Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1922-01-06
KREISLER CALLS
CASALS GREATEST
MUSICAL ARTIST
Appearance of Wonder Cell
ist In Mead Chapel
Notable Event
GREATLY PRAISED
BY MANY CRITICS
Technically He Perilously
Approaches Perfection,
1t Is Said

- ~NNNN
A musical event of very unusual ma
ture is the appearance in Middebury
Wednesday evening, January II, OF
Pablo Casals, the worlds greatest cell
ist. This is the third number in the
entertainment course given in Mead
Memorial chapel
Pablo Casals is AZ years old He was
born in Vendrell, not far from the coast
OF the Mediterranean, near Barcelona,
in northeastern Spain. His father was
organist and Choirmaster in the Ven
dreu church Under his fathers care,
the boys musical education began
very early including the learning of
the flute, piano and violin His father
was especially de,irous that he should
become composer. But from the time
when the boy first heard a violoncello,
he determined to study that instru-
ment, ard it has had the first place
in his life ever since. He studied and
played in Barcelona, then in Madrid
From there he went to Brussels and
then to Paris. After great success in
Paris, he went to Vienna, where his
genius created a furore. Since then he
has played in an the considerable cities
of Europe and has been everywhere
acclaimed as without an equal in the
mastery of the cello.
Casals first visit to America was in
1914. His tours here have been brief
but have always been in the nature of
splendid triumphs His own land of
Spain has drawn him home again. But
it is interesting to know that it was
when he was on his first or second visit
here that he met the American singer
Susan Metcalf who later became hi7
wife He arrived in America again
just before Christmas of the present
season for a tour of three months The !
management has booked him for an
extensive trip from New England to |
Colorado, playing in all the principal |
cities between His schedule is so
heavy that he has to give a concert
nearly every day, 1t is an added pleas
ure to have him in Middlebury so soon
after landing, before he is tired by ap-
pearing in many recitals. He plays in
New York on the Saturday preceding
his coming to Middlebury.
Casals purposely chose the violon-
cello as his medium of expression, be-
cause OF the possibilities in it. 1t is
a very difficult instrument.
Its size is unwieldy and its strings
tw.ce the length OF the violin strings
Although it had been conceded for a
long time By musicians and critics that
the cello fulills more functions than
any other stringed instrument it is
only recently that it has received its
due from the general public. Casals
has made it the king of stringed instru-
nents. He says Il chose the cello
because it is the instrument having the
widest capacity for expression" And
lie has mastered all of its possibilities
Everyone realizes the volume and rich
ness of the cello tone, but in his hands
t can attain the lghtneSS and bright
less of the violin tone, and can give
something Of the sonorous effect of the
,rgan, and can sing sometimes almost
ike human voice.
The honors which Casals has reCeiv-
d are too many to mention here He
]
i from the Royal Philharmonic So
iety of London and the highest deco ,
ations from his own country, France {
nd Italy. He has been from a boy
avorte with Queen Maria Christiana
# Spain, who had a financial part in
lis musical education Some years ago
yhen he was playing for her, she ask
d him to let her take his bow. In a
ew days she returned it with a great
apphire from one of her bracelets set :
n its handle.
The tributes which musicians and
rites have paid to Casals' artistry +
nd power of Interpretation have been I
xtreme. Evidently they have felt that ,
is playing is so excellent that they
.cre in no danger of OVERRIDING the
raise. These are examples: Leopold
iodowsky. the eminent pianist: "The
reatest things are always the simplest; =,
he art of Casals lies in its incredible
implicitly" The late James G. Hume =
er, probably the greatest American )
lusical critic: Technically he peril
lsly approaches perfection. Eugen !
save, well known violinist and con- v
uctor of the Cincinnati Symphony =
rchestra: "He is the greatest inter Ut
relative artist l have ever heard
ritz Kreisler, the great violinist, in
IS enthusiasm declares that Casals "is
lie greatest musician that has ever VI
-awn a bow u