Page 107 - The Strad (February 2020)
P. 107
From the
ARCHIVE
FEBRUARY
FROM THE STRAD 1930 VOL.40 NO.478
IN THE
NEXT ISSUE
In his regular ‘Continental Happenings’ column, the acerbic
George Cecil rounds up some of the more unusual string-
related news and performances around Europe Karen Tuttle
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ARIS. language which was calculated to make
If recitals are few, the the Neapolitans’ hair stand on end, the
cinemas provide much dramatic scene, an imaginative writer
Pemployment for those declared that the car was literally cut
who perform on stringed instruments. in two by a lorry, whose incompetent
Managers of the Grands Boulevards driver had taken “more whiskey, the
establishments pride themselves on their English national beverage, than was
musical programmes. “Figaro” recently good for him,” and that Balokovi,
was given at this establishment, the clutching his violin case, “ascended
foundations of the extremely interesting heavenwards, cutting a parallelogram.”
and well-produced lm being taken from Owing to a printer’s carelessness, the Chinese tonewoods
the plots of “Il Barbiere” and “Le Nozze portion of the screen dealing with the 9$-'2ধ)$ 9;<&@ -2='9ধ+!ধ2+
di Figaro,” while airs from both operas fate of the “Strad” was omitted, an ,3> ;,'@ $316!8' >-;,
are skilfully woven into the orchestral unfortunate oversight which resulted '7<-=!£'2;9 (831 <836'
accompaniment. Had these been in the editor being deluged with letters
accorded the tempi intended by Rossini inquiring if the instrument had also William C. Honeyman
and Mozart, respectively, they would “cut a parallelogram.” A subsequent ,' 683('99-32!£ -$;38-!2 =-3£-2-9;T
have aorded far greater satisfaction. issue announced that the violin 1@9;'8@ 23='£-9;T /3<82!£-9; !2&
“Dove sono,” for example, is marked was unharmed. Y=-3£-2 9'£(f,'£6Z !<;,38
“andante”; the ignorant conductor e news-sheet, paying a handsome
evidently considered “largo di molto” tribute to Balokovi’s professional Casals and vibrato
appropriate. But the French never ability, has announced that Naples ,' +8'!; $'££-9;Z9 $32;8-#<ধ32
understand any music outside their own; shortly will be in a position to judge of ;3 =-#8!;3 !9 !2 '?68'99-=' ;33£
nor are they ever likely to do so. it. Had the violinist given a concert the g !9 8'*'$;'& -2 ;3&!@Z9 6£!@-2+
At one of the smaller music halls, the day after he was said to have cut a
“Paganini” turn, one which dates from parallelogram, the hall would have been Matched quartets
pre-war days, has been revived. e sold out in less than no time. Balokovi ,' $,!££'2+'9 -2=3£='& -2
violinist, looking exactly like a portrait of has missed the avvertimento. 1!0-2+ (3<8 -29;8<1'2;9 ;,!;
Paganini, is not very successful in the #3;, £330 !2& 93<2& ;,' 9!1'
burlesque variations on “Le Carnaval de
Venise” nor in the “Moto Perpetuo.” e PLUS
audience, however, nds his performance
to its taste, so perhaps nothing else matters. In Focus
¤ =-3£-2 #@ <2+!8-!2
NAPLES. £<;,-'8 '83139 -+£
When, some time ago, Zlatko Balokovi
motored from Hull to London, the car, Session Report
misbehaving itself, upset the violinist !$0 -'#'$0 8'$38&9 ;,' 8!,19
and his Stradivarius on to the hard road, !2& $,3'2#'8+ =-3£-2 $32$'8;39
via the windscreen. e cherished
instrument, fortunately, was not Trade Secrets
damaged; but a Naples paper, greatly 2&8'! $,<&;A 32 !&&-2+
enterprising, lately had much to say &'$38!ধ=' -2£!@
about the catastrophe. Painting in
FEBRUARY 2020 THE STRAD 105
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