Famous Violinists of To-day and YesterdayLahee, Henry Charles
History
Famous Violinists of To-day and Yesterday
Lahee, Henry Charles
Bull, Ole, 1810-1880; Joachim, Joseph, 1831-1907; Paganini, Nicolò, 1782-1840; Violinists
He then proceeded to the Sandwich Islands, where he played before the
royal family and all the dusky nobles. They listened solemnly, but made
no sign of approbation, and Hauser felt that he was sinking into a mere
nothing in their esteem. In desperation he tore the strings from his
violin and played, with all his power, several sentimental songs on the
G string only. Then he gave them Paganini's witches' dance. This
succeeded, and they gave a yell of joy and wanted more. They
particularly delighted in harmonic effects, and before long were willing
to do anything for the foreigner who could pipe on the wood as well as
any bird. He became a hero at Otaheite, but was obliged to continue on
his journey. He next visited Australia, and while in Sydney he made such
a success that he was presented with the freedom of the city and thanked
by the government for his playing.
In 1860 he reached Turkey, where he played before the Sultan, who beat
time to his music and seemed highly delighted. Hauser had many amusing
stories to tell of his travels, and especially of his experiences in the
Sandwich Islands and Turkey, Cairo and Alexandria. His adventures, which
were numerous and thrilling, were published in two volumes, in Vienna.
Hauser was not the possessor of a great technique, but there was
something characteristic and charming in his tone and mannerisms, which
were especially pleasing to the fair sex. He was a man of restless, and,
in some respects, dissatisfied nature. Some of his compositions are
still to be found on concert programmes, and these he used to play
exquisitely. Hauser lived in retirement in Vienna after concluding his
travels, and in 1887 he died practically forgotten.
Few violinists succeeded more completely in captivating their audiences
than Henri Wieniawski, whose impetuous Slavonic temperament, with its
warm and tender feeling, gave a colour to his playing, which placed his
hearers entirely under his control, went straight to their hearts, and
enlisted their sympathy from the very first note. Both fingering and
bowing were examples of the highest degree of excellence in violin
technique, and difficulties did not exist for him. At times his fiery
temperament may have led him to exaggeration, and to a step beyond the
bounds of good taste, but this was lost sight of in the peculiar charm
of his playing, its gracefulness and piquancy.
Wieniawski's tour in America, which took place in 1872, when he
accompanied Rubinstein, may be said to mark an era in the musical life
of this nation. These two great artists revealed the possibilities of
the musical art to a people who, while loving music, were still in their
infancy as far as musical development is concerned.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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