THE REMENYI CONCERT.

Kumara Times, Issue 2671, 13 April 1885, Page 2

THE REMENYI CONCERT.

Seldom, if ever, has such a musical treat been given to the people of Kuro. ara as was listened to by those who attended the Theatre Royal on Saturday evening. Certainly no such violinist as Monsieur Edouard Remenyi has ever performed before a Kumara audience; and we doubt if his equal has ever visited the southern hemisphere. The theatre was not so full as might have been expected; but, considering the short notice given of his coming, there may be said to have been a very fair attendance. It is needless to say that the expectations of those who had heard and read anything about the great violinist and his performances were all fulfilled. M. Remenyi is accompanied by a most excellent pianist, and also a lady and gentleman who possess, particularly the lady, fine and well-trained voices. The programme was a short one, but the encores were frequent and served to well satisfy the audience with the evening’s entertainment. The performance commenced with a pianoforte solo by Mr Isidore Luckstone, who appeared to great advantage during the evening both as a solo pianist and an accompanist. His first solos were Greig’s “ Norwegian Wedding March ” and Chopin’s “ Polonaise in A.’’ Miss Hattie B. Downing first made her appearance on the stage, receiving a most hearty greeting by the audience. This lady possesses a fine, pleasant suprano voice. She sang the aria of “ Non fu Segno,” from Verdi’s “I Lombardi,” which was most heartily received, and she kindly responded by favoring the audience with a grand rendering of the song of “ Annie Laurie.” Mr Rudolph Himmer, who followed, possesses a fine tenor voice, and sang Tours’ well-known song “The Angel at the Window,” and for an encore a German song by Schubert. The appearance of M. Remenyi on the stage produced a most favorable impression, and it was some time before the audience prepared themselves for almost breathless attention to the grand strains which were to come. His first solo on the violin was a fantasia on “ The Huguenots,” arranged by M. Remenyi himself. The audience seemed perfectly enthralled with the allornating pathos and fairy delicacy of the strains produced on ihe magnificent instrument, and a perfect storm of applause follow-d r .j n f ,] )G piece. M. Remc.iyi very gracefully acknowledged the demand for an encore

by giving, and with a pathetically beautiful prelude, “The Last Rose of Summer,” with wonderfully-executed variations, for which be was accorded immense applause. This concluded the first part of the programme. The second part opened with another brilliant piano solo, viz., the “Faust Waltz,” by Mr Luckstone, for which he was, as on the conclusion of his first solo, warmly applauded. Difficult as were many of the accompaniments, this gentleman managed to accomplish that most difficult of all things, to suppress himself, and he carefully regulated his tone and style of playing to suit the solo voice or instrument, in which consists the true art of accompanying. Miss Hattie Downing next rendered Welling’s beautiful ballad “Dreaming,” and for an encore “ Coming through the Rye,” for which she received rapturous applause. Monsieur Remenyi now reappeared and gave a magnificent rendering of his own “ Hungarian Melodies,” which may be regarded as the most interesting feature in the programme, Remenyi commenced generally with his head turned aside and inclined until the ear almost touched the fourth string, which he uses so often and with such magic effect. By and by his attitude becomes more erect; at all times his whole soul seems absorbed in his wonderful passages, which he depicts so graphically and with such emotion and pathos that the audience becomes, as it did on Saturday, completely enraptured. In response to the warm appeals from the audience Remenyi then gave an ingenious arrangement of “ Auld Robin Grey,” followed by “The Campbells are cornin’,” produced with such effect as to form in one’s mind new ideas of the power and compass of the violin. The double chords, high whistling notes, running up and down the scale rapidly with his fingers, introducing here and there a note with the bow in complete harmony these are master - pieces which must be heard to be understood, bub they brought the house to a perfect furore of applause. Mr Hammer then sang two German songs “ Resolution,” and “It was a Dream,” by Lassen; and for an encore “On the Blue Pacific,” composed by Mr Luckstone, the accompanist, which were all well received. The last violin solo on the programme was a “ Cappriccio,” by Paganini, which like everything else the great violinist has left us, abounds with difficulties. But Remenyi plays it faultlessly. For the final call he gave “The Marsellaise,” with great fire and enthusiasm, which of course met with sympathetic response from the audience. A duetto “A Night in Venice,” by Miss Downing and Mr Himmer, terminated the most interesting concert which has ever been given in Kumara,