MISCHA ELMAN

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2210, 24 July 1914, Page 10

MISCHA ELMAN

: . AN ENTHUSIASTIC FAREWELL. Mischa Elman returned to the Town Hall last evening to exert his wonderful charm over a large audience, which never for a moment resisted the spell that his music cast over them. Tho feeling of one and all. as judged by the volleys of cheers wliich followed the final item on the programme, was one of unbounded thankfulness that they had been privileged to hear the young Russian 1 virtuoso. There may be greater violinists in the big world of artistry on the other side of the world, but the difference between them and Mischa Elman one can scarcely conceivo to be more than that which lies in individuality of treatment as regards this or that composer's works, and that is merely matter for. hair-splitting among the higher critics. For the public of New Zealand, Mischa Elman suffices. He came without any great flourish of trumpets, and departs a conqueror of all hearts. His amazing temperamental powers, allied to a prodigious technique, havo left an indelible impression on all who have heard him, and tho hope is expressed that in the big future to come —Mischa is still but a youth—he may find time to visit these parts again, to us with the sweet compulsion that in his music lies. Last eveniug he gave a compelling reading of. Ernst's attractive "Concerto in F Sharp Minor," a composition of great poetic beauty. His cncore was a dainty "Minuet" by Martini. Tho first bracket embraced the always welcome "Legende" of Wieniawski, the alluring "Caprice Viennois" of Kreisler, and as au encore an "Allegretto" by the prolific Boccherini, of minuet fame.; Later, he played a wonderfully rhythmical "Sarabaiide" by Sulzer, a "Scherzo" (Dittcrsdorf-Kreisler), and a "Hungarian Dance" (No. 21) of Brahms. Finally he played the over-beautiful Traumcrie of Schumann's, "I Palpiti" (Rossini-Paganini), and in reply to an ovation Dvorak's "Humoreske." Mdlle. Eva Gauthier, a charming and eultured artist, sang with much artistic resource an extremely beautiful aria from Charpentier's "Louise"—light, dainty, and Parisian -in character—and in response to the insistent bis crooned softly that cameo in song "The Swan Bent Low to tho Lily." Mdlle. Gauthier's pearline vocal quality was also heard to advantage in .a trio of French songs hy Sajnt-Saens, Jacques Dalcroze. and Victor Mosse, and (an encore number') "Tho . Sweetest Flower That Blows." Mr. Percy Kahn, at the piano, accompanied faultlessly.