From the ARCHIVE

New York correspondent Thomas C. Dawson reports on a performance by Maud Powell and solves a mystery regarding the violins of virtuoso Ede Reményi (1828–98)

FROM THE STRAD

APRIL

1904 VOL.14 NO.168

MISS MAUD POWELL made her reappearance before the American public at the fourth Philharmonic Concert on the occasion of Mr. Wood’s most satisfactory introduction to the devotees of Tschaikovsky at Carnegie Hall. Miss Maud Powell chose as her pièce de resistance Saint-Saëns’s Concerto, popularised largely by M. Thibaud.

One of the points that is sometimes made about this lady’s playing is “that she plays like a man” (whatever that means). Personally, I like a woman to play the violin like a woman, just as I like to see a woman dress and act as such! There is at the present time a plethora of male performers, and a first rate lady violinist comes as a welcome change when we get the real article. I was disappointed in Miss Powell’s rendering of this interesting work. Her intonation in the first movement was by no means impeccable (to use an expression I am getting heartily tired of,) there was also a want of repose and a certain “scratchiness” that one does not look for in a performer of her calibre. The violin that Miss Powell used handicapped her. In these days of the survival of the fittest, a violinist to keep his or her head above water must have a fine, large and pure toned instrument, it matters not if “made in Germany” or Cremona. I see that Miss Powell is advertised as playing on a Guarneri. Well Guarneris have their ups and downs! It may be on account of faulty adjustment.

“I happened in” (as Americans say) at Mr. Victor S. Flechter’s atelier inUnion Square the other day, to have a chat with this world-renowned connoisseur and dealer. A fine Lupot was brought out for my inspection. “How does this compare with Mr. Remenyi’s Lupot?” I asked. “This is a finer instrument, both in tone and period,” replied Mr. Flechter. “There is a popular impression that Remenyi used and preferred his Lupot to any violin in his possession,” I suggested. “That is not so,” replied the expert, “his finest violin was the Stradivari he possessed, and which he purchased from me some years ago.” Mr. Flechter is corroborated by the son-in-law of the late Mr. Remenyi, who told me that his father-in-law possessed two Stradivaris – the Titan and the Princess, and that the latter was the deceased virtuoso’s special favourite.

THOMAS C. DAWSON

TAM LAN TRUONG

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