Evening star., 1947-12-28

VlCllOll W SSFcl dl tIlOuodlluS VI
people. This is what is known as
persorality-an often-m -misused word
and quality One needs intelligence,
courage and never-ending readi-
ness for work-often for hard labor.
A singer. needless to say, needs
voice; an instrumentalist, the right
kind of hands and fingers; a con-
ductor, ease and bodily sensitive
ness, rhythmic coordination, and
the ability to inspire his players.
Humility a Valued Asset.
Last, but not least. comes
humility. I cannot imagine a great
performance of certain musical
works without this supreme and
necessary attribute. Beethoven's
later works. Mozart and Bach
throughout demand this more than
almost any of the other desirable
qualities. Hence so great an artist
as Leopold Stokowski sometimes
fails in communicating some OF the
spirit of these masters works.
Toscanini once said to me, while
his curiously penetrating eyes trans
fixed me: DO you know what is the
matter with StokoWski?' Then,
after an impressive pause. en-
phasizing each word: "He has no
humility"-as though rightly. but
ominously. pronouncing the words
of the last judgment.
How we'll I remember this same
sense of the true and simple in con-
nection with another great per-
former, Rachmaninoff. We had
played one of his concertos with
him on two successive evenings in
Baltimore and Washington. had
carefully prepared our orchestral
part, and during the rehearsal, the
master seemed highly satisfied, and
made only two minor suggestions.
At each concert he insisted on my
sharing every bow with him. After
doing this two or three times, 1T
became rather embarrassing, and I
tried as forcefully as politenesS
would let me to persuade him to
60 on the stage alone, using every
argument I could think Of: That
it was his concerto. that he was
the soloist. that 1t would "look
bad" and so on, all to no avail.
The old gentleman was obstinate
as a mule and equally as strong.
He would simply grab me by the
arm and say in that deep Russian
voice of his: Come with me"
sounding like doom itself. At the
same time, he did not once men
ton whether he liked or even ap-
proved of our performance; that is,
not until the very end OF the sec
ond concert. Then he suddenly
said. again in that open-air bass
of his: You know, Kinder, last
night, in Baltimore, was very, very
good performance. Tonight in
Washington, was perfect" Then,
after little pause: Il played bet
teri" This was at once a perfect
example of his humility and self
criticism. 1t was also the great
est and most really valuable COM
pliment I ever received-for which
I was and remain duly grateful.
Most Criticism Is Temperate.
When after much and searching
study, and granted the above-me
toned talents. one humbly, but in
sincere conviction, presents ones
Interpretation of a work to an audi
ence, how is one to accept the
casual verdict of too slow" or "too
fast" or too soft" o. too lcud,"
no matter how we'll intended such
criticism" might be? One must
continue. The rest is up to the
gods of courage. tenacity, patience,
hard work, enthusiasm and luck.
All this, then, is only meant to
encourage talented young artists not
to become unduly disheartened or
even disturbed by occasional harsh
or unkind censure. Wise critics
land, thank Heaven, this means
the large majority realize this
full we'll and temper their judg-
ment with the right kind Of wis
dom. They. as we'll as the expe-
rienced artist, know the truth Of
the old dictum: AIRS Tonga, vita