours by her husband, who turns tn
music for the pianist. hunts a shaw
to protect his wife from cold II
| NAd u6ASy OPCA6 AOuSCSs dAAu dClo q
business manager. Maud Powell, Will
not so handsome as her pictures shov
her. which were doubtless taken som
years ago. 10 still attractive in appear
ance with a mobile countenance show
} ing the wealth Of enthusiasm and emo
ton that lend so alluring a color to he
playing.
The concert yesterday was the sec
ond number on the Radcliffe concer
series. 3. H.
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