HARRIS, Patrick - Bronislaw Huberman (Huberman - Info, 2005) (A Biography and Bibliography of The Great Violinist)

admirers included Brahms, Dvorak, Joachim,
Funtwa1nglt:r, and Toscanini. Today, in an age ot standardization,

playing constantly challenges our expectations.
you can download and listen to many of Hubermans
reanrdinns Decide r or yourself if he deserves his notorious
Broni slaw Huberman ( 1062 1947)
was the most ndvidual violinist
to
c:xlt t hm w: isa1 ion o f his
interpretations brought him great
fame particularly in Central turope.
bul also the label ol rnaverick.
Patrick Harris
Bronislaw HUBERMAN
(huberman.info, 2005)
Bronislaw Huberman
http://www.huberman.info/[02/11/12 06:25:46]
Forum How to listen Recordings Home
Bibliography Criticism Reviews Literature Interview Biography
Hubermans admirers included Brahms, Dvorak, Joachim,
Furt wngler, and Toscanini. Today, in an age of st andardizat ion,
his playing const ant ly challenges our expect at ions.
Here you can download and list en t o many of Hubermans
recordings. Decide for yourself if he deserves his not orious
reput at ion.
New Huberman recording
The previously unpublished Adagio from Beet hoven
Sonat a no. 6 has been released on t he Japanese
label Opus Kura 7019. The CD includes t ransfers of
t he 1945 Mozart 4 wit h Walt er, and t he Bach D
minor Part it a.
Post ed by Pat rick on 2006- 03- 14 14: 08 | Comment s
Brahms autograph sold at Sothebys
Brahms musical aut ograph t o Huberman sold at
Sot hebys on 20 May for over t en t housand pounds.
View t he sale page at Sot heby' s websit e.
Brahms autograph for sale
I n January 1896 Brahms wrot e a musical dedicat ion t o Huberman
aft er hearing him perform his violin concert o. Read about t he
not es fort hcoming sale at Sot hebys in an art icle by Allan Crane.
Classic Record Collector
The quart erly magazine Classic Record Collect or
feat ured Huberman in t he Aut umn 2004 issue, wit h
phot ographs and several art icles.
The main art icle ( by Howard Smit h and Tully
Pot t er) can be read online at t he magazine
websit e, www. classicrecordcollect or. com
New transfers from metals
The elect rical recordings of short pieces t hat Huberman recorded
for t he Columbia record company are being digit ally t ransferred
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Recordings
Numerous downloads include a recent ly
discovered live radio broadcast . GO >
How to listen
Musical phrasing and int erpret at ion was
complet ely different 100 years ago.
Learn how t o underst and it .
Biography
As a young boy he played t o Brahms.
Lat er, he recorded t he Brahms concert o.
Read about Hubermans event ful life.
Interview
Read an int erview wit h Huberman culled
from several art icles. GO >
Br oni sl aw Huber m an ( 1882- 1947)
was t he most individual violinist
ever t o record.
The ext reme charact erisat ion of his
int erpret at ions brought him great
fame part icularly in Cent ral Europe,
but also t he label of maverick.
Bronislaw Huberman
http://www.huberman.info/[02/11/12 06:25:46]
from t he met al mast ers for t he first t ime ever. The sound qualit y
will be superior t o all previous t ransfers t aken from 78s.
I f you wish t o be informed when t hey are published, please
regist er in t he forum.
Top phot o: New York, 5 Dec 1896
Ticket : 27 Mar 1895, Musikverins- saal, Vienna

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Copyright 2005 Patrick Harris
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Biography: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/[02/11/12 06:26:50]
Biography
Early years / Pattis farewell / Viennese triumph / Brahms listens / America 1896 / Paganinis violin / Marriage / World War I
/ America 1921 / Europe 1925 / Political tension / Riots in Vienna / Stolen Strad / Palestine / World War II / Liberation
This biography of Hubermans life is based upon various essays, much of
which is available in t he art icles sect ion. I f you click on t he small
rect angular pict ures on t he right hand side of t he screen, t hey will
enlarge in t heir own window, but for t his t o work you will need j avascript
enabled in your browser. Clicking in t hese newly opened windows will
close t hem.
Alt hough you can skip t o any sect ion of t he biography, t o read it in
chronological order, st art wit h early years.
I f you dont want t o plough t hrough t he whole biography, here is t he
short ened version:
1882 Born in Czest ochowa, Poland.
1892 Plays t o Joachim, who accept s him as a st udent .
1895 Plays at Pat t is farewell concert in Vienna.
1896 Plays Brahms concert o t o an ast ounded Brahms.
1910 Marries Elza Galafrs and has a child, Johannes.
1914 Divorces Elza.
1920 Becomes involved in t he Pan- Europa movement .
1933 Refuses Furt wngler' s invit at ion t o play in Nazi Germany.
1936 St rad st olen in Carnegie Hall.
1936 Forms t he Palest ine Symphony Orchest ra.
1937 Plane crash in Sumat ra.
1947 Dies in Swit zerland.
Top phot o: New York, blah.
Newspaper: New York Times, 15 Nov 1896.

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Early years: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/early_years/[02/11/12 06:27:25]
Early years
Bronislaw Huberman was born in Czest ochowa, Poland on 19
December, 1882. His fat her Jacob, worked as a modest clerk in a
lawyers office, his ungovernable t emper having lost him his
original t eaching posit ion. Temperament and musicalit y ran in t he
family Hubermans fat her had been an amat eur violinist , and
alt hough he had given up because of lack of progress, he hoped
t hat one of his sons would become a musician. This dream
seemed t o be realised in young Bronislaw, t he eldest of t hree
brot hers, who at t he age of 4 could sing in t une, and desperat ely
want ed an accordion for his birt hday. One evening at a family
house- concert , a violinist not iced t hat Hubermans hands had an
ext raordinary st ret ch, and so at t he age of 6, Huberman was
bought a violin and st art ed lessons. Wit hin a year he gave his
first public appearance, a benefit concert for t he poor where he
played Spohrs Second Violin Concert o. He had lessons for a short
t ime from Michalowicz and Rosen in Warsaw, and also st udied for
t hree mont hs wit h t he well known t eacher I sidor Lot t o at t he
Warsaw Conservat ory. Huberman combined t his st udy wit h
frequent public appearances, and alt hough some felt t hat it was
t he financial aspect of concert ising t hat mot ivat ed his parent s,
Huberman lat er felt t hat t hese appearances had been an
immense educat ion t o him.
He had made except ional progress, but t here were no great
t eachers in Warsaw and friends advised t he family t o send him t o
t he great pedagogue Joseph Joachim in Berlin. The family was
poor t hough, and in order t o do t his, t hey had t o save for a
whole year, even selling some of t he household furnit ure. I n June
1892 t hey left for Germany. I t was a brave as well as expensive
decision. I f t hey st ayed out of Poland for more t han a year,
Hubermans fat her would lose his j ob as advocat e. The family
was full of hopes, but scarcely had t hey arrived in Berlin t hey
st ruck a serious problem. There had been such a spat e of recent
enfant s prodiges t hat Joachim had become t ot ally sick of t hem.
Any request for an int erview met wit h st ubborn refusal.
I n t he end Hubermans fat her resort ed t o a t rick, and made an
appoint ment in his professional capacit y as advocat e, wit hout
ment ioning t he purpose of his visit . Joachim, assuming t he
meet ing was regarding a j udicial mat t er, was welcoming and
polit e, but when he saw young Bronislaw hiding behind his fat her
and holding a violin case he became furious and shout ed
Anot her enfant prodige, ah non, ah non! ! I have had more t han
enough of t hem, I do not want t o know any more of t hem. Go
away, go away! I t was a t errible moment , but aft er much
begging and imploring t he Maest ro gave in, and t old t he young
boy harshly Play! Huberman began t o play a Noct urne by
Chopin. Wit h t he first st rokes of t he bow, Joachim relaxed and
Warsaw 1889
Joseph Joachim, c.
1892
Huberman aged 10,
1892
Biography
became more at t ent ive at t he end of t he piece he ran t o
embrace Huberman, t elling him t hat he would be one of his
dearest pupils, and t hanking his fat her for bringing him t o t he
fat her it sounded like t he words of a God.
Joachim immediat ely gave a let t er of recommendat ion, writ ing:
I st at e wit h pleasure t hat t he 9 year old Huberman
from Warsaw possesses a t ruly remarkable musical
t alent . I n all my life I have hardly ever encount ered
such a promising, precocious musical development
on t he violin.
Mit Vergngen spreche ich es aus, dass der
neunj hrige Hubermann aus Warschau ein ganz
hervorragendes, musikalisches Talent besit zt . Mir ist
kaum in Leben eine so viel versprechende,
frhzeit ige Ent wicklung auf der Violine
vorgekommen.
On t he st rengt h of t his t est imony, a series of concert s in different
healt h spas t hroughout Germany and Aust ria were arranged, and
Huberman was able t o earn some money for his family during t he
summer, before ret urning t o Berlin t o commence his st udies. At
one of t hese concert s in Oct ober, Ant on Rubinst ein wrot e Only a
genius plays like t hat .
I t was at t his st age, when Huberman was almost 10, t hat his
fat her gave up work in order t o build up his sons career. The
financial support of t he whole family fell ont o t he shoulders of t he
young boy; a role t hat he t ook very seriously, and t hat was t o
cause him much st ress and anxiet y in lat er years.
cont inue
Joachim concert ,
Grosser Musikvereins-
saal, 11 Feb 1889
Joachim' s t est imonial, Berlin, 24 June 1892
Top Phot o: Huberman aged 6 ( 1888)
Joachim phot o is a woodburyt ype by W & D Downey, London, 3 3/ 4 x
5 1/ 2 inches.
Thanks t o Wolfgang Wendel who sent me t he 1889 phot ograph. .

Search
Patti: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/patti/[02/11/12 06:27:47]
Pattis farewell
I n Sept ember Huberman performed at t he Viennese I nt ernat ional
Fest ival of Music and Theat re; he was int roduced t o t he Emperor
of Aust ria, Franz Joseph ( 1830- 1916) , who present ed him wit h a
sum of money for a valuable violin. I n t he same mont h he began
an eight mont h course of st udy wit h Joachim, but t he Maest ro
was unfort unat ely absent from Berlin for most of t he t ime.
Huberman was not sat isfied wit h t he qualit y of lessons he
received from Joachims assist ant Markees, and so st udied
secret ly wit h t he brilliant virt uoso Charles Gregorovit ch.
Huberman was pleased t hat t he Berlin course last ed only eight
mont hs, as he lat er said t hat he might have lost his nat ural
originalit y, as ot her st udent s had, if he had complet ed t he normal
t wo year course.
I n t he summer of 1893 concert t ours of Holland and Belgium
followed, and alt hough Huberman found t he many- headed
Hydra, t he public his best t eacher, he st udied new repert oire for
six weeks wit h t he fant ast ic violinist Hugo Heermann in Frankfurt ,
and at t he age of eleven, had t hree weeks of lessons from Mart in
Marsick in Paris; aft er t his, he became his own t eacher. I t was in
Paris t hat he met t he wealt hy and music loving Polish Count
Zamoyski who was recovering aft er t he recent loss of a daught er.
The Count persuaded his parent s t o t ake him t o London. This
t hey did, and four unsuccessful concert s were given, as it was
difficult t o at t ract public at t ent ion in t he huge met ropolis. The
Count t hen int roduced him t o t he most famous singer in t he
world, Adelina Pat t i, who received him in such royal splendour
t hat Huberman was surprised t hat a t hrone was missing.
Alt hough nervous and t rembling, he must have played well, as
Pat t i emot ionally called him Angel and promised t hat he would
play in her fort hcoming farewell t our of Aust ria and Germany in
January 1895. This was superb news, but it did mean wait ing for
several mont hs, so t he family t ravelled back t o Germany.
Back in Berlin t he public was surfeit ed wit h violinist s and
alt hough Huberman was achieving much success he was earning
very lit t le money, and money was desperat ely needed t o cover
t he cost s of t ravelling, piano- accompanist s, and hot el
accomodat ion. I t was t he most dismal period of his art ist ic life.
His fat her became ill, and t he serious st rain of t he concert giving
and t ransient lifest yle was t aking such a t oll on t he young
Hubermans healt h t hat his mot her t hreat ened t o smash his violin
and t ake him back t o Warsaw. To avert t his possibilit y Count
Zamoyski present ed Huberman wit h a St radivarius, The Gibson,
wort h at t he t ime 20 000 lira.
When t he family event ually reminded Pat t i of her London
promise, t hey received t he t errible reply t hat ot her art ist s had
Huberman, Berlin,
1893
Mart in Marsick, Oct
1895
Hugo Heermann, c.
1900
Biography
already been engaged. Pat t is agent who was in Vienna where t he
great singer was t o appear was cont act ed, and he at first agreed
t o Hubermans part icipat ion, but lat er wit hdrew it giving t he
cust omary refrain t hat one did not want t o see and hear any
more of prodigies. I n desperat ion t he family t hen t ravelled t o
Vienna despit e t he refusal, and aft er much prot est at ion, aft er
saying and doing many t hings t heir perseverance was
rewarded. I t was agreed Huberman would play at Pat t is farewell
concert on 22 January 1895.
The first piece he chose t o play was t he first movement of t he
Mendelssohn Violin Concert o. As he approached t he podium his
small, slim, and sickly figure generat ed a compassionat e murmur
from t he audience. By t he conclusion of t he piece, his success
was great er t han anyt hing he or his parent s had expect ed or
hoped for. I t is said t hat aft er one of his encores t he singer
t hreat ened t o leave if he were permit t ed t o play any more.
Ludwig Speidel wt ot e t he next day in t he Wiener Fremdenblat t
We bade farewell t o a descending st ar ( Pat t i) and had t he j oy t o
greet a rising st ar. The famous Aust rian crit ic Hanslick wrot e
The yout hful art ist achieved a success so brilliant as
could not be exceeded by t he bright est st ar in t he
galaxy of art ist s. I t is not his precocit y as such t hat
charact erized t he display of his genius, but rat her
his phenomenal endowment of musical inspirat ion
and musical capacit y.
The associat ion wit h such a legendary figure as Pat t i was t he
success t hat Huberman felt secured his professional fut ure. He
was asked t o give t welve solo concert s in Vienna, and his
t riumph was enormous.
cont inue
Charles Gregorovit ch,
c. 1910
Adelina Pat t i, 1895
Pat t i farewell concert ,
22 Jan 1895
Post card: Huberman in Vienna, January 1895 ( Adele) - kindly sent t o
me by Thomas Schult z from Vienna
Top phot o: Huberman aged about 7, 1889
Berlin 1893 phot o by Schaarwcht er
Hugo Heermann Heermann ( 1844- 1935) paid t ribut e t o Huberman in
his book Meine Lebenserinnerungen which was privat ely published in
Leipzig in 1935. You can download and read Meine Lebenserinnerungen
in PDF format ( ht t p: / / home. nikocit y. de/ ge/ musik/ heermann. pdf)
For more informat ion on Mart in Pierre Marsick ( 1847- 1924) go t o t he
Marsick family web sit e. ( ht t p: / / www. famille- marsick. fr. st / )
Adelina Pat t il Phot o is used court esy of:
Philip H. Ward Collect ion
Rare Book & Manuscript Library
Universit y of Pennsylvania

Search
Viennese triumph: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/viennese_triumph/[02/11/12 06:28:06]
Viennese triumph
I n Sept ember Huberman performed at t he Viennese I nt ernat ional
Fest ival of Music and Theat re; he was int roduced t o t he Emperor
of Aust ria, Franz Joseph ( 1830- 1916) , who present ed him wit h a
sum of money for a valuable violin. I n t he same mont h he began
an eight mont h course of st udy wit h Joachim, but t he Maest ro
was unfort unat ely absent from Berlin for most of t he t ime.
Huberman was not sat isfied wit h t he qualit y of lessons he
received from Joachims assist ant Markees, and so st udied
secret ly wit h t he brilliant virt uoso Charles Gregorovit ch.
Huberman was pleased t hat t he Berlin course last ed only eight
mont hs, as he lat er said t hat he might have lost his nat ural
originalit y, as ot her st udent s had, if he had complet ed t he normal
t wo year course.
I n t he summer of 1893 concert t ours of Holland and Belgium
followed, and alt hough Huberman found t he many- headed
Hydra, t he public his best t eacher, he st udied new repert oire for
six weeks wit h t he fant ast ic violinist Hugo Heermann in Frankfurt ,
and at t he age of eleven, had t hree weeks of lessons from Mart in
Marsick in Paris; aft er t his, he became his own t eacher. I t was in
Paris t hat he met t he wealt hy and music loving Polish Count
Zamoyski who was recovering aft er t he recent loss of a daught er.
The Count persuaded his parent s t o t ake him t o London. This
t hey did, and four unsuccessful concert s were given, as it was
difficult t o at t ract public at t ent ion in t he huge met ropolis. The
Count t hen int roduced him t o t he most famous singer in t he
world, Adelina Pat t i, who received him in such royal splendour
t hat Huberman was surprised t hat a t hrone was missing.
Alt hough nervous and t rembling, he must have played well, as
Pat t i emot ionally called him Angel and promised t hat he would
play in her fort hcoming farewell t our of Aust ria and Germany in
January 1895. This was superb news, but it did mean wait ing for
several mont hs, so t he family t ravelled back t o Germany.
Back in Berlin t he public was surfeit ed wit h violinist s and
alt hough Huberman was achieving much success he was earning
very lit t le money, and money was desperat ely needed t o cover
t he cost s of t ravelling, piano- accompanist s, and hot el
accomodat ion. I t was t he most dismal period of his art ist ic life.
His fat her became ill, and t he serious st rain of t he concert giving
and t ransient lifest yle was t aking such a t oll on t he young
Hubermans healt h t hat his mot her t hreat ened t o smash his violin
and t ake him back t o Warsaw. To avert t his possibilit y Count
Zamoyski present ed Huberman wit h a St radivarius, The Gibson,
wort h at t he t ime 20 000 lira.
When t he family event ually reminded Pat t i of her London
promise, t hey received t he t errible reply t hat ot her art ist s had
Musikverins- Saal, 15
Feb 1895
Mar, 1895
Mar, 1895
Biography
already been engaged. Pat t is agent who was in Vienna where t he
great singer was t o appear was cont act ed, and he at first agreed
t o Hubermans part icipat ion, but lat er wit hdrew it giving t he
cust omary refrain t hat one did not want t o see and hear any
more of prodigies. I n desperat ion t he family t hen t ravelled t o
Vienna despit e t he refusal, and aft er much prot est at ion, aft er
saying and doing many t hings t heir perseverance was
rewarded. I t was agreed Huberman would play at Pat t is farewell
concert on 22 January 1895.
The first piece he chose t o play was t he first movement of t he
Mendelssohn Violin Concert o. As he approached t he podium his
small, slim, and sickly figure generat ed a compassionat e murmur
from t he audience. By t he conclusion of t he piece, his success
was great er t han anyt hing he or his parent s had expect ed or
hoped for. I t is said t hat aft er one of his encores t he singer
t hreat ened t o leave if he were permit t ed t o play any more.
Ludwig Speidel wt ot e t he next day in t he Wiener Fremdenblat t
We bade farewell t o a descending st ar ( Pat t i) and had t he j oy t o
greet a rising st ar. The famous Aust rian crit ic Hanslick wrot e
The yout hful art ist achieved a success so brilliant as could not
be exceeded by t he bright est st ar in t he galaxy of art ist s. I t is not
his precocit y as such t hat charact erized t he display of his genius,
but rat her his phenomenal endowment of musical inspirat ion and
musical capacit y. This associat ion wit h such a legendary figure
was t he success t hat Huberman felt secured his professional
fut ure. He was asked t o give t welve solo concert s in Vienna, and
his t riumph was enormous.
I n a review of t he 12 March concert , t he Wiener Allgemeine
Zeit ung wrot e:
Bronislaw Huberman' s success however has
overshadowed all previous performances in t he
living memory of t he music- loving Viennese public.
On Wednesday he gave his farewell concert in t he
capacit y filled Musicvereinssaale. We don' t have t o
t ake his "farewell" t oo t ragically, as t hree furt her
concert s of t he lit t le "Wunderman" are not only
programmed but already sold out . He could give
farewell concert s int o t he summer, such is t he
enormous demand from t he public. Easily
underst andable. We hear a great art ist and see a
divine wonder, which cannot be explained by
physiological or psychological wisdom.
An 11- year - old boy wit h t he abilit y t o perform
Beet hoven and Mendelssohn concert i wit h complet e
t echnical mast ery, sufficient st rengt h, wit h full
underst anding of t he spirit ual cont ent , wit h
absorpt ion, humour, and esprit - everyt hing in t he
right place - wit h a never flagging memory - wit h
at t ent ion t o det ails and an ext raordinary variat ion of
bowing, t his is a phenomenon where t he voice of
t he divinit y speaks t o us. Only a human who cannot
appreciat e beaut y and noble expression could t ake a
pat hological int erest in such a manifest at ion. The
"lit t le Huberman" will convince t he worst skept ics.
Such miracles as t old in t he Bible may now readily
be accept ed, if in our over - enlight ened t ime, such
an art ist ic miracle can become realit y.
cont inue
Mar, 1895
A let t er from Huberman t o t he conduct or Albert von Hermann,
t hanking him for conduct ing t he 12 March concert .

Search
Brahms: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/brahms/[02/11/12 06:28:34]
Brahms listens
Success cont inued t he next season, when Huberman played in
four concert s in Vienna in January 1896. Dvorak heard t he boy
play and present ed him wit h an aut ograph I n friendly
remembrance of t he lit t le, t hough great art ist . By t he end of
January excit ement was so int ense, everybody of musical
significance in t he cit y had heard of t he Huberman phenomena.
For t he 29 January concert at t he GroeMusikvereinssaal
Huberman was t o play t he Brahms concert o. The audience t hat
night cont ained such celebrit ies as Gust av Mahler, Ant on
Bruckner, Alfred Grnfeld, Hans Richt er, Eduard Hanslick, Count
Hohenlowe, Karl Goldmark, Ferdinand Lwe, Eusebius
Mandyczewski, Johann St rauss, and t he composer himself,
Johannes Brahms.
Brahms was expect ing t o hear a st udent like performance of t he
work. I n t he words of his biographer, Max Kalbeck:
As soon as Brahms heard t he sound of t he violin, he
pricked up his ears, during t he Andant e he wiped his
eyes, and aft er t he Finale he went int o t he green
room, embraced t he young fellow, and st roked his
cheeks. When Huberman complained t hat t he public
applauded aft er t he cadenza, breaking int o t he
lovely Cant ilena, Brahms replied, You should not
have played t he cadenza so beaut ifully.
Brahms brought him a phot o of his, wit h t he inscript ion To
Bronislaw Huberman so t hat he may kindly remember Vienna,
February 1896, and his grat eful list ener J. Brahms. The musical
quot at ion is t he opening of t he slow movement of t he concert o.
Hanslick wrot e I n t he face of such t ranscendent genius, crit icism
as such ceases, and Schwarz t ells us t hat t he composer Carl
Goldmark ent ered int o Hubermans album, Now I begin t o
believe in t he wonders of t he Bible.
I n May he performed before Carmen Sylva, Queen Elizabet h of
Romania ( 1843 - 1916) who gave him a poem she had writ t en in
his honour.
cont inue
Brahms, 1895
Musikvereinssaal, 29
Jan 1896
Brahms dedicat ion t o
Huberman, 31 Jan
1896
Brahms inscript ion t o
Biography
Brahms: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/brahms/[02/11/12 06:28:34]
Huberman, 1 Feb 1896
Bronislaw Huberman performs t he Brahms violin concert o at
t he GroeMusikvereinssaal, Vienna, 29 January, 1896.
( Silhouet t e by Ot t o Bhler)
1. Johannes Brahms, 2. Hans Richt er
3. Eusebius Mandyczewski, 4. Alfred Grnfeld,
5. Johann St rauss, 6. Gust av Mahler
7. Eduard Hanslick, 8. Count Hohenlowe
9. Ant on Bruckner, 10. Ferdinand Lwe
Top phot o: Huberman in America, Dec 1896

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America 1896: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/america_1896/[02/11/12 06:28:58]
America 1896
Aft er receiving such ast onishing cert ificat es of proficiency from
musicians and crit ics in Europe, Huberman and his parent s
sailed from Sout hhampt on t o New York on t he Spree, arriving on
15 Oct ober 1896. The first performance of his 40 concert t our
was t he next mont h, so he had four weeks t o sight see and
pract ice. On ent ering America his declared age of 11 must have
raised a few eyebrows. I t was soon increased by a year, wit h one
large advert isement referring t o him as A great art ist , not a
prodigy . . . at 12, t he great est living violinist . The not so young
looking Huberman was in fact almost 14.
Huberman debut ed in Carnegie Hall on 21st November, playing
t he Mendelssohn concert o wit h a symphony orchest ra under
Seidl, and t hen a Bach Air and Prelude, Romanza by Wagner,
Sarasat e Gypsy Airs, and as an encore, Bazzinis La ronde des
Lut in.
Wieniawski st udent Charles Gregorowit sch, t he violinist who
Huberman had credit ed wit h t eaching him everyt hing t hat could
be learned from a t eacher, had sailed from Sout hampt on on
11t h November and was making his own American debut wit h t he
American Symphony Orchest ra in Chickering Hall on 24t h
November, playing Wieniawski 2. I m sure t hat he would have
at t ended t he debut of his most famous st udent .
The next day t he New York Times print ed a long and very
percept ive review of t he concert . The reviewer ( who was aware of
Hubermans real age) wrot e:
I f a musical hearer had t urned his back t o t he
st age he would have been great ly int erest ed and
impressed by what he heard. For it was a
performance which not only did j ust ice t o t he
suavit y of t he composit ion, but also impart ed a
willfulness and impet uosit y as he could not oft en
have heard before. He could have heard it delivered
in a t one which, if not exquisit e, was full and clear,
and wit h a complet e mast ery of it s difficult ies. His
conclusion would have been t hat some t heret ofore
unknown but very individual violinist was giving his
own int erpret at ion, at many point s novel, of t he
familiar classic.
I f he had t hen t urned round and looked it would
have seemed t oo prepost erous t hat t he slight child
of t hirt een, in long hair and a silken blouse, should
know and feel and do all t hat .
The most remarkable point about his playing is not
at all it s precocit y, but it s mat urit y, t he magist ral
15 Nov 1896
21 Nov, 1896
Carnegie Hall, 1895
Huberman, 5 Dec 1896
Biography
and aut horit at ive way in which he present s you wit h
his int erpret at ions t o t ake or t o leave t he t ot al
absence of anyt hing t ent at ive or conj ect ural or
dubious about t hem.
All of t he mat ure Hubermans t rademark qualit ies were already
apparent . The unbeaut iful t one, t he st riking individualit y and
flair, t he force of his personalit y, and t he dept h of his
int erpret at ion. Ot her papers were equally ent husiast ic, wit h The
Sun writ ing Huberman is a genius; his movement s and looks
indicat e it , and his playing more surely yet verifies t his idea, and
t he Press exclaiming I f t his child does not burn wit h t he t rue
fires of genius, t hen genius never exist ed. The Evening Post
obsered His performance of t he Mendelssohn Concert o would
have been marvelous had he been t went y years older, t he
double meaning being presumably unint ended.
Hubermans first recit al was an aft ernoon Thanksgiving Day
Mat inee at Carnegie Hall on 26 November, where he played t he
Bruch G minor concert o, Wieniawskis Faust Fant asie, and
Chopins Romance. This t ime a crit ic for t he New York Times was
not so compliment ary, referring t o him as about 16 years of age,
and writ ing:
Bronislaw Huberman, t he j uvenile violinist , suffers
from over - advert ising and underdressing. There
really is no good reason why Huberman should be
advert ised as a mat ure art ist , nor is t here good
ground for dressing him in knee t rousers, loose silk
shirt s, and long hair . . . he pleases most by t he
splendid sonorit y of his t one, a t one rough and
impure yet , but very noble in it s maj est ic breadt h . . .
he has a fine fut ure before him, if he will cont ent
himself wit h being a violinist and drop his present
st yle of dress and advert ising.
Several informal dayt ime concert s followed at wealt hy pat rons
houses, wit h audiences of about 500. The dat e of t he second
Carnegie Hall recit al was changed from Sat urday 5t h December
t o t he following Tuesday due t o numerous request s, and t he
program was also changed, wit h Goldmarks Concert o being
subst it ut ed for Rafs Suit e t he ot her pieces were Chopins
Romance from t he E minor concert o, and Vieuxt emps Ballade
and Polonaise.
At a series of Sunday night concert s at t he Met ropolit an Opera
House under t he conduct or Ant on Seidl, an at t empt was made by
t he Gerry Societ y ( a New York Societ y for t he Prevent ion of
Cruelt y t o Children) t o st op young Huberman from performing
because of his age. Huberman was beyond t he Gerry Societ y age
limit , and he was able t o keep performing. At one of t hese
January concert s:
Mast er Huberman played t he Ballade and
Polonaise, by Vieuxt emps, and t he Faust Fant asie,
by Wieniawski. His wonderful t echnique and t he
amount of feeling displayed gained him a shower of
applause, and as encores he gave t he Trumeri, by
Schumann, and Sarasat es Spanish dances.
On 1st April a concert was given before an ent husiast ic audience
at t he new ballroom of t he Waldorf. Five hundred musicians and
lovers of music list ened t o t he yout hful player and demanded
encores some of t he pieces played by Mast er Huberman were
Ant on Seidl, 1895
26 Nov, 1896
20 Dec, 1896
26 March, 1897
Spohrs Gesangscene, Raffs Romanze, and Paganinis
Hexent anze.
Aft er America, a t our of Russia was undert aken in t he wint er of
1897/ 98 where Huberman had part icular success in t he German
colony Riga.
cont inue
Newspaper clipping: New York Times, 27 Nov 1896
Ant on Seidl ( 1850- 1898) was born in Budapest , and worked at
Bayreut h from 1872 assist ing in making t he first copy of Der Ring des
Nibelungen. I n 1876 t ook part in t he first Bayreut h fest ival, and in
1885 he moved t o America, conduct ing German opera at t he
Met ropolit an. He became t he permanent conduct or of t he New York
Philharmonic in 1891, and conduct ed t he premiere of Dvorak' s New
World Symphony wit h t hem at Carnegie Hall in December 1893.
Unsurprisingly he disagreed wit h Nordau' s book The Richard Wagner
Cult which discussed Wagner and musicial degenerat ion. You can read
Seidl' s art icle on t his, A Musician' s Ret ort as well as Nordau' s Reply t o
my Crit ics.
Ant on Seidl Phot o is used court esy of:
Philip H. Ward Collect ion
Rare Book & Manuscript Library
Universit y of Pennsylvania
Top Phot o: Huberman in America, 1896
Huberman phot ographs by R. Wilhelm, New York, 5 Dec 1896

Search
Paganini: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/paganini/[02/11/12 06:29:21]
Paganinis violin
Aft er ret urning t o Europe, Huberman wit hdrew from t he concert
scene for t hree years of privat e st udy. I n t he middle of t his
int erlude he made his very first recordings, t wo Berliner discs in
May 1900. List en t o t he beginning of one of t hese recordings,
Moment Musical by Schubert [ wma 129k] .
Hubermans fat her had cont ract ed an illness during t he uncert ain
t imes in Germany in 1894, and he event ually died a paralyt ic in
1902. Huberman was not of age, and since his considerable
fort une had been in his fat hers name, t he law dict at ed t hat
everyt hing should be divided equally bet ween mot her and
brot hers. Huberman decided t o t ake t he capit al under an
obligat ion t o provide for his mot her, and educat e his t wo
brot hers. At t he yout hful age of 20, t he st ress of his
responsibilit ies made him feel he had been living for half a
cent ury.
I n 1903 during a t our of I t aly, Huberman gave an int erest ing
int erview t o t he writ er Edmondo De Amicis in Turin. He described
t hat t he calmness he felt prior t o a performance would be
replaced by a dreadful anxiet y and agit at ion when playing. While
appearing relat ively passive and immobile, t he great effort he
exert ed t o suppress his emot ions would invariably react on his
st omach. All my suffering he said, is rest rained passion.
A recit al concert would oft en feat ure t he accompanist in solo
works as well. For inst ance, on 13 May at t he Teat ro Vit t orio
Emanuele, Hubermans pianist Wily Klasen played Schumanns
Carnival, Liszt s Rve damour and Sindings Seranat a, and t he
violinist played a Raff Suit e, Goldmark Andant e, Chopin Noct urne
Op 27, no 2, Kont ski Mazurka, Vieuxt emps Polonaise, and
Sarasat e Carmen Fant asy.
Three days lat er on 16 May, Huberman was invit ed t o play on
Paganinis violin, t he Guarnerius del Ges, in Genoa t he only
previous violinist t o have played it since Paganinis deat h had
been Paganinis only st udent , Sivori. The t reasured Guarnerius
t hat Paganini left t o t he cit y was ceremoniously removed from it s
cryst al case at t he Municipal Museum and t aken t o t he Civic
Palace where t he concert t ook place. The invit at ion for t his event
read:
On Sat urday t he 16t h, in one of t he chambers of t he
Town Hall, t he famous violinist , Hubermann, will
make Paganinis violin resound. The undersigned
begs t he honour of your at t endance on t his
occasion.
The Mayor,
c. 1902
c. 1902
c. 1902
Biography
G. B. Boraggini.
When t he violin had been removed from it s case and t he seals
broken in t he presence of wit nesses, it was found t hat new
st rings were required, and t hat t he bridge and t he pegs all
needed readj ust ment . The sounds produced were at first dull, but
soon improved. Huberman played Bach, Schubert , Chopin and
Paganini for an hour, t o an ecst at ic audience. He t hen t hanked
t he aut horit ies for t he honour accorded him, which even in lat er
years, he regarded as one of t he great est of his life. Various
ceremonials were gone t hrough and document s execut ed, on
replacing t he Guarnerius in it s case.
Several ot her violinist s have received t his honor since 1903, most
not ably t he virt uoso Ruggiero Ricci in 1988, who at very short
not ice recorded t he complet e 24 Caprices on it over t wo days.
I n 1904 Huberman t oured Russia once more. Just before t he t rip
t he Aust rian aut horit ies denied a passport t o his pianist unt il he
had complet ed his milit ary service, so a replacement pianist was
immediat ely found. I n Riga, which Huberman considered t he
most musical cit y in Europe, t he first concert left a lot t o be
desired, but aft er a rehearsal wit h t he pianist t he problems were
fixed. During t he second concert t he Tchaikovsky concert o went
very well, but received only mediocre applause. Huberman t hen
played some solo Bach and, very much t o his surprise, received a
st anding ovat ion. All was explained t he next day when a reviewer
wrot e:
Hubermans presence of mind is quit e wonderful.
When he realized t he pianist was not up t o t he
st andard of accompaniment required for t he
Tchaikovsky concert o, he sacked him on t he spot ,
and cont inued wit hout piano.
During anot her concert , a well known officer in t he audience
appeared quit e bored unt il t he very final it em which was solo
Bach, when he became suddenly ent husiast ic and animat ed.
Hubermans impresario Hofer could not resist asking t he
gent leman t he reason for his sudden change of heart . The officer
explained:
I have heard many violinist s. There was Sarasat e in
t he rooms of t he Musical Societ y of Vienna who
required t he accompaniment of 60 musicians, t hen
Joachim for whom t hree ot hers were enough. I liked
Kubelik even more for he needed t he help of only
one pianist . Huberman is unsurpassed t hough, as he
shows in his performance of Bach t hat he can
manage superbly by himself.
While amusing, t hese st ories do highlight a real problem for t he
art ist . How is it possible t o succesfully communicat e wit h an
audience of diverse backgrounds and educat ion? Huberman
wrot e:
The development of art ist ic t ast e is anot her benefit
of cont act wit h t he public. The art ist learns what
influences t he masses, what is bet t er for t he elit e,
and what t ouches everybody' s heart . This is most
import ant . Art does not belong t o only t he art ist .
True art must benefit everybody, ot herwise it is not
art .
13 May 1903, Teat ro
Vit t orio Emanuele
Queen' s Hall, London,
6 May 1905.
Grossen Musikvereins-
Saale, Vienna, 4 Jan
1909.
c. 1910
I have t o say t hat on t he basis of my many
observat ions and experiences I have developed t he
highest respect for what is called vox populi. The
public it self present s specific problems. I t is
fright ening how much snobbism, ignorance, and
indifference one can see on closer inspect ion. The
percent age of reasonable persons at any given
concert is very small. Yet t he public is a wonder: full
of pure inst inct , open heart , and t he abilit y t o
marvel. At t he same t ime it is lacking conscience
and logic, but t hese are t he qualit ies t hat t he art ist
must have t o be able t o learn from his public.
A devast at ing eart hquake at Messina, I t aly, on 28 December
1908, killed bet ween 60 and 100 t housand people. Huberman
was once again invit ed by t he cit y of Genoa t o play on Paganinis
violin, t his t ime for eart hquake relief. Like Ruggiero Ricci, he lat er
expressed disappoint ment in t he inst rument and st at ed t hat a
great violin should not be kept in a museum. Huberman only
played t he Paganini it ems on t he violin, and used his own
St radivarius for t he ot hers.
cont inue
Post card: Huberman in Riga, ( Hebensperger) 1904
Top phot o: c. 1900
Phot o playing violin c. 1902, Got t heil & Sohn - Knigsberg
Phot o c. 1910, V Angerer - Vienna
Riccis best version of t he 24 caprices is from 1959, on Decca 440 034-
2, where he uses Hubermans del Gesu.

