The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-01-23
YSA YE

lO sports" of which the great
 Ysaye, world famous violinist
 and conductor of the Cincinnati Sym l phoay, is fondest, is lunch. When the famous maestro was here
 several years ago 1 had the pleasure of lunching with him and our own Mir
 Emil Levq, and when Mir. Ysaye asked me to give my order, when I had fin
 ished. he in turn ordered what he wished, adding as he turned to the jet black colored gent" who was serving us:
 And bring me an apple pie" Er whole 'un, boss?' inquired the dusky waiter
 "A whole one" said the maestro And then turning to Mir Levy. who
 was his accompanist on his first Amer
 can tour 20 years ago, and, by the way of whom he is very fond, and to whom he Is genuinely devoted, he laughingly recalled how he first made the acauain- tance of apple pie. The incident had to do with a very beautiful entertainment which Mrs Benjamin Guinness, one of New York's dlstingbished Tour hundred" had given MT. Ysayese honor, On which occasion Sii~ PAS'iNCo dH OlQ-1dSnlOneQ apple pie, like mother used to makev as sort of novelty, and MT. Ysaye had never forgotten it.
 Ever since theny explained Mir. fsaye, T have been very fond of apple , pe''
 But you didn't order the cheese to
 go with it," I suggested, cheese? Cheese?" inquired the big conductor
 Yes" replied. You know in Amer ica we say that
 An apple pie without cheese
 Is like kiss without a squeeze" And then I quickly added: But perhaps you don't understand I that in your language-Belgian. or whatever it is you speak" Replying in the most adorabl French, his eyes fairly beamins with delight, he said:
 Mon Dieul Je compron dans tout les language"
 Yesterday, when I dropped in to re-
 new my delightful acquaintance, with MT. Ysaye, l did not find him at lunch. put at the theatre, just prior to the matinee, and wading through sloughs of men of all nationalities and creeds. who compose the big Cincinnati orches- tra, Mr Ysaye and I found tiny bit Of spase back stage" to have a nice little chat.
 Some how I can't dissociate the great Ysaye from the violin, and somehow I couldn't help recalling yesterday as looked at this big, splendid, wonderful master of the violin what a contempor- ary of his once said to me which bears out the fact that Ysaye is the king of the violin" and always will be-
 This fellow musician. none other than Mischa Elman, remarked upon one oc- casion to me:
 I had rather hear Ysaye play when ne Is out Of form than to listen to most Of them when they are a their best"
 The Belgian master has in his art what the Germans call (der grosse Zug. q hope I chant be interned for quotfnr German, but nothing else so well ex- presses his great art)-big lines, majes- ttc expression, epical presentation. have always been the distinguishing marks of Ysaye's playing, and these qualities are what has made him the absolute master of the fiddle.
 Yesterday afternoon was the first time I had viewed MT. Ysaye as a "con- ductor," and let me say right here that his .virtuosity is as supreme as a con- ductor as it has always been as a vio- linist; he lifts himself above technical considerations and interprets through his mind his soul and his heart His interpretations formed a display of true genius if ever there was such "a display. .
 When the great maestro came into the theatre yesterday he was followed by violin, carried by member of the orchestra, and I immediately said to him that it seemed natural to see him so closely identified with the violin and he laughed and told me that it belonged to his son, who is a member of the symphony.
 And speaking of the transition from the violin to the leadership of the great orchestra, MT. Ysaye said:
 Tt is new to the people of your coun- try to see me in the role of conductor, but for years in Brussels I have had my own orchestra. It is nothing new to me. AS for playing the violin while l am conducting it is absolutely impos-