Scan 51
Musical Courier 1906-12-19: Vol 53 Iss 1395, 1906
58 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. Printed page 42. See the scan on archive.org.
1MANY CITIES PRAISE PETSCHNIKOFF.
3Alexander Petschnikoff returned to this city on Thursday last from his first Western tour, which lasted over three weeks, and in every city he was acclaimed by the press after each appearance. Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Terre Haute, Washington and Baltimore were some of the cities in which he played with great success.
5The following are extracts from his many glowing criticisms:
7There were only three numbers in the program of the orchestra yesterday afternoon, but the audience insisted on more and the soloist was compelled to provide the extra number. Alexander Petschnikoff, the Russian violinist was the soloist, and although he came heralded as a musician of unusual attainments, he was not a disappointment. There has been a tendency to overpraise many performers who come from Russia and other foreign countries in late years, but in this instance the treat promised was forthcoming, or at least the audience of yesterday afternoon was of that opinion, for after his set number Mr. Petschnikoff was recalled and gave an additional number that was thoroughly enjoyed.
9In the first place, Mr. Petschnikoff is a master of technic. He has had excellent training and he has studied the violin assiduously. He knows the full powers of the instrument, and not only this, he knows the compositions he plays. This was demonstrated in every movement and in every passage of Tchaikowsky's concerto in D major, the selection in which he was heard on this occasion. But Mr. Petschnikoff is not alone remarkable for technical ability. This player has the power to elicit a tone that is full, round and complete. He has poise and confidence, and this means much on such an occasion as the one under discussion. He plays with authority, and that is one of the more noticeable features of his endeavors.
11There is much that is brilliant in the composition and much that is grateful to the soloist, but, on the other hand, there is much that demands taste in deliverance, which was not lacking in this instance. The fact that there is much of the Russian nature in this piece naturally lends itself to a proper interpretation by a Russian, and Mr. Petschnikoff seemed thoroughly imbued with the spirit of his country and his countrymen in his presentation of this concerto.—The Chicago Chronicle, December 8, 1906.
13The soloist of the afternoon was Alexander Petschnikoff, the Russian violinist, who played the Tchaikowsky concerto splendidly. In the nine or ten years that have passed since this young man made his first important German appearance in a Liszt Verein concert at Leipzig, when he played this same concerto, his art has undergone much outward development. His technical command of the instrument has attained to virtuosity and intellectual maturity has brought an added refinement. But inwardly it is the same. Great intensity of feeling, which mounts up to occasional climaxes of dramatic power, the more convincing because of their evident sincerity. Against these are opposed moments of rare poetic beauty and deep sentiment.
15A tone capable of infinite variation and of exceptional carrying power and beauty, supported by a truly great technic, combined to make the Tchaikowsky concerto an especially grateful and sympathetic work for this artist, for it has no technical difficulties which are beyond him, and its musical and emotional qualities are admirably adapted to his temperament.
17The audience received him with unbounded enthusiasm, and after many recalls he responded to an encore.—Glenn Dillard Gunn, in the Inter-Ocean, Chicago, December 8, 1906.
19Mr. Petschnikoff's fame is associated closely with the Tchaikowsky concerto. He played it when first he made his great success in Germany, and he has used it as his introductory selection on numerous occasions since that time. It served him when he was soloist with the Chicago Orchestra just seven years ago to-day, and in presenting it again yesterday he was using that which he knew would bring him success. It did so.
21Mr. Petschnikoff played the concerto with more of breadth and authority than he formerly did, and there was more of tonal beauty. He is the lucky possessor of one of the most beautiful instruments that human ingenuity and skill have fashioned. No violin heard here in years has given forth a tone of such marvelous softness and sweetness. The tone has in it just the slightest possible suggestion of being veiled, and yet it is clear and resonant. It is like the middle tones of Sembach's voice. With such a tone at his disposal the violinist could but win the approval of his hearers. He held them keenly attentive and their applause came hearty and spontaneous.
23Technically he does everything that a present day virtuoso is expected to do, and does it easily. He read the concerto with full understanding of its musical and emotional import. The performance was one that was interesting, effective, and beautiful throughout. An encore was insisted upon and responded to with an exquisitely finished performance of a distinctly pleasing etude by De Beriot, for violin alone.—Chicago Tribune, December 8.
25Alexander Petschnikoff, who appeared with the Thomas Orchestra yesterday afternoon, treated the large audience to a splendid performance of Tchaikowsky's violin concerto. The great technical difficulties of this work did not prevent him from playing with admirable finish throughout. In the hands of a less able performer there are portions of this concerto that are simply gymnastics.
27Under Petschnikoff's swift bow these passages gain qualities that appeal to all his hearers. The smoothing away of evidences of technic in this manner requires abilities of a high order. But if the player pleased his auditors with his work in the portions of the composition where great technical agility is demanded, he aroused them to a degree that approached enthusiasm in the canzonetta, the second movement. This attractive melody was played with much feeling and the tone was of the greatest beauty.—Record-Herald, Chicago, December 8, 1906.
29The concert given at the Pelasco Theater yesterday afternoon by the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Fritz Scheel, and with the distinguished Russian violinist, Alexander Petschnikoff, as soloist, proved attractive enough comfortably to fill the house. The music loving society of Washington was out in force. The concert, though short, was thoroughly enjoyable, and the reception accorded Petschnikoff was all that the heart of an artist could wish. Not content with his masterly playing of Tchaikowsky's concerto for violin and orchestra, in D major, op. 35, the applause was so long continued and so insistent that the soloist, though evidently is, indeed, difficult to imagine an artist with a purer or more beautiful tone or better and more beautiful technic than he displayed last evening. He did nothing hastily or inartistically, giving, as it were, full attention to every one of the notes that came from his almost magical bow.