Search
Marriage: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/marriage/[02/11/12 06:29:48]
Marriage
Huberman had met t he singer Elza Galafrs on several occasions,
but it was a chance meet ing at t he Weisser Hirsch sanat orium in
Dresden t hat led t o t heir romance. The sanat orium promot ed
healt hy living, wit h cold showers, brisk walks, and food which
consist ed mainly of salads and fruit . Perhaps if t he food had been
bet t er, Elza and Huberman would have spent less t ime t oget her ?
As it was however, t hey discussed everyt hing under t he sun,
including Hubermans invent ion of a special pneumat ic cover for
his violin t hat prot ect ed it on voyages. I n t he close confines of
t he inst it ut ion, a relat ionship soon developed.
When Elzas mot her heard t hat t he pair were involved, she was
horrified, and alt hough Huberman was unsympat het ic, he
reluct ant ly agreed t o a secret engagement wit h Elza t hat wint er.
Back in Vienna t hey rent ed a t wo- st oried villa on t he out skirt s,
where t hey lived wit h Bronislaws secret ary and pianist . Gossip
and not ices began appearing in papers, and alt hough Huberman
was st ill not keen on marriage, t o placat e Elzas mot her once
again, a public engagement was announced.
Life wit h Bronislaw wasnt easy. His hyper - sensit ive nerves and
upt ight t emperament meant t hat each night he fought a bat t le
against chronic insomnia. When he was on t our, his secret ary
and accompanist would sleep in rooms on eit her side of his t o
help prevent noise from adj acent rooms. Somet imes Huberman
would even book a whole floor in an at t empt t o gain some peace
and quiet .
Elza also didn' t share Hubermans economic viewpoint , and felt
t hat he was mean in t he t reat ment of t heir domest ic st aff.
Huberman could be ext remely generous, but j ust ified his
t hrift yness by explaining t hat t he point of undergoing endless
t ours and sleepless night s was t o become financially free and
independent so as t o be able t o enj oy life in t he fut ure. Years
lat er in 1931 a female admirer wrot e t o Huberman:
[ ] I f Beet hoven himself had been in t he audience,
he would have realised t hat his concert o had never
been performed wit h t he perfect ion wit h which you
played it t hat evening. Aft er t he concert [ ]
someone alleged t hat even you dont make music
for it s own sake but for purely financial reasons. I
was furious [ ] and [ ] said t hat if I were t o ask
you for a free t icket for your concert on 20 February
you would grant me t his request . Please give me t he
opport unit y t o disprove t he offensive opinions of
t hese people.
Elza Galafrs
Bronis & Elza at
Sanat orium Lahmann,
Dresden
At t he summer home,
Rekawinkel , Aust ria
Biography
Huberman replied:
I f your friends need t he supply of a free t icket as
proof for a musicians art ist ic convict ions, if t hey
cannot read sufficient int o t he art ist ic
accomplishment t o rid t hemselves of such childish
ideas, t hen I am not in t he least int erest ed in
convincing t hem of t he cont rary. [ ] Apart from t his
only a dreamer would deny for one moment t hat
even t he most precious art ist ic mat t ers have an
economic ingredient , namely at t he point in t ime at
which t hey are being sold. [ . . . ] t he essent ial
requirement is t hat an art ist ic product must be free
from such considerat ions at t he moment of it s
creat ion.
Elza became pregnant and t he couple decided t o marry during
t heir upcoming t rip t o London. As Huberman was a Polish Jew,
and Elza a German Prot est ant , t hey could only legally marry in a
Prot est ant church which Huberman was reluct ant t o do, so t hey
decided on a civil marriage which was performed on 21 July
1910. Their child Johannes was born in December, and 15 days
lat er Elza was back at work at t he t heat re.
Elza and Bronislaw were bot h commissioned t o writ e books for
t he series I n t he workshop by t he Viennese publisher Verlag
Hugo Heller. Elza wrot e Aus Der Eigenen Werkst at t which lat er
became her first published work, and Bronislaw wrot e Aus der
Werkst at t des Virt uosen ( I n t he workshop of t he virt uoso) , a
book about t he role and responsibilit ies of t he virt uoso, which
was published in 1912.
For t he summer t hey rent ed a villa near Vienna, as Elza was
commut ing int o t he cit y each day. Baron Albert Profumo was one
of Hubermans best friends, and during t he summer when he
visit ed t hem as a guest , he asked why Huberman didnt buy t he
villa and make it his permanent home. When Huberman replied
t hat he didnt want t o burden his nerves wit h any more
commit ment s, Profumo offered t o buy it for him as a gift . When
Huberman refused, Profumo suggest ed he could pay back some
of t he money if he preferred, as and when he felt like. Huberman
was t ouched, but st ill refused.
cont inue
Rekawinkel, 1911
Rekawinkel, 1911-
1912
Elza and Johannes,
1912
c. 1912
Hubermans pneumat ic case pat ent , Jul 1910
Top Phot o: Dat e unknown

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World War One: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/world_war_one/[02/11/12 06:30:10]
World War I
Hubermans Russian t our consist ing of 150 concert s st art ed in
November. I n some of t he smaller t owns condit ions were
ext remely primit ive, and t he local managers were not always
honest . I n t he short period of t ime bet ween t he end of t he
concert and t he sleigh ride t o t he local t rain st at ion violent
argument s over figures would somet imes ensue wit h t he
management . However t he t our overall was a massive success.
I n St . Pet ersburg Huberman gave nine sold- out concert s, which
t he local newspapers described as t he great est success of t he
season. The papers also print ed a st ory on Hubermans upcoming
divorce and marriage t o a St . Pet ersburg arist ocrat Huberman
described t his as a harmless publicit y st unt , but Elza was
violent ly upset . Huberman felt t hat art and publicit y were
inseperable, and necessary t o overcome t he law of inert ia t hat
rules over masses. I n fact , he felt t hat art ist s were obliged t o
provide publicit y. Elza had quit e t he opposit e view, and felt in any
case t hat t his was publicit y of t he very cheapest kind. The
difference in t hinking bet ween her and Bronislaw was now
becoming more and more evident .
Back in Rekawinkel, t hree- quart ers of an hour from Vienna, t hey
rent ed a summer place, Quellenhof , and invit ed t he composer
and pianist Erno von Dohnanyi t o st ay. Huberman had want ed t o
meet him for several years, and t he t wo immediat ely found a
raport in t heir love of music, playing t he Kreut zer sonat a
t oget her. Lat er during t he st ay, a romance bet ween Elza and
Erno developed which t he busy Huberman was perhaps not aware
of. His frequent concert s at t his t ime included concert o
performances, solo recit als, and a Beet hoven sonat a cycle wit h
t he pianist Eugene D' Albert .
Event ually in 1914 t he unhappy Elza decided t o end t he marriage
as a religious ceremony had not t aken place it was declared
illegal, and she was free t o marry Dohnanyi . The t wo parent s
shared cust ody of t heir child Hally. Elza lat er wrot e an
aut obiography Lives, Loves, Losses which describes t his period of
her life in great det ail.
I n December 1915 Huberman at t ended t he premiere of St rauss
new Alpine Symphony in Berlin, along wit h Leo Blech, Art ur
Schnabel, Carl Flesch, Frederic Lamond, Franz von Vecsey, Ernst
von Dohnanyi, and Josef Lhevinne. I gnoring t he sensible
Viennese advice I f you want St rauss have Johann, if you want
Richard have Wagner, even t he New York Times gave t his event
import ant and sympat het ic coverage, calling it a brilliant War
Premiere and a phenomena accompanying t his great period in
Germany hist ory. There was obviously very lit t le ant i - German
c. 1912
Crown Princess Cecilie
Beet hoven cycle wit h
Eugen d' Albert , Dec
1913
Biography
World War One: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/world_war_one/[02/11/12 06:30:10]
feeling in America at t he t ime!
Lat er while on holiday in Heligoland aft er performing in Berlin, he
was arrest ed because of his nat ionalit y and int erned. Luckily his
st aunch friend t he German Crown Princess Cecilie ( 1886- 1954)
who was a great admirer of his, arrived at t he prison t o secure
his immediat e release, t aking him back t o Berlin in her car.
I ndignant at t he t reat ment he had received, he repeat edly
refused t o play in Berlin.
Aft er t he war, Huberman reappeared in London billed as one of
t he met ropoliss foremost cult ural at t ract ions and est ablished
himself securely in t he first rank of mat ure musicians. I n June
1919 at a recit al at St einway Hall he was report edly mobbed by
crowds of women, and at t he Albert Hall he appeared wit h Nellie
Melba dividing honours equally wit h t he Aust ralian singer.
The cat ast rophe of t he First World War, a civil war bet ween
Europeans, caused Huberman t o become int erest ed in Polit ics.
What had all t he int ernat ional conferences for milit ary
disarmament before t he war acheived? I f t he primary element of
capit alism is capit al, how could war which dest roys capit al be
considered a nat ural phenomenon of t he syst em? Where t here
are no front eirs, t here are no wars. Huberman became convinced
t hat t he problem of peace was inseparable from t he problem of
polit ical unificat ion, a t opic t hat he was t o writ e and lect ure on
ext ensively t hrough t he 20s and 30s.
cont inue
Beet hoven & Brahms
t rio cycle, February
1918
Melba and Huberman,
Royal Albert Hall, 29
June 1919
Top Phot o: dat e unknown, V Angerer - Vienna
Konzert haus programmes used court esy of:
Archiv der Wiener Konzert hausgesellschaft , Programmarchiv

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America 1921
Huberman arrived in New York on t he Whit e St ar liner Olympic for
his second American t our on 11 Oct ober 1921 it had been 25
years since his last visit . His US t our under t he agent s
I nt ernat ional Concert Division included five concert s wit h Richard
St rauss. The day aft er his 17 Oct ober debut recit al wit h pianist
Paul Frenkel, Richard Aldrich was not impressed:
A large audience full of zealous friendliness, some of
it no doubt pat riot ic in origin heard t he first recit al
in Carnegie Hall last evening of Mr. Bronislaw
Huberman Mr Huberman is now a serious person
but it must st ill be said t hat his t alent is
manifest ed wit h a cert ain crudeness he frequent ly
seems t o find it a severe st rain t o produce his
effect s, a laborious operat ion, back - bending; and
t he result is labored. Mr. Hubermans t one is
powerful, but it is not not able for warmt h or
appealing qualit y.
The same day saw Huberman begin a recording cont ract for 7
short pieces wit h Brunswick records. His last recordings had been
of Schubert and Chopin in 1900 for Emil Berliner. The new
Brunswick recordings commenced nost algically wit h a recording
of t he same Chopin/ Sarasat e t ranscript ion, Noct urne in E flat .
You can list en t o many of t hese Brunswicks in t he Brunswick
recordings sect ion.
I n November t here was a chamber music concert wit h Richard
St rauss at t he piano, and an Aeolian Hall appearance sold out
even t o st anding room wit h t he pianist Harold Bauer and cellist
Hans Kindler, playing Brahms D minor t rio op. 108, and
Beet hoven t rio op. 97 in B flat . Ot her concert s included a series
of Town Hall and Aeolian Hall recit als, as well as a series of
Sunday aft ernoon concert s for t he Friends of music under Art ur
Bodanzky.
St rauss ended his second US t our and series of fort y concert s at
t he Hippodrome on 1 January 1922, wit h Huberman playing t he
Beet hoven concert o. I t was report ed t hat before St rauss left
America he faced an income t ax bill of $8000 on est imat ed
earnings of $50 000.
Huberman left for Europe on 2 May ret urning on 31 Oct ober for
anot her US wint er season. He arrived again on t he Olympic wit h
Frieda Hempel, Hoffman and Chaliapine. The Sat urday before
disembarking t he quart et gave a concert in t he lounge of t he
Olympic for t he benefit of a seamens charit y. Each art ist gave
t hree numbers, and it was est imat ed t he concert would normally
Musical Courier, Feb
1921
3 Nov 1921
27 Dec 1921
Biography
have cost $60 000 t o st age. Ticket s cost $10, and t he audience
included t hree members of t he Flonzaley quart et .
More Brunswick recordings were scheduled t hrough t he wint er
season, and perhaps Richard Aldrich was warming a lit t le t o
Hubermans playing, as his reviews were more posit ive t han t he
previous year he was concerned about roughness and forcing of
t one in a Brahms concert o, but not ed admirable musicianship and
great power and convict ion in a Taneiev suit e. A few mont hs aft er
writ ing t his review, Mr. Aldrich gave up his posit ion of musical
crit ic at t he New York Times claiming he could no longer endure
t he t ort ure of list ening t o t he prepost erous cacophonies of t he so-
called fut urist s or modernist s in music and because of t he
boredom of writ ing about t hem. I t ' s unfort unat e t hat more t han
eight y years lat er t hings havent changed.
List en t o t he Wieniawski Mazurka in D [ wma 486k] , recorded
in January 1922.
Huberman left America for France in March 1923, and when back
in Vienna he spoke t o t he Neue Freie Presse about his American
experiences. Musical cult ure he felt , part icularly out side t he cit ies,
was based on t he gramophone, which even t he poorest families
owned. Alt hough t he American public did not have old t radit ions
and t here were comparat ively few amat eur musicians he said,
t hey were nevert heless ext remely musical, and a great European
reput at ion and advert ising were not enough alone t o bring
success in America. Hubermans int erest in America went beyond
j ust music however, as he was heavily involved in t he Pan-
European movement which had been founded t hat year by Count
Coudenhove- Kalergi. The Unit ed St at es of America provided a
role model, showing how economic and polit ical int egrat ion could
bring peace and prosperit y. Huberman wrot e a book Mein Weg zu
Paneuropa ( My road t o Pan- Europa) on t his t opic which was
published in Vienna early t he following year.
Aft er a Sout h American t our wit h Richard St rauss, Oct ober saw
Huberman back in America for a new season wit h a new pianist ,
Siegfried Schult ze. Unusual works premiered were a sonat a in D
by t he young Polish composer Alexander Tansman and Goet zs
violin concert o op. 22, while chamber music included t rio
concert s for t he Beet hoven Associat ion wit h Salmond and
Hut cheson. At a 30t h November Carnegie Hall recit al t he crit ic
Colles not ed decisive rhyt hm and purit y of t one in Hubermans
playing, but crit icised t he fet ish of speed.
Hubermans concert s were filled t o t he last bit of st anding room
in New York, and t his was perhaps no mean feat when affluence
and t he power of t he dollar had brought so many great musicians
t o New York. On a single day at t he beginning of December 1923,
t he New York Times feat ured advert isement s for Paderewski,
Rachmaninoff, Friedman, Rosent hal, Silot t ie, Lamond, Grainger,
Gabrilowit sch, Levit ski, Ney, Hansen, Enesco, Huberman,
Zimbalist , Salmond, Chaliapin, McCormack, and Clara But t . As
Huberman wrot e in Mein Weg zu Paneuropa, Already t oday t he
European Nat ions have become t he t ribut aries of America.
America had a t radit ion of wealt hy individuals pat ronising
educat ional and musical inst it ut ions and Huberman lament ed t he
fact t hat t his convent ion did not exist in cont emporary Europe. He
was also impressed at t he general prosperit y of t he people. On
12 February Huberman was paid $1000 t o play t o 3000
employees of a j am and preserves packing company, at t he
plant s new recreat ion hall built as part of a welfare program. Mr
Bart let t Arkell, Honorary Vice President of t he Philharmonic
Societ y of New York and President of t he Beechnut Company had
April 1922
Claire Dux and
Huberman,
14 April 1922, Ann
Arbor
Nov 1922
Musical Courier, Mar
1923
arranged t he concert , and request ed as many popular numbers
as possible. Huberman not iced t hat t he working men and women
of t he plant arrived at t he concert in t heir own cars, dressed
fashionably t his prosperit y of t he working classes did not exist
in Europe.
I n March Huberman left for Europe, playing in France and Holland
( he had been invit ed t o do broadcast ing by t he Dut ch
Government ) , and was also invit ed by t he Russians t o make a
t our of t hat count ry, which he had not visit ed since t he
revolut ion. I n June he gave six concert s in Vienna, one wit h t he
Philharmonic Orchest ra. The Neue Freie Presse described it a
t riumph wit hout equal, an unparalleled vict ory and t he Wiener
Zeit ung wrot e The brilliant t one, t he nobilit y of t he cant ilena,
t he aspirat ion and flight t oward God are unique.
Huberman t ravelled from France on t he Maj est ic for his final
American season of t he decade. Arriving in New York on 4
November, he declared his race for t he ships manifest as
Hebrew; previous years he had writ t en Polish. Carnegie Hall
concert s were warmly received, wit h Owin Downes who had
described Enesco earlier t hat year as a man from an earlier age
or at least more unsophist icat ed communit y writ ing:
Mr. Huberman at t imes sacrificed sensuous beaut y
of t one t o dramat ic accent . The list ener felt
sympat het ic when he did t his felt , in fact t hat he
would hardly have been a man and art ist had he
done ot herwise he never imposed himself upon
t he list ener he gave voice t o t he composer.
At t he end of December Huberman played in a quart et wit h Lionel
Tert is, Felix Salmond and Harold Bauer, and t he group t oured
from January 5 t o February 2.
I t was during t his period t hat Huberman complet ed his last
recordings for t he American Brunswick record company. List en t o
Jot a Navarra [ wma 680k] . Some people find t his recording
rough, scrat chy and aggressive; t he first t ime I heard it I t hought
it was wonderful!
cont inue
Newspaper advert : New York Times, 31 Dec 1921
1921 concert program court esy of I an Derret t
Top phot o: 1922

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Europe 1925: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/europe_1925/[02/11/12 06:30:56]
Europe 1925
On ret urning back t o Europe engagement s included t he
Concert gebouw in Amst erdam under Moneaux in Sept ember.
Huberman cont inued his polit ical act ivit ies, meet ing President
Masaryk in Prague and Ramsay MacDonald in Vienna and
exchanged views wit h t hem. I n December he once more gave his
impressions of America in a series of art icles t o t he Die Neue
Freie Presse, concluding t hat only a Unit ed St at es of Europe
could avert anot her war and allay t he danger of bolshevism.
Beet hovens cent enary celebrat ions in Vienna t ook place bet ween
26 and 31 March 1927 wit h t he conduct ors Schalk and
Weingart ner presiding. Huberman and Casals feat ured as soloist s
and also played as a t rio wit h t he pianist I gnaz Friedman. For t he
celebrat ions in Hamburg and Berlin, a cycle of chamber music
was given by Huberman, Schnabel and Piat igorsky. Piat igorsky in
chapt er 18 of his aut obiography Cellist wrot e:
We agreed smoot hly upon t he programs and dat es,
and even t he quest ion as t o how t o divide t he fees
seemed simple, at first . There was no doubt in my
mind t hat it would be in equal part s, but Hubermann
and Schnabel were silent . Finally Hubermann
suggest ed t hat t he mat t er of money should be left
t o t he managers. ( Undoubt edly he was cert ain t hat
if t his procedure were adopt ed he would come out
best . ) I rrit at ed, Schnabel came wit h a winning
t rump.
Gent lemen, we wast e our t ime. The fee should be
divided int o t hirt y- five equal part s.
Why t hirt y- five! exclaimed Hubermann.
I t ' s simple, said Schnabel. We will pay t hirt een
works for t he piano and st rings: t hree t rios, t hree
quart et s, t hree violin sonat as, t wo viola sonat as, and
t wo cello sonat as- t hirt y- five part s in all. As all
t hirt een works are wit h piano, I should receive
t hirt een t hirt y- fift hs of t he fee. The violin will be
minus t wo cello and t wo viola sonat as, and will t hus
get nine t hirt y- fift hs. The cello will get eight t hirt y-
fift hs, and t he viola five t hirt y- fift hs. Wit h mout hs
agape we all ext end t o count ing t he not es, in which
case I would have come out much worse.
Wit hin 12 mont hs t he st ock market crash caused rat her more
serious financial problems, leading t o t he polit ical inst abilit y t hat
dominant ed t he next decade.
Vienna, June 1924
Vienna, June 1924
c. 1926
Mein Weg zu
Paneuropa, Vienna,
1925
Biography
I n December 1928 Huberman began a cont ract wit h t he Columbia
Record Company, making t he first ever recording of t he
Tchaikovsky concert o. His part icular affinit y wit h t he slavic
t emperament of t his work can be explained by his experiences
while t ouring Russia as a young man. Huberman felt t hat folk
music and folk dance were t he basis of musical expression. While
in Russia he at t ended t he opera only once, but went t o cafes
dozens of t imes where he could hear peasant musicians and
enj oy t he aut hent ic nat ional rhyt hms.
His int erpret at ion is t herefore not t he result of unbridled
individualism or ext ravagent egoism. I t is in fact carefully
t hought out , and Huberman was capable of j ust ifying his
int erprat ive decisions. He lat er wrot e:
I n New York some years ago, a young violinist t old
me he t hought I played t he last movement of t he
Tchaikowsky concert o t oo fast . I had a bet wit h him.
Come wit h me t o a Russian rest aurant which has an
orchest ra, I said. I f wit hin t wo hours we do not
hear t he principal phrase of t hat last movement , or
somet hing very like it , I will pay you t en dollars.
He agreed. And it was I who received t he t en
dollars. For I was able t o point out t hat t he nat ive
players enunciat ed t he t heme at exact ly t he same
speed as I had done, t hough it occurred in music of
a complet ely different sort . The point is t hat
Tchaikowsky had not borrowed t he mot ive direct ly
from folk music. I t occurred in his concert o simply
because he had st eeped himself in t he charact erist ic
Russian nat ional melodies. Because I , t oo, had
acquired t hat melodic scheme as a background, I
was able t o give his musical t hought exact ly t he
shape and expression it required.
List en t o Huberman play t he beginning of t hird movement of t he
Tchaikovsky concert o [ wma 98k] from t his 1928 recording,
and j udge his t empo for yourself!
Columbia recordings cont inued wit h several short pieces, and
t hen a in 1930 a complet e recording of t he Beet hoven Kreut zer
sonat a wit h pianist and Polish compat riot I gnaz Friedman. Again,
list en t o t his excerpt from t he first movement , and j udge t he
recording for yourself. Kreut zer sonat a [ wma 171k] .
cont inue
c. 1928
Top phot o: St udio d Ora, Vienna, c. 1925
Huberman phot os 12 June 1924 by st udio d Ora, Art hur Benda ( 1885-
1969) , Vienna

Search
Political tension: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/political_tension/[02/11/12 06:31:29]
Political tension
Huberman first visit ed Palest ine in 1929 feeling an
int ernat ionalist , more European t han Jewish and rat her ant i -
Zionist ic, but t he myst ical at mosphere he felt permeat ed t he
place changed his t hinking. He received a t remendous recept ion
at sold out concert s he saw people climbing wat erpipies and
barbed wire on t o roofs in order t o list en, and by t he t ime of his
second visit in January 1931 he had formed a vision of creat ing a
Palest ine Symphony Orchest ra. The rise of Hit ler would soon give
t his proj ect a real focus.
The depression was causing economic inst abilit y t hroughout
Europe. Hungary int roduced severe rest rict ions on foreign
exchange t ransact ions t o keep t he value of t he pengo st able,
and in November 31 Budapest musical circles worried what effect
t his would have upon t he scheduled visit s of foreign arist s.
Hubermans concert manager assured t hem t hat he was willing
as were ot her musicians, t o accept payment part ly in pengoes &
part ly in t he form of t ime draft s.
Even more serious of course, were t he polit ical problems. I n May
32 Huberman addressed a Viennese audience on t he subj ect of
Pan- Europa. The lect ure was at t ended by t he French, Polish and
Bulgarian Ambassadors, as well as prominent Aust rian polit icians.
While admit t ing t hat all aut hent ic art in t he end had it s root s in
nat ional soil, he said a Pan- Europe need not signify a leveling of
nat ional charact erist ics, but rat her a freeing of t heir
inexhaust ible wellsprings of creat ive power.
Huberman did not see his growing Zionism as conflict ing wit h t he
Pan- Europa movement , as he felt t he Jews had given t he world
monot heism, and in his opinion t his was j ust a st ep away from
t he idea of one humanit y of bret hren. Lat er t hat year he
published Vat erland Europa ( Fat herland Europe) , in which he
wrot e prophet ically Those who help us, do not only alt ruist ically
but t hey prot ect t hemselves and t heir dear ones from t he
dest ruct ion of propert y, from povert y, from collect ive murder,
and from t heir own ruin.
Huberman had played wit h Schnabel and Piat igorsky for t he
Beet hoven celebrat ions in 1927, and t he same group wit h t he
addit ion of Hindemit h now planned t o give a Brahms cycle for t he
next years Brahms cent enary. When t he violinist and pedagogue
Carl Flesch heard t hat his friend Schnabel was playing again wit h
Huberman, he was so furious t hat in December he severed
relat ions wit h him. Schnabels musical collaborat ion wit h Flesch
had virt ually ceased since he had left t heir t rio in 1920, but 12
years on, Flesch st ill felt bet rayed by Schnabels associat ion wit h
Huberman, a violinist he violent ly disliked. Flesch wrot e
c. 1930
Furt wngler
Phot o by Lipnit zki,
Paris, 1932
Beet hoven concert ,
Jan 1933
Biography
accusingly t o Schnabel:
When in 1921 you det ached yourself from t he Trio,
freedom of act ion on bot h sides was t he logical
consequence. Equally, your choice of part ner is
ent irely your own affair, part icularly since my innat e
ant ipat hy t owards Huberman might make me appear
prej udiced. Nevert heless, I have t o say t hat during
t he past few years I became more and more puzzled
about your sudden sympat hy for him it is not
unknown t o me t hat you have been cont emplat ing
art ist ic collaborat ion wit h Huberman for some t ime
as well as t he fact t hat you had t ried as long as 2
years ago t o int erest Piat y in t his proj ect what I
want is not hing but t he t erminat ion of our personal
relat ionship.
Schnabel wrot e back I f you dont want t o see me again, I wont
force myself on you. I f you do want t o see me I am here, and
you will meet a friend. Carl Flesch discussed Huberman in his
Memoirs.
I n Sept ember Huberman played wit h t he BBC, and in November
his assist ance at t he Brahms cent enary in Paris under
Weingart ner who had come from Vienna t o direct , proceeded
smoot hly enough. The sit uat ion in Germany had began t o
det eriorat e t hough, as more and more Jewish figures were forced
t o leave t heir post s. Furt wngler t old Yehudi Menuhin t hat
musical life in Germany was going t o t he dogs.
I n April 1933 Adolf Busch quit t he Brahms celebrat ions in
Hamburg ( Brahms birt hplace) as his Jewish pianist , Rudolf
Serkin, was refused permission t o part icipat e. I n Berlin t he
Prussian Minist er of Cult ure prohibit ed a series of Brahms
chamber music concert s t hat were t o have been given in May at
t he Singakademie by Schnabel, Huberman, Piat igorsky and
Hindemit h. The quart et , wit h Casals subst it ut ing for Piat igorsky,
were able t o play at t he May Vienna celebrat ions under
Furt wngler however. The group gave several t rio and quart et
performances, and Huberman and Casals played t he Brahms
double concert o. Bot h Schnabel and Huberman had played under
Furt wngler t he previous year, and he was anxious t o get t hem
back for fut ure performances in Germany. I n April Furt wngler
had personally persuaded Goebbels t o grant exempt ions for
cert ain Jewish figures, and so he t ook t he opport unit y at t he
Vienna Brahms celebrat ions t o ask t hem t o ret urn t o Germany
for engagement s t he next season. Schnabel lat er wrot e of t hese
concert s:
Performances went very well and we had great fun
and pleasure at our rehearsals, wit h plent y of t ime.
Aft er one of our concert s we went t o a very popular
rest aurant in t he basement of a hot el. There were
about fift y people t here besides us. Around
midnight , Furt wngler came, wit h t wo friends, and
his behaviour seemed planned and prepared. I n t he
presence of t hese fift y or more people, he addressed
Huberman and me, asking us once more if we would
not change our minds and come back t he following
wint er t o play in Berlin wit h him. We had been
asked before and refused, of course, t o do so, for
reasons you can easily guess. Huberman asked me
t o answer first . I made it very simple and said t hat
if all t he musicians were called back and reinst at ed
in t heir former posit ions, t hen I would agree t o
come back. But if t hey were not called back, I would
have t o st ick t o my refusal. To my great amazement
Furt wngler replied and t his was obviously not
prepared t hat I was mixing art and polit ics. And
t hat was t hat .
Huberman, Casals,
Schnabel and
Hindemit h, rehearsing
for t he Brahms
cent enial fest ival,
Vienna, May 1933
Schnabel, Huberman,
Casals and Hindemit h,
May 1933
c. 1933
c. 1933
Huberman explained why he couldnt ret urn t o Germany, and
t hen discussed wit h Furt wngler t he possibilit y of publishing a
public reply declining t he invit at ion. On 30 June Furt wngler
wrot e t o Huberman asking him t o ret urn t o Germany t o play wit h
t he Berlin Philharmonic and be t he first t o break down t he
barrier. Huberman replied on 10 July from his summer - home in
I t aly, giving in writ ing t he reasons he had already given verbally
during t he Vienna Brahms fest ival. Aft er compliment ing
Furt wngler on t he st and he had t aken, he wrot e:
no case has come t o my at t ent ion of t he int ended
reinst at ement of t hose museum direct ors, orchest ra
conduct ors and music t eachers who were dismissed
on account of t heir Jewish origin, t heir differing
polit ical views or even t heir lack of int erest in polit ics
I n realit y it is not a quest ion of violin concert os
nor even merely of t he Jews; t he issue is t he
ret ent ion of t hose t hings t hat our fat hers achieved
by blood and sacrifice, of t he element ary
precondit ions of our European cult ure, t he freedom
of personalit y and it s uncondit ional self-
responsibilit y unhampered by fet t ers of cast e or
race.
Aft er furt her negoit at ions t hrough t he summer mont hs and wit h
t he sit uat ion in Germany declining, Huberman event ually decided
t o publish his 10 July let t er , and in Sept ember it appeared in
French, German, and American Newspapers.
Huberman lat er referred t o Furt wngler as t hat t ypical non- Nazi
German, who wit h millions of ot her non- Nazis made Nazism
possible!
Huberman now had a clearer idea of t he orchest ra he want ed t o
form, realising t hat it s creat ion could help many Cent ral European
Jewish orchest ral musicians who had been left j obless. What had
originally been j ust a cult ural inst it ut ion for Palest ine now also
became an emergency rescue for vict ims of Nazi policy. I n
January 1934 he visit ed Palest ine for t he t hird t ime, and
discussed his ideas wit h local represent at ives. Aft er encount ering
init ial resist ance from t he governing body of t he exist ing
Philharmonic Societ y, he event ually overcame pet t y int erest s and
j ealousies, and gained accept ance for his proposal. Three local
commit t ees were set up in Tel- Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa t o
collect donat ions, t o organize subscript ions, and act as an
advisory group.
cont inue
Top phot o: Vienna, 1932
Konzert haus programme used court esy of:
Archiv der Wiener Konzert hausgesellschaft , Programmarchiv

