Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-28
SAMMY KRAMAR PLAYS
TO IMMENSE AUDIENCE
Child Shows a Tremendous Tai
ent, Both Mental and Technical,
in a Remarkable Concert

Fcw artists. no matter what their
standing in the world of music, have
ever played TO greater audience-or,
for that matter. TO more attentive one
than assembled in the Academy Of
Music last evening TO hear Sammy Kra-
mar in his first public recital in Phila
delphia. Sammy is the child, not yet
seven years old. who nstonishcd a num-
Der Of distinguished musicians and psy-
biologists when they heard him play
at the University of Pennsylvania few
weeks ago. The Academy was packed
from the pit, which was full. 10 tie
amphitheatre. which was also filed. and
all the persons that could be crowded
upon the stage occupied seats there.
Sammy played selection Of pieces
familiar to MI violinists. including as
solo numbers the Tartini Sonata in G.
minor. the Air Narie by De Beriot. also
on the same key a group consisting of
Keller Bella s 'Sohn der Haidc." Bohm s
Perpetual Motion and an clcgie.
"The PRAYER Of Bells composed by
| his teacher. Mr.. Jacob Gegna, and con
/
! Hubay. The audience insisting upon an
extra number. he played Beethoven 8
Minuet in G.. He also played two sets
Of short ducts with Mr.. Gcgna.
II is "lcar that tho child has n talent
| Of very high order and also that Mr..
Gegna has developed il to its present
extraordinary degree along sane lines.
TIc should have n most brilliant future
IL the remarkable musical talents with
which he has been endowed are properly
cultivated with the necessary mental
culture in other fields. which is required
70 make an artist Of tho first rank.
II would be useless to say that every
thing was played in tune. especially the
double stops Of the Tartini number. and
some Of the more rapid passages were
taken bv the little fellow at n speed
which at times rendered his intonation
not So clear as it might have been. But
"a a whole. his technique was rcmnrka .
bic. although this was by no means the
most extraordinary thing about the
gifted child. His lingering is clean and
rapid. but it is in the technique Of the
bow. by far more difficult than that OF
the loft hand. that he shows the most
surprising results. His stnccato is OK
celpnt and his whole management of the
bow would do credit 10 boy of double
=
But the most hopeful signs for th'
future Of the child lay not in his man
ual doxterity, for bv nracticc enough
any one can acquire this but in the
mental attitude that he apparently has
toward his work. There is tho con.
fdcncr in himself which is n sine quf
non OF every artist and he played hi'
entire solo program without his notes
and with only one apparent slip of th'
memory. which was covered with thu
speed and skill of concert player o
many years experience. All the tim'
he was apparently unconscious that h'
was playing before an audience of siz,
which only Kreisler can command. Be.
yond this there is disposition to thinl
for himself musically, as several time.
the tempt given out by Mr.. Gruen. thu
excellent accompanist. or by Mr.. Gcgnf
himself. apparently did not suit. and thu
youthful soloist promptly changed it tC
meet his own views. which though no
always right were always clearly de
fined.
But Of even greater Importance thar
this is the fact that he seems to have al
unconscious feeling both for rhythm
and for dynamics, and while he is play