31So thoroughly was his playing appreciated that he was obliged to respond with an encore, giving an aria from Bach.—The Sun, Baltimore, December 13, 1906.
33After Petschnikoff's appearances in New York last month his criticisms were as follows:
35Two features lent interest to the first concert this season of the Russian Symphony Orchestra in Carnegie Hall last night. One was the production of a new piece of ballet music by Glazounow that left no impression which was not obliterated by the music which followed it. The other was the reappearance on our concert platform, after an absence of seven years, of Alexander Petschnikoff, the Russian violinist. Here was metal more attractive. Mr. Petschnikoff played Tchaikowsky's concerto. When he first spoke to an American audience at a Philharmonic concert, in November, 1899, he won recognition then as virtuoso of first class importance. He maintained himself in that attitude last night by a superb performance of the stupendously difficult but fascinatingly interesting work. The purity of his intonation was ravishing, the technical finish of his work thrice admirable. It is pity that so fine a performance could not loom up as it deserved, because of the too generous offerings of the day. But Mr. Petschnikoff is to be with us through the season, and, haply, will be heard again under more auspicious circumstances.—New York Daily Tribune, Friday, November 16, 1906.
37The most interesting feature of the concert was the reappearance after seven years of the Russian violinist, Alexander Petschnikoff, an admirable artist, whose art has gained in power as well as in refinement, and who gave a beautiful performance of Tchaikowsky's concerto. He plays it without all the bravura that it invites of the violinist who masters its difficulties, but with a fine feeling for its beauties, which are great until the composer is borne away from his purely musical mission to devote himself to the virtuoso's needs. Mr. Petschnikoff has an abundant mastery of all difficulties, with an intonation that is rarely at fault even in the most stubborn passages of the work, and with a tone whose sweetness and purity is a continual delight to the ear.—New York Times.
39The soloist in the concerto was Alexander Petschnikoff. His return was heartily, stormily welcomed, and his playing that of a musician born—then made. For the first time in months octaves and double stopping have sounded clear, concise and brilliant. His playing of the canzonetta was a revelation in the pianissimo possibilities of his instrument.—New York Telegram.
41The soloist of the evening was Petschnikoff, who played for the first time this season, and had a sweeping success. Whoever can play the Tchaikowsky violin concerto without any show of virtuosity must indeed be a great 'musician. The dreamy, poetic nature of Petschnikoff, the deep feeling, the warmth of expression are not changed, yet technically he has grown enormously. His bowing is facile and finished, his tone, while not big, is of rare sweetness, and his delicate phrasing is wonderful.—New York Staats-Zeitung (translation).
43The soloist was Alexander Petschnikoff, the Russian violinist, who made his re-entry after an absence of several years. He played the Tchaikowsky concerto with a great beauty of tone and a good deal of feeling. It was in this difficult work that he first came before an American audience. Mr. Petschnikoff's art is excellently worth while. His liquid tone gave life to the inspiring music and he was favored with a sympathetic accompaniment by the orchestra. The audience applauded him with conviction.—New York Mail and Express.
45The concerto was played by Mr. Petschnikoff, whose skill as a virtuoso has increased since he was last here. Yet it is less on the technical than on the purely musical side that he excels, for which let us be grateful. At the close of the concerto there was an amazing exhibition of enthusiasm.—New York Evening Post.
47ALEXANDER PETSCHNIKOFF.
49Had the great Russian, Tchaikowsky, composed nothing but the violin concerto, it is certain that his name as one of the great composers of the age would have been handed down through many generations. Seldom, indeed, have Baltimore audiences had an opportunity of hearing such a noble work so nobly interpreted as by Petschnikoff last evening. That the soloist has made a profound study of the composer and his work was evident with the first few bars of the first movement. Throughout the three movements there was not an uninteresting moment. At once brilliant with beautiful melody and dignified in its orchestral coloring, almost wonderful in its truly musical purity, the number deserves to be ranked among the most beautiful musical classics of the times. Petschnikoff is, to use the most comprehensive term, a master of the violin. It
51Madame Von Klenner's Musicale.
53Madame Evans von Klenner gave one of her charming studio musicales Friday evening of last week, at the new Von Klenner residence, 301 West Fifty-seventh street. Many music lovers were present to enjoy the program, made up of arias and songs from the works of Puccini, Charpentier, Leoncavallo, Bruno Oscar Klein, Viardot, Grieg, Schumann, Schubert and Verdi. Madame von Klenner introduced a number of her best singers, including the Misses Norwood, Cellshuller, Lafferty, Lawrence, Standish, Wilder, Pipkin, Fishburn, Kefer, Pendleton and Frisbie. The singing in the quartets, trios and choruses, was particularly fine. Madame von Klenner was assisted in receiving her guests by Mrs. Evans, Mrs. H. L. Livingston and the Countess von Lohe.
55Wiley Engaged by Jules Jordan.
57Clifford Wiley, the baritone, will sing Wednesday, December 19 (tonight), at the performance of Bruch's "Cross of Fire," in Peacedale, R. I., under the direction of Jules Jordan.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.