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Riots in Vienna: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/riots_in_vienna/[02/11/12 06:31:52]
Riots in Vienna
On Monday 12 February 1934 in Zagreb, while t ouring
Yugoslavia, Huberman heard about t he violent riot s in Vienna,
and his concert scheduled t hat Friday in Vienna was cancelled.
Under mart ial law most public places were closed at 8pm,
including t he opera house and concert halls. Musical act ivit y had
virt ually ceased, but as condit ions calmed, Huberman planned a
concert for t he aid of t he vict ims of t he riot s, on t he condit ion
t hat t he government agreed t hat proceeds be divided evenly
bet ween t he government soldiers and t he workers. On Sunday
18t h a dayt ime concert at t he Grosse Musikvereins- Saal was
announced, but advert isement s and handbills described it as a
benefit concert for t he families of t he dead government soldiers.
At t he concert Huberman played a first it em, and t hen left t he
st age so lat e- comers could t ake t heir seat s. On ret urning he
announced t o t he audience t hat he had no int ent ion of playing for
t he benefit of t he government t roops, and t hat t he concert was
for t he aid of all vict ims, irrespect ive of part y or polit ics. I am
playing t oday wit hout fee but for t he vict ims among t he
populat ion of Vienna he said. The st orm of applause from t he
audience, most of whom would not have been from t he working
class, last ed for eight minut es.
Alt hough Hubermans reput at ion in Vienna had always been huge
( a concert announced six mont hs in advance would invariably
immediat ely sell out ) , his courageous polit ical st ance was gaining
him even more not oriet y. For his Beet hoven and Mendelssohn
concert o performance wit h t he Philharmonic on 27 March,
st rongarm t act ics were scarcely st rong enough t o propel t icket
holders t hrough t he j am of humanit y in t he large audit orium of
t he Konzert haus. Bruno Walt er was creat ing similar
pandemonium alt hough he could rarely sell out t he New York
Philharmonic, his St aat soper concert s were packed t o gasping
suffocat ion, and t he light s had t o be ext inguished before t he last
screaming ent husiast s would leave.
I n June Huberman recorded concert os by Bach, Beet hoven,
Mozart and Lalo, wit h t he Vienna Philharmonic. The proj ect had
t o overcome several difficult ies, including t ransport ing George
Szell who was conduct ing t he Beet hoven and Mozart , bet ween
Vienna and Prague each day. From t he end of August 1934 t o
mid- May 1935 Huberman embarked upon an ext ensive concert
t our of Europe, t he Unit ed St at es, and Canada.
cont inue
Grosser Konzert haus-
Saal, 8 Oct 1934
Grosser Musikvereins-
Saal, 15 Nov 1935
Walt er and Huberman,
Vienna 1935
London, c. 1935
Biography
Riots in Vienna: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/riots_in_vienna/[02/11/12 06:31:52]
London, c. 1935
Top phot o: 1935
Walt er and Huberman phot o by Fenichel, Vienna, 1935

Search
Stolen Strad: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/stolen_strad/[02/11/12 06:32:18]
Stolen Strad
Raising his hat as he st epped off t he Berengaria, Huberman
ret urned t o America on 24 Oct 1934 aft er an absence of eight
years. Fort y - t wo concert engagement s over sixt y days were
organised by his agent S. Hurok, st art ing t he very next day in
Balt imore, wit h several new composit ions t o be given American
premieres. Concert s included t wo appearances wit h t he New York
Philharmonic under Bruno Walt er, chamber music wit h Schnabel,
and a Symphony concert broadcast series sponsored by General
Mot ors, who had also hired Toscanini, Milst ein, Gershwin,
Kubelik, Challiapin, Schnabel, and Schipa. Through December
Huberman was also lect uring, addressing t he Mailamm
Associat ion of New York on Zionism, and t he Polish I nst it ut e of
Art s and Let t ers on his vision of a fut ure Pan- Europe. The
Mailamm Associat ion ( American Palest ine Music) speech must
have gone down well, as t hey elect ed him honorary vice
president a few days lat er.
Because of January engagement s in England, some concert s were
cancelled at short not ice. At his single Carnegie Hall recit al on t he
30t h wit h his pianist Siegfried Schult ze, Huberman played Bachs
A minor concert o accompanied by a st ring orchest ra, t he G minor
solo sonat a, and t hen Beet hovens Kreut zer sonat a,
Szymanowskis Narcisse , and his own arrangement s of t he
Chopin Walt z in E minor and Walt z Opus 70. Olin Downes not ed a
st rident t one qualit y and inaccurat e int onat ion, but wrot e:
it was in t he unaccompanied sonat a t hat Mr.
Huberman reached his full height . The polyphonic
music was performed wit h a fine clarit y and a
t echnical cert aint y t hat enabled t he player t o devot e
himself ent irely t o int erpret ive problems. An
eloquence t hat went deeper t han t hat of musical
pat t ern weaving also was given it .
On 12t h January 1935 Huberman sailed for England on t he
French liner Champlain, ret urning t he next mont h, and on t he 19
February he played Brahms at Carnegie Hall wit h t he Philadelphia
under Ot t o Klemperer. This t ime, Olin Downes complained about
a st rident t one and feverish st yle . . .
The t endency t o play sharp is in all probabilit y a
deliberat e one. The violinist of Mr. Hubermans
t emperament doubt less desires t he maximum of
brilliancy when his t one is t o mat ch t hat of t he
orchest ra. This brilliancy, however, is wit h him
achieved at cost of pure int onat ion and t one qualit y.
Tone in fact was forced, and t he inherent repose
which is obviously a qualit y of t he great symphonic
Publicit y phot o, Nov
1934
NYT ad, 23 Dec 1934
Musical Courier, 26
Jan 1935
On st age, 1935
Biography
composit ion was conspicuous by absence.
I f you want inherent repose t hen Huberman isnt t he art ist for
you, as his searching st yle of int erpret at ion demands more t han
a smoot h, so called beaut iful sound wit h a const ant vibrat o.
Neville Cardus described it well when he wrot e Huberman played
in his own revelat ory way. His t one was not of t he rich, yielding
kind which goes wit h t he superficial cont emporary view of
Brahms, as a composer of a middle- aged, uncle- ish soft ness of
disposit ion. However, Downes was correct I t hink, in supposing
t hat t he t endency t o play sharp was deliberat e. Huberman had
used t his creat ive int onat ion t o highlight cert ain not es in a phrase
since he was a child, and his recordings show t hat he was
consist ent in t he way he chose t o apply it ( t he t wo Tchaikovsky
concert o recordings of 1928 and 1946 are a good example of
t his) .
A sonat a recit al wit h Schnabel on 23 February received a more
favourable review by O. T. , who also complained of sharpness, but
described t he beginning of t he Schubert Fant asy as a vision as of
anot her world . On 1 March Huberman left for Europe on t he
Cunard Whie St ar liner, and on arriving back t hat summer he
found t he Nazi government had named him t he great est enemy
of t he Nazi regime among world musicians, and officially ordered
his German pianist of 12 years, Siegfried Schulze, t o severe
relat ions wit h him. Schulze agreed t o t his, and Huberman had t o
find a new accompanist , Jakob Gimpel.
I n December Huberman t oured t he Middle East , playing t o full
houses in Egypt , and giving 15 concert s in 20 days in Palest ine t o
audiences of bet ween 1500 and 3500 people.
He ret urned t o New York on 28 January 1936 on t he I le de
France. Sonat a recit als wit h Schnabel where planned t hrough
February and March, and chamber music wit h Emmanuel
Feuermann on cello forming a t rio. The Town Hall Endowment
Series present ed Schnabel, Huberman and Feuermann in a
sonat a recit al on 7 February, playing Brahms sonat a in B, Op. 8,
Beet hoven Sonat a in D, Op. 70/ 1, and Schubert sonat a in B flat ,
Op. 99. N. S. wrot e
I t happens t hat alt hough Mr. Schnabel and Mr.
Huberman had j oined forces in t he past , t his was
t he first t ime anywhere t hat t hey appeared wit h Mr.
Feuermann in an evening of t rio playing. I t was not
st range, under t he circumst ances, t hat t he Brahms
t rio, which opened t he list , was not up t o t he
st andard of excellence expect ed of musicians of t his
high caliber. Each of t heir t emperament s was in
conflict t hroughout a large part of t he int erpret at ion
of t his work, wit h t he result t hat if cert ain sect ions
were sat isfact orily played, as a whole t he rendit ion
was uneven and none t oo convincing.
Huberman lunched at t he Waldorf ( where he had performed as a
boy in 1897) wit h Mr John Royal from NBC, and while t alking
about his dream child t he Palest ine Orchest ra, was discussing
who should conduct t he opening concert . Why not ask Toscanini
t o conduct for you, suggest ed Royal. Huberman did so, and
admit t ed aft erwards experiencing somet hing akin t o shock when
t he great conduct or immediat ely agreed. Toscanini was a well -
known ant i - fascist , having refused t o conduct at t he Wagner
fest ival in Bayreut h in June 1933, and he saw t he format ion of
t he orchest ra of emigrs as a powerful ant i - Nazi st at ement . I n
February t he news t hat he was conduct ing t he inaugural opening
concert s of t he PS in December creat ed a st ir t hroughout t he
Unit ed St at es.
Huberman had founded an Associat ion of Friends of t he Palest ine
Orchest ra, in t he U. S. wit h his good friend Albert Einst ein as a
NYT Ad, 29 Jan 1936
Einst ein and
Huberman discuss t he
PSO at Einst ein' s home
in Princet on, Feb 1936
Advert isement for t he
recit al where
Hubermans violin was
st olen, NYT, Feb 1936
The double violin case
cont aining t he
Gibson St rad and
Guarnerius
Huberman and
Schnabel, 24 March
1936
Schnabel, Walt er and
Bodanzky at St .
Morit z, 1937
Chairman. The Professors involvement in t he organizat ion,
writ ing let t ers and host ing funct ions, generat ed a lot of publicit y,
and when Huberman visit ed him at his home in Princet on t o
discuss news of Toscaninis involvement in t he orchest ra, t he New
York Times published a phot ograph of t he pair. Einst ein, himself a
German exile, suggest ed a concert t o raise money and eagerly
offered t o bring his fiddle!
Disast er st ruck on 28 February at Hubermans only Carnegie Hall
recit al of t he season, when his 1713 Gibson St radivarius was
st olen from his dressing room during t he performance. Huberman
had played t he St radivarius before t he concert , and t hen placed it
back in his double case, using t he Guarnerius for t he recit al. Like
t he previous season, t he performance st art ed wit h a Bach
concert o wit h chamber orchest ra. Aft er t he int ermission, while
Huberman was playing t he Franck sonat a, his secret ary Miss
I bbiken, not iced t hat t he St radivarius was missing, and t old
Huberman during t he applause at t he end of t he piece. The police
were immediat ely called, but Huberman carried on wit h t he
concert , and t he audience remained unaware of t he t heft .
Next days review did not ment ion t he robbery, alt hough a
headline art icle Huberman Violin St olen At Carnegie described
how t he t hief had left 6 six bows valued at $1500 each
unt ouched. Despit e a large invest igat ion ( Milst ein was apparent ly
removed from a t rain t he next day aft er he admit t ed he had a
St radivarius) t he 20 year old t hief Julian Alt man was never
caught , and Huberman event ually claimed his 8000 ( $30 000)
insurance from Lloyds of London.
Nearly 50 years lat er, Alt man confessed on his deat h bed t o his
wife Marcelle Hall. She negot iat ed a finders fee wit h Lloyds
pret ending t hat Alt man had bought it from t he t hief, and
ret urned t he violin in 1987 receiving $263 000 for her t rouble.
The St rad ran an art icle on t he incident called Lost and Found
report ing t hat Marcelle was overj oyed at it s ret urn t o
legit imacy. Alt mans daught er ( and only surviving descendant )
t wice won a lower court ruling against her st ep- mot her Marcelle
for a share of t he money, but by t his t ime it was all apparent ly
spent , and Marcelle was living in a caravan park.
Back t o April 1936, and aft er recovering from t he t rauma of t he
t heft Hubermans it inerary cont inued wit h concert s, broadcast s, a
lect ure at t he St einway Hall on Mat t ers of Polit ical and Art ist ic
Concern, and a recept ion at t he American Palest ine Music
Associat ion. On 5 April Huberman and Schnabel gave a Sonat a
recit al, playing Beet hoven Sonat a in C minor Op. 30/ 2, Sonat a in
F Op. 24, and Mozart Sonat a in E flat . Their collaborat ion t he
previous year had been described as having t he excit ement of a
virt uoso recit al. Not so t his year, wit h N. S. comment ing on t he
moderat e ent husiasm of t he small audience, and writ ing:
There was no at t empt at display or even t o achieve
brilliance in any of t his playing. I t was deadly serious
singularly lacking in charm, in power t o awaken a
keen response in t he list ener, or t o grasp at t ent ion
firmly somet imes in t he Beet hoven sonat a in
quest ion, st ret ches of much suavit y of t one would
issue from t he inst rument s. But oft en Mr. Schnabels
fort issimo out burst s gave t he impression of anger
and irrit at ion in t heir curt abrupt ness, where t hese
qualit ies were int ruders in t he scheme of t hings, and
st ill more oft en, Mr. Hubermans violin emit t ed
sounds not any t oo sharply defined in pit ch and of
scrat chy charact er There was somet hing rat her
cut and dried and academic about it all.
When Huberman left America on 23 April, he could t ake some
pride in t he success of his effort s for his orchest ra. Sixt y first
class players had been chosen from hundreds he had
corresponded wit h and t he t wo hundred he audit ioned. These
included former first - desk members of t he Berlin Philharmonic,
Frankfort Museumgesellschaft , Munich Orchest ra, Hamburg
Philharmonic, Dresden Symphony, and ot her import ant orchest ras
in Germany and Cent ral Europe. The services of one of t he most
famous conduct ors in t he world had been secured. Finally, t he
recent American fundraising drive had been very successful, and
t he orchest ra was economically secure. While t raveling t o Europe
on t he I le de France, Huberman wrot e t o Colonel Kisch in Haifa
asking t hat t he st rong financial posit ion be kept secret , so as not
t o discourage furt her cont ribut ions. St rong reserves for t he
following years t hat might cont ain financial or polit ical
dist urbance would be crucial.
cont inue
Top phot o: 24 Oct 1934

Search
Palestine: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/palestine/[02/11/12 06:32:39]
Palestine Symphony
I n August Huberman announced t hat he was resigning from t he
t eaching st aff of t he Vienna St at e Academy in order t o devot e
himself t o t he Palest ine Orchest ra. The New York Times report ed
t hat t he news was received wit h dismay by t he musical public of
Vienna, where t he violinist has been a popular idol for years, but
t he pro- Nazi Wiener Neuest e Nachricht en t hought t hat t he
Viennese would accept it wit hout regret , writ ing:
I n t he last few years he has exchanged his bow for
t he pen of t he polit ical agit at or and has not alone
endeavoured at all cost s t o place himself among
front line fight ers for t he Pan- European idea, but ,
besides being an act ive propagandist for t he aims
and int erest s of int ernat ional Jewry, openly at t acked
German art ist s and art ist ic life and regarded himself
as t he mout hpiece of t hose large groups and cliques
which despise t he words nat ion, nat ionalism,
folk, loyalt y.
Orchest ral fundraising cont inued t hrough t he year. Huberman
gave a recit al in Amst erdam in Oct ober for t he benefit of Comit
voor Bezondere Joodsche Belangen on condit ion t hat 30% of net
receipt s were devot ed t o t he Orchest ra fund, and a drive was
organised amongst t he wealt hier Jews of Vienna and
Czechoslovakia. As t he first concert of t he Palest ine Symphony
drew closer, he involved himself in every det ail of organisat ion,
insuring t he musicians and t heir inst rument s, and t rying t o find
Maest ro and Madame Toscanini comfort able and privat e
accommodat ion for t heir st ay. He had modest ly declined t he
Maest ros invit at ion t o be soloist at t he opening concert , as didnt
want t o dist ract at t ent ion from t he art ist ic solidarit y creat ed by
t he conduct or.
Huberman had always been impresssed by t he ent husiasm for
music in Palest ine, and not ed t hat out of a Jewish populat ion of
280, 000 in Jerusalem, Haifa and Tel- Aviv, 8000 regularly
at t ended concert s. I f in New York a simlar proport ion of t he
populat ion went t o concert s, he said, every symphony concert
would be at t ended by 300, 000 persons. Since it was t hese
people of Palest ine t hat had inspired t he creat ion of t he
orchest ra, Huberman was det ermined t hey should benefit by it ,
and boast ed t hat For t he first t ime in musical hist ory, t he
principle will be adopt ed t hat only t he best is good enough for
working- class audiences. Wit h t he help of t he Workers Branch
of t he Palest ine Orchest ra Associat ion, t wo subscript ion concert s
were planned in each cit y; t he second ident ical in art ist s and
programme, but designed for workmen wit h t icket s at a quart er
t o a fift h of t he price of t he series for ordinary concert - goers.
Toscanini and
Huberman, first
Palest ine Symphony
concert , 26 Dec 1936.
Vienna, 1937
Meet ing Rubinst ein by
accident in t he
Aust ralian desert , 22
Aug 1937.
Bali, Sep 1937
Biography
Finally on 26 December 1936 Hubermans vision became a realit y
when Toscanini conduct ed t he first performance of t he Palest ine
Symphony Orchest ra in Tel- Aviv, playing Beet hoven, Schubert ,
Mendelssohn and Brahms. Toscanini described it as t he happiest
moment of his life, and one of t he highest point s of his career.
Aft er conduct ing 4 concert s in Palest ine and 4 in Egypt , he
refused any payment , or even reimbursement of his t ravelling
expenses, and was so impressed wit h t he orchest ra and unique
audiences t hat he decided t o ret urn t he next year.
I n January 1937 Huberman t oured England wit h Schnabel, and
on 17 February received a five- minut e ovat ion at t he
Concert gebouw, Amst erdam, when he appeared on st age for a
concert t hat had been sold out for a week. Aft er t he concert he
was given a deed t o a garden near Tel Aviv purchased from t he
Jewish Nat ional Fund, as an expression of Dut ch Jewry for his
effort s on behalf of German emigr musicians and musical cult ure
in Palest ine.
During an American t our in May which included benefit concert s
for t he PSO and chamber music wit h Schnabel [ review] ,
Huberman had a breakdown, and some concert s had t o be
cancelled. The enormous j ob of organising t he PSO was finally
t aking it s t oll on him and his secret ary Miss I bbeken. He left
California on 25 May for his first Aust ralian t our t raveling on t he
S/ S Mont erey via Honolulu, having t ime during t he boat t rip t o
recover his healt h. ABC manager for west ern Aust ralia Conrad
Charlt on described Hubermans concret izing in Pert h:
On t he opening night of his season here, j ust aft er
he had commenced t he Kreut zer Sonat a, a mot or
horn t oot ed in King st reet . Mr Huberman st opped
playing and appealed t o someone in t he audience t o
close t he doors. All t he doors were closed, but I
immediat ely left t he t heat re and spent t he rest of
t he night in t he st reet cont rolling t raffic t hat came
along King St reet , and beseeching mot orist s not t o
sound t heir horns. The rest of t he night passed off
quiet ly. For t he remaining concert s I had t he
assist ance of t he Commissioner of Police and t hree
const ables parading King and Hay St reet s t o see
t hat t he noise of t he t raffic was kept down t o a
minimum. We could not of course hold up t he
t rams.
At t he end of his Aust ralian t our in August , Huberman was t o
have sailed from Fremant le t o Java, but at t he last minut e
decided t o fly via Darwin inst ead, t hus making t he j ourney in four
days inst ead of t wo weeks. On t he way t o Darwin, t he pilot
landed for fuel at a remot e airst rip in t he middle of t he desert ,
and was very surprised t o see anot her small plane on t he
runway. Huberman got out t o st ret ch his legs, and was greet ed
on t he runway by his Polish compat riot Art ur Rubinst ein wit h t he
words Dr Huberman, I presume? Bot h had t hought neit her was
coming t o Aust ralia, as bot h had accept ed lat e offers, and so
t hey were amazed t o have met in such an isolat ed spot .
On 6 Oct ober during his t our of I ndonesia, t he Royal Dut ch
airliner Huberman and his secret ary were t raveling in crashed
near Palembang, Sumat ra, killing four of t he nine passengers.
Huberman had sat at t he back of t he plane as a precaut ion,
which was j ust as well, since 3 of t he 4 crew who had been at t he
front of t he plane were among t he dead. Radioscopes revealed
Hubermans left radius was broken close t o t he wrist but had not
moved from place, while t wo met acarpal bones of t he right hand
were broken. Bot h hands were painful and swollen, and
Royal Dut ch Airline
crash, Palembang, 6
Oct 1937
Toscanini and
Huberman on Nat anya
beach, Tel Aviv, April
1938.
Newsreel of Huberman
in Ein Harod, 1938
Tel Aviv, 1938
Tel Aviv, 1938
Huberman is report ed t o have cried aft er t he crash, I shall never
be able t o play again, but t hank God not hing worse happened t o
me. A few days lat er he cont ract ed Pneumonia from a broken rib
t hat had punct ured his lung, and t reat ment for his hands was
post poned. He and his secret ary were hospit alized at Pladj oe, a
st at ion of t he Shell Pet roleum Company, for 5 weeks, and t hen
t ransferred t o Bat avia and Bandoeng on Java for anot her t wo
weeks before sailing for Europe at t he end of November.
The second season of t he Palest ine Symphony Orchest ra began
on 24 Oct ober in Tel- Aviv under t he direct ion of St einberg, and
cont inued under Toscanini in Tel- Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa in
April. Toscanini again refused t o accept any fee or t ravelling
expenses, however, on ret urning back t o America t o fulfill his
cont ract wit h N. B. C. , he was receiving a weekly personaly salary
of $10 000! Huberman had been scheduled as soloist at t he first
concert of t his second season, but had t o post pone it t ill next
season because of his inj uries. Aft er leaving Palest ine he had a
very difficult and painful t ime caused by st renuous t reat ment for
his hands in Mont ecat ini, and he wrot e t o Szell in March t hat his
violin pract ice was ort hopedic rat her t han musical. By July 1938
t hings were improving, and during rehearsals wit h Feuermann in
Brahms and Beet hoven t rios he felt he was playing well, and was
cert ain t hat his hands would be fully up t o t heir t ask by t he t ime
of his concert s in Palest ine. At last in Egypt on 19 November,
Huberman performed for t he first t ime since his accident , and for
t he first t ime as soloist wit h his orchest ra. At concert s in
Jerusalem and Tel- Aviv in December, where t he audience
charact erist ically cont ained all element s of t he music- loving
populat ion from t he most dist inguished t o laborers in short s,
Huberman received ecst at ic recept ions, and felt t hat his playing
was bet t er t hen it had ever been. A newsreel survives of
Huberman farewelling resident s of Ein Harod before ent ering an
armored car at t he end of a visit during t his t rip.
I n February 1939 he wrot e t hat his last six concert s not only
aroused amongst musicians and audiences great er ent husiasm
t han my best concert s before t he accident , but t hat even my
most severe crit ic could not help being sat isfied: myself. By t his
t ime t he Palest ine Symphony had performed under t he bat on of
Toscanini, Sargent , St einberg, Dobrowen, Szenkar, Taube and
Horenst ein, and in April Huberman t ried t o negot iat e a deal wit h
t he Broadcast ing aut horit ies. He felt t hat Radio might be in t he
best posit ion t o t ake over t he orchest ra, as it could safeguard it s
economic and spirit ual int erest s wit h more st abilit y t han a
privat e associat ion, provided t hat t hey be obliged t o cont inue t he
workers subscript ion series.
Aft er a busy European concert season in t he non- nazi count ries,
Huberman was rest ing at his count ry home in Swit zerland when
war was declared on 1st Sept ember. He volunt eered his services
in concert s for t he benefit of t he Red Cross and ot her charit ies,
and aft er playing in Holland and Belgium, t ook part in a great
Charit y Concert at t he Opera in Paris in January 1940. From Paris
he went again t o Palest ine and Egypt , playing wit h t he PSO in
Cairo in t he presence of t he King of Egypt for t he aid of Anat olian
eart hquake vict ims, demonst rat ing t he mission of music as an
inst rument of int ernat ional goodwill. He had been int ending t o
t ravel back t o Europe via Ankara and I st anbul, but a sudden and
generous offer from Johannesburg saw him sailing t o Sout h Africa
at t he end of March. Audiences and crit ics were very recept ive
[ read review] , and Huberman t hought of ext ending his st ay, but
t he st rong ant i - Brit ish and ant i - Jewish resent ment from t he
minorit y Boer populat ion, combined wit h t he uncert aint y of fut ure
t ransport out of t he count ry, made him suddenly change his
mind. Plans t o t ravel back t o Europe via Palest ine were scrapped
as I t alys ent ry int o t he war barred t he way nort hward, and in
August by chance he managed t o get passage t o America.
cont inue
Top phot o: c. 1935

Search
World War Two: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/world_war_two/[02/11/12 06:33:00]
World War II
I n February 1941, Huberman played a program of t rios in t ribut e
t o Paderewski wit h Schnabel and Feuermann, and in May he
received his first American cit izenship papers. The next mont h
Johanna Brinska ( t he daught er of t he Count and Count ess
Brinska) arrived on t he Serpa Pint o and delivered Huberman a
St radivarius he owned. On 21 December he made his first
appearance at Carnegie Hall since his Gibson had been st olen
t here five years before, playing t he Beet hoven concert o in
superb form under Bruno Walt er. Bot h he and Walt er donat ed
t heir services for t he concert , for t he benefit of t he Brit ish-
American Ambulance Corps.
On 17 January 1942 he performed his first solo recit al of t he
decade at Carnegie Hall; he led a small chamber orchest ra t hat
accompanied him in a Bach and Mozart concert o, and aft er t he
int ermission he was j oined by his pianist Boris Roubakine, and
played Medt ners Sonat a Epica ( which last ed for 45 minut es) ,
Szymanowskis La Font aine dAret huse, and t he violinist s own
t ranscript ions of a mazurka and a walt z by Chopin.
I n July he had his first performance at t he Lewisohn St adium
where he played t he Mendelssohn wit h t he New York Philharmonic
before an audience of 7000. His performance was set up on
proport ions t hat would have been suit able for a more int imat e
audit orium and t he public address syst em did t he rest . Mr
Hubermans t one is delicat e and refined, wit hout crudit y or
coarseness and amplificat ion did not harm it .
Through t he 1942/ 43 wint er season t wo more sell- out Carnegie
Hall concert s and an all Bach Town Hall recit al t ook place
receiving excellent reviews. I n February 1943 he spoke and
played at a special Unit ed Nat ions Day on Poland t hat was
broadcast by WMCA, and in July played in a broadcast t ribut e t o
t he Polish Prime Minist er General Sikorski who had died in a plane
crash. The radio t ranscript ion disc of t his performance st ill
survives, and can be downloaded as an mp3 file in t he radio
broadcast sect ion.
A performance of t he Tchaikovsky wit h t he NYPSO in t he
Lewisohn St adium repeat ed t he success of t he previous year,
wit h an audience of 10 000. The New York Times wrot e I t is
probably safe t o say t hat t he Tchaikovsky concert o has never had
a finer or great er performance in t his cit y. The opening
movement , Allegro moderat o, displayed a dazzling exhibit ion of
pyrot echnics, wit h a virt uosit y unexcelled in t he world t oday.
Boris Roubakine t hen accompanied on piano for several encores.
Hubermans fourt h Carnegie Hall appearance of t he 1943/ 44
c. 1940
c. 1941
Musical America, Feb
1942
Musical America, Feb
Biography
season was on Sunday 23 January, when in a repeat performance
of 20t h, he played t he Brahms concert o wit h t he NYPSO under
Rodzinski. This performance was broadcast , and luckily recorded
for post erit y. Huberman as a child, had of course performed t his
concert o t o t he composer himself in Vienna, and one lady wrot e
t o him:
New York, January 23rd, 1944
Hearing you t oday, brought back memories of t he
first performance of t he Brahms Violin Concert o in
Vienna - I was t here - and can even now see
Brahms sit t ing in t he Balcony! I t was a memorable
occasion. - I was 14 - and a scholarship pupil at t he
Conservat orium.
The years have not dimmed your exquisit e playing.
Again t hanking you
Alexia Bassian ( Hollywood, California)
Anot her let t er writ t en t he next day is part icularly int erest ing.
January 24t h, 1944
I j ust cant help writ ing you aft er your playing of t he
Brahms Concert o yest erday wit h t he Philharmonic.
Unable t o at t end t he concert in Carnegie Hall I
list ened over t he radio and I want t o t ell you t hat it
was one of t he great moment s in my musical
experience - and t hat is plent y! I was deeply
impressed, because you conveyed t he musical
message and not only t he not es as, alas, is so oft en
t he case! I t was music at it s very best and highest .
For t his I want t o t hank you from all my heart . - - -
Yes, t he violin is a marvellous inst rument and many
play it well, in fact t echnically perhaps t o perfect ion,
but beyond t he not es t here is somet hing which t hey
somehow do not convey. You do it - and t he not es
are st ill t here. Perhaps I am a lit t le sent iment al
because my childhood ( we are of about t he same
age) is so closely connect ed wit h t he first
impressions in music I received.
The great er, I believe, t he compliment t hat is due t o
you. Aft er so many years I st ill t hink now t hat you
are one of t he t ruly elect in MUSI C conveying t he
message by means of t he fiddle!
Many t hanks again, and my most cordial greet ings
A. W. Greiner ( St einway + Sons, New York)
Huberman was never fond of recording as he disliked t he
repet it ion required t o achieve a perfect t ake and he also
disliked t he process of broadcast ing in a small st udio for radio, as
he felt it relied t oo much upon merely t echnical mat t ers. I n a
concert hall filled wit h an audience, it was easier for him t o
overcome t his const raint , but he st ill believed t he end result was
canned music, however aft er receiving t he previous let t er, he
reconsidered his opinion.
He replied t o Mr. A. W. Greiner, t he Manager of t he Concert &
Art ist s Dept t hanking him for t he let t er of January 24.
RI VERDALE, New York
February 12, 1944
Dear Mr. Greiner:
1944
February 1943
Advert for t he
Rodzinski Brahms t hat
was broadcast and
recorded, 23 Jan 1944
Your let t er filled me wit h great j oy. And now, I must
say, I am might y glad t hat you could not at t end t he
concert and list ened in t o t he radio. Thus, at last , I
have an aut horit at ive account of t he range of violin
expression t ransmit t able over t he radio. And what
made me most happy in addit ion t o t he personal
sat isfact ion caused by your let t er is t he fact t hat t his
radio t est of my playing has by far surpassed my
expect at ions.
Wit h t he knowledge t hat such emot ions as described
in your let t er can be caused over t he radio, my
whole at t it ude t o it , unt il now somewhat reserved,
undergoes a fundament al change.
I am grat eful t o you for causing me t his more
posit ive st and.
Wit h warm greet ings
Cordially yours
Bronislaw Huberman
P. S. Please, excuse my delayed react ion t o your
let t er I was out of t own on a t our.
List en t o a sect ion of t he first movement of t he Brahms
concert o [ wma 174k] . Det ails of t he Brahms recording can be
found in t he recordings sect ion.
cont inue
Top phot o: c. 1935

