Evening star., 1949-10-25

:.
YEHUDI MENUHIN.
Star Staff Photo.
While audiences have been
watching Yehudi Menuhin, he's
been watching them. too.
For Is years I've travelled, CIV
ing concerts all over the world
the 33-year-pld violinist, who will
give a concert at $3.50 pm. tomor-
row at Constitution Hall, said at
a press conference today at the
Raleigh Hotel. And each year ]
feel variations in audiences.
tits like smelling eggs and
bacon cooking for breakfast. You
know it's not like waff1es but the
difference would be hard to ex-
plain"
Mr.. Menuhins brow was knit
his eyes were fixed straight ahead
and he made incomplete gestures
with his hands as he thought out
his audiences difference" into
words.
Paris Most mot" Critical.
Take Paris audiences" the for
mer child prodigy said. They're
the most not critical. No, that
explanation too general. They're
unsentimental. yet tense. respon-
sive. The French work more with
their minds than their hearts
They've cultivated their appreci-
alton, it doesn't spring from the
masses as in Russia.
Nov Holland" Mr.. Menuhin
went on. There's something en-
tirely innocent and natural in a
Dutch reaction to music. But in
Spain-ah, there they get most
excited. remember playing there
in 1885. If played one passage
or one note on my violin that
pleased them particularly, there
was a tremendous wave of excite
ment over the place. The people
waved their hands and nodded
and turned to their friends. It
was a bit disconcerting at first. :"
Then the New York-born violin
ist discussed London.
English audiences are the most
touching. in a way you're deeply
moved when some one comes to
you with unchanging trust and
devotion. They never forget a
happiness they experience and
they will return under any con-
dition because of it. An English
audience comes to help you. You
don't feel them saying to them
selves, Well wait and see what
he does with this work. or will
he be as good as the last time?"
Italians Volative.
italian audiences are the most
volatile and not as predictable.
You know what the Dutch, Eng
lish or French prefer to hear, but
with the Italians you aren't so
sure. Italian audiences gasp and
pant and follow you with every
thing they have. One beautiful
musical moment is enough to
catch them"
Getting closer to home, Mr..
Menuhin thought a long time be-
fore he answered a reporters query
on New York audiences. How
should I say?" the violinist began.
Their reaction is always temper
ate, they don't want to offend. In
fact they're more apt to applaud
when they don't like something
I've played.
New Yorkers have no inner
peace of mind. You feel they've
rushed from dinner to get to the
concert and they've brought all
their worries with them. You feel
no complete sense of audience ded-
ication.'
And how will the Washington
audience be tomorrow at the open
ing of the National Symphony S
18th season?
There will be fewer gloves than
there used to be-" Mr.. Menuhin
said with a smile. "You see, when
I first played for Washington in
1929, the people were still like a
Lamasery in Tibet-high up in
the clouds with little contact with
the world. They were rarified.
But the years have rolled on and
brought an influx of people here
to centralized government. Now
Washington audiences are warmer,
less inhibited. They used to change
every four years with the regime.
But now," Mr.. Menuhin said, II
think Washington is one of the
best audiences In the country"