New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-18
GREAT ARTISTS
in JOINT RECITAL
Hofmann and Elman Play Sonatas
and Solos at Carnegie
Hall.
Ry II. y. KREHRIFI.

Josef Holman and Mlscha Gilman,
who have been among the most success
full virtuosi coming to us from abroad this
season. united i'm a farewell 10 the local
public at n recital in Carnegie Hall yes
terday afternoon. Both have gone from
ocean TO ocean in their triumphal
marches and both have had all they
could do to fill the engagements which
were booked for them before they came
from their European homes. Mr.. Hof-
mann will now seek rest at his country
place in South Carolina and then go to
his home in Switzerland. Mr.. Elman Will
give n few more concerts on the Pacific
Coast and then cross the Pacific, going
TO Honolulu and the cities OF Australia
and New Zealand. Both, no doubt. Will
return next season 20 the country which
has been more than generous TO them for
several years.
Joint recitals by artists Of the calibre OF
Messrs. Holman and Elman are not al
WAYS occasions OF delight The stronger
the individuality OF the men the less likely
are they TO bring forth a perfect or even
n satisfying ensemble. Messrs. Hermann
and Flrnan succeeded I'm giving greater
pleasure than any OF those who preceded
them in the experiment this season.
though there were times when the usual
defect showed itself: for Mr.. Hoffman,
PLAYED always with the fine, manly taste
and confluence which characterizes all OF
his performances. while Mr.. Elman al
times INDUCED his unfortunate tendency
10 oversentimentalize, and with his eXaB-
gerated use OF the vibrates brought the In
strumental voices out OF focus. Cesar
Franck's splendidly sweet and sane
sonata,was thus endangered at the outset,
but by the time the third movement was
reached a finer spirit manifested ITSELF
and the recitative-fantasia and hnaIe-
with its delightful canonic flight and pur-
suit, was played with great finish and
charm.
Franck's dignifed composition opened
the recital and Beethoven's "KreutZer'
Sonata ended II. Between them each or
the performers played group OF solos,
which each was obliged to supplement
with a second group. Here the widely
different artistic nature OF the men dis
closed itself. Mr.. Holman had played
three pieces by Liszt-the "Funerailles.
Consolation" in d fat, and "Gnomen-
Observation-Disclosures not only the great
est admiration but even amazement by
his display Of technical skill, command OF
color effects and poetical interpretations.
Then came tho inevitable clamor from
the Unsuitable women in the audience.
Mr. Holman responded three times,
twice with pieces Of dignity and beauty
nv (bnpip1 the
last time with LISTS "Campanella."
This was his only use Of a transcription,
but the original violin piece by Paganini
is seldom, II ever heard nowadays, and
the multitude know It only in the scin-
tillant pianoforte paraphrase.
Mr. Elman's pieces, on the other hand,
were nearly all transcriptions-a Mendels-
sohn Song Without Words" rewritten by
Kreisler; the familiar Gavotte from one
of Bach's solo sonatas, arranged with
pianoforte accompaniment by Schumann;
a love song by Sammartini. arranged by
the player; finally Bazzinis "Ronde des
Lutins." This is the regular list to which
four more transcriptions were added, two
of them a Beethoven minuet and Schu-
mann's "Vogel ais Prophet" Tricksy'
frivolous stuff are most Of the pieces or
this kind, tending to debase popular
taste. which already has become so
aIppant that good, solid violin music
ia accepted only with liberation and
applauded. If at all, only in the hope Of
evokjng at the glittering trifies for which,
II ia deplorable TO think. so fine mu-
sician as Mr.. Kreisler set the fashion.
,rhara WOO much tinsel too in Mr.. FL
mans playing, which he filled more and
more with catchpenny effects as he added
niece after piece to his list. He perverted
the Bach gavotte both in tempo and
rhythm, and sought only to bewilder with
the fairy rondo by Bazzini. BY the time
he had exploded all his fireworks two
hours had passed. and many who would
doubtless have been gaad TO hear the
Beethoven sonata were compelled to leave
for their homes with their wish ungrau
fed. The audience was splendid in num-
hprg