Search
Liberation: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/biography/liberation/[02/11/12 06:33:20]
Liberation
Aft er t he war he again t oured Europe, and t hen ret urned t o his
home near Lake Geneva, where he became ill. Aft er spending six
mont hs in a healt h resort in I t aly, he ret urned t o Swit zerland
where he died on 16 June 1947.
NOTE: This page is not yet finished. The f ol l ow i ng t ex t i s
w r i t t en by Huber man' s secr et ar y , I da I bbek en.
Swit zerland
The day aft er t he concert in Zurich on April 24t h, 1946,
Huberman ret urned home t o his beaut iful, wooded count ry- seat
Nant above t he Lake of Geneva. Here he hoped t o rest aft er
many mont hs of st renuous concert - t ours and ot her act ivit ies in
America, England and ot her European count ries, t o enj oy t he
exquisit e beaut y of his propert y and t o prepare for new act ion.
I n America, it had been arranged wit h friends t hat he should t ake
over a car which t hey had left in a garage near Geneva, when t he
war broke out in 1939, and t hat he should use it unt il t he friends
would come t o Swit zerland and t ake t heir car. A few days aft er
arrival at Nant , Huberman t ravelled t oget her wit h a compet ent
mechanic- driver t o t hat village t o fet ch t he car. I n spit e of t he
writ t en inst ruct ion, t he owner of t he garage refused t o comply,
pret ending t hat , in accordance wit h previous orders, t he car had
already been sold. Huberman knew t hat t his was not t rue, t hat
t he man want ed t o keep t he fine car which, at t hat t ime had a
great value. But , wit h ext reme rest raint of his anger, Huberman
succeeded t o have t he garage- owner deliver him t he car.
Huberman felt ut most indignat ion; it was not only t he personal
experience but st ill more t he fact t hat t his had happened in
Swit zerland. He felt t erribly disappoint ed. He looked very pale,
but remarked: I cont rolled myself well, didnt I ? - I n t his st at e
of repressed feelings he at e in a lit t le village- inn a hurriedly and
insufficient ly prepared meal. Then he had t he driver t ake him
back in t he car t o Nant .
Overworked and overt ired as he st ill was, t he suppressed
excit ement led t o cat ast rophic consequences: what Huberman
had expressed as a yout h and what he had felt in one form or
anot her during his life: t he effort t o suppress my emot ion react s
on my st omach and ruins it . All suffering is rest rained passion
t his became now full realit y. The whole body seemed t o be
gripped by an int oxicat ion leading t o a grave at t ack of
convulsion. This was so st rong t hat it caused t he fract ure of t he
neck of t he t high- bone, which was recognised as such only aft er
a mont h, but which, successfully set , healed complet ely.
Unexplained remained t he illness as such, remained t he t errific
pains in t he left shoulder and a cert ain immobilit y of t he left arm.
4 Nov 1945, Albert
Hall
7 Nov 1945, leaving
Concert gebouw
followed by secret ary
Planned world t our
April 1946 - May 1947
Biography
During several mont hs t he surgeon himself t reat ed wit h
exercises, causing excruciat ing pain, which Huberman could bear
only in t he willingness t o suffer anyt hing which would enable him
t o play his violin again. Aft er more t han six mont hs, in a healt h
resort in I t aly, t he physicians found out t hat t here had been a
slight fract ure in t he shoulder which now, aft er such a long t ime
could be correct ed only by a surgical int ervent ion. The
operat ion was successful and again as t en years ago aft er t he
airplane crash Huberman had t o work from morning t o night t o
regain t he mast ery of his violin. At t hat t ime he wrot e t o a
friend: Was wirst Du wohl von mir denken nach den fast 9
Monat en meines Schweigens auf Dein liebes Schreiben! Was
immer Du auch denken magst , es ist auf j eden Fall gefehlt .
Heut e, wo eine fast t ragische Ungewissheit sich zum Bessern
wendet , kann ich es Dir sagen: ich habe durch diese 9 Monat e
zum Teil um mein Leben gekmpft , zum Teil um die Mission in
meinem Leben: die Geige und das Wunder ist geschehen: ich
spiele wieder Geige.
St ill in I t aly, during one of his exercises, he played in t he
presence of his music- loving doct or t he Concert o in E of Bach in
such a way, t hat he himself was deeply moved by a newly
discovered essence and meaning of t hat concert o. He played
t he opening bars of t he Brahms Concert o so, t hat t he Professor,
overwhelmed, exclaimed: Quel gant ! What a giant !
Aft er ret urn t o his home in Swit zerland he cont inued wit h t he
incessant exercises. I mpossible t o describe t he ups and downs of
hope and despair, t he spirit ual t orment s. Relaxat ion and
recreat ion he found in walks in t he park and woods of his beloved
Nant , in t he song of t he birds, t he magnificent landscape wit h
t he Lake of Geneva, t he snow- covered mount ains, t he green
fields and blossoming fruit - t rees in t he valley and his orchard.
But here in Swit zerland, anot her mat t er caused him great
dist ress. A young violinist who, before America had ent ered t he
war, had st udied wit h Huberman for a short t ime in summer 1941
in America, and who had now finished his milit ary service, came
over t o Europe in order t o cont inue his violin st udies. Already in
I t aly he had been wit h Huberman for a few weeks, and now he
came t o Swit zerland. There, t he aut horit ies of t he Cant on issued
an order, forbidding Huberman as a foreigner, not wit hst anding
his large propert y, t o give violin- lessons! Was t here, at all, a
Swiss violin- playing yout h in t he count ry, in whom Huberman
might have been int erest ed t o give him lessons?! Huberman
felt aggrieved, indignant . He did not even permit t he young man
t o come up t o his house unt il, aft er some discussions, t he
aut horit ies consent ed t hat foreigners were permit t ed t o st udy
wit h him. He received t he not ice on a Sat urday. On t his
Sat urday Huberman felt for t he fist t ime t hat he had regained
complet e mast ery over his violin, he knew t hat he would be able
t o play t he concert s which he had planned for t he fort hcoming
wint er. He scarcely dared t o believe it . How oft en had he
exclaimed: I cannot live wit hout my violin! And now he had
reconquered it , for his convict ion, his art ist ic crit erion, fully! On
Sunday morning t his believe in t he ret urn t o his art was st ill
st rengt hened.
I n t he aft ernoon he had t he young violinist come up t o his
house. First t hey t ook a walk t hrough t he park, Huberman t alked
about t he necessit y t o t ake care of t he preservat ion of t he old
magnificent t rees, he was cheerful, in good spirit s. Then he gave
t he violin- lesson, explaining; being himself in a st at e of
inspirat ion, he lift ed his hands, imploring: Think of a vision, a
vision from far, far away! His face was pale, but t he eyes
shone. Soon he ended t he lesson, t ired from excit ement . The rest
of t he day he spent calmly chat t ing. I n t he evening a grave
at t ack set in, a doct or was called; aft er his condit ion had calmed
down, t he doct or left in t he believe t hat no specific change would
happen. Huberman did not awake from unconsciousness. I n t he
early morning of t he 16t h of June 1947 his passionat e heart
ceased t o beat , almost impercept ibly. Wit hout a st ruggle like a
soft breeze ended t his st ruggle- filled life.
Leaving Concert gebouw followed by secret ary, aft er rehearsal
prior t o performance lat er t hat day, marking his first since Dut ch
liberat ion.
Top Phot o: 1945

Search
An interview with Bronislaw Huberman: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/interview/[02/11/12 06:33:37]
St r i ng Mast er y
Huberman discusses
t echnique, pract ice, and
t he key t o violin
virt uosit y.
Read t he complet e
int erview >
The t eachi ng of musi c
The import ance of
amat eur music
educat ion and t he
dangers of mechanized
or recorded music.
Read t he complet e
int erview >
I nt er est i ng pr obl ems i n
musi c mak i ng
Every count ry has t he
government it
deserves; every man
has t he friends he
deserves; every art ist
has t he t echnic he
deserves - no bet t er,
no worse
Read t he complet e
int erview >
Mr. Huberman; to which school would you say you
belong?
I wish I knew myself. As a boy of t en I spent eight
mont hs wit h Joachim; but as he was absent from Berlin
most of t he t ime . . . I might t rut hfully say t hat I am as
much a pupil, or more, of Jean de Reszk or Caruso as I
am of Joachim. Take Caruso, for inst ance. He point ed one
great lesson which every violinist might follow. I n spit e of
being none t oo economical in using his voice, in producing
his t one, he had developed a great reserve of st rengt h, a
nat ural reservoir of power and expression, and showed
wonderful abilit y in building up an aria t o it s nat ural
climax. This abilit y I have made it my business t o develop
wit h regard t o my own inst rument .
What do you consider the basis of musical expression?
Rhyt hm t here you have it . Rhyt hm is t he soul of music,
and t he charact erist ic rhyt hms of each count ry are built
on t he physical movement s of it s dancers . . . You should
hear a German orchest ra t rying t o play a St rauss walt z.
The beat s are square and unvaried; t he whole t hing
complet ely dead. I t is not a walt z at all. But t he humblest
Viennese, who has grown up wit h t he real walt z rhyt hm
surrounding him on every side, reproduces it by inst inct .
So, wherever I go, I dip int o t he folk- lore of t hat place.
That is why I claim t o underst and t he English composers
and few Cont inent als can say as much. Elgar, Delius,
Vaughan Williams all of t hem have t he English folk
idiom in t heir blood. Unless one has st udied t hat idiom at
it s source, how is one t o int erpret t heir music wit h
insight ?
But how does folk music relate to classical music?
The st udy of folk rhyt hms carries it self over int o t he
region of classical music. An inst ance will show you what I
mean. I n New York some years ago, a young violinist t old
me he t hought I played t he last movement of t he
Tchaikowsky concert o t oo fast . I had a bet wit h him.
Come wit h me t o a Russian rest aurant which has an
orchest ra, I said. I f wit hin t wo hours we do not hear t he
principal phrase of t hat last movement , or somet hing very
like it , I will pay you t en dollars. He agreed. And it was I
who received t he t en dollars. For I was able t o point out
t hat t he nat ive players enunciat ed t he t heme at exact ly
t he same speed as I had done, t hough it occurred in
music of a complet ely different sort . The point is t hat
Tchaikowsky had not borrowed t he mot ive direct ly from
folk music. I t occurred in his concert o simply because he
had st eeped himself in t he charact erist ic Russian nat ional
melodies. Because I , t oo, had acquired t hat melodic
scheme as a background, I was able t o give his musical
An interview with Bronislaw Huberman
The mat erial on t his page is derived from several int erviews
t hat can be read in full in t he Art icles sect ion.
t hought exact ly t he shape and expression it required.
How much practice a day is necessary?
Well, for a violinist st udying wit h a mast er, or a
professional violinist , at least four hours a day, and not
more t han six are necessary. I should not want an art ist
pupil st udying wit h me t o pract ice more t han five hours a
day. As t o t he virt uoso, he should never look at a wat ch
. . . On t our I pract ice regularly on t he t rain in my
st at eroom. I know t hat some violinist s do not believe in
daily work while on t our. But list en t o t heir playing,
especially t oward t he end of t heir season!
What exercises can you recommend for students?
I hesit at e t o prescribe exercises, because what one
pract ices is less import ant t hat how one pract ices it .
However, I can recommend playing scales in double st ops
in t hirds . . . Nor do I hold great ly by et udes. They are
good t o lay a foundat ion, t o supply t he element ary
ground for t he higher virt uoso t echnique. But from t he
st andpoint of virt uoso playing t he spiccat o, t he vibrat o,
et c. , can never be acquired by t he st udy of et udes. I t is
possible on t he piano, perhaps, in such et udes as t hose
by Chopin and ot hers, t o develop finish, but not on t he
violin.
What is the most difficult bowing?
To j udge by t he number of t imes I have seen it missing in
ot her violinist s I should say t he spiccat o. Ninet y- five out
of a hundred violinist s and I do not exclude t he great est
inst ead of a rounded, springing spiccat o, use a species
of nebulous dt ach.
And turning to the left hand, what are your thoughts on
vibrato?
The vibrat o, t o begin wit h, is one of t he great est of
violinist ic effect s; but most violinist s use it as Rembrandt
does his dark yellow backgrounds. I look on it as an
accessory of expression, which has t o be carefully
graduat ed in it s use, like t he crescendo, fort e or
accelerando . . . I t is best t o t hink of t he vibrat o as a
graduat ing means of expression. Then it s occasional use
for cont rast is very effect ive, and much t o be preferred t o
t he t errible cont inuous vibrat o which irrit at es t he nerves.
Finally Mr. Huberman, what does all this hard work and
practice let you achieve?
Trut h, rat her t han mere beaut y, and it s perfect ed
expression in playing is my idea of violin mast ery. And t he
t rut h cannot be expressed wit hout a perfect ed t echnical
base.
Top phot o: 12 June 1924, st udio d Ora, Art hur Benda

Search
String Mastery: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/literature/interviews/string_mastery/[02/11/12 06:35:35]
BRONI SLAV HUBERMAN
ENDURANCE STUDY THE KEY TO VI OLI N
VI RTUOSI TY
Bronislav Huberman, who played Spohrs Second Violin Concert o
at t he age of seven, is one of t he rare examples of an infant
prodigy whose art ist ic mat urit y has kept every earlier promise.
He is essent ially one of t he great er violinist s of our t ime, and not
alone because of his ext raordinary t echnique and t he breadt h and
richness of his t one, but because of a sureness of mast ery which
lends perfect ion t o every det ail of his int erpret at ion. Bronislav
Huberman is no more given t o commonplaces in his t hought s
anent his art t han in his art it self; and t he ideas which he
developed in conversat ion wit h t he writ er, in an upper chamber of
his managers offices in New York, should prove highly
st imulat ing and suggest ive t o every serious and ambit ious
violinist .
To which school do I belong? said Mr. Huberman, echoing a
quest ion. I wish I knew myself. As a boy of t en I spent eight
mont hs wit h Joachim; but as he was absent from Berlin most of
t he t ime, and I was not quit e sat isfied wit h t he assist ant t eacher
who represent ed him, I st udied secret ly wit h Charles
Gregorovit ch, Wieniawskis best pupil, a gift ed t eacher and
virt uoso, but t oo nervous t o play in public. Leaving Gregorovit ch,
I played new repert oire works for six weeks wit h Hugo Heerman
and, at t he age of eleven, had t hree weeks hearings wit h
Marsick. Aft er t hat I became my own t eacher, working, st udying
and developing my playing along individual lines and also by
hearing ot her art ist s, especially singers.
CARUSO AS A VI OLI N TEACHER
I might t rut hfully say t hat I am as much a pupil, or more, of
Jean de Reszk or Caruso as I am of Joachim. Take Caruso, for
inst ance. He point ed one great lesson which every violinist might
follow. I n spit e of being none t oo economical in using his voice, in
producing his t one, he had developed a great reserve of
st rengt h, a nat ural reservoir of power and expression, and
showed wonderful abilit y in building up an aria t o it s nat ural
climax. This abilit y I have made it my business t o develop wit h
regard t o my own inst rument . Violinist s in general, even t hose
who play most expressively, are oft en at a loss when a great ,
vibrat ing crescendo is demanded of t hem in t he culminat ing
passages of a composit ion, when t he lat t er are not on t he G
st ring or wit hin t he fift h posit ion, but somewhere on t he E st ring
and bet ween t he sevent h and t welft h posit ions. Then t hey make
t he best of a bad bargain and play piano, as t hough t his had
Bronislav Huberman
String Mastery
Huberman was int erviewed in New York on 27 November
1922 by Frederick H. Mart ens for his book St ring Mast ery
published by Frederick A. St okes Co. , New York, 1923.
Aft er discussing various t echnical problems relat ing t o
violin playing, Huberman describes his idea of violin
mast ery as t he perfect ed expression of t rut h, rat her t han
mere beaut y. Shouldn' t t his be t he goal of all musicians?
I cert ainly wish it was.
back t o lit erat ure >
been t he composers int ent ion, even when a fort e is indicat ed. As
far as t his t echnical abilit y t o maint ain t he power of t he dynamics
and phrasing in t he high posit ions on t he E st ring is concerned, it
cannot be acquired wit hout years of work. Most violinist s are
quit e ready t o spend hours in polishing some purely bravura
passage, but shrink from giving t ime t o cult ivat ing a larger t one
in high E st ring posit ions where it is required.
ENDURANCE STUDY THE KEY TO VI OLI N VI RTUOSI TY
As regards virt uoso violin playing, t wo great t echnical fact ors are
required: a colossal reserve of t onal and t echnical power and
st rengt h, built up by endurance st udy; and absolut e purit y of
int onat ion. I expect t o develop my ideas and discoveries
respect ing int onat ion at lengt h in a new book on which I am
working, but will t ake t his opport unit y of giving you some of my
ideas regarding endurance st udy, which, in my opinion, is t oo
much neglect ed.
The violinist should have, in realit y, t wice as much t echnical
power and st rengt h at his disposal in order t o play a given
composit ion as he t hinks necessary. And t his he can only get by
endurance st udy, t he t rue key t o violin virt uosit y. Before Nansen
undert ook his Polar expedit ions he t rained himself t o sleep in t he
open under condit ions as nearly as possible approaching t hose he
was t o encount er. The violinist should t rain for t he condit ions of
t he concert plat form, and t oo many are not willing t o do t his. For
inst ance, most violinist s cannot play, clearly and dist inct ly, t he
st ret t o of t he first movement of t he Tschaikovsky Concert o wince,
owing t o t he amount of passagework preceding it , t heir hand is
exhaust ed when t he st ret t o is reached. The only way t o insure
t heir doing j ust ice t o t he st ret t o when t hey reach it is t o pract ice
it t oget her wit h t he preceding passages, again and again and
again, building up a colossal reserve of finger - power. A violinist s
t echnique may be said t o have reached t he virt uoso point when
he is able t o play every difficult passage of a difficult work, not
only separat ely, but t oget her wit h all t hat precedes and succeeds
it , in t empo, wit h proper observance of all det ails of shading,
phrasing and int erpret at ion. Some of t he passages in Paganinis
Les Clochet t es, for example, are so supremely difficult for every
violinist , t hat when he comes t o t hem in t he middle of t he
composit ion, his hand is already so fat igued t hat he cannot do
j ust ice t o t hem.
Now, in order t o bring his t echnique t o t he point t hat he is able
t o play Les Clochet t es j ust once on t he concert plat form, t he
violinist must be able t o play it t hrough t went y t imes wit hout
int errupt ion at home! Of course, t he maj or difficult ies vary wit h
individual composit ions; somet imes it may be a double t rill, a
series of fingered oct aves or t ent hs t here are so many t echnical
forms but t he endurance st udy which builds up t he t echnical
reserve, it right ly carried out , will t ake care of t hem all.
DAI LY MECHANI CAL EXERCI SES
As t o daily mechanical exercises, I do not believe very much in
t hem. For what might be called daily t echnical bat hs I t hink t he
scales in t hirds are excellent , especially for endurance. But t he
best t hing t o do is t o pick out ent ire difficult sect ions and pract ice
t hem, whet her you t hink you need t hem or not . I do t his myself
because endurance t raining in t he highest sense can only be
developed by innumerable repet it ions of difficult passages at a
rapid t empo. Such mat erial may be found, for inst ance, before
t he very end of t he fiorit ure passages in Sarasat es Carmen
Fant asy, where t here are broken chords, for eit her dt ach or
legat o bowing. There is a general idea t hat t he purely mechanical
exercise prepares and makes less difficult any part icular passage
or passages. I do not believe t his, since every advanced violinist
discovers, sooner or lat er, t hat t he t echnical passages in a new
work have new difficult ies of t heir own. The violin is a subt le
inst rument , and t he great er works writ t en for it do not offer a
mere repet it ion of t echnical formulas. The change of a t one, or of
t he vibrat o in even a familiar passage, int roduces a new difficult y.
Therefore I do not t hink it advisable for t he mat ure art ist or
advanced st udent t o give much t ime t o t he purely mechanical
exercise. Nor do I hold great ly by et udes. They are good t o lay a
foundat ion, t o supply t he element ary ground for t he higher
virt uoso t echnique. But from t he st andpoint of virt uoso playing
t he spiccat o, t he vibrat o, et c. , can never be acquired by t he
st udy of et udes.
I t is possible on t he piano, perhaps, in such et udes as t hose by
Chopin and ot hers, t o develop finish, but not on t he violin. To get
t he final polish of brilliancy on t he st rings, t he player must rely
on his imaginat ion, his art ist ic vision. The purely t heoret ical way
in which t he t ude deals wit h t hese mat t ers cannot arouse t he
imaginat ion of t he art ist .
NEED OF ENDURANCE WORK FOR THE HI GHER
POSI TI ONS
I have developed a special t echnique of power and endurance in
t he high regist ers on long not es. Why? Because, as I have
already ment ioned, violinist s usually fall short of t he fullness of
t one and power needed when a climaxing phrase or a climaxing
melody occurs in a high posit ion. I admit t hat it is difficult t o gain
lyric breadt h and fullness of t one high up on t he E st ring, but it
can be done. Caruso made his high climaxing not es gloriously
powerful: t he violinist can do t he same. I n t he case of some
singers, some sopranos, let us say, t here is more excuse if t heir
voice does not obey t hem; t hey act ually may not have t he t ones
t hey need in t heir regist ers. But t he t ones are t here in t he violin;
it is only a mat t er of bringing t hem out , of cult ivat ing t hem from
t he st andpoint of endurance st udy. There are cert ain climaxing
t ones in famous composit ions where, if it were not so difficult ,
ninet y- five per cent of t he violinist s would make t he vibrat o t hey
ought t o make. As it is, t hey do not observe t he vibrat o. And in
general, if t he t one calling for t he vibrat o happens t o be in a high
posit ion on t he E st ring, it is ignored. From t he st andpoint of t rue
art and t rue art ist ic effect it is wort hy while giving hours, days,
mont hs of work, if necessary, t o developing a genuine crescendo
under t hese condit ions, or a genuine vibrat o, or making a fort e a
t rue fort e. But , unfort unat ely, no one is willing, as a rule, t o
spend t he t ime necessary t o give t wo individual t ones a more
brilliant and beaut iful fort e qualit y. I work more on t his t han I do
on Paganini oct aves. Take, in t he Brahms Concert o, t he first
movement , t he melodic passages, it would be impossible t o play
t hem as writ t en, wit h a beaut iful, rounded vibrat o t enut o, wit hout
t hree t o four years hard work. Any number of professional
players, however, t hink not hing of giving up t en years t o
acquiring Ernst or Paganini brilliancies; but when it comes t o
working at high speed on t he E st ring, bet ween t he fift h and
sevent h posit ion, for t he sake of art ist ic complet eness, t hey are
not willing t o make t he sacrifice.
THE VI BRATO AND SPI CCATO
The vibrat o, t o begin wit h, is one of t he great est of violinist ic
effect s; but most violinist s use it as Rembrandt does his dark
yellow backgrounds. I look on it as an accessory of expression,
which has t o be carefully graduat ed in it s use, like t he crescendo,
fort e or accelerando. There is a dramat ic and lyric vibrat o, each
differing in it s amount of speed and varying in degree of
amplit ude and t he lengt h of it s st roke, like t he pendulum of a
clock. At t imes a very rapid vibrat o gives j ust t he right t ouch t o
human and dramat ic expression, as in Lalos Symphonie
Espagnole; at ot hers t he slower lyric vibrat or , as in t he
Beet hoven Concert o, is most expressive. I t is best t o t hink of t he
vibrat o as a graduat ing means of expression. Then it s occasional
use for cont rast is very effect ive, and much t o be preferred t o t he
t errible cont inuous vibrat o which irrit at es t he nerves.
BOWI NG AND PRACTI CE HOURS
Which is t he most difficult bowing? To j udge by t he number of
t imes I have seen it missing in ot her violinist s I should say t he
spiccat o. Ninet y- five out of a hundred violinist s and I do not
exclude t he great est inst ead of a rounded, springing spiccat o,
use a species of nebulous dt ach. The spiccat o is anot her
variet y of bowing which must be developed by endurance st udy.
As t o t he hours of pract ice? Well, for a violinist st udying wit h a
mast er, or a professional violinist , at least four hours a day, and
not more t han six are necessary. I should not want an art ist pupil
st udying wit h me t o pract ice more t han five hours a day. As t o
t he virt uoso, he should never look at a wat ch. One or t wo hours a
day, according t o t he amount of reserve t echnique he has
acquired by working during his yout h, should suffice. On an
average, before st art ing on a seasons t our, I work from four t o
six hours a day for four or six weeks, more or less. I t all depends
on my repert oire. I may work night and day on a new concert o
and get it in shape in t hree weeks. On t our I pract ice regularly on
t he t rain in my st at eroom. I know t hat some violinist s do not
believe in daily work while on t our. But list en t o t heir playing,
especially t oward t he end of t heir season! I feel t hat t his daily
promenade on t he fingerboard is necessary and so I do not
neglect it .
VI OLI N MASTERY
Trut h, rat her t han mere beaut y, and it s perfect ed expression in
playing is my idea of violin mast ery. And t he t rut h cannot be
expressed wit hout a perfect ed t echnical base. The dynamics must
be worked out ; even t he det ails of lyric expression must be
worked out t echnically, while t he art ist ic vision is developed out
of t he art ist s own inspirat ion, and his reflex of t he analysis of t he
composers t hought and mood. And, above all, t o do j ust ice t o
violin playing in it s highest and noblest aspect s, t he art ist ic sense
of t rut h must not concede anyt hing t o t he difficult ies of t he
higher posit ions, which can be overcome by t he proper t raining in
endurance.

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The Teaching of Music: huberman.info
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The Teachi ng Of Musi c
War ni ng t o Par ent s
By Br oni sl aw Huber man,
The emi nent Pol i sh v i ol i ni st ,
At pr esent i n Sy dney
Musical educat ion generally and t he choice of a musical career
have suffered great ly from complet ely false supposit ions and
erroneous ideas. Probably t he great est mist ake of all is t he
assumpt ion by parent s t hat a childs reluct ance t o pract ise is sure
evidence of a lack of t alent .
I must confess myself t hat t o me pract ising can be a t errible
mart yrdom, and I remember t hat even Beet hoven and Weber
hat ed pract ising, and had t o be whipped t o t he piano. I st ill hat e
pract ising, as I have hat ed it all my life, but now, being an
advanced musician in age and in musical mat urit y, I have t he
ment al capacit y t o visualize t he link bet ween t his mart yrdom and
t he high aim of performing a composit ion as it should be
performed. Every hours pract ise brings me nearer t o my aim.
But one cannot expect t o find t his logic, and t he sat isfact ion t hat
comes from it , in a child.
I nf l ux Of Medi ocr i t y
What t hen is left of t he willingness t o pract ise, t he usual main
crit erion for musical t alent ? At t he best , diligence, a sense of dut y
and obedience t o t he parent s pract ically t he opposit e of t alent .
The linking of pract ice is, t herefore, not a quest ion of gift , but of
charact er. Perhaps t his wrong concept ion explains t he abundant
influx of mediocrit y int o music. Alt hough it may sound
paradoxical, it can be said wit h some cert aint y, t hat many of t he
mast ers choice of a profession was more decidedly influenced by
t heir fat hers pedagogic j udgment , or by t heir professional
musical act ivit ies ( t his giving a clearer percept ion of t he real
musical values) t han by t heir own creat ive genius. As examples, I
may ment ion Bach, Mozart , Beet hoven, Schubert , Chopin, Weber,
Rossini, Bizet , Brahms, Reger, Puccini, Johann St rauss, Busoni,
dAlbert Lowe, Elgar, Pfit zner, and Korngold, whose fat hers were
all musicians, school t eachers, and music t eachers.
Sav e The Amat eur s
Such were t he condit ions before t he coming of mechanizat ion.
Through t he ignorance of t heir parent s, born musicians were kept
away from, and unt alent ed ones were forced int o t aking up
music. But music was made in many homes wit h fingers of flesh
and blood, but oft en also wit h t he heart and mind. Today, you
only press a but t on t o sat isfy your desire for home music. I n
consequence, many parent s st op t heir childrens music lessons.
The Teaching of music
This art icle was writ t en for t he Sydney Morning Herald,
and published on 2 July 1937. Huberman discusses t he
import ance of amat eur music educat ion and t he dangers
of mechanized or recorded music.
Apart from t he financial sacrifices, t hey realize t he unnecessary
drudgery for a child who, besides having ordinary home work, is
urged t o miserable pract ising for years, wit h a result , which even
in t he best case cannot compare wit h t he ever - ready and easily
obt ained performance of a gramophone record or of a broadcast
concert .
And t here t he parent s are mist aken, as t hey have been since t he
creat ion of t his world. The enj oyment of list ening and t hat of
recit ing is about as different as t hat of seeing t he fruit and eat ing
it . Equally different is, of course, also t he relat ionship bet ween
man and music, it s influence on t he format ion of his soul and
charact er. But only t he few chosen art ist s, who have experienced
t he rapt ures and delight s of a self- performed Beet hoven quart et
or a Bach fugue, know of t he t rue revelat ion of music. Therefore,
t o t hese we address t he urgent call t o inculcat e in t heir children
an underst anding of music by t uit ion at an early age, and not t o
be dismayed by t he disinclinat ion of t he children or by t he
compet it ion of mechanized subst it ut es.
Cent r es Of Musi c
Why has Vienna ( and lat er on also Pet rograd) always been t he
principal cent er of music. Because in t hese t wo t owns, more t han
anywhere else, serious music was cult ivat ed in t he home, which
is t he only nat ural soil for art . This result ed in a subt le react ive
abilit y of t he music- loving public and in a st riking number of
geniuses given t o music since childhood.
The conservat ion of amat eurism on a high level is of t he ut most
import ance for t he propagat ion of t he professional musician. I n
pearl fishing one pearl will be found out of a t housand shells, and
likewise t here is only one genius among a t housand st udent s of
music. To increase t hem is t herefore in t he int erest of t he
breeding of musical geniuses. And pearl fishing among
amat eurs produces a surprising number of genuine pearls. This is
part icularly illust rat ed by t he hist ory of Russian music in t he 19t h
cent ury. Moussorgsky, Borodin, and Cesar Cui were musicians in
t heir calling, but Government officials or officers by profession.
Tschaikowsky, Rimsky- Korsakov, Glinka, Skiabin, and Balakirew
only in advanced years gave up t heir professions for music, which
so far t hey had only pract ised as a subordinat e occupat ion or as
amat eurs.
Compul sor y I n School s
Music should be made compulsory in schools and a cert ain
amount of musical knowledge and abilit y t o play should be
acquired by everybody. Just as languages are acquired for t he
expression of t he mind, so music should be st udied as a language
for t he expression of t he soul. But we must have clear ideas why
we wish children t o st udy music and what we hope t o achieve by
t hat st udy.
Languages, for inst ance, are generally only t aught from a broad
educat ional point of view, as a medium for bet t er underst anding
or appreciat ion of foreign lit erat ure, apart , perhaps, from t he
desire for easier communicat ion abroad. Too oft en, however,
t hose int ent on music ( or t heir parent s) , do not st rive aft er
deeper familiarit y wit h t he works of musical lit erat ure, or a
deepening of t heir underst anding for t he great creat ions, and for
t he int erpret ers of t his language of t he soul. Most of t hem have
only one aim t o recit e. Ot herwise t hey consider t ime spent on
music wast ed.
Nat urally, t his is quit e as absurd as if all former pupils of primary,
secondary, and public schools st art ed at t acking t he communit y
wit h lect ures in and on foreign languages, geography, et c. , or
else gave up educat ion alt oget her. The first aim in st udying
music must be an underst anding of t he vast lit erat ure of music
and t he full expression of ones deepest feelings. All cannot hope
t o be among t he great est , j ust as all school children cannot hope
t o be out st anding aut horit ies on t he subj ect s t hey learn at school.

