REMENYI.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5052, 23 March 1885, Page 2

REMENYI.

ACADEMY OF MUSIC.

A large and enthusiastic audience greeted the appearance at the Academy of Music on Saturday night of the famous violinist, Eemenyi. Wot only was it a large, but a thoroughly representative audience, and we were glad to see: that owing to the watchfulness of the manager the very objectionable practice of smoking in the pit was put a stop to; we hope that this is the last we have heard of a portion of Thames audiences proving offensive to ladies in the Academy. * Of the programme now. Of course we must take the work of the great master first. A fantasia on "The Huguenots," arranged by himself, was the piece selected for his introduction to his audience. It is but faint praise and doing scant justice to say that bis audience was spellbound almost before three bars were gone through. With many violinists the charm of their playing is to a great extent dispelled by an ungraceful attitude or the contortions they undergo, but with M. Eemenyi one simply looks at a calm placid man with— as far as can be seen—his whole soul wrapped up in his work. The eyes aid the ears in their enjoyment of his playing —he and his violin appear to be on such thoroughly intimate terms. He appears to communicate his thoughts to the combination of wood and strings which he so skilfully and tenderly manipulates, that it seems to reveal them to his audiences, who sit for the time almost entranced. On Saturday evening, in the Academy, with some seven or eight hundred people in it, not a sound was heard except those—not extracted—that would be too harsh a word, but coaxed from that wonderful instrument which seemed to respond so readily, so lovingly, to its master's touch. An encore was only a natural consequence, and at the conclusion gof the fantasia, the performer gave, as only a Eemenyi could give, " The Last Eose of Summer"; this had an almost electrical effect. The second number on the programme allotted to M. Eemenyi was a selection of Scotch National Melodies, and these were certainly the most popular, judging by their reception. Not only was the spirit of every Scotchman present stirred, but a general enthusiasm was apparently aroused. The imitation of the bagpipes was especially good '„ heard at first afar off so as to be almost undistinguishable, and gradually growing nearer and nearer, until it could be almost fancied that the tramp'of a thousand men keeping time to the inspiring strains of "TheCampbells are Coming" could be heard. The next I treat in store was the powerfully played " Marseillaise. 1' Here could -be seen the thorough sympathy of the executant with his patriotic selection. The introduction and improvisation on "The CarnivaKof Venice" was the next item on the programme announced, and here a surprise, or rather a series of surprises, was in store for the audience. The familiar strain was looked for in vain throughout the elaborate and masterly introduction, and when at last it greeted the expectant ear, it was so melodiously wrapt up that it gratifyingly astonished the listener. The,right and left hand were both used, the bow was at tjmes dispensed with, and every adjunct available seemed to have been. called into practice to produce a full musical effect. M. Betueayi, in response to &a encore,

gave his audience the stirring " Liberty Hymn "composed by himself, and as the last notes of this inspiring work died away, the audience realised the fnct that the end of a great musical treat had come. M. Remenyi is accompanied by a good concert company, and on Saturday evening their effort! were well and deservedly appreciated. Miss Hattie Downing, the only lady member of the company, has a good soprano voice, and uses' it with discretion; she rendered the time-worn ballad "Annie Laurie," and "Within a mile o' Edinboro' toon," sweetly and with expression, and in response to an encore for the latter number, Biscbof's " Supposing " was given by the fair executant?. Mr Isidore . Luckstone, a finished pianist creditably contributed " The Nor- i wegian Wedding March," by. Greig, his execution of Lizst's "Faust Waltz "• was excellent, and met with well merited plaudits. Mr Rudolf Himiner, the j possessor of a very even tenor voice, under , complete control, sang "Gome into the Garden Maud "feelingly, and in response to an encore for his tasteful rendering of " Mary of Argyle " sang " On the Blue Pacific," a composition of Mr Luckstone, who, we are informed, has done some excellent work in that direction for a young man. Daring an interval Mr Frank Weston, business manager, announced that arrangements had been made for M. Remenyi to give another concert to-night. His violin solos will be a fantasia on "Othello," by Ernst; Scotch National Melodies; " Cappriccio," by Paganini; "The Liberty Hymn," composed by him self;" The Carnival of Venice," and his new patriotic march, "The Australasian," composed during his recent stay in Dunedin. To all those who did not hear Eemenyi on Saturday evening we simply say, " Don't miss hearing him to-night."