Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-11
Mischa Elman Recital
Plus Damrosch Concert

The combined Joys or violin recital
and orchestral program We're the fortune
of the audience which heard the SYM
phony Society of New York. Walter Dam
rosch, conductor, with Mischa Elman as
soloist, give its second concert of the sea-
son at the Academy of Music. The bene-
ficiaries, and they were numerous, uf
these pleasures heard the orchestra, with
out Mr.. Elman's aid, play Beethoven's
Second Symphony and the Bacchanale
from "Tannhaeuser," and as his accom-
panist the Bruck concerto in IL minor
after which 1t Joined the audience of his
Schubert Wilhelmj AVE Maria" and Sar-
asate Caprice Basque" then retired
decorously to the wings leaving the cher
ished centre of the stage to the youthful
vioinist who played Chopin's Nocturne
in Il fiat.
Thus, the eNternals may be condensed
to single parsable sentence: but there
is more to be said in characterization and
evaluation. First of all just criticism
might be urged against the decidedly
mixed" character of the proceedings:
exception might well be taken to nm or
chestral program which functioned as a
miniature recital. 1t was curious, If not
droll. yet IL was absolutely eNcusable on
account of the economic pressure which
brought 1t about. That was this, simply;
Mr.. Damrosch was absolutely fair TO his
audience. even at the risk of critical ami
madversion on his program making. That
admired Mischa magnetized music lovers
to the Academy to the full OF the three
galleries and to a goodly throng down.
stairs. The Symphony SOciety's public is
not assured in this city yet, despite the
popularity of Its summer organization.
Edmons' popularity is as assured as some
think the viollnist himself
Those who like the sort OF thing that
MIR, Elman does will like the way he did
it last night; they just loved the ampli-
tude and sweetness OF the tone, and were
not distrait at the visible effort with
which it was produced or the vanity
which was complacent at its production,
Yet these defects of Elman's quality
continued the grlevlng OF the judicious
these last few seasons, which have eN-
alted Elman. the master of mechanics of
the violin. and obscured Elman. the artist.
A STRIPPING lad, not many seasons ago.
appeared on the same stage, playing with
the eXuberant romance and fine enthu-
siasms OF youth, which were not the less
charming because OF the mien of modesty
that invested the performers security in
his resources. That was the young Ell
man, and we condoned conscious exhibit
ton of virtuosity. sagely saying, one TO
another. that he would ripen and in the
process lose the blemishes, fan the spark
of genius even then flckering variably
into clear. even lambert flame. Well.
our knowing prophecy was wrong, The
flame is still variable; 1t burns glorlously
in an unaffected dimly religious rendi-
tion of the "Ave Maria" it futters a
bit in a Chopin nocturne; where it should
illuminate, II has only hard light and no
warmth of emotion, In the Allegro ener-
gico OF a Bruch concerto.
Always Elman is the master who can
effect marvels with catgut and horsehair
and 1t is this mastery of technique which
has its reaction In the players accept
anee as a supreme artist by an unana-
lytic public. One hearer-maybe many
must mourn that the young Mischa is
still the youthful Elman: regret the
eclns" OF the boy with a soul by the su-
pc riiddler; feel irked that what was once
justihable juvenile joy in sheer achieve
ment should harden into a concelted and
mannerism of maturity, for
mannerism means fossilizing, and that
means stoppage of growth; accept un-
willingly the fact that Elman must be
enjoyed, as a great techniciRn, by the
intellect, without surrender of the soul TO
his power. He was master of the bow in
every number last night but complete
artist only in the Schubert song and the
Bruch adagio.
Mr. Damrosch alone made il necessary
TO review an Elman recital, which has
been done. II remains 10 say his band
played very well indeed. without the
muddy" tone and muddled inteTpreta-
tion of its last appearance here. And
those who spake loudly TO the Patrons,
the old esthetic society. assembled in a
body, and said positively; For one thing
Damrosch cannot play anything of
Beethoven" were confuted. for he can
follow unerringly the classic contour of
the Second Symphony, exhibit beautifully
its iterated patterns and indicate its
waxing romance. w. r. NJ