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Interesting problems in music making: huberman.info
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I nt er est i ng Pr obl ems i n Musi c Mak i ng
A Conf er ence w i t h Br oni sl aw Huber man
I nt er nat i onal l y Renow ned Vi ol i ni st
Secur ed ex pr essl y f or t he Et ude by My l es
Fel l ow es
Bronislaw Huberman holds a unique place among t he worlds
great musicians. Beyond development of his own dist inguished
career - in which crit ics and public alike depend upon him bot h
for art ist ic performances of t he highest qualit y and penet rat ing
analyses of t he meaning of music - he has found t ime t o serve
humanit arian causes. Wit h t he cooperat ion of Albert Einst ein and
Toscanini, Huberman organized t he Palest ine Symphony
Orchest ra of refugee musicians. I n t he realm of int ernat ional
polit ics, he was one of t he guiding spirit s of t he movement for a
Pan- European federat ion of st at es, t he realizat ion of which would
undoubt edly have served t o prevent t he present cat ast rophic
war. A nat ive of Poland, Huberman began his art ist ic career as a
child prodigy. At t he age of nine, he played at t he Vienna
I nt ernat ional Exhibit of Music wit h such success t hat he was
immediat ely summoned for a command performance before
Emperor Franz Josef. I n recognit ion of t he childs gift s, t he
Emperor present ed him wit h a violin. From Vienna, young
Huberman went t o Berlin and was accept ed as pupil by Joachim.
A year lat er, at t he age of t en, he launched upon his first
European t our. At t hirt een, he played Brahms Violin Concert o
for it s composer. Brahms, not oriously skept ical of infant
prodigies, ent ered t he hall in a bad mood. The child appeared;
as t he audience hailed him, Brahms scowled. At last t he Concert o
began. As t he pat t ern of t he work t ook shape under t he childs
fingers, Brahms face relaxed, soft ened. A look of incredulit y crept
int o it . Then, wit hout at t empt ing t o conceal his emot ion from t he
observant crowd, Brahms wiped t he t ears from his eyes. Among
t he many signal honors t hat have come t o Huberman was t he
decision of t he Cit y of Genoa t o place at his disposal Paganinis
violin.
Mr. Hubermans chief ent husiasm is t he cause of music it self; he
regards t he violin as but one of many means of serving t hat
cause. I n t he following conference, he makes an earnest plea for
t he special kind of music making which must inevit ably precede
any t rue florescence of art .
- Edit orial Not e.
Americas chief musical need, says Mr. Huberman, is a revival
of dilet t ant ism in t he best sense of t he word; t hat is, delight in
some personal expression of art . A review of t he import ant
epochs of musical hist ory - indeed, of t he hist ory of all t he art s -
shows us t he recurrence of a singular fact : each period of great
creat ive abilit y was bot h preceded and accompanied by a period
of marked amat eur act ivit y. There is a sound reason for t his. Art ,
unlike science, can never exist alone. I f t he laws of science are
discovered, it mat t er lit t le whet her or not t he general public
knows about t hem. Art , on t he ot her hand, needs more t han it s
creat ors; it needs an aware and sympat het ic group of plain
people t o receive it and, by t heir recept ion, t o st imulat e and echo
Bronislaw Huberman
Etude 1942
The American publicat ion Et ude, 1942.
t he creat ive art ist s. Art , essent ially a reflect ion of human dreams
and aspirat ions, is meant for people. And t he amat eurs who
approach it closely, not merely as passive audience but as act ive
part icipant s, are vit ally necessary t o art and art ist s alike.
I t is significant t hat most of t he great Russian composers began
t heir careers as amat eurs. I ndeed, it was precisely t his vivid
int erest in amat eur music making t hat enabled t he creat ive
spirit s t o assert t hemselves. I n my early t ours of Russia, I was
oft en amazed t o find bet t er performance st andards among some
amat eurs t han among many professionals of ot her count ries. I f
we wish t o hast en t he arrival of t ruly great American creat ion, we
must fost er t his same vivid int erest in personal music making
among persons who have no advant age t o gain from music
except t hat of pouring ones heart int o a beloved cause. I t is not
enough merely t o hear good music. Cert ainly, t he passive t aking
in of music is excellent ; it st imulat es t ast e and helps t o build
st andards. But it lacks t he values of act ive personal part icipat ion.
I n t he old days in Vienna, five hundred persons would fill t he
Boesendorfer Hall t o hear a concert . Of t hese, at least a hundred
could have played t he program t hemselves. That is a sound
proport ion t o maint ain bet ween passive and act ive music lovers.
Translat ing it int o our own t erms, it would mean t hat , of t he
hypot het ical million list eners who hear some not able broadcast ,
t wo hundred t housand should be able t o repeat t he program
t hemselves!
Personal Part icipat ion Above All
I have only admirat ion for t he many fine performances brought
by mechanical means t o audiences t hat might ot herwise hear no
music at all. But t he funct ion of mechanical music must be clearly
est ablished. I t should supplement personal music making - never
supplant it . I t will undoubt edly sound bet t er t o play t he
Mendelssohn Concert o in t he recording of a reliable art ist ; it is
bet t er for you t o play it yourself! I mperfect as t he performance
may be, it will nonet heless express act ive, living musical int erest .
Oddly enough, t his pot ent ially imperfect performance will also do
great er service t o t he larger development of music. At mosphere
and t radit ion are built only t hrough personal part icipat ion,
personal living wit h music. I well remember, in my own st udent
days, hearing musical amat eurs who were doct ors, lawyers,
business men, t ell of some point of int erpret at ion t hat an older
friend or relat ive had absorbed direct ly from Brahms. None of
t hese was a professional musician; yet all gave life t o t heir love of
music by personal part icipat ion - and so t he great t radit ion lived
on.
One of t he chief causes for t he decline of amat eur part icipat ion
lies in t he mist aken at t it ude of parent s t hat only gift ed children
should st udy music. Then t hey proceed t o j udge of t he childs
t alent by his fondness for pract icing. Love of pract ice has not hing
t o do wit h musical apt it ude! Somet imes even t he reverse - by
very reason of his gift s, a highly musical child is oft en less
inclined t o t he orderly, met hodical habit s demanded by pract ice.
Beet hoven and Weber had t o be forced t o pract ice, oft en at t he
end of a cane! And no wonder. Pract ice is drudgery, part icularly
in it s early st ages when music as such has not yet ent ered t he
process and t he necessary drills are all purely mechanical. A
young art ist can say, I f I pract ice t his exercise now, it will help
me give a fluent rendit ion of t he Beet hoven Concert o in six
mont hs t ime. He will weigh values and decide for himself. But
we can hardly expect such logical t hinking in cause and effect
from a child of t en! He will see only t he drudgery of pract ice.
And, unless his parent s are very wise, t hey will misint erpret his
dist ast e for drudgery as a lack of musical abilit y. That is t he
danger.
Underst anding Fat hers
And yet t hey will not make t his mist ake in ot her fields - t hey will
t each t he child t o read and writ e regardless of his pot ent ial
apt it udes as a poet ! I t is significant t hat a large proport ion of
great art ist s had musical fat hers, who underst ood t hese init ial
difficult ies of pract ice and kept t heir sons at music st udy despit e
t hem. We may hear t hat such children inherit ed t he gift s of t he
fat hers. Nonsense! I n t he cases of Weber, Liszt , even Beet hoven,
t he gift s of t he fat hers were negligible. The root of t he mat t er is
t hat t hese fat hers underst ood t he many conflict s inherent in t he
met hodical preparat ion of a child for music, and dealt wit h t hem
int elligent ly.
Compulsory Early St udy
How, t hen, may one j udge of a childs inherent musical abilit y?
By t he pleasure he t akes in hearing good music; by his
spont aneous desire, not t o pract ice scales, but t o reproduce
melodies; by his pleasurable react ion t o playing ( again, not
necessarily pract icing! ) ; by t he relat ive degree of progress he
makes. Element ary music st udy should be as compulsory as
element ary t raining in reading and writ ing. Then, when t he first
st age has passed and individual apt it udes have had a chance t o
assert t hemselves, advanced st udy may safely be reserved for
t hose who deserve it . Unt il t hen, music st udy should have
not hing t o do wit h possible careers; as much at t ent ion, if not
more, should be given t o developing a reservoir of purely
amat eur part icipat ion, wit hout which t he best florescence of
art ist ic abilit y can never arrive.
Turning t o t he violin it self, Mr. Huberman believes t hat endurance
and int onat ion are among it s most int erest ing and import ant
problems.
I t oft en happens, he cont inued, t hat a difficult run goes quit e
well when pract iced out of it s cont ext , in t he quiet of t he st udy -
room - and t hen comes t hrough badly when t he piece is played in
it s ent iret y. This is especially t rue on t he concert plat form, wit h
it s at t endant circumst ances of increased emot ional st rain. The
reason for t his is accumulat ed fat igue. When t he difficult passage
is approached by it self, t he player comes freshly t o it and
concent rat es upon it ; when it occurs in it s cont ext , t he preceding
passages have already used up some of t he players reserve of
mechanical resist ance, and t his muscular exhaust ion of hand
makes t he passage seem doubly difficult . The solut ion is t o
pract ice for endurance as such, quit e as t he mount ain- climber
does before at t empt ing Mont Blanc. Train yourself for fat igue by
working at t he very passages which are muscularly t iring; by
playing t hem wit hin t heir cont ext ; by playing up t o t he fat igue
point . Then st op and begin t he process again, and so fort h. This
is part icularly valuable for passages t hat have already begun t o
go smoot hly. A common mist ake among st udent s is t o pract ice a
passage for it s difficult ies, and t hen t o leave it as soon as t hey
seem solved. The point at which t he difficult ies seem conquered
is exact ly where addit ional pract ice is necessary, in order t o build
up t hat import ant reserve fund of endurance, under all
circumst ances, wit hout which virt uoso t echnic is impossible.
Every count ry has t he government it deserves; every man has
t he friends he deserves; every art ist has t he t echnic he deserves
- no bet t er, no worse. I n ot her words, a mediocre t echnic means
t hat it s owner has not been driven by a sufficient ly st rong
spirit ual vision. I f he had been he would have been spurred on t o
acquire bet t er t echnic in order t o realize it ! This applies also t o
t one, since t one is simply one of t he t echnical means of
expressing music. I t is eminent ly personal because individual
charact erist ics of t one ( aft er t he normal groundwork has been
mast ered) depend first upon t he individual art ist ic vision of t he
performer and, in t he second place, upon his individual t echnical
abilit y t o bring t his vision t o life. A st rong enough inner vision of
how a composit ion should sound compels t he violinst t o st rive for
t he sort of t echnical means, including t one, t hat it s realizat ion
requires. Thus, t he highly individual charact er of t he demands a
player makes upon his t one, whet her consciously or
subconsciously, renders it difficult t o analyze t he t one in any
general way.
Some t eachers, for example, advice t he const ant use of t he
vibrat o, while ot hers regard it as a special means of varying t one
and advise t hat it be used, graduat ed, or omit t ed, as individual
passages demand. Again, some aut horit ies advocat e a long bow
for fort e passages and a short bow for piano effect s. On t he ot her
hand, ent irely different t onal qualit ies and carrying powers are
creat ed by varying t he bow; t aking a pianissimo in an allegret t o,
for inst ance, wit h a quick whole bow, and a subit o fort e wit h only
part of t he bow. Tone depends upon t hese and so many more
int ricat e det ails t hat t here is no one way t o det ermine it s
mechanical fundament als.
Right and left hands are equally import ant , alt hough t heir
funct ions are so different . One needs t o work longer - all ones
life! - at t he t echnical demands of left - finger fluency, while t he
powers of t he right hand depend more, perhaps, upon a good
foundat ion and sound met hodical t raining. Wit h pract ice and
experience, t he left hand might oft en find it s own way of solving
difficult ies; but if t he t raining of t he right hand is basically wrong,
even t he most gift ed violinist is handicapped in reaching his
musical goal.
I hesit at e t o prescribe exercises, because what one pract ices is
less import ant t hat how one pract ices it . However, I can
recommend playing scales in double st ops in t hirds. Such drill is
invaluable because it st rengt hens endurance and develops t hat
special sense of relat ivit y of t he fingers in t heir approach t o t he
fingerboard which I consider as indispensable t o t he solut ion of
t he most complex of all violinist ic problems: int onat ion.
I n t he last analysis, t hough, t he highly individual mat t er of how
t o pract ice can be det ermined only by t he t eacher. Which, by way
of conclusion, reminds me of t he t hree cat egories of t eachers!
First , t here are t hose who call at t ent ion t o fault s wit hout being
able t o correct t hem. I n second place are t hose who can point
out defect s and correct t hem by explanat ion and demonst rat ion
of t he right way - wit hout being able t o show t he pupil how t o
t ravel t hat right way. I n t he t hird place, t hen, come t he best
t eachers - t hose who can not only point out mist akes and
demonst rat e t heir correct ion, but who can t ake t he pupil by t he
hand and lead him along t he road of improvement .

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Literature: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/literature/[02/11/12 06:37:23]
Ar t i cl es
The St rad, 1904
Briefly recount s t he life of Huberman, including
his t ours of Europe and America.
A Biographical Sket ch, 1904
Small biography wit h quot es from Brahms,
Dvorak, et c.
Moderne Geiger 1912
Eugen Honold writ es on t he early life of
Huberman, and ment ions t he Guarneri bought
from Hill in London for 63 000 Marks.
St rad Magazine 1932
Percept ive int erview by Art hur
Herman. How does t he
int erpret at ive art ist creat ively
part icipat e in reproducing a musical work?
Huberman, and Nazi Germany
Hubermans correspondence wit h Furt wngler
culminat ed in his famous accusat ion of non- Nazi
German int ellect uals as being t hose who were
t ruly guilt y of Nazi crimes.
Newsweek 1934
Always int erest ed in innovat ion, for a while,
Huberman favoured a st eel st rung bow over t he
t radit ional horse hair.
Brahms fest ival 1934
Two phot ographs of Schnabel,
Huberman, Casals, and Hindemit h
rehearsing for t he Brahms fest ival
at Hubermans residence in
Vienna.
Violin st olen 1936
Hubermans St radivarius violin was st olen while
he was playing his Guarnerius onst age at
Carngie Hall.
Pict ure Post 1939
Sixt y phot ographs were originally
t aken for t his feat ure in Pict ure
Post , but only seven of t hem
finally ended up in print . The
art icle was writ t en before
I nt er v i ew s
De Amicis int erview, 1902
The famous I t alian writ er
Edmondo De Amicis t alks wit h t he
21 year old Huberman about his
early life and upbringing. Would
t wo years wit h Joachim have
dest royed his individualit y?
Et ude, 1912
The American magazine Et ude report s a lect ure
Huberman had given in Vienna on his t heories
of nat ural t alent and violin playing. The great er
t he t alent t he great er t he need for work!
Musical Observer 1921
Playing t o t he nouveaux riches, admirat ion for
Sergei Tanaeff, and disappoint ment in
Paganinis violin.
St ring Mast ery 1922
This int erview discusses in det ail
Hubermans ideas on t echnique,
pract ice, and t he key t o violin
virt uosit y. He finishes by st at ing
Trut h, rat her t han mere beaut y,
and it s perfect ed expression in
playing is my idea of violin mast ery.
Huberman on America, 1923
Huberman discusses America in t his art icle
published in The New York Times on 27 May
1923.
Rhyt hm and Folk music 1937
Rhyt hm as t he basis of musical expression, and
j ust ificat ion of a chosen t empo t hrough it s basis
in dance and folk music.
The Teaching of Music 1937
The import ance of amat eur music making and
it s relat ion t o t he professional musician. The
dangers of mechanized or recorded music.
Music for children 1937
Aft er describing t he mart yrdom of pract ise,
Huberman deplores t he fact t hat many children
no longer recieve any t uit ion in music.
Literature
Here you can read some of Hubermans t heories on art
and cult ure. His t echnical ideas are succinct ly summed up
in t he St ring Mast ery int erview, where he reveals t hat a
const ant vibrat o irrat at es t he nerves, admonishes t he
lack of spiccat o in his colleagues, and describes his ideal
of violin mast ery as t rut h, rat her t han mere beaut y .
Learn how he j ust ifies t hat a great musician does not
need any special t alent or gift !
Huberman began writ ing on t he Pan- European movement
in t he 1920s. I f you find t his boring, you are not t he only
one - as Hubermans secret ary wrot e, Even from Holland
it could happen t hat a reply on his int ent ion t o publish an
art icle about Pan- Europe was : t hey do not know what it
is and are not int erest ed t o learn about it .
Literature: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/literature/[02/11/12 06:37:23]
Huberman' s st rad was st olen in
1936.
Time 1942
Huberman played in Carnegie Hall for t he first
t ime since his violin was st olen.
Obit uaries 1947
Obit uaries from The New York Times, Time
Magazine, Et ude, and Current Biography.
Rosenbaum 1947
Rosenbaum.
Et ude magazine int erview 1942
Rhyt hm as t he basis of musical expression, and
j ust ificat ion of a chosen t empo t hrough it s basis
in dance and folk music.
Pan - Eur opa
Why I became a Pan- European
This art icle was published in t he American
publicat ion The Living Age, November 1925.
Huberman briefly discusses t he ideas t hat were
expanded in book form t hat same year.
Mein Weg zu Paneuropa
Published in Vienna, 1925.
Heavily influenced by his four
consect uive years of t ouring
America, Huberman came t o t he
conclusion t hat only t he
unificat ion of Europe could bring
t he cont inent t he minimum of
wealt h essent ial t o civilised life, and yet avoid
anot her inevit able war and bolshevism.
Vat erland Europa
Published in Berlin, 1932.
Whoever t hinks t hat t he polit ical
unificat ion of Europe will eliminat e
t he individual charact erist ics of
t he nat ions is in error . . . I would
be t he last t o preach a levelling
down of nat ional cult ures. Since
every aut hent ic art , when all is said and done,
has it s root s in t he nat ional soil.
The Pan- Europe problem
Lecut re of December 1937.
Where t here are borders t here are wars, and
t he necessit y for mass- product ion.
Bronislaw Huberman and t he Unit y of Europe by
Helmut Goet z
This essay by Helmut Goet z gives a good precis
of Huberman' s ideas on European polit ical
union. I t was first published in I t alian, in Rome,
1967.
Book s
Aus der Werkst at t des Virt uosen,
1912
Hubermans first book I n t he
workshop of t he Virt uoso cont ains
many annecdot es, and a
discussion of t opics as varied as
t he role of t echnique in music,
and t he commonplace of st upidit y.
His t eacher Joachim receives
part icular praise.
Elza Galafres - Lives, Loves, Loses
Elza married Huberman in 1911,
and her aut obiography gives an
int imat e account of t he privat e life
of t he great violinist .

Pal est i ne Sy m phony
Or chest r a
Palest ine Music Associat ion address
Speech of December 1934.
Not ret icent in his support of Zionism,
Huberman t hinks t hat West ern Civilizat ion is
based upon only t wo races - t he Jews and t he
Greeks. He also argues t hat t he Jews are
primarily responsible for t he European I ndust rial
Revolut ion, and t hat for cent uries t hey have
been t he deciding fact or in musical affairs.
Et ching c. 1910 by Emil Orlik

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The Strad 1904: huberman.info
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Br oni sl aw Huber mann
I t would be a very difficult mat t er t o show t hat London is not
what used t o be claimed for Bost on t he hub of t he ( musical)
universe; and he would be a bold man who at t empt ed t he t ask.
How many professional musicians act ually dwell in London I have
no idea. But it is pret t y safe t o say t hat every musician of any
real not e comes t o London sooner or lat er in his career
generally sooner, for t he idea st ill seems t o prevail t hat t he
met ropolit an st reet s are paved wit h gold which one has only t o
st oop t o pick up. This surely is t he reason why musicians, all and
sundry, flock over here in course of t ime. I t would be idle flat t ery
of ourselves t o imagine t he reason t o be t hat we, being t he most
musical of nat ions, make t he best audiences, and t hat t herefore
t he crowd of musicians aforesaid flock here for t he sheer
pleasure of playing t o us, and for not hing more! I f t hat were t rue
what an Arcadia t his London of ours would be. I fear it is t he
prospect of gold, not t he complacence of audiences t hat at t ract .
Be t his, however, how it may, it is t olerably cert ain t hat , as I
said, in due course of t ime every musician who is anybody as
t he phrase goes, comes t o London, and one who want s t o be
t horoughly au fait of what is going on in t he great er world of
pract ical musicians has only t o sit down quiet ly in London and
wait , and t he musicians will come t o him.
The wave of young violinist s which began t o roll over t he musical
world a few years ago leaving behind it Marie Hall, Kubelik,
Hegeds, Leonora Jackson, Francis Macmillen, Kocian, even lit t le
Franz von Vecsey and Florizel von Reut er, and t he rest of t he
crowd of geniuses, is st ill evident ly rolling along, sweeping up any
st ray geniuses t here may be in it s pat h and washing t hem up on
t he shores of t he Thames, ot herwise London concert rooms. Here
is our aut umn season hardly underweigh[ sic] ere t he
announcement is made of t he arrival among us of yet anot her
genius from t he apparent ly inexhaust ible st ore which modern
t imes have produced. The new genius is BRONI SLAW
HUBERMANN. His st ory is a simple one. On January 12t h, 1895, a
large audience was brought t oget her in Vienna t o hear t he
Queen of Song Adelina Pat t i, who on t he occasion was bidding
professional farewell t o t he Aust rian Capit al. At t he same concert
t here was announced t o appear a child violinist , aged t welve
years, of whom report had already spoken highly. Yet pract ically
not hing was known of t he lad. One who was present on t he
occasion said in print aft er t he concert t hat when lit t le
Hubermann had played his first solo a verit able delirium seized
t he audience. The lat e ( and very lament ed) Dr. Hanslick himself
said we had come t o salut e a st ar t hat was about t o disappear,
and we experienced t he agreeable surprise of seeing a new st ar
arise on t he horizon.
Bronislaw Hubermann was born in Warsaw on Sept ember 19t h,
1882. He was at first a pupil of I sidor Lot t o, likewise a nat ive of
Warsaw who had st udied in Paris under Massart , and at one t ime
had been Concert - meist er at Weimar. So rapidly did Hubermann
Bronislaw Hubermann
The Strad 1904
Briefly recount s t he life of Huberman, including his t ours
of Europe and America. The aut hor does not seem
part icularly int erest ed in violin playing.
The Strad 1904: huberman.info
progress in his st udies, t hat at t he age of t en he played one of
Spohrs numerous concert os in a public concert in his nat ive cit y,
and his success was so emphat ic t hat his parent s, act ing on t he
st rongest advice of t he cognoscent i , t ook him t o Berlin t hat
Joachim might hear him. Joachims verdict , t oo, was emphat ic;
he is report ed t o have declared t hat in t he whole cause of his life
he had never met wit h so precociously developed a t alent in a
mere child. I n Berlin Hubermanns st udies were super - int ended
by Joachim himself. From Berlin Hubermann went next t o Paris,
where he appeared at one of t he t eas given in t he Figaro
offices. This was in February, 1894, t he year in which he first
visit ed England as a prodigy. There again his success was
enormous, and led ult imat ely t o a great t our, or series of t ours
t hrough Aust ria and Germany and Russia, even t o and t hrough
t he Unit ed St at es of America. Carmen Sylva, Queen of
Roumania, most ent husiast ic of art ist ically inclined sovereigns,
ext ended her generous hand t o him, and t he Aust rian Emperor,
Franz Josef, present ed him wit h a violin. I n Vienna he gave a
series of a dozen concert s, and in t he New York Opera House no
less t han fourt een. On ret urning t o Europe Hubermann
disappeared t emporarily for t hree years, working hard all t he
while. On his reappearance in 1903 he gave t en successive
concert s in Vienna, six in Milan, seven in Turin, in Genoa four. I n
Genoa t he Municipal fat hers organized a fest ival in his honour
whose crowning point was t he performance by Hubermann on
Paganinis violin, which, as all t he world knows, is most carefully
guarded in a glass case in t he cit y museum t here. The invit at ion
t o t his fest ival ran t hus: On Sat urday t he 16t h ( May, 1903) , in
one of t he chambers of t he Town Hall, t he famous violinist ,
Hubermann, will make Paganinis violin resound. The undersigned
begs t he honour of your at t endance on t his occasion. The Mayor
( signed) G. B. Boraggini. This was all very well. When t he violin
had been removed from it s case, when t he seals had been
broken in presence of wit nesses, it was found t hat t he new
st rings were required and t hat t he bridge and t he pegs all needed
readj ust ment . The sounds produced were at first dull, but life
came at last and for an hour Hubermann played Bach, Schubert ,
Chopin and Paganini, and t hereby rendered his audience ecst at ic.
I n t he Archives of Genoa t he st ory is recount ed.
As an account of Hubermanns first concert t his season in London
will be found elsewhere I need say no more now t han merely
ment ion t hat it has rarely been my lot t o read so many fine
t est imonials and credent ials of any art ist as I have had placed at
my disposal in regard t o Bronislaw Hubermann, who from all
account s is a very fine art ist and a brilliant t echnician.
GAMBA.

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A Biographical Sketch: huberman.info
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A Bi ogr aphi cal Sk et ch
and some
Cont i nent al Pr ess Not i ces
on
HI S first appearance in public, when yet a child, only t welve
years of age, t ook place at Mme. Adelina Pat t is farewell concert
in Vienna on t he 12t h of January, 1895. Not hing was known
about him, no reput at ion preceded him t o Vienna. But t he
moment he appeared on t he plat form, and laid his bow on t he
st rings, t here arose from t he inst rument an exquisit e melody,
and t his virt uoso of t welve years at t acked t he most t rying
difficult ies of t echnique, which seemed as childs play under his
fingers. We had come, wrot e M. Hanslick ( t he famous musical
crit ic and professor of aest het ics in t he Universit y) , on t he
following day, t o salut e a st ar t hat was about t o disappear, and
we experienced t he agreeable surprise of seeing a new st ar arise
on t he horizon.
This young violinist , who had j ust made so sensat ional a debut , is
no ot her t han Bronislaw Hubermann. Born in Warsaw on 19t h of
Sept ember, 1882, Hubermann st udied at first wit h I sidore Lot t o,
an excellent mast er, formerly a pupil at t he Paris Conservat oire,
where he carried away in Massart s class t he first prize for violin
playing.
At t he age of t en Hubermann played in public, at Warsaw, a
Concert o by Spohr, wit h such success t hat his parent s were
advised t o t ake t he child t o Berlin in order t hat Joachim might
hear him. As soon as he heard him, Joachim declared t hat he had
never in his whole life met wit h such precocious and developed
t alent , and, as a proof of his admirat ion, t he great mast er agreed
t o superint end t he st udies of t his very yout hful pupil.
Aft er having st udied for some t ime in Berlin, Hubermann came t o
Paris, and it was under t he auspices of t he Figaro t hat he first
appeared in t he course of t he mont h of February 1894. We had
arranged a recept ion in honour of t his child prodigy, and many of
our friends can st ill recall t he impression of high art ist ic pleasure
which he creat ed. Next day we could wit hout fear predict for him
t he most brilliant career. I nfact , since t he famous concert at
Vienna, he at t ained success aft er success, proceeding t hrough
Aust ria, Germany, Russia and America everywhere fet ed and
everywhere acclaimed. He count s amongst his great est admirers
t he Queen of Romania ( Carmen Sylva) and t he Emperor Francis
Joseph, who present ed him wit h an exceedingly fine violin. I n
Vienna he had t o give a series of t welve concert s aft er his
sensat ional debut , and at t he New York Opera House he gave
fourt een. These det ails and figures are st rict ly accurat e, and for
t hose who know t he perils which virt uosi run, t hey speak more
Bronislaw Hubermann
A Biographical Sketch
This small biography wit h some int erest ing Cont inent al
quot es was published in England as a small booklet , as
well as in The Violin Times, November 1904.
The Neue Freie Presse int erest ingly compares Huberman
t o Joachim, a violinist who had similarit ies in st yle t o
Huberman.
A Biographical Sketch: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/literature/articles/biographical_sketch/[02/11/12 06:38:23]
eloquent ly t han mere words of praise.
Ret urning t o Europe, Hubermann was wise enough t o discont inue
his t ours. For t hree years not hing was heard of him. He was
working hard in ret irement , living in t he at mosphere of t he great
mast ers, so t hat when he reappeared in t he course of last year
wit h ripened t alent s he made a st ill great er sensat ion t han he
evoked at t he t ime of his debut . I n Vienna he was obliged t o give
t en concert s in succession, in Milan he gave six, in Turin seven,
and t he I t alian newspapers inform us t hat in t he last - named cit y
t he public wait ed for t he young virt uoso at t he door in order t o
carry him t o his hot el. I n Genoa, aft er giving four concert s, t he
Municipalit y issued invit at ions t o a fet e, and did him t he high
honour of asking him t o play on Paganinis celebrat ed violin,
which is carefully preserved in t he t own museum, and which had
not been t aken out of it s glass case since t he day when Sivori
played it at t he solemn fest ivals in commemorat ion of t he Union
of t he I t alian St at es.
Such is t he career of t his very young violinist .
Only a genius plays like t hat , wrot e Ant on Rubinst ein in
Hubermanns aut ograph album aft er his concert in Oct ober, 1892.
Young Hubermann is a real born musician, said Ambroise
Thomas aft er t he concert at t he Paris Conservat oire in January,
1893.
Brahms dedicat ed t he manuscript of his Violin Concert o as follows
: - To t he genial art ist , Bronislaw Hubermann, in friendly
remembrance of your highly pleased and grat eful list ener.
JOHANN BRAHMS
A dedicat ion by Ant on Dvorak on t he Symphony of t he New
World - I n friendly remembrance of t he lit t le, t hough great
art ist , B. Hubermann.
DVORAK.
The art of M. Hubermann makes a varied impression: it does not
merely charm, it surprises, it st irs one deeply. . . . Here is a
supreme t our de force. How can t he human fingers accomplish on
violin st rings t his miracle of dext erit y in t he expression of a
musical idea? How is such fingering possible, and by what
ext raordinary skill are t hese feat s made possible for t he ear of
t he list ener ? That is what I cannot underst and. ( Le Figaro) .
. . . The impression, which t he art ist produced, was deep. I n t he
execut ion of classical music t his genius reminds one of Joachim in
his freshest and most brilliant days. ( Neue Freie Presse) .
. . . Since t he days of Joachim and Wilhelmj , one has seldom or
never heard t he first movement of Beet hovens Concert o played
so maj est ically. ( Die Zeit ) .
How exquisit ely did Huberman bring out on t he G st ring t he
t ones of t he adagio of Brahms Sonat a. A sweet feminine voice
seemed t o arise from t he inst rument . ( Neues Wiener Tagbt at t ) .

