Camilla: A Tale of a Violin: Being the Artist Life of Camilla Urso — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Camilla: A Tale of a Violin: Being the Artist Life of Camilla Urso
John Stuart Mill · en
The next morning the New York Herald gave her the first newspaper notice
she ever received in this country.
“Little Camilla Urso, the wonderful child violinist, divided
honors with the prima donna. Of the same age and country as Paul
Julian, whose masterly performance on the violin attracted so
much attention here, this new candidate for public favor
promises to be a powerful competitor with him. Her execution of
the fantasia or Somnambula was most admirable and drew down
vociferous calls for an encore which were honored. Several
bouquets were thrown to her on the stage and the greatest
enthusiasm was manifested in respect to the marvelous little
artist.”
Then some one suggested that they try Boston. That city was a musical
centre and Camilla would be sure to meet with a good reception there.
Accordingly under the guidance of the American the entire party went to
Boston. Mr. Jonas Chickering, the piano-forte manufacturer kindly
welcomed her and invited her to call at his residence on Boylston
street, two doors from the building now occupied by the Art Club. So
much pleased was he with her simple manners and her wonderful playing
that he opened his elegant warerooms and invited a select company of
musical people to hear her play. This private concert first brought
Camilla before us. She had, as it were, come before us. Hitherto, it had
been a strange story that had been told to us. We could now see and hear
for ourselves.
The Boston Transcript and Dwight’s Journal of Music, then our best
authorities upon art matters thus spoke of this occasion:—
“Her violin playing is not that of a child,—even a remarkable
child—but that of an _artiste_ cultivated and accomplished. Her
bowing is extremely graceful and free, her execution neat and
clear, her intonation perfect.”
Dwight’s Journal of Oct. 9th says:—
“Little Camilla Urso, the violinist, but eleven years old,
announced a concert at the Masonic Temple for last evening, just
too late for notice in this paper. But we had the pleasure,—and
a choice one it was—of hearing her the other evening in a
company of some forty invited guests, in Mr. Chickering’s
saloon. Her playing is not only truly wonderful, but wonderfully
true;—true in style, expression, feeling, as it is true in
intonation and all mechanical respects. She played Artot’s
_Souvenirs de Bellini_, and never have we listened to a long
fantasia of several themes, worked up in all manner of
variations, with a purer pleasure. It was masterly; the firm and
graceful bowing, the rich, pure, refined tone, the light and
shade, the easy control of _arpeggio_, _staccato_, _double
stops_, etc., were all such as we could only have expected from
the maturest masters we have heard. We could scarcely credit our
own eyes and ears.