New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-31
Dazzling Violin Playing
by MiScha Elman in
Carnegie Hall.
PIANOFORTE POETRY
BY HAROLD BAUER
Schunaun's Awakening Of tire
RecollectionS of Child.
hood.
Nv II. I. NREHBIEL.

Yesterdays concerts were two. and
both were of he kind calculated TO de-
ligh. and refresh even the most iaded
Of listeners. Mischa Elman gave his
frs, recital for The season Of violin
music IN Carnegie Hall and Harold
Bauer q recital Of pianofor.e music. also
his frs. for this season. in the rooms
Of thee Aeolian Company. Only the
newspaper reviewers. who make up tho
latter day school of penpatetic philoso-
piers, had 70 divide their attention be-
tween the two. ard so great was the
beauty OF each that the most case
hardened of Aristotle's disciples must
have been tempted 70 echo Captain
Macheath's sentiment. How happy
could ! be with either were tother
dear charmer away" Mr. Elman was
much more in his element in his own
recital than when ne broke his silence
Of twelyemonth at the first symphony
concert. Now he was completely AT
liberty 20 indulge his prediction for
music with which he could amaze and
bewilder his audience. To the lovers
Of the severe style, however. he first
made an Offering in the shape OF Vival-
dis concerto in G minor, in which he
had the help Of Walter II. Golde, his
regular accompanist, at the pisnoforte.
and Frank L. Sealy at the organ. A
benevolent dispensation permitted the
Carnegie Hall organ to behave itself,
which il seldom does, and though its
paucty OF color and nuance makes II an
ill-mannered consort with a solo voice,
l.. L 4 IL . +1,. ,1
we'll that il served its purpose in
helping Mr.. Elman to give an eloquent
exposition of the straightforward and
noble old composition Mr.. Elman'g
Youthful exuberance would not per-
nit the music to soar undisturbedly
in the serene heights of the old style,
but for that the discriminating among
his hearers were prepared; they must
needs forgive him his excessive emo
tionalty until time has sobered his
Judgment and steadied his taste Tor
the sake of his exquisite tone,
his marvellous purity OF m
donation and his astounding tech
meal skill. These qualities were
all raised to a higher power in his
performance of the first movement OF
Ernst's concerto in F-sharp minor,
which came after. The composition
il so surcharged with technical diffi-
cuties that it is a terror TO most
virtuosi. 1t is well that so few OF
them dare attempt il in public, FOR all
that is good and noble in it depends
for it's exposition upon perfect per
Torrance. II is said that even its
composer. superb artist that he was,
was not always able TO do II justice
That Justice was done it yesterday
and Mr.. Elman's playing must have
left the violnists who listened to him
wellnigh breathless. without impair
ment of his lovely tone he tossed oil
the cascades of double notes like
clustering jewels thrown out by the
handfuls or showers of dewdrops
shaken from the trees in the morning
sun. There was much more, equally
admirable and astonishing. no doubt
in what came after. but some one else
must tell about that.
If Mr.. Bauers listeners were under
technical sway of equal potency the
feet did not so completely engross
their attention. For more than two
hours he hymned the poetry OF the
pianoforte. His offerings were many
and manifold their style, from the
soaring utterances of Brahmss Sonata
in f minor to the atmospheric impress
sicnism Of Debussy's sketches. He
played Schumann's "Kinderscenen"
after the opening sonata and warmed
the hearts of many, who were hrst
astonished and then delighted, when
Max Paur, three seasons ago, put his
Titanic hands to what the thoughtless
had thought were childish trities and
showed that they had a place in the
concert room and not merely in the
nursery. Paur played them beauti-
fully, but not with anywhere near as
much poetical winsomeness as Mr..
Bauer lie filled them with ingenious
imaginings, and made one feel the cor
rectness OF Schumanns characterize
ton of them when, defending the little
pieces against the attack Of a critic who
thought them childish, he said in effect
that they were the retrospections of a
grown-up looking back on the days of
nnocency, unlike his christmas AL