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Moderne Geiger: huberman.info
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Moder ne Gei ger
Die Vgel, die so frh singen, frit am Abend die Kat ze", sagt das
Sprichwort . - Nun, Sprichwrt er sind eine schne Sache, aber sie
haben doch ihre zwei Seit en. Meist t reffen sie zu, manchmal aber
auch daneben. Aber an das oben angefhrt e Sprichwort mu ich
doch st et s denken, wenn ich von Wunderkindern hre. I n den
berwiegenden Fllen ist diesen musikalischen Treibhauspflanzen
nur ein kurzes Dasein in ihrer Kunst beschieden. Es gibt aber
Ausnahmen von der Regel des Sprichwort s bei produzierenden
und reproduzierenden Knst lern. Man braucht nur Namen wie
Mozart , Liszt , Joachim zu nennen. Es gibt doch musikalische
Begabungen, die von Anfang an so wurzel - und t riebkrft ig sind,
da sie die groen Gefahren des Wunderkindt ums berst ehen,
ohne Schaden zu nehmen.
Zu den Wunderkindern, bei denen die frhe Blt e auch wirkliche
Frcht e get ragen hat , gehrt Bronislaw Hubermann.
Er ist geboren am 19. Dezember 1882 in Czenst ochau bei
Warschau und von Nat ionalit t ein Vollblut pole. Sein Vat er war
Advokat , der dem Sohn Schulunt erricht durch Privat lehrer
ert eilen lie. Schon mit 6 Jahren bekam der Junge
Geigenunt erricht , und zwar zunchst durch zwei Schler des
Warschauer Konservat oriums, zuerst durch einen Namens
Michelowit z, der auch im Zirkus spielt e, dann durch den weit er
vorgeschrit t enen Rosen. Einige Monat e geno er darauf auch die
Unt erweisung I sidor Lot t os, des weit hin bekannt en in Warschau
ansssigen Knst lers, der aber nicht der recht e fr ihn war, da er
ihn mit Paganini berhuft e. I m Mai 1892 kam der noch nicht
Zehnj hrige nach Berlin und in die At mosphre Joachims, dem er
oft vorspielt e, ohne j edoch sein Schler zu sein. Doch nach 6
Monat en schon verlie er die Reichshaupt st adt flucht art ig. Er floh,
nicht et wa aus Uebermut oder weil er keiner Lehrer mehr bedurft
ht t e, sondern weil er sich zu dem Kreis um Joachim nicht st ellen
konnt e. Jet zt bernahm der ausgezeichnet e russische Geiger
Gregorowit sch eine Zeit lang den Unt erricht . Auf spt eren
Konzert reisen geno er dann noch vorbergehend
Unt erweisungen von Hugo Heermann und Marsick in Paris.
Man sieht , da Hubermann einen eigent lichen Lehrer, der ihm
eine vollkommene Ausbildung gegeben ht t e, gar nicht gehabt
hat . Er hat sich vielmehr zum groen Teil aut odidakt isch
ausgebildet .
Man sieht da Hubermann einen eigent lichen Lehrer, der ihm
eine vollkommene Ausbildung gegeben ht t e, gar nicht gehabt
hat . Er hat sich vielmehr zum groen Teil aut odidakt isch
ausgebildet .
I m Alt er von 7 Jahren t rat er zum erst en Male in Warschau mit
einem Spohrschen Konzert vor die Oeffent lichkeit . So weit hat t e
er es nach einj hrigem St udieren gebracht , gewi ein Beweis
einer nicht gewhnlichen Begabung fr die Geige. I m Herbst 1893
begab er sich auf Konzert reisen, die ihn nach Holland, Belgien,
Hofphot . E. Bieber,
Berlin
Moderne Geiger
Moderne Geiger published 1912, by Eugen Honold.
Frankreich und England fhrt en. Dann kam das Konzert , das ihn
ber Nacht zur Berhmt heit macht e. Am Abend war er noch ein
immerhin wenig bekannt es j unges Geigerlein, am andern Morgen
ein St ern am Geigerhimmel. Es war das Konzert am 22. Januar
1895 das er in Wien mit Adelina Pat t i gab und in dem er die Rolle
des Lckenbers zu spielen hat t e. Er erregt e solchen
Ent husiasmus, da er nacheinander 12 Konzert e in Wien geben
konnt e. Die Weihen fr seine Knst lerschaft , um seinen eigenen
Ausdruck zu benut zen, bracht e ihm die I nt erpret at ion des
Brahms- Konzert s, das er ihm Jahr darauf, im Frhling 1896 in
Wien auf seinem Konzert programm hat t e. Brahms war selbst im
Konzert , hrt e zu und schaut e recht brbeiig drein. Nach der
Kadenz im erst en Sat z sah der Geiger sich um und erblickt e
Brahms, der sich im Angesicht der zweit ausendkpfigen Menge
die Trnen abwischt e. Nach dem Konzert kam Brahms ins
Knst lerzimmer und umarmt e den j ungen Knst ler mit den
Wort en: "Wie haben Sie mein Konzert gespielt ! " Hubermann
st ammelt e einige Wort e des Dankes dafr, da der Meist er sein
Konzert beelirt habe. "Ach was! " sagt e Brahms, der sehr
aufgerumt war. "Sie haben mein Konzert beehrt . " Hubermann
bat ihn um die Erlaubnis, ihn aufsuchen und sich ein Aut ogramm
holen zu drfen und erhielt sie auch mit der launigen Bemerkung:
"Das Aut ogramm kriegen Sie aber nur nicht unt er einen
Wechsel. " Der Geiger macht e seinen Besuch und erhielt von
Brahms sein Bild mit der Widmung: "Dem genialen Bronislaw
Hubermann zur freundlichen Erinnerung an I hren hchst
vergngt en und dankbaren Zuhrer Johannes Brahms. " I m
Verlauf der Unt erhalt ung bat Hubermann den Meist er, er mcht e
eine Fant asie fr Geige schreiben. Brahms ging bereit willig darauf
ein mit den Wort en: "Ja, ich schreibe I hnen eine Fant asie, wenn
sie mir nur nicht ausgegangen ist . " Ein paar Monat e darauf war
er t ot .
Ausgedehnt e Konzert reisen fhrt en den Knst ler kreuz und quer
durch den Kont ingent . Heut e ist er eine europische Gre. I m
Jahr 1910 verheirat et e sich Hubermann mit der bekannt en
Schauspielerin Elsa Galafres. Der Ehe ist ein reizendes Shnehen
ent sprossen.
Wer das Geigenkonzert von Brahms so spielen kann, da der
Schpfer selbst seine Herzensfreude daran hat , der mu ein
begnadet er Musiker sein. Und das ist Hubermann. Es ist nicht zu
verwundern, da er nach dem fr ihn gewalt igen Eindruck der
Begegnung mit den groen Johannes sich mit besonderer
Vorliebe und glhender Hingabe dem St udium der Brahmssehen
Musik, speziell auch der Geigensonat en, dieser drei Gipfelwerke
ihrer Gat t ung, zuwandt e. Er t at alles uerlich Virt uose von sich
ab und warf sich auf die I nt erpret at ion der klassischen
Violinmusik. Brahms, Beet hoven, Mozart , Schubert und
Schumann st ellen ihm Auf gaben, in denen er sich am liebst en
und erfolgreichst en bet t igt . Sein feines, sicheres St ilempfinden
bemeist ert die Geigenkonzert e mit derselben wohlt uenden
inneren Wrme wie die Sonat enwerke. Das Tschaikowsky- Konzert
lt er ebenfalls gerne ab und zu hren und wei ihm nament lich
in den Kant ilenenst ellen echt nat ionales Geprge aufzudrcken.
Modernem Schaffen gegenber verhlt er sich bis j et zt noch
ziemlich ablehnend. Das ist schade, denn er wrde sich fr
manche modernen Sachen ganz besonders eignen. So wt e ich
kaum einen geeignet eren Ausdeut er der ganz wundervollen,
melodisch wie harmonisch hchst bedeut enden und eigenart igen
Violin- Klaviersonat e in e moll op. 24 von Silvio Lazzari oder der
sehr reizvollen Sonat e vom dem frh verst orbenen und so
hoffnungsvollen Guillaume Lken. Es wre sehr zu wnschen, da
Hubermann derart ige neue Werke in seine Violin- Klavierabende
aufnehmen mcht e, in denen er den best rickenden Zauber seiner
reichen Musiker - und Geigernat ur am eindrucksvollst en ent falt et .
Abkehr und Abwehr zeit genssischem Schaffen gegenber hat
sich noch bei j edem reproduzierenden Knst ler in irgend einer
Weise gercht .
Seine Zugehrigkeit zur Ext raklasse der Geiger zeigt auch er in
einem hchst individuellen Ton der sich von dem der anderen
wirklichen Geigengren sinnfllig unt erscheidet . Sein
Charakt erist ikum ist das Sensit ive, das sich doch von j eder
Weichlichkeit fernhlt . Er ist darum vorzugsweise ein Held der
Kant ilene und dabei wieder vorzugsweise Mollheld. Eine
besondere Eigenart seines Spieles ist , da es at met , fhlbar
at met . Man sprt das belebende At men des Knst lers so deut lich,
da man den Eindruck wie vom Snger bekommt . Und in der Tat
hat Hubermann, wie er selbst zugibt , viel von groen Sngern
und Sngerinnen wie et wa Jean de Rezke, Planon, Melba, gelernt
und lt heut e noch keine Gelegenheit , einen bedeut enden
Sanges knst ler zu hren und an ihm zu st udieren, vorbei. Um
gekehrt haben auch ihm wie mir erst e St erne des Gesanges
gesagt , da sie mit Vorliebe auch von groen Geigern lernen. I ch
schnit t im Gesprch mit Hubermann diese belebende und
segensvolle Wechselwirkung einmal an und er bet ont e da darin
ein noch lange nicht gengend ausgent zt es St udienelement fr
beide Teile liege, dem er persnlich besonders viel verdanke. So
merkt , man denn auch seinem Ton an, da er vom Snger
herkommt , diesem zwar nicht robust groen, aber schlank und
edel gewachsenen, hchst kult iviert en und feinnervigen Ton so
voller Seele. Sein Legat o ist von wahrst em Adel und schnst er
Wlbung. I n seinem Ton liegt die ganze innige Hingabe an seine
Kunst . Er spielt , was er spielt , grundmusikalisch und hchst
t emperament voll. Die persnliche Frbung seines Spiels ist st et s
knst lerisch sicher gegrndet und art et nie in Eigen willigkeit aus.
Ueberflssig, zu sagen, da der Feinschliff seiner Technik
hchst en Anforderungen st andhlt . Den Bogen beherrscht er in
selt enem Grade und mit berlegener Ruhe, so da er t iefes
musikalisches Erfassen mit schwungvoller Eleganz vereinen kann.
Er nennt eine der schnst en St radivarigeigen sein eigen die schon
in ihrem Aeueren eine Rarit t ist . Es ist eine rot lackiert e aus
dem Jahr 1713 von selt en schner Erhalt ung Sie besit zt
ausgesprochen dunkeln. warmen. glanzvollen Ton und wurde von
ihm im Jahre 1911 in London um den hohen Preis von 63 000 M.
Von Hill erst anden. Als Reserve geige hat er eine hbsche Josef
Guarneri del Ges der mit t leren Periode ( 1733) .
Wenn auch die kleine, schmcht ige Gest alt des Knst lers mit dem
et was gekrmmt en Rcken nicht gerade ansehnlich genannt
werden kann. so weisen doch der umfangreiche Schdel, der
ganze, gut ausgearbeit et e Kopf mit der ziemlich groen Nase auf
et was Besonderes hin: der int elligent e Ausdruck des Gesicht s, das
liebenswrdig einfache Wesen nehmen sofort ein und in dem
Vermgen hchst anregenden Gesprchs offenbart sich derselbe
Zauber der Persnlichkeit wie in seinem Musizieren. wie in
seinem Musizieren.
Noch sei angemerkt , da er einer der Bevorzugt en war die die
auf dem Rat haus in Genua zusammen mit der Sivori sehen
St radivari in einem Glasschrank schlummernde Guarnerigeige
Paganinis fr eine St unde zu klingender Leben erwecken durft e.
Er fand sie t onlich noch recht gut wenn auch lange nicht so
bedeut end wie er erwart et hat t e.
Das Charakt erbild des geist ig ungemein regsamen Knst lers wre
nicht ganz vollendet , wenn ich bergehen wrde, da er sich
auch hin und wieder zu anderer als musikalische Bet t igung
gedrungen fhlt . So hat er vor einiger Zeit in Wien einen viel
bemerkt en Vort rag gehalt en, der inzwischen in Form einer
Broschre erschienen ist , worin er anregend. Wort e ber das
Wesen des Geigenspiels und vornehmlich ber die Psychologie
des reproduzierenden Talent s fand. Er st ellt e dabei die sehr
beacht enswert e Theorie von der "allgemeinen Begabung" des
wirklichen Talent s auf und verneint die Exist enz einer speziellen
Begabung. Die Se nach der das Talent zur Bet t igung
durchbreche, sie oft genug Zufallssache. So ist j a Hubermann
selbst nur per Zufall Geiger geworden. Er wurde, als von Anfang
an hchst musikalisch zum Musiker und zwar zum Pianist en
best immt . Da aber seine Elt ern ein Klavier nicht erschwingen
konnt en gaben sie ihm eine Geige in die Hand und so wurde er
Geiger. Die Ansicht Hubermanns, da j emand, der auf einem
Spezial gebiet Bedeut endes leist e vermge seiner
Gehirnbeschaft en lieit unt er der Vorausset zung des
Vorhandenseins einer gewissen seelischen und krperlichen
Eignung auch auf vielen anderen Gebiet en sich erfolgreich
bet t igen knne, hat j edenfalls viel fr sich. Ganz besonders
dann, wenn es sich um wesensverwandt e oder naheliegende
Gebiet e handelt .
Eugen Honold ( Dsseldorf) .

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Strad magazine: huberman.info
Br oni sl av Huber man.
By Ar t hur Her man.
Bronislav Huberman, one of t he t owering musical personalit ies of
our t ime, was born in t he lit t le Polish t own of Czenst ochaus, on
December 19t h, 1882. He began t o st udy t he violin at t he age of
six, his early inst ruct ors begin Milhalowicz, Rosen and Lot t o. His
fat her was a barrist er of moderat e means who left no sacrifice
unt ried in order t o give t he boys t alent free room for unfoldment .
The glamorous t eacher of t hat period was Joseph Joachim in
Berlin, and so Bronislav, at t he age of nine, was brought t o t he
mast er for inst ruct ion.
Dismayed t o find himself more oft en t aught by Joachims pupil,
Markees, t han by Joachim himself, t he young Huberman st udied
at t he same t ime in secret wit h Grigorovit ch. I t is t o Grigorovit ch
t hat he at t ribut es what ever he may have learned from t eachers
generally. Before eight mont hs had passed, Bronislav had fled
from Berlin, first t o Heermann in Frankfort , t hen t o Marsick in
Paris. Flight from t he Olympian Joachim? None could underst and.
I t is only now t hat Huberman reveals how st ifling t o him was t he
at mosphere of pedant ic academicism t hen infest ing Berlin, how
galling were t he chains of dust y scholast icism t o a nat ure longing
for individualist ic expression. For Joachim, t he unparalleled
int erpret er of t he classics, Huberman has only t he most
affect ionat e reverence; his st rict ures are direct ed solely against
t he blight of pedant ry under which t he musical Berlin of t hat era
appeared t o live.
Aft er a brief int erlude wit h Heermann and Marsick, t here followed
t he beginning of t hat concert ising career t hat has carried
Huberman t o t he pinnacle upon which he st ands t o- day. He
played in Holland and Belgium, in Paris, London and Berlin.
Finally, in Vienna, came t he moment t hat sealed his renown for
ever. I n January, 1895, he appeared in concert wit h Adelina Pat t i.
The Viennese t hereaft er could not have enough of him; he was
forced t o give t welve successive recit als t o sold- out houses.
Recent ly ( November 14t h, 1931) , nearly t hirt y- seven years
aft erwards, t he Viennese proved t hat t ime had only fort ified t heir
loyalt y; t hey filled t he concert - house t o overflowing and
acclaimed him for t he t rut h, t he beaut y and t he purit y of his art .
Among ot her composit ions, he performed t he Brahms Concert o,
t hat concert o which, at t he age of t hirt een, he had played before
Brahms himself wit h such ast ounding virt uosit y and mat urit y as
t o bring t ears t o t he eyes of t he great composer.
These, in brief, are t he fact s which form t he hist ory of t he out er
man. What of t he inner Huberman, his art ist ic ideals, his vision of
life? Much is revealed by his adorat ion of Beet hoven, whose
works he performs wit h t ender love and profound underst anding.
He hears in Beet hovens music t he accent s of humanit y it self
speaking; it is music t hat goes t hrough and beyond mere art ifice,
t hrough and beyond art it self, so as t o become a sublimat ed
embodiment of mankind and of t he relat ions bet ween man and
Bronislaw Huberman
phot o Lipnit zki, Paris
Strad Magazine 1932
Huberman was int erviewed by Art hur Herman for t he
February 1932 issue of St rad magazine. He lat er said
t hat he very much appreciat ed t his biographical art icle. .
man. These are t he values t hat Huberman himself demands
impat ient ly of all art . Aft er Beet hoven, Brahms speaks t o him
next int imat ely; for he sees in Brahms a synt hesis of t he human
and t he t ransfigured sensual, followed oft en by a conscious
renunciat ion of impulsive longings, t hough not as disavowal but
as resignat ion, expiat ion and forgiveness. Bachs music is t o
Huberman loft y but dist ant , symbolizing t he relat ionship of man
wit h God.
Huberman will not admit t hat t he int erpret at ive art ist plays only a
passive mediat ory role. On t he cont rary, t here are t wo aspect s in
which he part icipat es in a creat ive process. First , in his
reproduct ion of a musical work, he must make t he list ener feel
t he art ist s experience of t he moment . Secondly, he must make
t he list ener aware of t he inner st orms and birt h- pangs which
buffet ed t he composer in t he act of creat ion. The reproducing
art ist , however, is obligat ed t o a sacred respect for t he int ent ions
of t he composer, which he may deduce from a t housand indicia,
large and small, out er and inner, such as t he t empo marks, t he
harmonizat ion and t he orchest rat ion. Huberman perceives in
every t iny change of modulat ion t he search of t he composer aft er
new dict ion and new art iculat ion. He wit hdraws t he whole
problem of rubat o playing from t he sphere of caprice or mood
and makes it dependent solely upon t he charact er of a
composit ion in respect of t he individual t urns of expression.
Huberman maint ains t hat one must always accent uat e t he
composers int ent ions and not weaken or level t hem as do many
musicians who are eit her t imid or emot ionally povert y- st ricken.
He seeks t he balance bet ween a st yleless virt uosit y and a
meaningless aust erit y. The t rue t ouchst one is emot ion; reason,
int elligence, display and analysis must assume secondary roles.
Not hing is more int erest ing and charact erist ic t han t he manner in
which Huberman approaches a new work for his repert oire. He
st udies it for a comparat ively long t ime, less by consciously
busying himself wit h it t han by permit t ing it t o seep int o and
mat ure wit hin his subconsciousness. No mat t er how t horough his
t heoret ical underst anding of t he new composit ion may be, he will
never invest it wit h art ificial at t ribut es of emot ion but will wait
unt il t he day when t he emot ion becomes st ronger t han himself
and t akes cont rol. I must live t he piece before I can play it
beaut ifully, he said. That moment may come when I am playing
it upon t he st age for t he first , t he fift h or t he t ent h t ime; but if it
does not come, I discard t he composit ion, no mat t er what pains
it s mast ery may have cost me. I n t his, as in every phase of his
art , Huberman discloses his aust ere, uncompromising int egrit y.
A new aspect of t he man has come t o light during t he last few
years, t hough we are j ust ified by t he consist ent idealism of his
personalit y in calling it a new- old aspect . This is his almost
myst ic absorpt ion in t he movement for a Pan- Europa. The
following incident will illust rat e t he measure of his devot ion t o it .
Recent ly, in Budapest , Huberman had occasion t o feat ure t he
Suit e for violin and piano by t he Russian, Sergei Taneiev ( 1856-
1915) . He prefaced his playing by t he following remarks t o a
crowded concert - hall: The composit ion of Taneiev t hat you are
now about t o hear is, in my opinion, t ruly significant music
powerful, original, romant ic. I t is quit e a different sort of
romant icism from t hat of Tchaikovsky, t hough a cert ain Russian
romant icism is present bot h here and in t he Tchaikovsky Violin
Concert o. The Taneiev Suit e is built upon t he might y up- beat
chord wit h which t he work begins. The marvelous t hing is t hat
each movement if emot ionally an independent composit ion and
yet fit s int o t he whole wit h wondrous consonance. I t is as if t he
powerful, reconciling, t ranscendent al spirit of music, in t his case
t he spirit of Taneiev, hovered over t he emot ional connect ion of
t he individual part s. Then Huberman smiled and made a broad,
unifying gest ure. I t is, he cont inued, as if a loft y, reconciling
spirit were seeking t o unit e all t he list eners; t he work you are
about t o hear is t herefore like Pan- Europa.
There followed applause, t hunderous, incessant . Huberman was
surprised. Hungary was never before known t o be favourable t o
t he Pan- European idea. Was t his merely a t ribut e t o a great
art ist , a smiling indulgence of his hobby in devot ing himself
heart and soul t o t he ideal of Pan- Europa? Or were t he
Hungarians becoming recept ive t o t he t hought it self? Huberman
did not seem t o know, t hough he said he would be happy if only
a part of t he applause was int ended for t he movement for a
European Union, because t his Union meant t he salvat ion of our
cult ure, of our souls, of all t he t hings t hat really mat t er.
I t is impossible t o doubt t he sincerit y of Hubermans consecrat ion
t o t he concept of Pan- Europa. I n recent years, he has given
generously of his t ime, his means and his spirit t o a furt herance
of t he movement . What has he t o gain by a pret ence of
devot ion? His place as an art ist and his firm hold upon t he
masses have been assured for decades; no more glamour is t o
be won by a false assumpt ion of idealism. I t would be unwort hy
t o look for frivolous or quest ionable mot ives in conduct so deeply
t hought out and felt , conduct so ut t erly consist ent wit h what ever
we know of his int ellect ual and spirit ual life in t he past . I t should
be clear now why Beet hoven is t he sublime obj ect of his
venerat ion, t hat Beet hoven whose music rarely left off
proclaiming wit h poignant ecst asy: Seid umschlungen, Millionen!
Diesen Kuss der ganzen Welt ! . . . I f Huberman has given t o
Pan- Europa, he has also received from it . No man can offer
himself selflessly t o a humanit arian ideal wit hout drawing from it
a more grandiose vision of life, a height ening of his spirit ual
processes.
I n a let t er t o Madame Von Meck, Tchaikovsky once had t his t o
say about t he meaning of music: Music is indeed t he most
beaut iful of all Heavens gift s t o humanit y wandering in t he
darkness. Alone it calms, enlight ens, and st ills our souls. I t is not
t he st raw t o which t he drowning man clings; but a t rue friend,
refuge and comfort er, for whose sake life is wort h living.
Bronislav Huberman, whose violin sings t he lonely and t orment ed
accent s of t he Russian mast er as few in our t ime, would find in
t hese words his own approach t o his art . Humanit y wandering in
t he darkness. He, like Tchaikovsky, views in such t erms t he
drama of mankind. There is, he has said, not hing higher, more
conclusive, more int erest ing, more gripping and more profound
t han man wit h his t ragic dest iny. I t is because his playing is
charged wit h t his awareness t hat Huberman has been able t o
make so universal an appeal.
The readers of THE STRAD will be int erest ed t o know t hat
Huberman possesses an out st anding St radivari ( 1713) , an
arrest ing Joseph ( 1734) , and five Tourt e bows. He purchased t he
Joseph a year ago and now plays upon it exclusively. That violins,
t oo, have t heir dest inies is shown by t he fact t hat Hubermans
t wo inst rument s belonged, years ago, t o t he same possessor and
lay in t he same case. Aft er differing vicissit udes, t hey are now
reunit ed and rest once more side by side.
Unlike most violinist s who look upon t heir violins as mere
inst rument s for self- expression, Huberman is searchingly and
humbly int erest ed in t he art of t he great I t alian violin creat ors.
I n my marriage of over fort y years t o t he violin, he said, I am
st ill t he lover, st ill capable of uncovering t he new and t he
unexpect ed in my beloved. These are wise, modest words. He
knows he will never probe t he ult imat e secret s of his St radivari
and his Joseph.

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Huberman and Nazi Germany: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/literature/articles/nazi_germany/[02/11/12 06:39:53]
I n April 1933, knowing t hat a general cancellat ion of t he decrees
banning Jews from public act ivit y could no longer be expect ed,
Furt wngler int erceded personally wit h propoganda minist er
Goebbels t o obt ain exempt ions for cert ain figures. Hence, on June
29t h 1933 t he following decree was issued:
I n t he cent re of our musical life, must be t he
cult ivat ion of great German music. But t hat does not
mean t hat t he music of t he world out side Germany
is not t o cont inue t o be represent ed and enabled t o
exercise t he product ive value of it s suggest iveness
for us, Germans The same principle is t o apply t o
art ist s. First , must come German art ist s, but , in
music as in every art , t he achievement must always
remain t he deciding fact or. Every t rue art ist must
perform in Germany and must be able t o be j udged
by t he measure of his capacit y. The commission set
up by t his Decree is t he only aut horit y ent rust ed
wit h t he decision in quest ions of programmes in t he
musical life of Prussia
The day aft er, Furt wngler wrot e t o Huberman.
Dear Friend, t he enclosed Memorandum was
issued yest erday by t he Government and, as you
must admit , it is now plainly laid down t hat every
art ist , no mat t er what his race or nat ion, may
perform and has got t o perform in Germany. The
moment t his was published I t old t he Depart ment
t hat I was going t o negot iat e wit h you. I n deciding,
please bear in mind all t he point s t hat we have
discussed. Someone must make t he first move t o
break down t he barrier. Let me have a word from
you soon.
Yours, et c. ,
Wilhelm Furt wngler
Huberman replied in a let t er of 10 July t hat was event ually
published in several nat ional papers in Sept ember 1933:
Dear Friend,
Permit me first of all t o express my admirat ion for
t he fearlessness, det erminat ion, t enacit y and sense
of responsibilit y wit h which you have conduct ed your
campaign begun in April for rescuing t he concert
st age from t hreat ening dest ruct ion by racial
purifiers. When I place your act ion t he only one,
by t he way, t hat has led t o a posit ive result in t he
Germany of t oday alongside t hat of Toscanini,
Paderewski and t he Busch brot hers, all of which
sprang from t he same feeling of solidarit y and
concern for t he cont inuat ion of our cult ure, I am
seized wit h a feeling of pride t hat I , t oo, may call
myself a musician. Precisely t hese models of a high
sense of dut y, however, must prevent all our
colleagues from accept ing any compromise t hat
Huberman and Nazi Germany
might endanger t he final goal. Alt hough t he
government s declarat ions, which owe t heir origin t o
you, may represent t he maximum of what may
present ly be at t ained, yet , unfort unat ely, I cannot
accept t hem as sufficient for my repart icipat ion in
German concert life. My at t it ude is based on t he
following fundament al obj ect ive human and et hical
considerat ions.
The government deems it necessary t o emphasize
t he select ive principle of highest achievement as t he
decisive one for music, as for every ot her form of
art . This underscoring of somet hing t hat ought t o be
self- evident would be meaningless if it did not imply
a det erminat ion t o apply t he principle of select ion on
a racial basis a principle t hat it is impossible t o
underst and t o all ot her realms of cult ure.
Moreover, t here is a wide gap bet ween t he
announcement of t he principle of achievement
arbit rarily limit ed t o art and it s pract ical applicat ion
a gap t hat simply cannot be bridged. For included
in t he general concept of t he advancement of art
are, first and foremost , t he inst it ut ions of learning
and art collect ions. As far as t he special realm of t he
furt herance of t he art of music is concerned,
municipal and St at e opera houses are an essent ial
fact or; yet no case has come t o my at t ent ion of t he
int ended reinst at ement of t hose museum direct ors,
orchest ra conduct ors and music t eachers who were
dismissed on account of t heir Jewish origin, t heir
differing polit ical views or even t heir lack of int erest
in polit ics. I n ot her words, t he int ent ion of t he
relat ively narrow and special field of t he concert or
recit al is t o be rest ored t o t he free compet it ion of
t hose real art ist s who are t o fill t he concert hall.
And as every concert of import ance is connect ed
wit h ext ensive int ernat ional publicit y, while t he
research specialist or t eacher can only on rare
occasions appear before t he public wit h t he result s
of his work, it is quit e conceivable t hat t he few
foreign or Jewish art ist s who have been asked t o
assist at such concert s might be used as argument s
t hat everyt hing is well cult urally in Germany. I n
realit y, German t horoughness would cont inue t o find
ever - new definit ions for racial purit y and apply t hem
t o t he st ill immat ure st udent of art in t he schools,
laborat ories, and so fort h.
I am confident , of course, t hat you, honored friend,
would regret such a result quit e as much as would
t he maj orit y of German concert goers.
There is, however, also a human- et hical side t o t he
problem. I should like a definit e rendering of music
as a sort of art ist ic proj ect ion of t he best and most
valuable in man. Can you expect t his process of
sublimat ion, which presupposes complet e
abandonment of ones self t o ones art , of t he
musician who feels his human dignit y t rodden upon
and who is officially degraded t o t he rank of a
pariah? Can you expect it of t he musician t o whom
t he guardians of German cult ure deny, because of
his race, t he abilit y t o underst and pure German
music? At t he same t ime t hey deliberat ely keep
silent , on t he one hand, concerning t he half - Jewish
origin of Richard Wagner, which has now been
proved beyond peradvent ure of doubt , and, on t he
ot her hand, concerning t he hist oric role played by
Mendelssohn, Ant on Rubinst ein, Hermann Levi,
Joseph Joachim, and so fort h.
You t ry t o convince me by writ ing, Some one must
make a beginning t o break down t he wall t hat keeps
us apart . Yes, if it were only a wall in t he concert
hall! But t he quest ion of a more or less t han
aut horit at ive int erpret at ion of a violin concert o is but
one of numerous aspect s and, God knows, not t he
most import ant one behind which t he real problem
is hidden. I n realit y it is not a quest ion of violin
concert os nor even merely of t he Jews; t he issue is
t he ret ent ion of t hose t hings t hat our fat hers
achieved by blood and sacrifice, of t he element ary
precondit ions of our European cult ure, t he freedom
of personalit y and it s uncondit ional self-
responsibilit y unhampered by fet t ers of cast e or
race. Whet her t hese achievement s shall again be
recognized depends not upon t he readiness of t he
individual who is t he first t o break t hrough t he wall
t hat separat es, but , as in t he past , upon t he urge
of t he conscience of art ist s collect ively, which, once
aroused, will crash t hrough sources of resist ance
wit h t he impulse of a force of nat ure, breaking t hem
as it would a paper wall.
I cannot close t his let t er wit hout expressing t o you
my deep regret at t he condit ions t hat have result ed
in my being separat ed for t he moment from
Germany. I am especially grieved and pained in my
relat ionship of a friend of my German friends and as
an int erpret er of German music who very much
misses t he echo awakened in his German hearers.
And not hing could make me happier t han t o observe
a change also out side t he realm of concert life which
would liberat e me from t he compulsion of
conscience, st riking at my very heart st rings, t o
renounce Germany.
Wit h warm greet ings,
Sincerely yours,
BRONI SLAW HUBERMAN

Two and a half years lat er, Huberman became frust rat ed at t he
worsening condit ions in Germany. Furt wngler had said t hat all
real Germans deplored t he sit uat ion, but Huberman felt t hat
t hose who had a conscience were dut y bound t o fight against
inj ust ice ( admit t edly a lot t o ask of people at any t ime, even
t hose in a relat ively free democrat ic st at e, let alone Nazi
Germany! ) . He accused t hese people, t he German int ellect uals,
as t hose t ruly guilt y of Nazi crimes.
[ Open Let t er f r om Huber man t o t he
Manchest er Guar di an]
THE MANCHESTER GUARDI AN, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1936
HUBERMAN AND THE PERSECUTI ON I N GERMANY
To t he Edit or of t he Manchest er Guardian
Sir, I shall be glad if you will print t he following open let t er
which I have addressed t o t he German int ellect uals:
Since t he publicat ion of t he ordinances regulat ing t he applicat ion
of t he Nuremberg legislat ion t his document of barbarism I
have been wait ing t o hear from you one word of const ernat ion or
t o observe one act of liberat ion. Some few of you at least
cert ainly must have some comment t o make upon what has
happened if your avowals of t he past are t o endure. But I have
been wait ing in vain. I n t he face of t his silence I must no longer
st and mut e. I t is t wo and a half years since my exchange of
correspondence wit h Dr. Wilhelm Furt wngler, one of t he most
represent at ive leaders of spirit ual Germany. I t will be recalled
t hat Dr. Furt wngler endeavoured t o prevent me from publishing
my refusal of his invit at ion t o play wit h his orchest ra in Germany.
His ast onishing argument was t hat such a publicat ion would close
Germany for me for many years, and perhaps for ever. My
answer on August 31, 1933, st at ed among ot her t hings:
. . . I n spit e of t his I would perhaps have hesit at ed wit h t his
publicat ion if t he chasm bet ween Germany and t he cult ural world
had not been rendered even more impassable by recent event s.
Not hing discloses more dreadfully t he brut alisat ion of large
sect ions of t he German populat ion t han t he t hreat s which have
been published for weeks in t he newspapers t hat German girls
will be placed in t he pillory if found in t he company of Jews at
coffee- houses or excursions, or if t hey carry on love affairs wit h
t hem. This kind of bait ing could not fail t o result in such
best ialit ies of t he darkest Middle Ages as described in t he
Times.
The descript ion referred t o was in t he London Times of August
23, 1933, and t old t he st ory of a gent le Aryan girl who in
punishment of her alleged commerce wit h a Jew was dragged in
a pillory t hrough t he principal st reet s of Nuremberg amid t he
howls of t he mob. As a consequence she suffered a st roke of
insanit y and was put in t he asylum of Erlangen.
Dr. Furt wngler was profoundly revolt ed not only at t he
Nuremberg incident s, which he assured me he and all real
Germans condemned as indignant ly as I , but also against me
because of my reference t o t he brut alisat ion of large sect ions of
t he German populat ion. He felt himself compelled t o regard t his
as a monst rous generalisat ion which had not hing t o do wit h
realit y.
I n t he meant ime t wo and a half years have passed. Count less
people have been t hrown int o gaols and concent rat ion camps,
exiled, killed, and driven t o suicide. Cat holic and Prot est ant
minist ers, Jews, Democrat s, Socialist s, Communist s, army
generals became t he vict ims of a like fat e. I am not familiar wit h
Dr. Furt wnglers at t it ude t o t hese happenings, but he expressed
clearly enough his own opinion and t he opinion of all real
Germans concerning t he shamefulness of t he so- called race-
ravishing pillories; and I have not t he slight est doubt of t he
genuineness of his const ernat ion, and believe firmly t hat many,
perhaps t he maj orit y of Germans, share his feelings.
Well t hen, what have you, t he real Germans, done t o rid your
conscience and Germany and humanit y of t his ignominy since
t hese make- believe Germans, born in t he Argent ine, in Bohemia,
in Egypt , and in Lat via, have changed my alleged monst rous
generalisat ion t o legal realit y? Where are t he German Zolas,
Clemenceaus, Painleves, Picquart s in t his monst er Dreyfus case
against an ent ire defenceless minorit y; where are t he Masaryks in
t his superdimensional Polna case? Where has t he voice of blood,
if not t he voice of j ust ice and common sense, been raised against
t he even more inhuman persecut ion of t hose born of mixed
marriages bet ween Aryans and Jews, and of pure Aryans who
have t he misfort une t o be t he spouses of Jews?
Before t he whole world I accuse you, German int ellect uals, you
non- Nazis, as t hose t ruly guilt y of all t hese Nazi crimes, all t his
lament able breakdown of a great people a dest ruct ion which
shames t he whole whit e race. I t is not t he first t ime in hist ory
t hat t he gut t er has reached out for power, but it remained for t he
German int ellect uals t o assist t he gut t er t o achieve success. I t is
a horrifying drama which an ast onished world is invit ed t o
wit ness: German spirit ual leaders wit h world cit izenship who unt il
but yest erday represent ed German conscience and German
genius, men called t o lead t heir nat ion by t heir precept and
example, seemed incapable from t he beginning of any ot her
react ion t o t his assault upon t he most sacred possessions of
mankind t han t o coquet , cooperat e, and condone. And when, t o
cap it all, demagogical usurpat ion and ignorance rob t hem of
t heir innermost concept ions from t heir own spirit ual workshop, in
order t hereby t o disguise t he embodiment of t error, cowardice,
immoralit y, falsificat ion of hist ory in a mant le of freedom,
heroism, et hics, science, and myst icism, t he German int ellect uals
reach t he pinnacle of t heir t reachery: t hey bow down and remain
silent .
Must , t hen, t he Cat holic Church and t he Prot est ant Church in
Germany bat t le alone in t heir t ruly heroic st ruggle for Germanys
honour, t radit ion, and fut ure?
Germany, you people of poet s and t hinkers, t he whole world, not
only t he world of your enemies, but t he world of your friends,
wait s in amazed anxiet y for your word of liberat ion.
Yours, et c,
Bronislaw Huberman
New York, February 25 [ 1936]

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Bronislaw Huberman
http://www.huberman.info/literature/articles/newsweek_1934/[02/11/12 06:40:17]
HUBERMAN: Pol i sh Vi ol i ni st Pl ay s Wi t h
St eel - St r i nged Bow i n Bal t i mor e
I n an upt own sect ion of Balt imore, Md. , last Friday, more t han
1, 000 music lovers heard and wat ched a small man wit h t hinning
hair perform miracles of virt uosit y on a violin. The set t ing was
Peabody Hall. The occasion was t he opening of t he Peabody
Conservat orys sixt y- nint h season. The violinist was Bronislaw
Huberman, appearing in America aft er an absence of t en years.
Aft er t he performance, which included Mr. Hubermans own
arrangement of a Chopin walt z, t he audience shout ed approval.
Unlike most violinist s, who seldom give more t han one or t wo
encores, Huberman responded wit h six.
Mr. Huberman left his Gibson St radivarius in London. He played a
rare Guarnerius which he valued at t he Unit ed St at es Cust oms for
$35, 000. Few of his list eners realized t he bow was st rung wit h
met al inst ead of t he usual horsehair. According t o t he musician,
he is alone among foremost violinist s, t o use met al st rings in his
bow. He believes st eel adds volume and flexibilit y t o t he t one.
Now 52, t he musician was a child prodigy at t he age of 8. One of
his first concert s ( 1896) included t he Brahms Concert o, Op. 77.
Brahms, annoyed at t he idea of a child but chering his music,
went t o t he concert fully prepared t o rebuke t he upst art . But as
t he concert progressed, t he great composers frown vanished.
Aft er t he performance, Brahms hugged t he child in grat it ude for
t he exquisit e rendering. This led t o a fast friendship. Many years
lat er, Huberman named his only son Johannes in memory of t he
famous composer.
Huberman is now one of Europes great musical heroes. I n
Vienna, where t he Polish violinist lives, t he Aust rian government
has put at his disposal t he former imperial residence of emperor
Charles. Once when he visit ed Genoa he was allowed t o play on
Paganinis violin which is kept in t he Town Hall. His favorit e sport
is deer hunt ing. I n his Viennese palace he divides his life bet ween
playing t he violin, collect ing Chinese ant iques, lect uring, and
writ ing on Pan- Europe.
Mr. Huberman will remain in t he Unit ed St at es unt il Jan. 17,
appearing in concert and wit h leading symphony orchest ras of t he
East and Midwest .
Newsweek 1934
Newsweek published 3 November, 1934.

