"The whole question of programs and program-making is an intricate one.
In my opinion the usual recital program, piano, song or violin, is too
long. The public likes the recital by a single vocal or instrumental
artist, and financially and for other practical reasons the artist, too,
is better satisfied with them. But are they artistically altogether
satisfactory? I should like to hear Paderewski and Ysaye, Bauer and
Casals, Kreisler and Hofmann all playing at the same recital. What a
variety, what a wealth of contrasting artistic enjoyment such a concert
would afford. There is nothing that is so enjoyable for the true artist
as _ensemble_ playing with his peers. Solo playing seems quite
unimportant beside it.
"I recall as the most perfect and beautiful of all my musical memories,
a string quartet and quintet (with piano) session in Paris, in my own
home, where we played four of the loveliest chamber music works ever
written in the following combination: Beethoven's 7th quartet (Ysaye,
Vo. I, myself, Vo. II, Kreisler, viola--he plays it remarkably well--and
Casals, 'cello); the Schumann quartet (Kreisler, Vo. I, Ysaye, Vo. II,
myself, viola and Casals, 'cello); and the Mozart G major quartet
(myself, Vo. I, Kreisler, Vo. II, Ysaye, viola and Casals, 'cello). Then
we telephoned to Pugno, who came over and joined us and, after an
excellent dinner, we played the César Franck piano quintet. It was the
most enjoyable musical day of my life. A concert manager offered us a
fortune to play in this combination--just two concerts in every capital
in Europe.
"We have not enough variety in our concert programs--not enough
collaboration. The truth is our form of concert, which usually
introduces only one instrument or one group of instruments, such as the
string quartet, is too uniform in color. I can enjoy playing a recital
program of virtuose violin pieces well enough; but I cannot help fearing
that many find it too unicolored. Practical considerations do not do
away with the truth of an artistic contention, though they may often
prevent its realization. What I enjoy most, musically, is to play
together with another good artist. That is why I have had such great
artistic pleasure in the joint recitals I have given with Harold Bauer.
We could play things that were really worth while for each of us--for
the piano parts of the modern sonatas call for a virtuose technical and
musical equipment, and I have had more satisfaction from this _ensemble_
work than I would have had in playing a long list of solo pieces.
"The ideal violin program, to play in public, as I conceive it, is one
that consists of absolute music, or should it contain virtuose pieces,
then these should have some definite musical quality of soul, character,
elegance or charm to recommend them. I think one of the best programs I
have ever played in America is that which I gave with Harold Bauer at
Æolian Hall, New York, during the season of 1917-1918:
Sonata in B flat . . . . . . _Mozart_
BAUER-THIBAUD
Scenes from Childhood . . . . _Schumann_
H. BAUER
Poème . . . . . . . . . _E. Chausson_
J. THIBAUD
Sonata . . . . . . . . . _César Franck_
BAUER-THIBAUD
Or perhaps this other, which Bauer and I played in Boston, during
November, 1913:
Kreutzer Sonata . . . . . . _Beethoven_
BAUER-THIBAUD
Sarabanda }
Giga } . . . . . . . _J.S. Bach_
Chaconne }
J. THIBAUD
Kreisleriana . . . . . . . _Schumann_
H. BAUER
Sonata . . . . . . . . . _César Franck_
BAUER-THIBAUD
Either of these programs is artistic from the standpoint of the
compositions represented. And even these programs are not too
short--they take almost two hours to play; while for my ideal program an
hour-and-a-half of beautiful music would suffice. You will notice that I
believe in playing the big, fine things in music; in serving roasts
rather than too many _hors d'oeuvres_ and pastry.
"On a solo program, of course, one must make some concessions. When I
play a violin concerto it seems fair enough to give the public three or
four nice little things, but--always pieces which are truly musical, not
such as are only 'ear-ticklers.' Kreisler--he has a great talent for
transcription--has made charming arrangements. So has Tivadar Nachéz, of
older things, and Arthur Hartmann. These one can play as well as shorter
numbers by Vieuxtemps and Wieniawski that are delightful, such as the
former's _Ballade et Polonaise_, though I know of musical purists who
disapprove of it. I consider this _Polonaise_ on a level with Chopin's.
Or take, in the virtuoso field, Sarasate's _Gypsy Airs_--they are equal
to any Liszt Rhapsody. I have only recently discovered that Ysaye--my
life-long friend--has written some wonderful original compositions: a
_Poème élégiaque_, a _Chant d'hiver_, an _Extase_ and a ms. trio for two
violins and alto that is marvelous. These pieces were an absolute find
for me, with the exception of the lovely _Chant d'hiver_, which I have
already played in Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and Berlin, and expect to
make a feature of my programs this winter. You see, Ysaye is so modest
about his own compositions that he does not attempt to 'push' them, even
with his friends, hence they are not nearly as well known as they
should be.
"I never play operatic transcriptions and never will. The music of the
opera, no matter how fine, appears to me to have its proper place on the
stage--it seems out of place on the violin recital program. The artist
cannot be too careful in the choice of his shorter program pieces. And
he can profit by the example set by some of the foremost violinists of
the day. Ysaye, that great apostle of the truly musical, is a shining
example. It is sad to see certain young artists of genuine talent
disregard the remarkable work of their great contemporary, and secure
easily gained triumphs with compositions whose musical value is _nil_.
"Sometimes the wish to educate the public, to give it a high standard* of
appreciation, leads an artist astray. I heard a well-known German
violinist play in Berlin five years ago, and what do you suppose he
played? Beethoven's _Trios_ transcribed for violin and piano! The last
thing in the world to play! And there was, to my astonishment, no
critical disapproval of what he did. I regard it as little less than a
crime.
*Transcriber's note: Original text read "standad".
"But this whole question of programs and repertory is one without end.
Which of the great concertos do I prefer? That is a difficult question
to answer off-hand. But I can easily tell you which I like least. It is
the Tschaikovsky* violin concerto--I would not exchange the first ten
measures of Vieuxtemps's Fourth concerto for the whole of
Tschaikovsky's, that is from the musical point of view. I have heard the
Tschaikovsky played magnificently by Auer and by Elman; but I consider
it the worst thing the composer has written."
*Transcriber's note: Original text read "Tchaikovsky".