The Washington times., 1918-01-25
HE|FETz AMAZES
CAPITAL AUDIENCE
OF MUSIC LOVERS
BY j. Mach.

Truly a genius! Such is Jascha
Heifetz, the slender boy violinist Who
has come out Of Russia and amazed
the world. There is a trsnscendental
quality in the playing OF this phe-
nomenal youth that makes the won
ders Of exquisite tone that he draws
with his bow seem to come as though
he. himself, were unaware of how or
from whence the inspiration flowed.
All Washington was a-tip-toe In
anticipation OF the FIRST appearance
here OF. this much heralded youth, and
he was heard in a role demanding
the mAturest art, playing as soloist
with the symphony Society OF New
York under Walter Damrosch, and
giving the great Tschaikowsky violin
concerto. And the proverbially "dif-
ficult" audience of the National Capi-
tai. that long before the concert had
exhausted even the standing-room
space, gave him a tumultuous ova-
tion. One instance OF a gentleman
rising to his feet as a token OF
homage to the greatness of this lad
seemed to visibly express the feeling
of exaltation that was wrought
through the magic OF his music.
Master of All.
The genius of HeifetZ is different
A great violinist has said, He is
master of us ALL" And just what is
this quality OF difference? Master Of
every requisite of the art OF the violin,
his technical facility seems 70 have
no limitations in the perfection OF its
delivery. But added TO this, one Is
confronted with a maze of adjectives
that present MISUNDERSTANDING
melody he gives: again he mounts TO
heights and awes one with the rare
loveliness OF purest music. In tone
and nuance there is a perpetual flow
Of INFINITE variety through which
charmed voices seem to speak. Then
there are depths, vibrant and soul
stirring: that deep tone of his -
strange coming from this fran ana
finely chiseled form of youth. \
Peter Fan OF Eternal Youth" that
may know all things?
And the. utter simplicity OF HeifetZ
in person and in his music, where
simplicity, beauty, and ingratiatlns
rhythm are all bound together! The
Idiom OF Tschail1owsky he knows as
IL by intuition. And what maryels OF
mature deliberation, poise. command
and beauty are his cadenzas. with in
tricacies that fall as tribes from his
fingers. Recall after recall was given
him, to which he responded with the
same unseIf-consciousness with which
he awaited his entrances throughout
the concerto, in which the orchestra
was essentially sympathetic. giving
the score with breadth and atmos-
pheric color
Interesting Program.
Throughout IL was most inter-
esting program that Mr.. Damrosch
presented in this the second concert
OF the series at the Belasco Theater.
The Beethoven fifth symphony wa
given with commanding power and
sustained dramatic intensity. Its
viriIe martial ring was a dominan:
element in the massive climaxes. The
orchestral texture was at times rich
Iy clear and nobly victorious in vital
chords that one felt, and again, as
in the celIos and basses OF the frs-
moyement, a raucous tone depicted
the intensity OF the emotional con-
cept. Yet there were pleasant places
in this grim scene, and the mystery
through the allegro and the mastery
of the rugged fugue were resolved
with consummate art and splendid
detail OF execution.
A veritable oriental ballet was the
Saint Saens "Bacchanale" from Sam
son and Dalila." 1t bore the pic
turesQue drama quality. subtle, allur-
ing, that Mr.. Damrosch has created