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Brahms festival: huberman.info
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Playing Brahms
in Vienna

These now historic photographs were taken in Vienna when
Austria was still a free and independent State, and Vienna one of
Europes noblest centres of art and science. This wonderful
quartet playing Brahms together are Artur Schnabel, the Austrian
pianist, whose home is now in Italy ; Bronislaw Huberman, the
Polish violinist, who was appointed director of Viennas Violin
Master School in 1934, and in whose rooms this quartet met to
play ; Paul Hindemith, the German viola-player and composer ;
and Pablo Casals the Spanish cellist, conductor and composer

Photographs by Dora Horowitz, Vienna
Brahms festival
This 1934 English magazine art icle was e- mailed t o me
by Chenist on K Roland from his Chenist on K Roland
( Violin Hist orian) Violin Archives. These t wo fabulous
phot ographs show Huberman in t he company of
Schnabel, Casals, and Hindemit h.
Alt hough Hubermans collaborat ion wit h Art ur Schnabel
was brief, Carl Flesch never forgave his friend Schnabel
for playing wit h a violinist he considered so
cont roversial.
Brahms festival: huberman.info
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Artur Schnabel, Bronislaw Huberman, Paul Hindemith, Pablo Casals
[ N. B. Hindemit h is st anding on t he right ]

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Violin stolen: huberman.info
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Huber man Vi ol i n St ol en At Car negi e
$30,000 St r adi var i us I s Tak en Fr om Dr essi ng Room
Whi l e Musi ci an I s on St age.
No Cl ue t o Thi ef Found
9 Bow s Val ued at $1,500 Each and Easy t o Di spose of
Passed Ov er by Cr i mi nal .
A St radivarius violin, insured for $30, 000, was st olen last night
from t he st ars dressing room at Carnegie Hall while it s owner,
Bronislaw Huberman, t he Polish violinist , was giving a recit al on
t he st age one flight below.
How t he t heft was effect ed remained a myst ery. Mr Huberman
had played t he valuable inst rument bet ween 8 and 8: 15 oclock
in t he presence of his secret ary, Miss I da I bbiken. At 8: 15 he
wrapped it in it s silk scarf and ret urned it t o a double violin case,
from which he removed a Guarnerius violin, t he inst rument he
has used for recit als for a year or more.
Taking t he Guarnerius wit h him, he, t oget her, wit h Miss I bbiken,
descended t he short flight of st airs leading t o t he st age. They left
t he door, opening on t he landing of t he st airway, unlocked.
Anot her door, opening on a flight of st airs leading t o t he back of
t he st age, was bolt ed from wit hin.
When t hey reached t he st age t hey passed a wat chman who is
always st at ioned at t he foot of t he st airs, which is j ust off a
hallway reached from t he upper left exit from t he st age. The
wat chman has in view a passage t o a larger hallway, leading t o
t he execut ive offices of t he hall and ot her dressing rooms.
Two Doormen on Dut y.
Out side t he st age door t here were t wo doormen on dut y. No one
aroused t heir suspicions.
During t he first half of t he program Mr. Huberman was support ed
by a chamber orchest ra of fort y- one pieces. At t he int ermission
t he support ing musicians left , some t o go home and ot hers t o loll
about in t he clubrooms upst airs. Miss I bbiken remained wit h Mr.
Huberman unt il he had st art ed t he second half of t he program.
While t he violinist was playing Cesar Francks Sonat a, A Maj or,
Miss I bbiken went upst airs and ent ered t he dressing room. She
not iced t hat t he St radivarius was missing from t he case.
Dist urbed, she ret urned t o t he st age, wait ed for Mr. Huberman t o
finish t aking his bows, and t hen t old him:
The St radivarius has been st olen.
I t is insured, do not worry, he t old her. Tell me about it when I
have finished t he program. But go now and call t he police t he
Violin stolen
On 28 February 1936 Hubermans St radivarius violin was
st olen while he was playing his Guarnerius onst age at
Carnegie Hall. The next day The New York Times print ed
t he following art icle.
Violin stolen: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/literature/articles/violin_stolen/[02/11/12 06:41:25]
first t hing you do.
Audience Unaware of Theft .
The huge audience at t ending t he recit al did not become aware,
eit her t hrough Mr. Huberman or t he subsequent police act ivit ies,
t hat behind t he wood- paneled backdrop a myst erious t heft had
t aken place and t hat a squad of det ect ives from t he West Fort y -
sevent h St reet st at ion were quest ioning all t he musicians and
at t endant s.
When t he violinist had finished t he recit al, he ret urned at once t o
t he dressing room, now crowded wit h invest igat ors, musicians
and members of t he halls st aff. He not iced at once t hat t he t hief
had not t aken six bows, valued at $1, 500 each, or a t ot al of
$9, 000, and had also passed over t he heavy, deep- red leat her
velour - lined double violin case, and t he scarves wit h which t he
inst rument s were prot ect ed in t he case.
This indicat ed, he said, t hat t he t hief was not a musician, for one
familiar wit h violins would have recognized t he bows as not only
valuable but easy t o sell wit hout danger of arousing suspicion.
The most dist inguishing mark on t he violin, he t old police, was a
spot on t he arm which his t humb, during fift een years of use, had
worn t hrough t he wood. A repairman had put a heavy piece of
red parchment t here. Color phot ographs had been t aken only last
week and will be available t oday, he said.
Miss I bbiken, who has been Mr. Hubermans secret ary for many
years, said t he violin had been st olen, once before, in Vienna in
1919. I t was recovered by t he Vienna police and t he t hief served
a t hree- year t erm, she said.

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Picture Post: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/literature/articles/picture_post/[02/11/12 06:41:56]
Picture Post
Alt hough t his art icle from t he English Pict ure Post
magazine was published in March 1939, it appears t o
have been writ t en several years earlier, as it refers t o
Huberman' s 1713 St radivari which was st olen in 1936.
I n convert ing t his art icle t o ht ml, I have t ried t o keep as
close as possible t o t he original layout . . . I m not sure
why, as it doesn' t t ranslat e t hat well t o a comput er
screen.

Preparing t o Play: He Tunes His
I nst rument
He Makes Ready His Bow

Even before fine t echnique, a violinist
must have a fine ear. The violin can
produce every pit ch possible t o human
hearing. Pit ch must be t rue, t one clear
before t he violinist begins t o play.
Huberman t unes his st rings wit h
infinit e care. List ens, adj ust s a st ring,
list ens again.

A light smear of resin t o his bow.
Bowing is as import ant t o t he violinist
as fingering. I t affect s t he t one as
much as t he const ruct ion of t he violin
it self. Huberman carries a collect ion
of bows wit h him on his t ours. As one
loses it s surface, he changes it for
anot her.

This Is How Huberman Spends Hours of Every Day
On the platform his expression is dark and gloomy. His manner is restless. He is put
off by a draught, or a rustle among the audience. Sometimes a small noise will make
him stop playing altogether.

HUBERMAN AT PRACTICE
A short time ago, Bronislaw Huberman, the famous violinist, was involved in an air crash. His left hand
was injured. It was feared he would never play again. But to-day his talent is greater than ever.

When a plane crashed in Sumatra
less than 18 months ago, music-
lovers all over the world were
appalled to hear that Bronislaw
Huberman had been one of the
passengers.
Four people lost their lives.
Huberman escaped, but his left
hand was badly hurt. It was
feared that he might never play
again. Yet his recent recitals in
Britain were some of the greatest
in his brilliant career. His
experience seemed even to have
added new depth to his
interpretation and austerity to his
technique.
Huberman was born 57 years
ago in Poland, and made his first
appearance on a concert platform
when he was seven years old.
That was in Vienna, and critics
acclaimed him as a child
prodigy. But his father, a poor
saved him from the fate of many
child prodigies, withdrew him
from concerts, and sent him to
study under Joseph Joachim in
Berlin, and later under Heerman
in Frankfort and Marsuk in Paris.
When he was only 13 years old,
Huberman played the Brahms
Concerto before Brahms himself,
and it is said that the composer
was moved to tears by the boys
virtuosity.
At 14, Huberman had the first
sensational success of his life,
when he played at Adelina Pattis
farewell concert in Vienna. Since
then, a series of successes, in
England, in the United States, in
every capital of Europe. But
there has, too, been another side.
Huberman is a great violinist, but
he is also a great European.
Famous Fingers

The muscles of the left arm become strong and supple with
constant playing, the finger-tips square and hard as horn.
Huberman is famed for his virtuosity. He revels in brilliant,
rapid finger work.

barrister,

For years, he took a fervent part, by speaking and writing, in
the Pan-Europe organization founded by Count
Coudenhove-Kalergi, and sponsored in his lifetime by
Briand. When rampant nationalism wrecked the hopes of
the Pan-Europeans, Huberman turned to the relief of
refugees. From Zionist and refugee musicians in Palestine,
he built up the Jewish orchestra which is now world-
famous, which Arturo Toscanini has conducted, and which
Huberman, with a hundred concert triumphs to his credit,
regards as his own greatest achievement.
As a concert artiste, Huberman is a nervous, highly strung
man. He steps on to the platform, bent and austere, with an
expression of gloom and suffering. He darts a glance
around his audience and waits for late arrivals to settle. He
tunes his violin and goes on waiting. Sometimes he begins
to sniff like a puppy. That is if he feels a draught on the
platform a draught means numb fingers. At last, when he
has absolute silence and stillness, he begins.
By degrees, the gloom fades from his face, and he
becomes engrossed in his music. But not so engrossed that
the slightest movement escapes unnoticed. He has been
known to stop playing in the middle of an item and start all
over again when interrupted by a rustle. On one occasion,
when playing to a crowded and fashionable audience
abroad, his eye caught sight of one woman nursing a small
lap-dog. He stopped playing at once, and demanded,
Madame, has your little dog paid for his ticket? Woman
and dog were forthwith escorted from the hall.
Hubermans favourite composers, and those whose works he
plays with outstanding brilliance, are Beethoven and
Brahms. Like all truly great violinists, he is intensely
interested in the art of the great violin-makers, and himself
possesses an outstanding Stradivari (1713) and a Guarnari
whose value is estimated at 10,000.
These Are His Const ant Companions

He possesses a St radivari and a Guarnari, dat ing from
t he sevent eent h and eight eent h cent uries, and valued at
10, 000. Wit h t hem he t akes a set of six bows.

A Great Violinist Pract ises: I n t he Bedroom of his London Hot el
You see in this picture the life of a world-famous violinist. It is a life of hotel bedrooms
and railway trains. Plenty of renown and very little comfort. In the case of Huberman
he has another inspiration besides his music. He is a humanist as well as a violinist.
He works for refugees as well as for his art.

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Time magazine: huberman.info
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Ret ur n of Huber mann
The last t ime Bronislaw Hubermann appeared in Manhat t ans
Carnegie Hall, someone st ole his St radivarius. I t was never
recovered. Finally Lloyds of London, who had insured t he fiddle,
bought Huberman anot her St radivarius. Wit h his Lloyded fiddle he
appeared again last week at Carnegie Hall. Nobody st ole
anyt hing.
Violinist Hubermann, 59- year - old Polish Jew, has oft en been
rat ed on of Europes great est , but in t he U. S. and London he has
never been such big box office as mellow Frit z Kreisler, brilliant
Jascha Heifet z, musicianly Joseph Sziget i. Hubermann is finicky,
fussy on t he plat form. Once he not iced t hat his audience included
a dog, on a womans lap. He st opped playing, demanded:
Madam, has your lit t le dog paid for his t icket ? , wait ed while
woman and dog were hust led out .
Violinist Hubermann was t he first musician of renown t o refuse t o
play in Hit lers Germany. He has writ t en t wo books on plans for a
Unit ed St at es of Europe. A onet ime resident of Vienna, he
believes t hat Germany and Aust ria should be separat ed. I n an
int erview aft er his recent arrival in Manhat t an, he danced a
Viennese walt z t o demonst rat e his convict ion t hat Poles and
Russians play Viennese music wit hout t he beery heaviness of
t he Germans.
Since he last was in t he U. S. , Bronislaw Hubermanns chief
int erest has not been fiddling but building a Jewish orchest ra
t he Palest ine Symphony of Tel Aviv, whose players were exiled
from some of Europes finest orchest ras. Close as t he war has
been t o it , t he Palest ine Symphony has been less affect ed t han
any in t he old world. Hubermann got Art uro Toscanini t o conduct
t he symphony in 1937, at considerable personal risk and
expense.
Fort night ago t he symphony invit ed swart - t empered Spaniard
Jos I t urbi t o conduct next spring, offered him passage in an
R. A. F. bomber and an acoust ically perfect air - raid shelt er. Last
week I t urbi was st ill t hinking it over.
* at Tel Aviv.
Time magazine
TI ME, 5 January 1942.

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Obituaries: huberman.info
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New Yor k Ti mes, 17 June, 1947
B. HUBERMAN DEAD
NOTED VI OLI NI ST, 64
Pal est i ne Sy mphony Founder Made Debut
Her e i n 1896
Pr ai sed by Br ahms at 14
GENEVA, Swit zerland, June 16 ( AP) Bronislaw Huberman,
int ernat ionally known mast er and t eacher of t he violin, died
t oday in his home at Nant sur Corsier, Swit zerland. His age was
64. He recent ly ret urned from a concert t our of I t aly.
The loss of his right t humb, cut off in a shaving accident fort y-
t wo years ago, proved only a t emporary handicap t o t he violinist .
Bronislaw Huberman, t o whom t he Times of London once referred
as t he man who plays Bach so well t hat for t he moment he is
Bach, first appeared here in t he season of 1896- 97 as a child
phenomenon. Heralded t hen by his manager at t he age of
t welve as t he great est living violinist , he was in realit y 14 years
old, having been born on Dec. 19, 1882.
However, t he boys playing excit ed admirat ion and wonder, and
hope was expressed t hat he would subdue cert ain mannerisms.
Twent y- five years lat er t he violinist ret urned t o New York and
manifest ed in Carnegie Hall before a large and dist inguished
audience t hat he had become a serious person.
To Mr. Huberman, American audiences were t he best list eners
t hat an art ist could find anywhere except in t he Net herlands. He
creat ed his reput at ion in Europe and gained fame by playing all
over t he world, but he preferred coming t o t his count ry, where,
he said, he received his finest inspirat ions.
For more t han a decade, Mr. Huberman had played year aft er
year in concert s of t he Berlin Philharmonic Orchest ra. But he was
a Jew, and when t he Hit ler rgime came int o power, in 1933, he
rej ect ed an offer by Dr. Wilhelm Furt waengler, t he German
conduct or, t o appear in Berlin.
I t was his plan t o organize in Palest ine one of t he worlds
great est symphony orchest ras. As a result of t he ant i - Jewish
measures in Germany, t he plan soon was under way, and many
prominent German musicians, forbidden t o perform under Nazi
rule, went t o Palest ine and j oined t he organizat ion. I t was Mr
Hubermans idea t o make of Palest ine a second and great er
Salzburg.
The plan was complet ed in December, 1936, when Art uro
Toscanini conduct ed t he first concert of t he new Palest ine
Symphony Orchest ra. The famous conduct or said aft erward t hat
t he orchest ra had lived up t o it s reput at ion. I t was because of
Mr. Hubermans invit at ion t hat Toscanini had agreed t o conduct
at Tel- Aviv.
Mr. Huberman resigned from t he t eaching st aff of t he Vienna
Obituaries
Obit uaries from t he New York Times, Time Magazine,
Et ude, and Current Biography.
St at e Academy in August , 1936, t o devot e himself more fully t o
t he new orchest ra in Palest ine. News of his leaving t he mast er
class at t he academy was received wit h dismay by t he musical
public of Vienna, where t he violinist had been an idol for years.
Mr. Hubermans St radivarius violin, insured for $30, 000, was
st olen in 1936 from t he st ars dressing room at Carnegie Hall
while it s owner was giving a recit al t here. I t had been st olen
before in Vienna in 1919 and was recovered by t he Vienna police.
The t hief on t hat occasion served a t hree- year t erm.
The violinist , narrowly missed deat h on Oct . 6, 1937, in a plane
crash near Palembang, Sumat ra. Four ot hers in t he plane were
killed, but Mr. Huberman escaped wit h a fract ure of t he left wrist
and one of t he right hand. The muscles were not damaged,
however, and a year lat er he was able t o resume his concert
career.
Aft er t he fall of France he found himself cut off from Palest ine, so
he ret urned t o t he Unit ed St at es, arriving on Sept . 5, 1940, aft er
a t went y - t wo- day voyage from Africa.
The next May he received his first papers for American
cit izenship, and he resumed his American concert career in t he
1941- 42 season. His appearance wit h t he New York
Philharmonic- Symphony under Bruno Walt er, on Dec. 21, 1941,
was his first in New York in five years.
His last appearance in New York was wit h t he New York
Philharmonic in December, 1945. At t he end of t hat season he
left on a t en- mont h t our in Europe, Egypt and Palest ine.
Mr. Huberman was born in Czest ochowa, Poland. His fat her, a
barrist er, placed t he t alent ed son wit h Michalowisz at t he Warsaw
Conservat ory. The yout h lat er st udied wit h I sadore Lot t o, and at
t he age of 7 played Spohrs second violin concert o. I n 1892 he
st udied under Joachim in Berlin, and t he next year made his
debut in Amst erdam, Brussels and Paris. Playing in London, he
at t ract ed t he not ice of Adelina Pat t i, who engaged him t o appear
at her farewell concert in Vienna in 1895.
I n 1896 t he Polish prodigy announced t hat he would perform a
concert o by Brahms, and t he composer, so t he st ory goes, was
det ermined t o administ er a st ern rebuke for such presumpt ion.
But t he boy, who learned t hat t he composer was in t he audience,
was undismayed and, wit hout showing nervousness, played his
best . Brahms, deeply moved, wiped his eyes and lat er went t o
t he art ist s room and embraced t he boy.
TI ME, 23 June 1947
Died. Bronislaw Hubermann, 64. Polish- born violinist , rat ed
among Europes best ; at Nant sur Corsier, Swit zerland. Not ed for
his virt uosit y ( at 13, Hubermann played Brahms for Brahms
himself, moved him t o t ears) , Hubermann was one of t he first
art ist s t o leave Hit lers Germany, spent much of his t ime
t hereaft er organizing t he Palest ine Symphony of Tel Aviv and
scribbling books in support of a Unit ed St at es of Europe.
Et ude Magazi ne, August 1947
Bronislaw Huberman, int ernat ionally known violin virt uoso and
t eacher, died June 16 at Nant - sur- Corsier, Swit zerland, at t he
age of sixt y- four. Appearing first in t he Unit ed St at es as a child
prodigy at t he age of t welve, he lat er est ablished himself as a
serious musician, and for many years t oured t he Unit ed St at es
and Europe wit h great success. I n 1936 he organized t he
Palest ine Symphony Orchest ra which, under his direct ion,
at t ained world fame.
Cur r ent Bi ogr aphy , Jul y 1947
Huberman, Bronislaw Dec. 19, 1882 June 16, 1947 Violinist ;
gave his first recit al in 1892 at t he I nt ernat ional Exhibit ion of
Music in Vienna; aft erward played at command performances
before Emperor Franz Joseph, was appoint ed Court Violinist t o
t he Queen of Rumania ( 1896) ; est ablished in 1936 t he Palest ine
Symphony Orchest ra, many members of which were exiles from
Nazi oppression; t aught for a long t ime at t he Vienna St at e
Academy; t oured Europe, t he Unit ed St at es, and ot her count ries.
See Current biography 1941 Yearbook.

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Music lovers all over t he world have lost a great art ist in t he
recent deat h of Bronislaw Huberman at Vevey on Lake Geneva.
They would perhaps like t o know somet hing of t his eminent
violinist s early life. I am able t o t ell t hem about it , as he spent
t he great er part of his childhood and yout h at my grandparent s
house in Berlin.
My uncle, t he lat e Ludwig Ginsberg, banker, art collect or and
musician, frequent ly t ravelled t o Poland in order t o inspect his
fat hers t ext ile fact ories. One day as he was walking down a
ghet t o st reet in Lodz he heard t he st rains of a violin, so moving,
t hat he could not pass by. Aft er following t he sound for some
dist ance he ent ered a house where, t o his amazement , he found
a grubby, squint ing lit t le boy of about five, playing passionat ely
on a violin.
My uncle Ludwig t ook t he boy, Bronislaw Huberman, back t o
Berlin wit h him. There at my grandparent s villa he was brought
up and educat ed wit h t heir youngest son. At t he t ime Bronislaw
came t o live in our home it was an art ist ic cent re. Many pict ures
and drawings adorned t he rooms t oget her wit h a fine collect ion
of sculpt ures. A st ring quart et played t here every Thursday; my
uncle was t he cellist , t he ot her players being members of t he
Royal Opera Orchest ra.
Soon my uncle int roduced his young prot g t o t he famous
Joseph Joachim, at t he t ime professor at t he Royal Music
Academy in Berlin, who immediat ely recognized t he boys genius
and offered t o inst ruct him.
Uncle Ludwig had a hard st ruggle wit h Hubermans parent s, who
want ed t he boy t o appear immediat ely as a child prodigy; t hey
did not mind where he played, a caf was good enough so long
as t he boy earned money, but his t eacher and pat ron bot h
delayed t his unt il t he boy had achieved a definit e mat urit y in his
art . Then, almost overnight , t he shy lit t le boy wit h t he bobbed
hair was acclaimed universally as a great and accomplished
violinist . The lat e Queen of Romania, Carmen Sylva, herself a
poet ess and paint er, oft en invit ed him t o her palace, and made a
drawing of him which he present ed t o my grandmot her.
Aft er having st ayed wit h us for a long t ime he went t o Vienna
and Paris t o complet e his general and art ist ic educat ion, but very
oft en Bronis, as we called him, came back and always st ayed
wit h his Vice- mama ( fost er - mot her) as he called her. Whenever
we visit ed our grandmot her we used t o see lit t le of Bronis, he
bet rayed his presence only by t he sound of his incessant
pract ising which float ed down from t he t op floor. He unwillingly
int errupt ed his playing t o come downst airs for meals. But once at
t he t able t he shy, reserved boy became a gay and j ovial
companion who j oked wit h us youngst ers and loved t o t ell
humorous st ories.
My grandmot her oft en gave childrens part ies. My lit t le friends
used t o giggle when t hey first saw t he not - so- at t ract ive Bronis,
but when he played his violin, t he complet e abandon and
Rosenbaum
Rosenbaum.
Rosenbaum: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/literature/articles/rosenbaum/[02/11/12 06:45:01]
devot ion reflect ed on his face, changed t heir t it t ers t o admirat ion,
so much so t hat in lat er years t hey were proud of t heir childhood
acquaint ance.
The years rolled by and when t he first world- war broke out ,
Bronis was again in Berlin. Being of Russian- Polish origin he was
int erned by t he Germans. His imprisonment , however, was only
short , because t he German Crown Princess arrived at t he prison
and secured his immediat e release, t aking him back t o Berlin in
her car. She was a great admirer of his art , never missing one of
his concert s and frequent ly invit ed him t o her palace in Pot sdam.
Huberman was in his early t hirt ies at t hat t ime and had achieved
a world wide reput at ion. One of t he most highly paid art ist s, he
was able t o end his familys povert y many years before. He had
married a beaut iful act ress who left him aft er a short t ime for a
well - known Hungarian conduct or. A son was born of t his short
marriage. Nat urally he had many female admirers, but his only
real love was his violin. His most t reasured inst rument was one of
Paganinis St radivari violins, which he had won in a compet it ion.
One day t he whole musical world was shocked when it was
report ed t hat t his famous violin had been st olen. Aft er all hope of
recovery had been given up t he violin was found. This must have
been one of t he art ist s happiest days.
I n spit e of his success he never relaxed. The violinist , Alfred
Wit t enberg, once t old me t hat t hey had once spent a holiday
t oget her at Norderney, a seaside resort , and t hat he had enj oyed
himself on t he beach; I asked him how Bronis liked t he sea. He
answered laughingly t hat t he nearest Bronis had been t o it had
been his hot el room where he spent t he whole day pract ising.
When t he Nazis came t o power Huberman was abroad, but he
immediat ely cancelled all his concert s in Germany. On hearing of
t his Furt wangler wrot e t o him in an at t empt t o persuade him t o
ret urn, explaining t hat t he new racial edict s did not refer t o great
art ist s. Hubermans reply was a blunt refusal. Huberman never
ret urned t o Germany, but offered t o assist his old friend and
pat ron Ludwig Ginsberg t o emigrat e. Ginsberg being a sick man
and feeling t hat he had not long t o live accept ed for his daught er
alone.
The last of us t o see Bronis was my youngest brot her, now a
lect urer at t he Universit y of Jerusalem. Huberman lived in his
house during his st ay in t he Holy Cit y. I n Palest ine he did not
only play at concert s but also founded t he Palest ine Philharmonic
Orchest ra which lat er was honoured t o have Toscanini as a guest
conduct or.
The t remendous ovat ion Huberman received at t he Albert Hall
recent ly where he gave his first post - war concert showed t hat he
had st ill a mult it ude of admirers in t his count ry and I hope t hat
some of t hem will derive some small pleasure from t his brief
int imat e st ory of t his great violinist s life.

