Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-01-31

All who missed Jaschss Heifetz
violin recital at the Heilig theater'
Portland, last "Wednesday evening"
missed a rare treat. Every healthy
minded individual likes musie-some
more and some less-and after the
art of the singer. that of the vloilh-
list strikes deepest into our souls. 80
! it is not TO be wondered at that at
O'Clock the gallery and stage lines ex-
tended over a block, ard AT $3.50 eV-
cry seat in the house was occupied
including some ESQ on the stage
Neither is ii surprising that after the
first two numbers OF the program
the management announced return
engagement for next Wednesday eve
ming.
When the young master walked
leisurely and unaffeetedly over to the
piano to begin his recital l thought
how different he was from those who
depend on vivacity and numerous
stacy tricks to help clinch their sue
cess. The only device resorted TO was
his pretending to tune the violin and
thus stalling time before every mum
Der on the program.
The program was a meaty one
not in the least "playing to the gal
lleries" nor for applause But the ap-
lplause came just the same. After re-
lpeated refusals, and after making the
audience work for it, he granted an
encore, and afterwards two more
Perhaps after all, these were more
appreciated than they would have
been if granted Willingly,
The Sonata in d major by Handel
gave us an idea of the music of the
Nth and early 18th centuries No
modern harmony to accept or reject
but a beautiful melody and ripping
variations played by one who didn't
'slur over" nor skip a note, whose
bow pressure, vibrate to trills were
always steady and controlled, and
whose finger technic was flawless,
During the progress of this number,
| noticed the syncopation which Bee
thoven afterwards developed and
which ragtime and jazz overdevelop-
ed. Any good thing can be overdone,
and inasmuch as we Americans are
extremists in music as in everything
else, | suppose we need not think it
strange that we have overdone this
particular stunt in rhythm.
| At the close of this humber the
stranger at my side felt about as en-
thusiastic as myself, and we began to
exchange ideas quite freely, and
thought of something | had heard
about how music uhites the people =
| The concerto in ID minor by Vie
lnowski is a real concerto and really
Iviolinistic. There is great difference
Iofttimes between an arrangement for
violin and an original composition by
one who is not only composer but
a master violinist as we'll The saltato
and spiccato bowling together with the
rapid chromatic runs in which each
note was distinct and pearly marked
the first movement, At its close my
stranger friend said We'll, it's sup
posed to be allegro moderate, but its
not very much moderate"
The second movement of the con.
certo, the Romance, was a direct con.
trast One who knew something Of
the difficulties of the violin coul(
not help noticing the smoothe box.
ing and noiseless changes of bow
Schubert's Ave Maria, as Mr.. Hei
fetz played it, appealed to me as thu
ltenderest pleading possible to put in
to music. The double stops in higl
positions form fitting climax.
Mozart's Minuet afforded a chanc,
for some of the. most beautiful anc
delicate shading and mfzs
Chopin's Nocturne in d major mad
one feel the justice of his title "a
the poet of the piano." Ie reminded
one of song without words" o
rather duet without words Boil
parts were perfectly balanced.
These three numbers gave us tn,
more serious or sombre side of tn,
violin. while the Whirling Deryishei
and the March Oirentale were tn
only examples. of the initiative o
picturesque, in other words, of pro
gram music on the program.
The ever present Mr. and Mrs
Crouch sat near enough for me t
hear such remarks as His personal
ity is very dull" "he's sensational,
j II pays to advertise" "he can't pla,
like Kriesler' They probably didn'
know that Kreisler had said of Hell
fetz that he was the greatest violin
ist since Paganini., These folks die
H..