The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-13
TO FRITZ KREISLER
A GREAT WELCOME
Famous Austrian Niolinist Re-
turned From Battlefront and
Heard i'm Recital.
HIS PLAYING MASTERLY

r TIE lance OF a charging Cossack had
~. ,1 end to the career ~ Fritz kreisler.
INC famous Austrian vlolinist the world
would have been much the poorer. With
gu. doubt the grca, audience which as
.eu5nleI a. his frs, recital in Carnegie
Hail Yesterday afternoon was demon
.,r,,on OF the deep gratitude which ia
fat here for the preservation Of this
sup-ero artist. Something too is due to
ne consideration OF the Austrian Govern
msut. which Is willing to regard him as
inf; FOR the resumption OF his military
duties
Every seat IN the auditorium was sid
and all the boxes Mere occupied. The
,tsce was filed with chairs, all IN Use by
Interested listeners and the standing room
q, the rear OF the orchestra seats was
crowded The NiOllnist was welcomed
v.,n q long and hearty salVo OF applaW
without doubt his wounded leg still
troubles him. albeit he walked upon the
sag, vefy slowly and with every intent
&. conceal his lameness. Mr.. kreislcr =
NJ the kind OF public performer who
parides such things lie relies upon his
.rt. and he has no need to ASK aid Of any
thing cNtilueOus.
His principal numbers yesterday were
Uardeis \ ma jor sonata, TIrtini's sonata
known as The DCvlls Tril." and BaCI's
.s4lount There Were several snort NUM-
Drrs. including romance by SChumHuu,
Nozart's - jor rondp. the Viol.nist-
oNu Caprice NiennoIse" and a capt!S,
o. Taginini 10 bring the liz; to an end.
An adequate review OF such recital ~
that Of yesterday afternoon should In
c,ude % retrospect of violin playing TO-
many years back. perhaps OF all within
the experience OF the reviewer. But how
ever inspiring the story OF the vloluists
ar from the dag Of NieuNtemps to the
present IL would need more than morn
ne news report TO tell il. For this reason
I : eXpedeut to limit the present ac-
count to the customary record of conccr,
do.uss.
To say that kreisler played beautifully
il not enough. lie played like the great
master that he Is, one OF the greatest
violiuists the world has ever been happy
enough to POSSESS. II there WAS anything
in the department Of perfect technical
nrish that was absent from the recital at
least one hearer did not know H. Such
crisp. clean stsccato playing such broad
and noble legatu. such an INFINITE elias
deity 81 how-Which would certainly nave
del.shted Tartini. himself the author OF
L Arte del ArCo'--and such sustained
beauty Of tone can rarely be heard by
any audience
But Mr.. Kreislers technical skill. which
discloses itself so spontaneously. appar-
emily so uupremeditatedly and which
never obtrudes itself as an end, is by 10
means the greatest item OF his unsur-
passable art Thoughtful people ia the
course OF years weary Of tempestuous
temperamental players Wa seem to lack
al mental balance and who have no con-
option Of the true meaning OF the word
art"
To such people nothing is more salts
Tying. more restful. more JOY giving than
Mr. krei.lcrs almost impeccable taste.
lie has plenty of temperament. but Il is
mastered by judgment lie is a truly emo
tional player. but his fastidious apprecia-
lion prevents him from disturbing the
drtistic structure and character of i COM
position.
RE played Bach's chaconne yesterday
with enormous breadth, dignity and power A..
yet the reading WAS filled with emotion
which went bend in hand with the keenest
musical sensitiveness. and with an infinite
variety OF light amt shade II is posi- Die
mat this unique movement OF BaChs hA-
been as well played here. but certainly II
mas never been played better. The per
Torrance was a compendium OF all that is
rnest and most inspiring in the Violinst's
art MIR kreisler will give another recital
at the close Of the month. and no real
lover Of music should miss IL.