Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-11-08
Menuhin
T iumphs
BY CHARLES GENTRY

FEW VIOLINISTS in the con-
cert world have such command
Of their instrument that they can
persuade the listener 10 follow
them intently through an eve
ning's program, no matter what
they play.
But such absorption does the
playing of Yehudi Menuhin induce,
that last nights audience in Ma
sonic Auditorium sat spellbound
through a recital which ran the
gamut OF variety, from Beethoven
20 Kreisler,
II was particularly intriguing
TO the members Of the audience
who might have recalled an eve-
ming in the same hall, IA years
ago, when a small 1l-year-old boy
In blue velvet pants, appeared
with the Detroit Symphony Or
chestra. TO give a superb perform
ance Of the solo part of the
Brahms Violin Concerto.
Although we have had the
privilege of hearing Menuhin
many times since that evening,
we had fulSome opportunity last
night TO reflect upon how won
derfully this same little boy has
so magnificently fulfilled the
promise of his youth.
A MATURED GENIUS
He has survived all Of the other
prodigies who were launched dur
ing those lean musical years and
To-Day is complete artist OF
great stature.
Naturally he has matured, but
more than that; he has kept his
same intense interest in music
alive. There is nothing blase
about his performance. no sign OF
early decadence. His bowling is
one of the most beautiful things
10 watch and his assurance of
attack, amazing.
He chose the very first Bee
thoven Sonata in D-major for his
opening selection and while his
brilliant accompanist. Adolph Bal
Ter. rather soft-pedalled the fact
that Beethoven wrote this as a
sonata for BOTH violin and piano,
gave il delightful charm and
grace. all in the tradition Of Mo-
Fart, under whose influence it was
written.
WONDERFUL CADENZA
Menuhin then gave us the Men,
delssohn Concerto, as compellingiy
played, despite the lack of orches-
ira, as you can ever hope to hear
Il. The cadenZa in the first move
ment was breath-taking and the
lovely and usually maudlin, pas
sages OF the andante, hauntingly
played.
He encored with the Brahms
Hungarian Dance, No. 5 and then
returned after the intermission to
play one of the most unusual
works in the concert violinists
repertoire. The Sonata, No. 3 by
George Enesco in rhapsodically
Romanian. slightly Slavish and
occasionally Oriental. It employs
q quarter tone scale, a succession
VI muted harmonics and presents
s many obstacles TO the virtuoso
as any one composer, outside OF
Paganini, could possibly dream up.
EXPERT MANIPULATION
So expertly did Menuhin's In
,trument hurdle these obstacles
hat he completely relieved the
york Of the monotonous effect
which il would have at the hands
" any artist of less degree.
His final group was more to
,opular taste and included Kreis-
er's arrangement of the Dvorak
theme from the New World
Coin Home" the Caprice Basque
Of Sarasate, which was filled with
Scintillating technics, Kreislers
familiar Caprice Viennois' and
several others. including two en-
cores, the Moskowski Serenade in
D and the Rimsky-KorSakov
Flight of the Bundle Bee"
We must throw in a few more
,aurels for Mr.. Baller, the accom-
oanist. who Is one of the finest
assisting artists we've heard in
all of our years of concert going.
In fact. If it hadn't been for Men
uhin as the chief attraction, II
might have been called a joint
recital.