29
MUSICAL COURIER
April 6, 1922
LONDON NOTICES
TOSCHA SEIDEL
PRESS OPINIONS
OF
TOSCHA SEIDEL'S PERFORMANCE
of the
VIOLIN CONCERTO in D—Brahms at the
Queen's Hall Symphony Concert, London
Conductor: SIR HENRY J. WOOD
on January 14th, 1922
“A NEW MASTER”
One of the most pleasant occasions in the experience of a musical critic is when he encounters for the first time a new master not yet known to the general musical public. I had this experience last Saturday at the Queen’s Hall Symphony Concert, when the young Russian violinist, Toscha Seidel, played the Brahms concerto. I was told by friends who had heard him in America that he was very good. For once report did not exaggerate; but “very good” is, in these days of superlatives, inadequate. Toscha Seidel is one of the world’s four or five great violinists. The Brahms concerto is a good test. In fact you only need to hear a violinist in the Brahms and the Beethoven concertos to know all about him. These two works supply a merciless test.
Toscha Seidel is first rate; he plays with an impeccability of tone, a delicacy of phrasing, a perfection of modelling—without exaggeration of any sort—a vivacity of expression and a superb technical virtuosity, which is what we mean when we say that an artist is first rate. He somewhat resembles Kreisler, but is far fresher, and it is to be hoped that we shall have further opportunities of hearing him in London.—Truth, January 18, 1922.
For most people, interest in yesterday’s Queen’s Hall Symphony Concert probably culminated in Toscha Seidel’s performance of the violin concerto in D by Brahms. The young Russian violinist was eminently at home throughout; his playing has a casual infallibility of its own, and the breadth of his vision is a source of keen pleasure. The tenderness with which he handled the plaintive themes of the adagio and the fire displayed in the final rondo made his reading memorable.—Sunday Times, January 15, 1922.
Whether it was the conventional program, as a whole, or the special attraction of hearing Toscha Seidel play in the Brahms violin concerto which drew so many people together it would be difficult to say. Certainly lovers of pure violin music had a rare treat in listening to the young Russian playing, with apparent ease and with consummate artistry, music that has tested the powers of the greatest fiddlers of two generations. Never once was his tone otherwise than beautiful, his phrasing otherwise than musi-cianly, his double-stopping otherwise than the composer intended. And having admitted so much it is still consistent to go on to say that we believe that this young man has it in him to give of this work an even finer and more mature performance some day. This is the kind of work that never thrills us on paper, the kind of which an average performance renders the music almost insufferable; but it is also the kind that not merely permits, but demands the triumph of personality in its interpreter. Great men have played this before Toscha Seidel, and played it here very recently. The young Russian holds his own.—Daily Telegraph, January 16, 1922.
Toscha Seidel collaborated in a finely proportioned performance of the concerto. His whole conception of the music was broad and strong, and it was carried out with splendid technical command. His was an important contribution to what was a delightful concert for lovers of Brahms.—Times, January 16, 1922.
Toscha Seidel was the soloist, and he chose Brahms’ concerto in D. His playing on Saturday thrilled with energy and life, and his reading of the concerto was well-nigh perfect in balance, detail and finish.—Daily Express, January 16, 1922.
His performance in the Brahms concerto removes any doubt that, young as he is, he can go to the heart of a composer’s meaning. It is a great advantage when a player means to do this for him not to have to bother about his intonation or his execution. Seidel, like Heifetz, never plays out of tune, and never loses his beautiful, pure tone.—Lady, January 19, 1922.
It was largely a Brahms afternoon at Queen’s Hall on Saturday, when the sixth symphony concert was given, for the symphony and the concerto were both by that industrious hand. But all possibility of monotony was eliminated by the fact that the soloist in the concerto was Toscha Seidel, the youthful Russian violinist, who reappeared in London at the last concert. He had not been heard before in a work of so exacting a character, and the fact that his playing, in point of tone, expression and interpretation, was better than before provided unmistakable proof of *the truth that was patent before—namely, that he is a great violinist. With all the firmness of style proper to the music of Brahms there was an accompanying grace and appeal that made his performance very impressive, and though there is nothing in his deportment to catch the eye as his playing charms the ear, the public nevertheless expressed the warmest approval and recalled him to the platform many times at the close of the concerto. The effect was to increase the reputation of the young player and to make it clear that in him we hear one of the great natures the world produces from time to time.—Morning Post, January 16, 1922.
RETURNING TO AMERICA FOR SEASON 19221923־
Management: WOLFSOHN MUSICAL BUREAU, 8 East 34th Street, New York