New-York tribune., 1918-04-15
Music

These are the days of the violinists
Two OF the pupils Of Leopold Auer have
recently made their debuts in America
and one Of them at least, Jascha
Helfetz, has made an extraordinary i'm
preston. Yesterday afternoon a third
boy of eighteen, made his bow to an
American audience in Carnegie Hall
The boy was Toscha Seidel, a Russian
already known in his native land If
any judgment can be made from first
appearance he will shortly be equally
we'll known in America, for he showed d
himself an artist of truly unusual
qualities
Mr.. Seidel, if COMPARISONS are allow
able, reminds one not little of Mischa
Elman when Mr. Elman first arrived in
America. He is distinctly a violinist of
temperament. Of fire. of rhythmic force
HIS playing is. however, gratef fully free
from exaggeration, and he gives an i'm
preston of sincerity and intellect ual
control. His technical proficiency is
unusual though at times higher pol
lsh might have been desirable, as we'll
as a more perfect intonation.
All the virtues which are primarily
those of youth arc his. He possesses
an abundance of emotion, freshness
of spirit and an extraordinary rhythmic ic
sense. His tone is warm and full, hi.
bowlng broad. He is simple in manner
He is filed with a true musical sense,
If he remains as unspoiled as he is to
day he ought to go far
Mr.. Seldel was perhaps most per
fectly effective in Sarasate's gypsy airs.
but in the Vital- -Charlier chaconne
and in the Tschaikowsky concerto he
was most admirable.
The gala concert at the Metropolitan
Opera House last night in aid of the
Italian soldiers families residing in
the United States netted nearly $4,000.
The concert was given under the
auspices Of the Italian Hospital and
the Metropolitan Opera Company, and
the artists appearing were Mines. Aida,
Muzio and Sparkcs and Messrs. Amato,
De Luca, Djdur. Caruso, Martinelli and
Scott, while the orchestra was directed
by Messrs. Bamboschek, Moranzoni,
Papi and Sett
Among those present were the Italian
Ambassador, Comte di Cellere; the Ital-
ian Consul General at New York. Ro-
molo Tritone; General Pasuuale Tozzi,
Colonel Lambert Tozzi and Charles
Evans Hughes, president of the Italian
American Alliance. The concert closed
with the hymn of Mamel and the
H. mn OIL NdrlDdlNl.
The pianists who play in Aeolian
Hall arc usually from the north Of Eu-
rope. But yesterday afternoon it was
an Italian, Aurelio Gjorni. who played
in recital devoted to Schubert and
Chopin. He played SIX impromptus and
two moments musicales of the former
composer and a number of the minor
pieces of the latter.
in his Interpretation he followed the
good old Italian tradition, which says
that music shall be melody and accom-
paniment, a "big flute and great
guitar" 1t was the lyric value which
he emphasized continually. His touch
was firm but suavc Whatever he
played, the listener could well imagine
it was Italian opera he was hearing;
for the melody was always in the
foreground and the color. of which Mr.
Giornl is master, was always that Of
Donizctti and Bellin.
The recital of France Waldmansee at
the Punch and Judy Theatre in the
afternoon ranged from an early Bee
thoven largo to the most atmospheric
of Debussy's piano pieces. The pianist
showed fine discrimination and re-
serve in his readings, especially in the
fiat nocturne of Chopin and "The
Little Shcpherd' of Debussy. Michael
Penha assisted.