New-York tribune., 1920-06-06

Nine. Bernhardt is acting or Mr.
Kreisler is playing his violin these
faults appear as foil for the supreme
beauty of the performance rather than
blemish. The opposite is true of
Mr.. Heifetz. There were moments yes
terday afternoon when, to be brutally
frank, one felt little bored by his
hawless technique and his perfect but
not always well-timed tone effects. Yet
as demonstration Of violin playing
pure and simple the recital was nota-
capricci in the last group of pieces
in the program were played with the
finish of a tirst-class virtuoso. Again
| in the last movement of Mendelssohn' S
concerto, Mr.. Heifetz must have sure
ly broken the record of speed for GER
tain passages. These things are of
unquestionable value for the teacher
and the student, but, of course, they
are no substitute for individual mag
netism, and the fault of the recital
lay in the fact that the program in
cluded two important works--Tartini's
Sonata in G minor and Bach's
Chaconne-which demand, far more
than technical accomplis ishment, imagi-
native qualities and sympathy, insight
and a style founded not on textbooks
but on individual temperament. The
Iartini sonata, for instance, is not a
difficult thing to play as difficulties go
nowadays. 1t summarizes in won
derful degree the best tendencies of
its time. But it belongs entirely to
that time. Form, idiom, scope, its
very limitations tell of an age that
is not ours. 1t is not enough to play
4 thinnish tone that is fashionable, as
Mr.. Heifetz did yesterday. 1t was
known once as The Lament of Dido.
! Should Dido wear an aigrette in her
hair and a Bond Street frock. because
she appears on a modern stage? Sure
( ly not.
"The same criticism applies in the
main to Mr. Heifetz's playing of
Bach's Chaconnc. The Mendelssohr
concerto showed how difficult it is for
/ the technician to resist the tempta-
ton of exceeding the speed limit The
moment the performer reached the
force the pace. and the phenomenon
was repeated whenever the lure of an
/ open field presented itself hardly to
the advantage of the composition.
Finally, one would wish TO protest
against the price charged for Mr.
Heifetz's program. None could OBJ
ject to reasonable charge for pro
gram containing notes--analytical and
historical--or for any similar attempt
to enlighten the public But sixpence
is too high price for the pleasure OF
reading somebody's advertisements
Italy has discovered a new violinist
in young Bohemian named Vasa
Prihoda, from Prague. He is nineteen
years old, was born August 21, 1900
at Vodnany, in Bohemia. and studied
with Maestro Marak at the Conserya.
tory of Prague. The mseries of recon.
struction after the war drove Prihodn
from Bohemia to Milan, penniless. but
with his violin, a Gagiano. There
Signor Ferrerio, publisher of the
Grande Italia. interested Gaetano Ba.
vagnoli, former Metropolitan Opera
conductor, in the young violnist. Unde,
their sponsorship he made his debu,
at Milan on the night of December ~
! 1919.
Prihoda will be heard in concert in
America next season, and has placed
himself under the management Of For.
tune Gallo, impresario Of the San Carlo
Grand Opera Company and manager OF
the Manhattan Opera House in New
York. for his tirst Americsn tour.