Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-05
ADJUSTMENTS
sPALDISG. VIOLIN MASTER,
Is EIR'rUOSO AND ARTJcT

To the shame of that part of Rich
mond which purports to be musical. IL
must he recorded that Albert Spaldini;,
the most distinguished American violin
list and one OF the foremost violinists
In the world. played 20 n bare handful
OF people a the Academy OF Music last
night. To the credit Of those that were
there. II is gladly recorded that they
quickly recognized the fact that a mas
ter was playing to them, giving thorn
OF his best, and that they cndeavored 10
atone for the absence Of the music
lovers" by showing TO Mr. Spaldinc how
deeply they appreciated the height OF
his art.
There was no generous" applause:
Mr.. Spaldins's Americausm had moth
ing 10 do with the warmth of his well
come. The instant outburst Of applause
after his every number came from mon
and women who lauded the artist and
begged for more Of his art All the
generosity was on his side. AS Is stated
In another column, Nine del Vale, who
was TO have assisted him, was seriously
i'll. and. In order to make up for her
absence Mr.. Spalding and his noted
accompnnist. Andre Bcnoist, added sew
era! numbers. But. In addition to these.
this master Of the violin accedcd with
the utmost courtesy to the insisteut
demands of the audience for encore
pieces.
OF course. tho appearance and bear
ing OF an artist should have nothing to
do with his art. nor have they. But
they have a good deal 10 do with his
accepta billy as a concert player, and
in these respects Mr.. Spaldins has never
been surpassed on any stage in Rich
mond. Young and unusually fine look
ing, he Is utterly free from affectation
pose. or even manncrism, and what an
artist he Is,
When he first began to play. he
seemed all technic. though it was a
technic marked by no preciosity. while
vigor and virilIty distinguished every
phrase But In the Tschaikowsl<y Con-
certo In d (frst movement), no began
to display breadth and sweep that
set him apart from every man who has
played here In my day. except Kreisler.
One bered. with regret, the tone
OF Elman. until he gave the two Kreis-
Ter waltzes. which were added numbers
Then. for softness and purity of quality.
even Elman was forgotten The prize
Song" from Die Mestersinser" again
offered opportunity for the broad line.
the moving and noble phrasing which
encore piece, Waves at Play" by
Edwin Crasse. permitted him to give
way to lighter vein, and with that he
played. making his violin sing the
ripples that the composer had written.
In one OF his own compositions,
al in''.i'' oh Oiu ncHtuCky ftOme,"
he introduced an ingenious. If bizarre.
bit of work. which proved strikingly
effective, and in another, Alabama.
Melody and Dance" he syncopatcd and
ragged" a melody until 1t danced IT.
self. This piece he concluded with n
series OF harmonics. low, in the scale,
which caused an odd, clarinct-like tone
of weird quality that have never
heard before.
In his own arrangement of Paganinrs
La Campanella." harmonics glittered
and sparkled until it seemed incredible
that they could be sustained. Yet they
were sustained--clean- perfect har-
monies, without suspicion OF a full
%&9YAsRndr azHthosa$e blur. At tho close,