The Washington times., 1926-02-20
5 ART
At BEST HERE
By JESSIE MacBRIDE

DIV Jessie NAdcD1&ADE
Fritz KreisIer was at his most
glorious best when the great violin
ist played before his only audience
in Washington this season, in recital
at Poli's Theater yesterday after
noon. The audience packed the
house to capacity with many turned
away. 1t was the fourth concert
Of the second philharmonic course,
presented by Mrs. Wilson-G Greene.
Mischa LevitzlSi, eminent pianist,
cnanced to be among Mr.. Kreisler's
ast ardent admirers In the alI Il
ence. stopping in Washington on his
way to New York after an extended
tour IN the far and Middle Wet.
RE was also enthusiastic over Carl
Lameon. accompanist and joint
artist with Mr.. Kreisler in the ax-
uuisitely given "Kreutzer Sonata
Of Beethoven.
Ereisler's art is always as pernll-
nent, as sure, as great piece of
architecture. But yesterday, 10
carry the parallel further, his flaw
less beauty of detail was like thu
Towering tracery OF a Corinthian
capital. and he, as artist, stood az
LOFTY as this pillar, crowntng tie
would of violin music with a peer
less nobility.
Crowned Own Great Art
There is always a time in an
artists life when a supreme monient
rises high above even himself. ina.
was Fritz KreisleT yesterday, In tWo
master works, the great BeetnoVen
and the Vieuxtemps Concerto 20.
ID minor
what can one say, in cold print!
II was lust too beautiful, gloriousiy
beautiful, Amazing, too, in the
connecting more of wizardy III MS
ma stery OF his exquisite instrument.
Mr. I1amson proclaimed an inrinlte
sadness in the Beethoven Andanle'
and then Mr.. Kreisler carried on the
theme with those impeccaDle re-
peated notes that held one oreatn'
less. -
the gay lord of hunting songs.
whose virtuosity Of double stops, 81
fleeting runs, of plucked notes, be-
meath which Is always emotion OF
pure music. are indescrioaole. ne
trilled long passages. never losing
for a minute the melody OF ms
music, and the piano was as grip
pingly articulate in perfect runs ahd
in form.
Then to Romance in the VieuX-
tenpsi Here, like great Itanar
aria, rose these great curves -
,-hvthm. Sounded out like a hunt
ing horn, there was the noble sie'
gance. a living form in the music
Of such enhancing tone that the
thrill of 1t remains ineradicabie IL
the memory.
Such music is akin to Heaven!
And the art. with never a note lost,
nor a theme left unadorned, was
dazzling in command of crescendos'
in arpeggios, and in wizardy.
KreisIer AS Composer
A final group included the Schu-
bert Wilhelmj Ave Maria ver1ta-
BILE prayer. Mr.. Kreisler has made
a. paraphrase of two Russian songs,
the first the famous "Volga Boat
Song" combining it with a Rus
sian Hymn that scars into sort
of apotheosis Of the pain and LABOR
of the deep, heavy pull of the Rus-
sian boatmen at their oars.
It's harmonic changes were In
teresting, and in the same mood lie
carried over to his own arrange
ment of the Tschaikowsky "Humor'
esque." putting enhancing modulA-
tions into the music and fascinating
combinations of double stops. tie
muted a delicate Hartmann arrange
ment of the Debussy Girl With
the Flaxen Hair" and then gayly
tlipped through an intriguing set,
ting (again his own of the Poldinl
Dancing Doll" How variable is
Fritz Kreisler in his music moods!
The Hubay Hungarian Fantasy
closed the program. to which were
added. as encores, the Largo from
the New World symphony OF
Dvorak that we sing in negro
spiritual form AS Coin Home" a
sort of gavotte "Serenade" by
Iehar, Of Merry Widow" far1c;
the Caprice Viennois," OF his own.
and his lovely waltz Fair Ros'
marin"
Again to Carl I4amson is the
perfect art of this recital in great
measure due.
Ksl1~I h. HAn