Part 25 (2/2)
I have heard this composition by every violinist of eminence (except Vieuxtemps) who has visited our city; but I never heard so satisfactory a playing of it. The three voices flowed on so smoothly and evenly, never seeming to be in each other's way: there always seemed to be plenty of bow, and just in the right place for each individual voice to receive exactly its due prominence. The vociferous recall that followed this worthy performance was well earned. White is a Cuban mulatto, fine-looking, and extremely gentlemanly in appearance and conversation. A Brooklyn writer speaks of him as follows: 'His style is perfection itself; his bowing is superb, and his tone exquisite. His execution is better than Ole Bull's; he possesses more feeling than Wieniawski; the volume of his tone is greater than that of Vieuxtemps.'
All of which I indorse.”
On March 12, 1876, he appeared in New York as soloist at a grand concert given by that justly celebrated and almost perfect body of musicians, the Theodore Thomas orchestra. His performances on this and several previous occasions elicited the most enthusiastic and unbounded praise from the critical ”Arcadian” and the other New-York papers, nearly all of whom placed him beside the three or four great violin-artists of the world.
On the 26th of March, 1876, White appeared at a grand concert given in the Boston Theatre, in company with Levy the renowned cornetist. I shall long and delightfully remember the emotions of thrilling pleasure produced in my own breast by this virtuoso's magnetic execution, and the feelings of joyful pride that I experienced when witnessing, on this occasion, his great triumph. After he had played the first few bars of the ”Ballade et Polonaise” by Vieuxtemps, the audience felt that he was a master; and his reception readily became a grand ovation. He received a double encore after the performance of each regular number on the programme. But of his grand success on this occasion I shall let the journals of Boston of March 27, 1876, speak.
”Daily Globe:”--
”The concert at the Boston Theatre last evening attracted one of the largest audiences of the season; and it is seldom that any artist receives such an ovation as that which was given to Senor Joseph White, the Cuban violinist, who made his first appearance before a Boston audience. The numbers on the programme a.s.signed to this gifted artist were a 'Ballade et Polonaise' by Vieuxtemps, and 'Chaconne' by J.S.
Bach; but a double encore to each of these was responded to by other selections, including the 'Carnival of Venice,' and a gavotte by Bach: all of which were rendered with a perfection rarely heard in violin performances, and recalled the best efforts of Ole Bull.”
”Boston Journal:”--
”The chief feature of the concert at the Boston Theatre last evening was the appearance of a new violinist, Senor Joseph White, a Cuban, who has lately created quite a sensation.
Rarely has any artist created so great a _furore_ in a single hearing as Senor White. His really wonderful playing took the audience captive at once. His tone is remarkably true, pure, and firm, and his execution at all times clear and perfect. In short, he seems to have perfect command of the instrument.”
”Herald:”--
”He handles the king of instruments with the utmost ease and confidence. He has no useless flourish in his manner, and none of the 'hifalutin' in his style. He draws and pushes his bow, and the instrument responds with delightful sweetness and pa.s.sionate eloquence. He is probably ent.i.tled to a place in the catalogue of first-cla.s.s violinists.
Certainly those who heard him last night accorded him praises which would have perhaps ruined a less vain man.”
”Daily Advertiser:”--
”But the success of the evening may be awarded to Joseph White. He plays in a style together firm and strong, and delicate and refined. His masterly rendition of Vieuxtemps'
well-known 'Ballade et Polonaise' at once captivated the audience, and he was enthusiastically encored; and, the audience still calling for more, he played 'The Carnival of Venice.' This second selection was played without accompaniment; and he again was triply encored, the last time giving an air from 'Sonnambula.'”
I have reserved for the last a very excellent critical a.n.a.lysis of our artist's performances. It is taken from ”The Daily Evening Transcript.”
”The Sunday-night concert at the Boston Theatre last evening was made memorable by the introduction to the Boston public of Senor Joseph White, the Cuban violinist.... The musical fraternity, however, was very fully represented, the musicians knowing something of what was in store for the evening. But not even they were prepared for the wonderful and delightful playing of Senor White.... The first of his work last night was something of a disappointment. There appeared to be a deficiency of tone, owing, as it seemed, to the use of an instrument not loud enough for so large an auditorium. But it was soon evident that the selection of such an instrument was in accordance with the style and taste of the artist. Possessing the most perfect ease and freedom in his command of the resources of the violin, with a fine breadth of style, and an evidently strong and quick sensibility, yet he did not aim to produce his effects on a large scale of tone. He seemed to desire to confine his exhibition of the violin to the range where its fineness and sweetness, rather than its power, may be ill.u.s.trated, and to check himself inside of the limit where a coa.r.s.e, scratchy body of tone is obtained at the expense of purity and delicacy. His bow, though 'dividing the strings with fire,'
seemed never to touch them. The direction or the position of its stroke, whether up or down, at the beginning or at the end of it, could never be told from any changes in the quality of the sound extracted. The tone flowed as though after the keen incisions of a knife-blade, not as if sc.r.a.ped out by the friction of horse-hair upon catgut. When to this delicious quality of tone was added an exhibition of the most perfect _technique_, the triumph of the virtuoso was complete. The mysterious flowing softness and smoothness of tone was carried with unflagging facility through the most rapid and difficult chord and harmonic playing; and this, with other wonderful feats of bowing, added new and bewitching charms to the _diablerie_ of violin variations.
The reception of the artist was cordial at the outset; but at the close of the first performance, a 'Ballade et Polonaise' by Vieuxtemps, the enthusiasm was overwhelming.
In response to the encore, Senor White played a 'Styrienne'
of his own arrangement; and this was followed by two more stormy recalls, the audience refusing to be quieted until he had again gratified them, this time with the 'Carnival of Venice,' arranged by himself in an elegant transcription of the familiar commonplace variations. At the conclusion of his second number, Bach's 'Chaconne,' a famous and difficult violin solo, which was played, and _interpreted_ as well, in a most masterly manner, the applause was again equally enthusiastic, notwithstanding the character of the selection; and for an encore the scholarly artist responded with a finely intelligent and daintily clean-cut rendering of a gavotte by Bach. The tumultuous recalls that followed this would be satisfied with nothing less than another performance; and Senor White gave a rich and pleasing arrangement of his own upon a popular air from 'Sonnambula.'
With these two 'double encores,' amid such excitement as is rarely witnessed at a concert, Senor White may well add Boston to the other American cities that have 'adopted'
him.”
And here, for the present, we will take leave of our great violinist.
It is not probable that he obtained, while in this country, a very great pecuniary success; and, from what has been heretofore stated in regard to his characteristics, this will not seem strange. White was not a _showman_. He has ever been too purely, too entirely devoted to his chosen art to admit of his using the means generally employed by the mere money-seeking musician,--means which seem so out of keeping with those finer aspirations which a contemplation and practice of the n.o.ble art of music are expected to promote, and the use of which, detracting as it does from his dignity, lessens the respect, the admiration, which people of culture would fain feel for the gifted performer.
A few months ago our artist sailed for Paris, the scene of his earliest triumphs. He has gone from our sh.o.r.es with his brow laden with new laurels, all honestly won; and he leaves behind an admiring mult.i.tude of musical people who will ever watch with deepest interest his future career, and fondly wish for his speedy return. Therefore we do not say to him ”_Adieu!_” but ”_Au revoir!_”
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