New-York tribune., 1920-10-17
Two ViOlinists
Gave Recitals
Here Yesterday
Andre Polah Plays at
Aeolian Hall and Fails
to DO Justice TO Mozart
i'll the Opening Selection
No Rare Talent Is Shown
at Carnegie Hall
Discloses Decided Natu-
raj Gifts, Says krehbiel
By II. f. Krehbiel

The gates of the musical season have
not fully been opened jthev are still
swinging and creaking and giving out
anything but Milton's "harmonious
sound, on golden hinges moving'D, yet
already more vioinists and fiddlers
have crowded in than we can name
from memory. And q small multitude is
still waiting to be admitted into what
they hope will be their PARADISE.
Thus far none of them has pried any
cobbles out of the golden streets, and
we greatly doubt if any except those
who have approved themselves favorites
in the years that have gone WILL but
it is still too carly 20 venture upon
predictions. We can only say that a
virtuoso has not yet appeared. We
have heard only unripc pupils whose
present abilities might be duplicated if
not surpassed by any one of dozen of
the Young men and women who are
studying with Mr.. Kneiscl OF some
other local teacher Their foreign
names and artistic pedigrees have not
helped them.
Two More Aspirants Appear
Yesterdays addition to the ranks
was two men. and neither one Of them
was wholly a stranger to New \ N6rk.
In the afternoon Mr.. Andre polah
gave a recital in Aeclian Han and
Mr. Josef Stopak IN Carnegie. The
comparativc industry Of thcir agents
was indicated BY the fact that the
larger hall showed fewer empty chairs
and boxes chan the smaller.
There was also a noticeable differ
ence in the character of the audiences
Mr.. Stopak having more listeners who
had obviously come from the Last
Side than Mr. polah's entire audience; !;
but that is matter for Il student Of
society. not for a reviewer We men
ton the fact merely for the sake Of
the chroniclcr
MI Polah, Z Belgian. used TO play at
the concerts Of John Mccormack, and
quite naturally was there 80 submerged
as to escape critical observation The
strenuous efforts which are making to
bring ali kind Of music down to the
masses has had the effect Of lowering
the standards Of performance and APP
recitation, and Mr.. rolah's playing
did not challenge an appeal to anything
higher. Neither M tone, taste nor
technique did hc do justice to the
Mozart concerto with which he opened
his concert. and SO he failed to justify
the interest which had brought US into
the music room. We fear he viii not
be among the seasons elect.
Natural Gifts Displayed
Mr. Stopak, a young man, to judge
by appearances, whose name suggests
a Russian dance and other things which
are in no wise to his discredit, is E
New Yorker by birth. who studied il
the city Of his birth though with for
eign tcachers-he wants all the credi'
to go to NJ. Jacques TriAaud, who a;
an artist is entitled to all manner o.
praise-and has played solos with the
orchestra at the Dutch watering place
at Scheveningen. His playing disclosed
decidedly natural gifts sound training
and equally sound taste.
We are inclined strongly to believe
that his future is full Of promises; but
he cannot yet be classed with any one
Of three or four Of his predecessors
who enjoyed the training Of Hum
garian teacher Of German artistic ante
ccdonts. who succeeded WicnaWski snC
T Nleuxtemps in 1868, and who. until 30
litical and social conditions in Prussii
drove him to America, was one of the
brightest of the musical luminaries a
the Cars court.