Evening star., 1936-02-16
Rv the Radio Editor.
.HE worlds No. l musician


lutte technical mastery of
Il musical Instruments said to
be Jascha HeifetZ. A thoroughly ma
ture artist with 19 successful years
on the American concert stage, fol-
lowing his amazing debut during the
waning days of the World War, he
takes sharp issue with musicians who
still refuse to perform for the radio
audience.
The three recalcitrants who per-
sist in spurning radios invitations are
Kreisler, Rachmaninoff and Paderew-
ski, as explained in this column re-
Gently. They take the stand that
their delicate touch and intricate in
depreciation are lost by the time their
performance emerges from the fire.
side loud speaker.
But not so Heifetz. This wizard
of the bow and string-who many
believe will rank with, if not above,
the great masters of all time-haS a
warm spot in his heart for broadcast
ing. 1t isn't mere craving for the
few thousand dollars in his pocket for
his occasional radio appearances that
inspires this enthusiasm, for he natu-
rally has no worries about where the
next meal is coming from.
Rather it is love for people, espe-
cially young musicians, that surges in
Heifetzs heart as he tells about the
musical achievements that broadcast
ing has to its credit. 1t is this same
understanding of his public that ap-
pears at the end of a long concert,
with encore after encore, when he
graciously offers his hand to gaping
young musicians who timidly come to
his dressing room.
ONE arm already in a f1eece-lined
overcoat which his wife. the love-
ly Florence Vidor of movie fame, Is
holding, he willingly extends the other
arm to a teep-age lass, who gasps, Il
wonder if you remember me, Mr.
Heifetz." And he almost floors her
with his, "Oh. yes. I met you in Cali
fornia three years ago.
There you have the Heifetz who
knows that radio can bring his art to
the millions who never will have a
chance to don top hats or evening
dresses and go to hear a concert
Strangely enough, it is a love of people
that is not apparent as he coolly plies
his bow across the strings before
concert audience and as he bows him
self formally off the stage.
DO you believe that radio fairly
presents your art to the public?" he
was asked.
without batting an eye, he comes
right back: Yes, radio is wonderful
wonderful. Not 100 per cent, but won-
derful"
He is just as quick with an answer
to the next question. as he stops talk
ing a moment to turn the little gadget
on the bow that loosens the hair and
then carefully slips it into a slot along
with a half dozen others in velvet
lined case that holds the two precious
yiolins he carries on tour.
Yes" he says again. Il believe the
radio is as faithful as the phonograph.
It's getting better all the time"
WARNING up to the subject, he
says: Radio isn't 100 per cent
but it isn't the mechanical side that
I have in mind. It's the time, the
short time they allow for perform
ance. In a concert play all kinds OF
music-old music, modern music, con-
certos, lovely melodies. technical num-
bers. On the radio I can play only
one or two types of music on a pro-
gram. It isn't complete, rounded
performance"
Have you ever heard record OF
one of your radio performances tran
scribed off the air?"
"Oh, yes" he replies. Mechanically
It is good. I have no complaint. 1t is
as good as the phonograph."
And that turns his thoughts toward
aspiring young musicians, for he was
one of them less than three decades
ago
They should listen to the radio
They should hear the music, over and
over. They must live with good music
and hear it and love it until 1t be-
comes part of themselves.
The radio and the phonograph
give them chance to do this. They
can grow up with the music in their
hearts and then can hear it as in
terpreted by the artists
OF later generation than Kreisler,
Rachmaninoff and Paderewski, Hell
fetz readily adapts himself to the
mechanical requirements of the
broadcast studio. Told that these
three artists refuse to play on the air
because they fear the man at the
control room dials, Heifetz ShrugS
Slightly, and then gives this version:
THE big companies have experts
who watch the needles. They know
what to do. rehearse and they know
just what to expect. They don't
worry me. 1 play just as I play fol-
q concert. They know their business