Books › Musical Courier 1907-05-08: Vol 54 Iss 19, 1907 › scan 24
Scan 24
Musical Courier 1907-05-08: Vol 54 Iss 19, 1907
33 lines. Read by computer on 24 September 2026. Printed page 21. See the scan on archive.org.
1KUSSEWITZKY'S TRIUMPH IN PARIS
2AND OTHER PLAGENT PARAGRAPHS FROM THE FRENCH CAPITAL.
4Paris, April 25, 1907.
6At times a musical artist has visited this city and carried the town by storm, as we say in America, when the musical life seethed with excitement due to the effects of some artistic movement or the impression of a personality out of the usual. The ordinary system, however, was not interrupted, nothing out of the rule was suggested, the Seine moved along as placidly as it does when other musical artists come here and play here, and yet, on the occasions of the Kussewitzky concerts at the Saale des Agriculteurs, all Paris went into exclamations, and "bravos" and cheering resounded through the auditorium, and a mass of excited people passed into the street to proclaim in the resorts and on the boulevards that an extraordinary artist had made his bow and had conquered. The enthusiasm was unbounded, and the Paris papers were compelled to send their critics, and they had to say their say, most of them signing their names. It is only a personality in a stratum far above the usual who can succeed in drawing such concessions from the press here. But Kussewitzky is a novelty in musical performances, and simply because he has given to a musical instrument, neglected as a solo instrument, what is its due, and because he has illustrated on what lines and in which manner its qualities and capacity can be developed, and all this is done with the calm and repose of the artist.
8THE SECRET.
10Thus far this man, this double bass player, has been making sensational successes in Russian cities, in Budapest, in Vienna and Leipsic and in Berlin—return concerts—in many other capitals, and now, in Paris, it is the same story. Unlike Dragonetti and Bottesini, Kussewitzky does not play "trick" double bass; he performs on a regulation double bass, and plays it, and that is all. He has developed a great technic on the instrument, a technic which cannot be acquired by any one unless susceptible to such accomplishment. Like cello, like violin technic, it is a developed stage that is at Kussewitzky's command on the double bass. But back, far beyond this technic, stands the artist and his temperamental power, for the technic is utilized to produce musical and tone effects. While some might attain the technic, few are among the select who could be capable of extracting from the instrument Kussewitzky's tone quality and the further carrying quality of his own soul. Interpretation—why, Kussewitzky interprets as it appears fit to him and as his moods dictate; he is a musician, a masterful one, and he interprets as a musician might or would or should. It depends entirely on each listener as to how the interpretations are met. But on the question of technic, on that of tone and tone quality—on all these profound problems Kussewitzky overwhelms the audience with the power and the conviction of authority.
12In doing this he has accomplished for the double bass an entirely new future, having rescued it out of the orchestral mass, for in illustrating its adaptability for solo performance, for the expression of individual concepts and personal musical artistic taste, all logically, scientifically and artistically, on exactly the same basis as it has been and might be done on any instrument, the Russian has broadened the field of composition, and the fact that this technic can be developed, and that the double bass has a capacity not before suspected, will enable the composers to make a far better and broader use of it for instrumental effects in the body of the orchestra.
14It is one of the wonders for the ear and the intelligence to listen to Kussewitzky's phrasing on the big fiddle, and to observe how he obliterates all past theories regarding the limitations of the instrument as a means of musical diction; for whether the phrase is one that might in the past have been adjudicated as proper for the double bass or a revelation in view of the soloist's widening of the zone of possibilities of the instrument, its application by Kussewitzky is so novel and interesting that it fascinates the listener, and this is due to the large field of tone color and range from a violin quality down to the deep bass quality. As to the use and application of the flageolet tones, they seem to be of no consequence to him, being apparently the easiest of all the feats he accomplishes. Not the slightest incursion is taken into the field of the sensational, although no one can question the possibilities in that direction by one so completely in control of the mensur. It is exactly this disinclination to attempt any Bottesini legerdemain, but to adhere strictly to the legitimate phases of performance only, that really makes it a sensational performance. Its sensation lies in the fact that for the first time we hear what can be done with the double bass as an instrument related, or rather belonging to the stringed instrument class. Although phrasing is an art altogether apart from color or compass, yet when it covers such a broad scheme on an instrument the compass of which is really enlarged for solo performances by Kussewitzky, it assumes this novel aspect. It is heroic and in fact epic.
16None of this work could be accomplished without a complete control of new bowing, and hence Kussewitzky's bow work is also, as a separate feature, a new phase of stringed instrument performance. It is as subtle as the bowing of the violinist and 'cellist, and yet as rugged and forceful as one may expect in playing a double bass.
18No wonder the musical people of Europe are astounded at the performances of this unique performer, a performer of the classics and modern compositions who disdains to introduce anything but the best within the repertory of his instrument, and who has succeeded in giving a new and important rank to the double bass, a rank which will enable not only new effects to be produced in the orchestra, but which bring into the realm of music new works particularly adapted to the double bass after its culture on Kussewitzky's standard has been developed.
20KUSSEWITZKY'S DOUBLE BASS LEANING AGAINST AN EXTEMPOORIZED BACKGROUND.
22PARIS CRITICS SPEAK.
24As to the performance itself here, the most eloquent estimate may best be made from reading the appended impressions, written by the leading critics of Paris, although many others were present whose comments cannot be reprinted for want of space, all of whom, however, were as much impressed as those here quoted and as were the audiences:
26LE SOLEIL.
28"Inoui! prodigieux!" tels sont les mots que l'on entendait à la sortie du concert organisé à la Salle des Agriculteurs de France par la Société musicale, et ces mots se rapportaient au talent extraordinaire du contrabassiste Kussewitzky.
30Ce virtuose tire des sons exquis de cette énorme caisse de bois qui remplit dans l'orchestre le rôle ingrat, mais utile, de "pédale," de "basse continue" ou d'accompagnement.
32M. Kussewitzky est un artiste consommé, double d'un compositeur émérite. Dans l'Andante de son Concerto pour contrebasse, il fait vibrer avec un charme si captivant son gros instrument que l'on croirait entendre la plainte énamourée d'un violoncelle; dans l'Allegro du concerto de Haendel la légèreté incroyable de son archet nous a étonné et surpris. La netteté des traits est admirable et la compréhension musicale des mouvements est parfaite.
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