Evening star., 1931-12-20

~ playing of the Beethoven Concerto
n for Violin and Orchestra" stood back
stage at Constitution Hall, trying
to smile trying to shake hands.
trying to mop away the symptoms Of exertion
which were undeniably written on his face. As
he did all these things in a state of obvious
exhaustion his interviewer struck by his
tremendous vitality-the tremendous force
which he puts into his work-and the tre-
mendous strain it is on a man of such abilities.
Viewing him on the concert platform he had
seemed calm, very much at ease both in his
appearance and in his playing. One didn't
suspect that he giving almost his life blood
in the performance-th afterward he would
appear to be very nearly in a state Of col
lapse.
Mr.. Busch, with his boyish smile (Which Is
stiH not as boyish as he seems to be "in
action'O shook hands cordially and said Just
. minute-please-I cannot talk-I am So"
and he indicated his flushed red face the
handkerchief which he had to use freely on
it, the lack of breath which forced him into
mutenesS BY his side Frau Busch smiled, too,
and seemed very happy as che took his violin
from him and carefully, very carefully, put it
away in its case.
After minute Mr.. Busch regained his
normal or almost normal, equilibrium. Had he
been pleased with the ovation given him? Oh
yes The hall had been very full Che seemed
especially struck with its size), the audience had
been very good to him-oh, yes-he was very
tired-oh, yes-but he was very fond of Amer
ica-he would come back next year-yes, yes
And in the meantime? Well he was going to
play here some more TUESDAY he plays at the
Bach Club in Batimore) and then he goes
home.
"I live in Basel, Switzerland, now-not
Berlin"
"And how is Yehudi Menuhin?"
~Ah, don't know. 1 haven't seen him in
long time. You know I don't teach him any
l he
arranged" And Mr.. Busch indicated by his
hands that the matter of ocean or two at
the wrong time was the trouble and the dis
tance between them. He seemed genuinely dis
tressed at the fact that Yehudi is no longer
under his care. He had obviously enjoyed
teaching him.
what do you do at home besides teach?"
7 have my trio-my quartet play about
1913 to 1873 concerts year-and-oh, yes-I am
definitely coming back to the United States
next year"
His quartets, his trios his teachings, his
travelings Che goes far and wide), great
friend of Toscanini's, family man, too (his
little girl Is obviously very much pleased with
her father)-al these keep this interesting vio-
linist in trim for such exhibitions of vir-
tuosity as he gave last Tuesday at Constitu-
tion Hall. man who Is not as young as he
seems but evidently still boy at heart with
the soul Of the true classicist, he Is refreshing
personality among the musicians Of this day.
His genuine respect for the great masters, Bach
and Beethoven particularly, and the way he
plays them indicate the true artist He does
not undertake them the way he thinks they
should be played but rather as he thinks they
could have wanted to have them played He
tndulges In no tricks, no subtle dvergencies
from the straight and narrow All is plain
sailing before him. The way has been pre-
pared by him-and he takes it after great but
loving preparation. No more invigorating per-
sonaltty or musician (among the new" ones
he isn't, Of course in any way new on the
continent) has been heard in Washington dur
ing the past two three years.