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Scan 15
The violinist, 1903
39 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 13. See the scan on archive.org.
A town on its own line is one of the directory's headings. That is where the town on a maker's page comes from.
1Bach Interpreted by Kneisel
2Franz Kneisel in a recent concert at Philadelphia played Bach's concerto in A minor in a manner to win great praise. The Bulletin said of his work and that of the Boston Symphony Orchestra:
4Bach probably never even heard of a virtuoso, and would surely have been shocked had any one played pizzicato with the left hand or indulged in any of those freakish "stunts" of the school of Vieuxtemps or Paganini. Those who heard one of his violin concertos last night for the first time might decry his lack of imagination, judged by twentieth century standards. They might even call his exquisite simplicity, pedantic. To the real musician, however, who sets back musical pyrotechnics to the level of dime museum freaks—wonderful but scarcely artistic—this concerto was as a great rock in a weary land. The violin was the old cantor's earliest instrument and he evidently loved it; even the cadenza he wrote for this concerto is good music, and in it he shows his respect for his instrument and for himself. Mr. Kneisel's art is well known. It may not appeal to the mass, but its voice is none the less mighty. His tone is not great, but it is wonderfully pure—there was not a single rasping string or a solitary "squeak" last night, and who can say as much of the playing of those whose popularity with the unthinking is quadruple his? The orchestra score, thin and quaint as it seems, was given with delightful spirit and the whole atmosphere was profoundly suggestive.
6Use for Pianola Suggested
7In a letter to the editor a member of the V.T.A. says: "Many thanks for my association card. I sincerely hope that all the first-class violinists will protect the public from charlatanism, by only recognizing qualified members of the society. Until we all see this necessity for organization we will continue to be the least respected class of teachers on earth.
9"Only this morning, a club woman asked my orchestra to give their services (twenty advanced violinists) while one meeting was adjourning and another being called to order; 'and would you mind the noise of seating and introducing so many while your charming pupils play?' I suggested a pianola and she withdrew, indignant at my 'cranky' musical sensitiveness. She had begun by saying that 'later on the club hoped to be able to engage some outside talent!'"
11Doing Justice to Pupils
12From the printed announcements of the Victor Heinze School of Artistic Piano Playing, violin teachers may find many useful suggestions. One that is particularly worthy of considerable thought is this sentence:
14No teacher is allowed to give more than four or five lessons daily, so that his best energies may be devoted to the pupil and his own studies not be neglected. By overwork either the pupil or teacher must suffer—usually the former.
16A Test of Violins
17Dr. Henry Watson, a well-known authority on music and himself a cultured musician, says the Chicago Inter Ocean, while lecturing recently at Manchester, on the violin, incidentally had a short piece played on two violins, one a Stradivarius worth $3,000 and the other worth half a crown. Then he asked the audience which instrument they regarded as the better of the two. It was only by a very narrow margin that the audience, which was composed largely of regular attendants at the performances of Lady Halle and subscription concerts, decided in favor of the Strad. Thereupon Dr. Watson said: "I doubt whether you would have chosen the right one if the piece had been played in another room without giving you an opportunity of seeing the instruments."
19VIOLIN FOR SALE
20Genuine
21ANTONIUS STRADIVARI
22Cremonensis Faciebat Anna 1712
23Grand Pattern
24Golden Brown Varnish
25PEDIGREE GUARANTEED
26Formerly in the private collection of His Royal Highness, Prince Yokoski of Edinboro, Knight of the Red Cross.
28THIS VIOLIN WAS PLAYED ON
29by Paganini, Ernst, Tartini, Mozart, Apollo, Napoleon, the Muses and the Siamese Twins
30Richard the Lion-Hearted used it when he was a boy for holding dead beetles. It hung in his father's house for 70 years—over the fire-place. Nero played it while ROME BURNED; he MADE ROME HOWL
32REPAIRED BY BILLUME
33in Paris, after the Siege of Troy. Documents in proof of the above, and much more, go with the instrument. Price, $75,000.
34No Cash Down; $10 a month.
35PIETRO AMATIWITZ, SOHO LANE
36ABSOM
38The Boston Symphony will play its 2,000th concert during the winter and will be of age—21.
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