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Edmondo De Amicis: huberman.info
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The vi ol i ni st Br oni sl aw Huber man
Aft er not having been t o t he t heat re for many years, I went one
evening t o t he Carignano t o hear t he celebrat ed Polish violinist ,
Bronislaw Huberman, 22 years old, who delight ed for t he t ent h
t ime t he Torino public, enamoured of him. And I was profoundly
moved by his music, which t old me of a t housand sweet t hings in
which I do not believe any more, but which I st ill cherish, which
remembered me of hopes and lost values, of dear voices of
depart ed ones, and let me see on a far - away horizon a row of
beaut iful and painful images sending me a last farewell. And at
night I st ill felt confusedly t hose harmonies in one of t hese sweet
and sad dreams from which one awakens wit h t he mind full of
sorrow and pit y for ourselves.
The next morning I was given a visit ing card on which was
writ t en: Bronislaw Huberman
I went t o meet t he unexpect ed visit or, and t he surprise kept me
for a moment speechless and in an int errogat ive at t it ude before
t his beardless yout h, wit h full hair and a pale face, whom I did
not immediat ely recognise; so much seemed he changed by t he
kindly smile which beamed in his bright eyes; because t he night
before I had never seen him smiling, even not when he t hanked
t he audience for t he st orm of applause which followed each of his
pieces. He ant icipat ed my quest ion. A remembrance of childhood
led him t o me, t he t ranslat ion int o Polish of one of my books for
t he young I l Cuore. I t had been one of his first readings as a
child and for t his he came t o express his grat it ude.
I t hanked him and said t hat t his impression could have been
small in comparison wit h t he sweet est emot ion which he had
given me t he night before. And I added t hat since he had been
so kind t o come t o my house I would love t o know him well,
t hat he should t ell me about himself, about his family and about
his art , from what beginnings and by what ways he, st ill so
young, could arrive at t hat wonderful height , where only t he
fewest could st and near him.
And, suddenly, he st art ed t o t alk, in a somewhat broken st range
French, in which he t ried t o express exact ly t he not ions and
forms of his own nat ive language; and t hus, even halt ingly and
oft en int errupt ed, his way of speaking revealed clearly t he
yout hful simplicit y of his mind, and poured fort h all t he warmt h
of his feeling.
I am t went y - one years old. My fat her was in Warsaw a modest
advocat e who earned scarcely enough t o support his family. He
had a passion for music. For some t ime he had played t he violin,
t hen he gave it up because he did not advance. But he comfort ed
himself by one hope which became a fixed idea: t hat one of his
The violinist Bronislaw
Huberman
Edmondo De Amicis
Huberman was int erviewed by t he I t alian writ er
Edmondo De Amicis in Torino, who wrot e about
Huberman' s visit in an art icle, t hat appeared on 28
August 1904 in ' I llust razione I t aliana' and was lat er
included and published in ' Ult ime Pagine' , a collect ion of
biographical writ ings of de Amicis.
You can read it in eit her t he original I t alian or an English
t ranslat ion.
sons would succeed in becoming a musician. I t seems t hat fat e
has select ed me, t he eldest of t hree brot hers. Already as a small
child I showed a cert ain facilit y t o remember music, and t he first
gift I wished for my birt hday was an accordion. One evening, in a
house- concert in t he family, a violinist wat ched my hand and
exclaimed: This boys hand is made for t he violin! My hand,
indeed, had an ext raordinary st ret ch for a kid of my age. So, a
violin was bought and I was given a t eacher. I was six years
old. At seven I played for t he first t ime in a concert for t he
benefit of t he poor. I n one year I had made a long way; but I
could not have cont inued in t he same pace because t here were
no great t eachers in Warsaw. So friends advised my fat her t o
send me t o Berlin, t o t he great violinist Joachim. Alright ! But how
t o make it ?! There were no means. My fat her hesit at ed. I t was
my mot her, by nat ure filled wit h ent husiasm, not playing music
herself, but endowed wit h a very lively musical feeling, who gave
my fat her t he st imulus. For one year t hey made in t he household
all possible savings, we lived on short commons, and t hen part of
t he furnit ure was sold. I remember t hat t he sale yielded four
hundred rubles; I oft en feel t he memory of t hose four hundred
rubles on our poor t able. Finally we left for Berlin. I t was a bold
st ep, for, if we st ayed longer t han a year from t he homeland, my
fat her would have lost his posit ion as an advocat e; and if I would
not succeed, we all would be in t he st reet . The fut ure of t he
family depended upon my poor violin.
- Did you underst and it ? I asked.
No, fort unat ely I was not conscious of it . For me it was like
t ravelling int o t he world of dreams. Also my fat her and my
mot her were full of t he bright est hopes. But , scarcely arrived in
Berlin, we encount ered a grave difficult y. Joachim should hear
me. But Joachim, sick of enfant s prodiges, of whom it abounded
at t hat t ime, refused t o hear any more of t hem. To be received
by him, my fat her resort ed t o a t rick: he asked for an int erview
in his capacit y as advocat e wit hout ment ioning t he purpose for
his visit . The Maest ro, believing t hat he want ed t o t alk t o him
about some j udicial mat t er, received him
Here he st opped for a moment , nodding his head wit h one of
t hose smiles which express a remembrance comical and moving
at t he same t ime.
My fat her ent ered, and I behind him, making myself as small as
possible. The maest ro welcomed him polit ely, but as soon as he
saw me, wit h t he violin under t he arm, as if sprung up out of t he
floor, he j umped up, furious: Anot her enfant prodige, ah non,
ah non! ! I had more t han enough from t hem, I do not want t o
know any more about it . Go away, go away! I t was a t errible
moment . My fat her insist ed, implored: he had come all t he way
from Warsaw, wit h t he whole family, making a great sacrifice; on
t he j udgement of t he maest ro depended t he fat e of all; t he
refusal of him would be his ruin; and many ot her t hings,
expressed wit h t he warmt h and accent one can imagine. The
maest ro gave in, unwillingly, and he t old me, harshly: Play! I
began t o play: a Noct urne by Chopin. Wit h t he first st rokes of t he
bow, t he wrinkles of his forehead got a bit smoot her, t hen he
became more at t ent ive, and t hen, by and by, he looked
benevolent and showed signs of emot ion. When I had finished,
he ran t owards me, embraced me, kissed me on t he forehead
and said t o my fat her I ll have t o repeat his words : I have
never heard a more promising boy. He will be one of my dearest
pupils. I t hank you t hat you have brought him t o me. To my
fat her it sounded like t o words of a God.
The maest ro immediat ely wrot e an at t est at ion, t hanks t o which
t he lit t le Huberman could give a series of concert s in healt h-
resort s in Germany and Aust ria and t hus earn t he living for his
family during t he summer before ret urning t o Berlin t o begin wit h
his st udies.
I n one of t hese resort s he was heard by t he celebrat ed Aust rian
port rait - paint er Angeli, who t ook int erest in him, and who
induced his fat her t o bring him t o Vienna. Here, t hanks t o him,
t he lit t le Huberman was int roduced t o t he Emperor, who
best owed great praise on him and present ed him wit h a violin.
That was in 1892.
Then he ret urned t o Berlin, and in Joachims school began his
t rue and proper musical educat ion of classical charact er. But he
remained t here only six mont hs; which, in his opinion, was good
for him, because t hat t ime was sufficient t o t ame t he
exuberance of his Slavic t emperament wit hout making him lose
his nat ural originalit y, which he might have lost as ot hers who
complet ed in t hat school t he regular t wo years course of st udies.
And again he t ook up t he course of his concert s because you
had t o eat every day.
I made a t our in Holland and in Belgium which was very
successful. The public was my best t eacher. But , nevert heless,
wherever I went , I t ook lessons wit h t he most dist inguished
t eachers; and t o t his t wofold school, t he permanent change, of
t eachers and of t he public, I believe t o owe my best proficiencies.
My fat her and my mot her were t ravelling wit h me. We went t o
Paris. I n Paris, besides t he fine success of t he concert s, I met
wit h a great fort une. A Polish nobleman, t he Count Zamoyski,
rich, alone, music- loving, and grieved wit h a deep melancholy
aft er t he loss of his only daught er, t ook a fancy t o me, because
of t he consolat ion which he said t o feel when he heard my
playing; and he became my maecenas, my guide, a second fat her
t o me, t o whom I shall feel bound by t he most affect ionat e
grat it ude as long as I live. He persuaded my parent s t o bring me
t o London. We went t here. But it was a disappoint ment . I t is so
difficult t o at t ract public at t ent ion in t hat immense cit y! I gave
four concert s, but wit h lit t le profit . We all lost courage. The count
had a good idea. He knew Adelina Pat t i who, at t hat t ime, was in
London; he t old her about me; she want ed t o hear me. We went
t o her house. I shall never forget t hat visit . She received us like a
queen, surrounded by a large suit e of gent lemen and ladies,
who, really, gave a royal aspect t o t he splendid hall, where
not hing but a t hrone was missing. I n t he beginning, I played a
lit t le t rembling; t hen, it seems, somewhat bet t er t han usually.
The signora Adelina seemed as t hough she was beside herself
wit h emot ion, she embraced me, she almost t ook me on her
knees, called me: - Angel, - and wit h t ears in her eyes, I
remember it well, she promised my fat her t hat she would call for
me for her fort hcoming concert - t our which she was t o make in
Aust ria and in Germany. This would be a great fort une; in t he
meant ime it was a great j oy. But it meant wait ing several
mont hs. An we ret urned t o Berlin.
At t his point a shadow of sadness passed over t he face of t he
yout h.
I n Berlin he resumed it was worse t han in London. The
public was surfeit ed wit h violinist s. I had a good success of
applause, but no money; and money was badly needed, because
t he t ravellings were ext remely expensive, also t he piano-
accompanist , t he living in hot els. Moreover, my healt h began t o
suffer from t he fat igues, which became more and more serious
for me, not being so st rong by nat ure, and it influenced my mind
so t hat I put a maj or effort int o t he execut ions of art . I myself
was not aware of it , because at t hat age, in t hat cont inued
change of places and t hings, and a succession of new people and
emot ions, I lived almost like a somnambulist . But my poor
mot her not iced it , so t hat aft er every concert when she saw me
so pale and exhaust ed, she spent t he night sleepless, cried in
despair, and repeat ed every moment t hat she would casser le
violon and t ake me back t o Warsaw. To remove t he danger t hat
she might shat t er t he violin t o pieces, Count Zamoyski present ed
me in t hose days wit h a St radivarius, in t he value of t went y
t housand Lire; t hat is t he one which I am st ill playing. But t hat
did not change our condit ions. The uncert aint ies and t he
sorrows ruined also t he healt h of my fat her, who in t hose days
cont ract ed a slow illness which caused his deat h a few years
lat er. I t was t he most dismal period of my art ist ic life.
At t hat t ime we t hought of applying t o Adelina Pat t i and t o
remind her of t he promise she gave us in London, t hat she would
let me appear in her concert s in Aust ria and Germany. But she
answered t hat she had already engaged ot her art ist s. Then we
appealed direct ly t o t he organiser of her concert t ours, who was
in Vienna, where t he great singer was due t o sing. And he first ly
accept ed my part icipat ion, but lat er wit hdrew his accept ance,
repeat ing t he cust omary refrain t hat one did not want t o see and
hear any more of prodigees. I n despair, we went t o Vienna, in
spit e of t he refusal. The applicat ions were repeat ed, one t urned
t o recommendat ion, one said and did many t hings, and finally, I
was accept ed. And now, really, began my fort une.
He was t hen t welve years old. As t he first number for him t o play
in t he concert , a very well - known piece had been chosen: t hen
first part of t he Concert o of Mendelssohn. The choice of t his
simple music, which everybody knew by heart , seemed t o be an
act of audacit y. The public, not remembering t o have applauded
him only t wo years ago, was ill- disposed. When he appeared on
t he podium, in short t rousers, so small and so slim, wit h his lit t le
sickly face, he almost st irred up a feeling of compassion, which
manifest ed it self in a long murmur, t he meaning of which he did
not underst and. But t he success ( x) was great , clamorous, by far
superior t o anyt hing he himself or his parent s could have hoped
for. And it went on, increasing in t he consecut ive t welve concert s
which he t hen gave alone. He became t he vogue, it was t he
fort une, it was t he secure fut ure. His mot her seemed t o become
mad wit h j oy. Well said Count Zamoyski t o her do you st ill
want t o casser le violion, t o shat t er t he violin t o pieces? The
not ed music crit ic Hanslick wrot e: - We bade farewell t o a
descending st ar ( Pat t i) and we greet ed a rising st ar. From all
part s of Europe it rained offers of concert s on t he lit t le
Huberman. And t he poor fat her repeat ed again and again: - Now
I can die wit h my soul in peace. Here he int errupt ed his account
t o say me in all simplicit y: You want ed me t o t ell you about my
life. So I had t o boast a lit t le. Will you pardon me? What do you
want ! The fine successes which I had as a boy, are st ill for me
t he most cherished, because I t hink t hey were more merit ed
t han t he present ones. And t hey seem t o me so far back! I
t ravelled t he world so much, have seen so many people, have
experienced so many emot ions, t hat somet imes, t urning my
t hought s back t o t he past , I have t he illusion t o live already since
fift y years!
He resumed t he account . Aft er t he success in Vienna, he made a
t our in Aust ria and in Roumania. The Queen of Roumania gave
him a grand recept ion, dedicat ed him a poem; and several t imes
she had him st and as model in t he at t it ude of an Angel playing
t he Violin, which she paint ed in miniat ure in a Bible. I can boast
said he smiling t o have a port rait wit h wings.
Then he went t o t he Unit ed St at es of America where he played
before enormous audiences And a st ill great er luck had he wit h
his t ouring in Russia and especially in Riga, inhabit ed by a
numerous and cult ure German colony, great expert s in mat t ers of
art . Here, he would say t o have reached t he summit of success in
his childhood.
You have t he glory I said t o him dear Huberman but what
about your healt h? Good Lord he answered wit h a smile my
healt h leaves t o desire as t he glory. But it is all t he fault of t he
violin, I assure you. Unlike many ot hers, who are excit ed before
appearing before t he public and quiet down as soon as t hey are
t here, I myself am quiet up t o t he last moment , and I become
agit at ed when I begin t o play. One would not believe it , dont you
t hink so? I t seems t o everybody t hat I am impassive, because I
do not move when I am playing, except when necessary. But t his
relat ive immobilit y is t he effect of a great effort , and t he effort I
am making t o suppress my emot ion react s on my st omach and
ruins it . All my suffering is rest rained passion. But it is only j ust
t hat I pay in some way for t he inexpressible j oy which my art
gives me. Well I said t o him I have guessed it .
Your quiet at t it ude could not mislead me. I wat ched you int ensely
when you played. I saw when your eyes sparkled and when t hey
grew moist , and I saw t he shiver running t hrough t he muscles of
your pale face. Somet imes, when you pressed t he violin, you
seemed t o press a living and adored t hing, which inebriat ed and
t orment ed you; and when you t ook it from t he shoulder, you
made a movement as if you were t earing off a vampire sucking
your blood; and t hen you put it back t o your breast and
reembraced it wit h even more passionat e love and pressed it
under your chin wit h t he t enderness of a mot her who presses her
face against t he face of her creat ure. Oh, I was not misled. I
underst ood, I felt when from t he dept hs of t he soul welled up t he
lament at ions, t he sighs of love, of j oy and sorrow, t he sound of
t he night ingale and t he voices of angels, which you poured fort h
int o t he t heat re; and which out of your t wo t housand list eners
made one single soul; a soul which palpit at ed, t hrobbed wit h you
and which loved you.
To t hese words he responded wit h a kindly smile, a bit
ast ounded, which flashed t hrough my mind t he face of t he boy
Huberman, when in his first concert s he wondered about t he
t hunderous applause of t he public and felt happy wit h t he
t hought of t he j oy his mot her would feel.
He t ook leave from me and promised t o ret urn soon t o Turin;
and wit h a vivid gest ure he gave me his long, t ender, whit e
hands and for a few moment s I was holding in mine t hose
wonderful hands which out of t he violin drew fort h st reams of
enchant ing harmonies and made and will go on t o make millions
of heart s in t he whole world t hrobbing and weeping.
Remember me - he said kindly and left me.
An unnecessary request , as his pict ure will remain wit h me in
remembrance of one of t he profoundest emot ions which my heart
received by t hat inst rument which speaks most humanly about
t he most divine art .

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Etude 1912: huberman.info
HUBERMAN S THEORI ES.
The t heories of a great violinist concerning his art are always of
int erest , since every real art ist sees t he element s of t he musical
art as int erpret ed by violin playing from a different angle. For t his
reason a number of t heories advanced by Bronislaw Huberman,
who must be classed among t he most not ed violinist s of Europe,
in a lect ure on violin playing recent ly in Vienna, have at t ract ed
wide at t ent ion.
Mr. Huberman first denies t hat one must be possessed by any
special ment al gift in order t o become an eminent musician. He
said, I should like t o put forward an argument in favor of t he
t heory t hat only out ward circumst ances, and by no means a
special endowment , are responsible for t he choice of a career. I
deny any special gift . There are only different grades of t alent ,
which I would define as a great er or lesser capacit y of t he brain
t o absorb impressions from wit hout , and give t hem out again in
an ent irely new form. I even go furt her and say t hat any one who
has achieved eminence in any walk of life would have gained
equal dist inct ion in anot her if t he same assist ance had been given
him in t hat case. Out side influences which play a part are family
t radit ion, t he quest ion of means, educat ion, environment ,
impressions of nat ure, influence of parent s, and, last ly, purely
psychological condit ions. Every human being is subj ect in his
inclinat ions t o t he influence and habit s of his age, his nat ionalit y,
and surroundings.
HI S OWN CAREER.
Mr. Huberman t hen gave an int erest ing account of his own
career, showing how much chance had ent ered int o his choice of
a calling. His fat her had an int ense love for music and always
regret t ed he had not made it his life st udy. Lit t le Bronislaw, at
t he age of four, was able t o sing correct ly any melody he heard,
and his fat her had hopes t hat he might become a musician. A
child musician of Warsaw ( Hubermans birt hplace) at t ract ed t he
favorable not ice of t he Shah of Persia, and fort hwit h every parent
became desirous of at t aining t he same fame for his child. This
incident decided Hubermans fat her in devot ing t he boy t o t he
musical profession, and, as a piano was t oo expensive, a violin
was purchased for t hree roubles, from a musician of no special
not e, who t hereupon gave t he boy lessons.
Speaking of his progress, t he violinist said: My mast er saw
much promise in his new pupil, as he discovered t hat my hands
were specially made for violin playing. I did, indeed, make
ext raordinary progress in a short t ime. I played frequent ly in
public, and combined st udy wit h t hese public appearances; and
t his was a good t hing, for a concert is of great wort h as a means
of educat ion. The art ist get s an immense advant age from t he
inspirat ion which more oft en st irs him in t he concert hall, t han in
Bronislaw Huberman
Etude 1912
I n Sept ember 1911 t he American publicat ion Et ude
report ed on a lect ure Huberman had given in Vienna on
violin playing.
The ideas he discusses were expounded upon t hree years
lat er in his book Aus der Werkst at t des Virt uosen.
t he t roubled at mosphere of his st udy.
LARGELY SELF- TAUGHT.
I was for t he most part self- t aught , for at t welve years old I had
my last lesson. As I was not conceit ed enough t o imagine myself
a finished art ist , I do not feel t hat I am repudiat ing a debt of
grat it ude t o my t eachers when I say t his. I n t eaching myself I
early learned t he curse which is best owed upon us
inst rument alist s, I n t he sweat of t hy brow shalt t hou gain t hy
t echnic. Truly, t here is no great er t orment for an art ist who feels
and t hinks t han t o be const ant ly repeat ing t echnical passages
from works which have been previously mast ered and laid aside.
People oft en express wonder t hat an art ist always needs t o
pract ice. Not hing is more st range t han such an expression, for
even t hough t he accomplishment of a musician is an int ellect ual
one, it is nevert heless carried out by t he arms and fingers, and
t hese need drill and t raining. No man would t rust his legs t o
carry him up Mont Blanc aft er he had spent several weeks in bed,
and t he fingerboard is t o a violinist what Mont Blanc is t o a
t ourist .
Now, wit h regard t o a met hodical acquisit ion of t echnic. My
t heories are ( 1) Work at st udies which deal wit h t he most
frequent ly recurring st ret ches, runs, and variet ies of bowing. ( 2)
Make use of t he t echnical knowledge previously gained when
st udying a new composit ion. ( 3) Traininghere t he most
depressing fact is t hat really successful passages oft en fail when
connect ed wit h t he whole. Eit her ones st rengt h does not carry
one t hrough t he ent ire work, or t he memory of t he fingers is at
fault . What we underst and by memory has really only a small
share in playing from memory. There is no absolut ely cert ain
memory. What gives us t he power t o play a whole repert oire by
heart is a specific musical ear, which enables us t o put t he work
t oget her like t he links of a chain. To t his is added somet hing
much more import ant : t he Memory of t he Fingers.
This has oft en saved me unconsciously in many sit uat ions in
which I have found myself, eit her t hrough passing carelessness
or moment ary weakness. The fingers have so impressed
t hemselves wit h t he many t housand not es in a piece t hat t hey
accomplish t hese successive not es wit h a cert ain unconscious
movement , like t he performance of many of our lifes funct ions.
Not hing vies a great er idea of t he immense value of work and
t raining t han t his. A real danger t o violinist st hat of acquiring
mannerismsI overcome by refraining from playing for a period
of several weeks when I ret urn from a concert t our of several
mont hs durat ion. I n t raining, t he psychological aspect must not
be forgot t en. For inst ance, I might st umble over a run or a
part icularly difficult not e. I have oft en succeeded in overcoming
t he difficult y by means of aut osuggest ion, because I eit her, as it
were, challenge t he not e by st rongly accent uat ing it , or remain
on it for a long t ime; but t his, be it underst ood, only in my mind
and not in realit y.
THE ARTI ST S TECHNI C
The t echnic of t he t rue art ist must be more solid and reliable
t han t hat of t he mere virt uoso. The public has a fine inst inct , and
does not carelessly pass by t he divine signs of t alent , but ,
t hrough not using t he sense of logic and percept ion, fails t o
dist inguish bet ween what is accomplished by work and what by
t alent . For inst ance, t hings oft en erroneously reckoned as difficult
are pizzicat o and harmonics, which are quit e easy in t hemselves.
I f t he public, on t he cont rary, does not not ice t he difficult
passages, it is a good sign for t he art ist .
Wit h t alent t here rises simult aneously in man t he irresist ible
desire t o use it . Gift s bring as many delight s as dut ies, and t he
least of us should find himself prepared t o carry out t he
obligat ions result ing t herefrom. Therefore I would say, t he
great er t he t alent t he great er t he need for work.
The t wo st at ement s of Mr. Huberman t o which t he great est
except ions have been t aken by musical reviews and crit ics are
t hose denying t hat a man must have a supreme nat ural special
gift in order t o become a great musician, and t he one expressing
such int ense disgust for pract ice. I t has heret ofore been almost
universally conceded t hat a great musician must be born and not
made, and it has also been t he worlds opinion t hat an art ist
should work cheerfully at his t echnic in order t o creat e t he wings
wit h which he is t o fly.

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Musical Observer: huberman.info
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Br oni sl aw Huber mann Tal k s of Audi ences
Ver sus Ex change Rat es, New Vi ol i n
Mast er w or k s and Pagani ni s Vi ol i n
I n an I nt er vi ew by Fr eder i ck H. Mar t ens
Bronislaw Hubermann, born December 19, 1882, at
Czeust ochowa, near Warsaw, is one of t he small but select band
of t he great er violin virt uosos. As an art ist he is an eclect ic and
independent , wit h int erpret at ive gift s of a rare order, and a dept h
of emot ional expression which is illuminat ing in t he performance
of t he great concert os and solos of t he violin repert ory. His first
public appearance was at t he age of seven, when he played
Spohrs Second Violin Concert o in Warsaw.
Nat urally, no one likes t o wait . The want ing of what we want
when we want is one of t he fundament al t rait s of human nat ure.
Yet Bronislaw Hubermann is wort h wait ing for t o t alk t o, even
when his t rain is half an hour lat e. I f one has t o wait for him t he
fact is forgot t en once he begins t o t alkor play. For Hubermann
is one of t hose violinist s who have scaled t he height s wit hout
at t aching t hemselves t o any part icular school or group. He has
been t he archit ect of his own musical salvat ion. And t his no art ist
can be unless he is a t hinker and observer. Take t he mat t er of
audiences.
AUDI ENCES AND EXCHANGE RATES
Of course I am only j ust beginning my present t our, declared
Mr. Hubermann, and my react ions t o t his count ry, given t he fact
t hat I am older, cannot be t he same as t hose I felt when I played
here in 1904. Yet I can see t hat your audiences of concert goers
here are larger t han t hose in t he European capit alsand I have
been playing in Berlin, Vienna, Amst erdam, London, and, most
recent ly, in Paris, before coming here. I n Paris, where t he franc
has sunk t o only one- half it s former value, t he audiences are of a
good size. But t he exchange rat e in t he Cent ral European
count ries generally is t he sign in which t he art ist must conquer.
And t he exchange rat e affect s t he size and charact er of his
audiences. I t hink t hat in pract ically any count ry t he music- loving
are, as a rule, most largely represent ed among t he well - t o- do
bourgeoisie, t he professional, official and art ist classes. I t is t hese
classes whose incomes have suffered most in proport ionin t he
Cent ral European count ries, not t he working classes. I t seems t o
be t he level of exchange which est ablishes t he level of t he public.
The Cent ral European audiences of t oday are new, and t he art ist
is conscious of t he fact when playing for t hem. I oft en feel in
Vienna, or in Berlin, t hat I am playing for an audience for whom
concert - going was t he acquired habit of a year or so past , while
here in America I feel t hat my audience has been going t o
concert s for decades. I n Vienna, which I regard in many ways as
Musical Observer 1921
This short int erview was published in t he American
magazine The Musical Observer , November 1921.
Huberman played on Paganinis violin t wice; once in
1903, and t hen in 1909 ( aft er t he Messina eart hquake of
28 December 1908) . His first visit t o America was in
1896 and not 1904 as st at ed in t his art icle.
t he most musical cit y in Europe, t he new audiences
predominat e. At t he same t ime, if it be a quest ion of playing for
an audience of nouveaux riches, I would rat her play for t he
nouveaux riches of Vienna in preference t o t hose of any ot her
cit y.
HUBERMANN WI LL PLAY I MPORTANT VI OLI N
NOVELTI ES
New works? Yes, I t ry t o keep in t ouch wit h t hem. Every
summer I spend at least six weeks in going over all t he new
t hings, oft en a hundred or more, which are sent t o me by t he
publishers. And I like t o give t ime t o t his, for oft en I discover
works which are of t he great est beaut y and value.
For one t hing, I hope t o play t he English composer, John
I relands Sonat a for Violin in A Minor. I t is one of t he best works,
one of t he most violinist ic, which can be imagined, modern in
t hought and in idiom. Then t here is a Sonat a in A, by t he I t alian
Ot t orino Resphigi, quit e a wonderful work. I have t he advant age
of knowing t he int erpret at ive ideas of t he composers of bot h
works, since I met t hem bot hduring a t our of t hirt y concert s in
I t aly and Englandand, privat ely, of course, played t heir sonat as
wit h t hem.
ONE OF THE GREATEST WORKS AFTER BEETHOVEN
AND BRAHMS CONCERTOS
Wit h Bodanzky, perhaps, I hope t o play what I regard as one of
t he great est works, aft er t he Beet hoven and Brahms violin
concert os, ever writ t en for violin and orchest ra. I t is t he Suit e de
Concert , by Sergei I vanovit ch Tanaeff. I t is in five movement s,
modern in t he best sense, t hough it s musical beaut ies are st rict ly
of t he permanent kind, and writ t en on a cont rapunt al foundat ion.
But it is a most inspiring work for t he art ist t o play. I t is so
Russian in color and feeling t hat I am convinced t hat no violinist
who is not a Russian himself, or a Russian Pole, as I am, can do
j ust ice t o it in int erpret at ion. I maginat ion, fancy, invent ion
Tanaeff has given of his best in t he writ ing of t his Suit e de
Concert , and t he development of it s rich folk- wise color. I may
also play t he Sonat a for violin by Vincent dI ndy, which, I believe,
is not known here, t hough I am not alt oget her sure.
I t seems t o me, speaking of Sergei Tanaeff, t hat his Suit e de
Concert is ent it led t o a lit t le ext ra considerat ion, perhaps, aside
from it s own great beaut y and int erest , because of t he
composers misfort une in being const ant ly confused wit h anot her,
cont emporary Tanaeff, an amat eur musician. This lesser Tanaeff
was a high dignit ary of st at e in t he Russian empireat t he t ime
t here was an empire, of courset he chief of t he Depart ment of
Decorat ions. As an amat eur he was not wit hout merit , but any
furt her comparison bet ween himself and Sergei Tanaeff would
have been ridiculous. His social and official influence made it
possible for him t o have his music played and produced
everywhere, and t he const ant confusion result ing from mist akes
in t he ident it y of t he t wo men, and his int erference wit h Sergei
Tanaeffs own great er and more deserved musical recognit ion
was one of t he lat t ers great est crosses in life.
PLAYI NG ON PAGANI NI S VI OLI N
Oh, t hat was long ago, in 1909! The cit y of Genoa had invit ed
me t o play for t he benefit of t he sufferers from t he great
eart hquake t here, and I played on Paganinis violin t wice; t he
first t ime in t he Municipal Building, and t he second t ime in t he
Teat ro Carlo Felice. The Genoese look on Paganinis Guanerius
almost in t he light of a holy relic, and in order for me t o be able
t o play it at t he Carlo Felice, t he Municipal Council was obliged t o
meet and pass a special ordinance allowing it t o be removed from
t he Museum, where it is preserved.
Theoret ically I was t he second violinist t o play t he inst rument in
public since Paganinis deat h, act ually I was t he first . I t was t o
have been played for t he first t ime by Sivori, Paganinis pupil, on
t he occasion of a great celebrat ion of t he est ablishment of t he
independence of t he Kingdom of I t aly, at which t he old King
Vict or Emmanuel, t he grandfat her of t he present ruler, was
present . Sivori was given a magnificent recept ion when he
arrived in Genoa, and everyone was full of ent husiasm and, t hen
it t urned out , unfort unat ely, t hat t he violin was not suit ed t o his
hands, he act ually could not play it for Sivori had t he smallest
hands of any violinist and Paganini t he largest .
I n order t hat no false not e might mar t he occasion, Sivori simply
played on anot her inst rument ; while everyone was under t he
impression t hat he was playing Paganinis famous Guarnerius.
So I was really t he first t o play t he inst rument in public since
t he deat h of it s owner, Paganini. Yet , I must confess, t he
inst rument it self was a disappoint ment . A great violin should not
be kept in a museum. I f it is not played upon it loses it s soul, it s
beaut y of t one, and t he great est mast er cannot make it speak as
it should. When I played it , I played on it only t he Paganini
numbers of my program, and used my own St radivarius for t he
ot hers.
Mr. Hubermann at t his point was obliged t o t ake his depart ure in
order t o perpet uat e some mast erpieces of violin lit erat ure in
record form.
I t seemed a pit y, for t here were st ill many quest ions t hat might
have been asked him; regarding his st udies wit h Joachim, his
playing t oget her wit h Adelina Pat t i in Vienna; his reminiscences
of t hat int erest ing Parisian violinist and t eacher, I sidor Lot t o; t he
ideas in his own book Aus der Werkst at t des Virt uosen ( From a
Virt uosos Workshop ) ; but t hen, Mr. Hubermann is amiable and
accessible, as well as an art ist who can t alk int erest ingly and t o
t he point , and a pleasure deferred is not necessarily one lost .

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Huber man on Amer i ca
Bronislaw Huberman spoke wit h a represent at ive of t he Neue
Freie Presse of Vienna about his experiences in America. He
reached conclusions quit e different from many t hat have been
t aken back t o Europe, says t hat j ournal. For inst ance, people
always say t hat a great European reput at ion and advert ising are
enough t o bring success in America. This incorrect not ion, Mr.
Huberman declared, has already brought bit t er disappoint ment
t o many, many European art ist s. The American public, especially
t hat in t he larger cit ies, must not be underest imat ed. I t has an
independent j udgment of it s own and, especially now, is
accust omed t o hear t he best from everybody. Thus it has gained
fine feeling and is exact ing. The power of t he dollar, especially,
has an effect on cult ure. I t is like t he vict orious sword of ancient
Rome and t he cult ure of Greece. This vict orious sword is now t he
dollar and t he Greeks are t he Europeans, t heir art and cult ure,
which America is making it s slaves. I t is erect ing, so t o speak, it s
own cult ure on t he remains of Europe. For t his reason celebrit y is
not enough. I t makes t he first engagement easier; but t hen
comes t he inexorable sift ing. The first appearance in New York is
before most exact ing, highly t rained audiences, before
independent crit ics, conscious of t heir responsibilit y. He who
st ands t his t est has passed his great examinat ion, not only for
America but for t he whole world.
The American concert public nat urally has not t he old t radit ions
of t he Viennese public. But t he concert goer of New York is very
musical, t hough in a different way. I t must be remembered t hat
t he American musical cult ure has been nourished from ent irely
different sources from t he European. There t here are
comparat ively few amat eurs who make music t hemselves; t here
is lit t le house music. You will perhaps be surprised when I t ell
you upon what basis t he American musical cult ure, especially in
t he count ry, rest s; it is on t he gramophone. There is a
gramophone in t he poorest houses, in every farmhouse. The
records are bet t er; t here are many of serious music. And t his
canned music, as t hey call it t here, has aroused t he first musical
hunger in many a man. They wish t o hear t he art ist s whom t hey
have heard on t he gramophone; and so t hey become zealous
concert goers. But only t he t rue art ist ic personalit y is valued t here
and has success, plainly because t he average American feels a
st rong need of st rong personalit ies. But t he American is a
working man whose evenings art ist ic pleasure must be served
up, in a cert ain manner, ready made. He likes t o hear classical
pieces which he already knows, list ening t o which is no effort t o
him. This is t rue especially of t he smaller cit ies. Nevert heless, I
have made it a rule t o begin every program wit h a sonat a. To
play t wo or t hree sonat as in an evening, however, as Art ur
Schnabel does, is not advisable. But in t hese last years t he
underst anding for t he deeper, more complicat ed and modern
music has increased wit h a rapidit y conceivable only in America.
But in general t he American comes t o a concert unprepared, not
ready for cooperat ion wit h t he art ist , as in Vienna, but only for
Huberman on America, 1923
Huberman discusses America in t his art icle published in
t he New York Times on 27 May 1923.
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enj oyment .

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A Gr eat Vi ol i ni st
Bronislaw Huberman has est ablished himself in Sydney as an
art ist of commanding force and st at ure. At each of his t hree
Town Hall appearances, t he audience has responded elect rically
t o his surging int erpret at ions of t he classics. I t is doubt ful
whet her any earlier visit ing violinist , even among t he great ones,
has at t acked t his music in such uncompromising and shat t ering
fashion. Only t he most superb mast ery of t one, of rhyt hmic
effect s, and of swift t ransit ions could have held Tuesday night s
reading of t he Bach Chaconne wit hin t he bounds of a unified and
organized int ellect ual scheme. Had a player of lesser at t ainment s
assailed t he work wit h anyt hing approaching t his vehemence, it
would have fallen apart int o a st ruggling chaos.
I n order t o penet rat e t o t he spring of t his t orrent ial energy, one
has nat urally t o t ake int o account t he nat ive t emperament of t he
player. I n t he long run, Huberman enunciat es Bach and Brahms
wit h such colossal energy simply because he must . But great
concept ions and great driving force are not sufficient in
t hemselves. I n t he course of a lifet imes st udy, every art ist
evolves for himself cert ain principles, according t o which he
regulat es his work. These principles are generalizat ions from a
mass of det ail discoveries which he has made in pract ice, or
ideas which he has acquired from ot hers, and found t o apply well
t o his own case.
I t is part icularly int erest ing, t herefore, when a player like
Huberman t alks frankly and freely about t he ideas which guide
and illumine his art ist ic progress. This t he violinist did on
Thursday morning before he began his rehearsal wit h t he
orchest ra. On t he plat form at t he Town Hall, Dr. Baint on was
t aking t he players t hrough t he Sevent h Symphony of Beet hoven.
I n t he art ist s room, wit h t his maj est ic score as a background,
Huberman revealed what he considers as t he foundat ion of all his
varied achievement .
HUBERMAN S SECRET
He at t ribut es his rhyt hmic vit alit y, his far - flung grasp of musical
form and st yle, t o an int ensive st udy of folk song and folk dance.
Music began wit h t he dance, he said, and no art ist can really
underst and musical expression unless he invest igat es in det ail
t he t radit ional dances which spring from t he heart of a people.
When I went t o Russia as a young man, I at t ended t he opera
only once. But I went dozens of t imes t o cafes where I could
hear peasant musicians and enj oy t he aut hent ic nat ional
rhyt hms.
Rhyt hm t here you have it . Rhyt hm is t he soul of music, and
t he charact erist ic rhyt hms of each count ry are built on t he
physical movement s of it s dancers. The walt z and t he mazurka
each has a t hree- beat measure. But how different t hey are! I n
t he one- t wo- t hree of t he walt z, t he beat s are not really equal,
Rhythm and folk music
I n t his art icle from t he Sydney Morning Herald on 26
June 1937, Huberman discusses t he basis of musical
expression.
Rhythm and folk music: huberman.info
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t hough t hey are marked so on t he print ed page. You see, t he
dancer has t o t ake one long st ep, and t hen t wo short ones. Mr.
Huberman j umped t o his feet , and began energet ically
demonst rat ing.
You should hear a German orchest ra t rying t o play a St rauss
walt z, he went on. The beat s are square and unvaried; t he
whole t hing complet ely dead. I t is not a walt z at all. But t he
humblest Viennese, who has grown up wit h t he real walt z rhyt hm
surrounding him on every side, reproduces it by inst inct .
I mpor t ance Of Fol k Mel ody
So, wherever I go, Mr. Huberman went on, I dip int o t he folk-
lore of t hat place. That is why I claim t o underst and t he English
composers and few Cont inent als can say as much. Elgar,
Delius, Vaughan Williams all of t hem have t he English folk
idiom in t heir blood. Unless one has st udied t hat idiom at it s
source, how is one t o int erpret t heir music wit h insight ?
The st udy of folk rhyt hms carries it self over int o t he region of
classical music. An inst ance will show you what I mean. I n New
York some years ago, a young violinist t old me he t hought I
played t he last movement of t he Tchaikowsky concert o t oo fast . I
had a bet wit h him. Come wit h me t o a Russian rest aurant which
has an orchest ra, I said. I f wit hin t wo hours we do not hear t he
principal phrase of t hat last movement , or somet hing very like it ,
I will pay you t en dollars.
He agreed. And it was I who received t he t en dollars. For I was
able t o point out t hat t he nat ive players enunciat ed t he t heme at
exact ly t he same speed as I had done, t hough it occurred in
music of a complet ely different sort . The point is t hat
Tchaikowsky had not borrowed t he mot ive direct ly from folk
music. I t occurred in his concert o simply because he had st eeped
himself in t he charact erist ic Russian nat ional melodies. Because I ,
t oo, had acquired t hat melodic scheme as a background, I was
able t o give his musical t hought exact ly t he shape and expression
it required.

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Musi c f or Chi l dr en
Hel pf ul Hi nt s For Par ent s
By Br oni sl aw Huber man
I n t his art icle, writ t en specially for The Argus, Mr. Huberman,
t he famous Polish violinist who is giving a series of concert s in
Melbourne, confesses t hat when he was a boy pract ising was
oft en an absolut e mart yrdom t o him. Parent s should remember,
he says, t hat few children, even children who may have a
capacit y for musical genius, are fond of pract ising.
Erroneous ideas and false supposit ions, especially on t he part of
parent s, have wrought t remendous havoc t o musical educat ion in
general, and t o t he choice of a musical career in many cases.
Probably t he great est error of all is t he parent al belief t hat a
childs aversion t o pract ise is a convincing proof of a lack of
t alent .
The willingness t o pract ise is a quest ion of charact er rat her t han
of genius. I t is direct ly due t o diligence, obedience, or, possibly, a
sense of dut y; but est imable as t hose qualit ies undoubt edly are
none of t hem is synonymous wit h genius.
When t hey were children, Beet hoven and Weber had such a
hat red of pract ising t hat t hey had t o be dragged t o t he piano. To
come nearer home, I candidly admit t hat when I was young
pract ising was very oft en an absolut e mart yrdom t o me. I cannot
say even now t hat I honest ly love pract ising. There is t his
difference, however: ment al mat urit y makes me realize t hat
every hours pract ise brings me nearer t he goal of performing
great works in t he way t hat t heir composers meant t hem t o be
played. Such logic, of course, is beyond t he ment al capacit y of a
child, and t hat is why we should not expect children t o display
keen delight , or even sat isfact ion, in pract ising.
Fost er i ng Medi ocr i t y
I n t he same way t hat many parent s believe t hat disinclinat ion t o
pract ise st amps a child as non- musical so many ot her parent s
fondly imagine t hat docilit y regarding pract ising indicat es great
musical t alent . This assumpt ion account s for t he fact t hat many
mediocrit ies have been pushed int o t he musical profession by
overzealous parent s who have influenced t heir childrens careers.
As a result of his ignorance born musicians were kept out of t he
musical profession and unt alent ed ones were forced int o it .
These were t he condit ions t hat exist ed in t he days when t he
music in t he home had t o be provided by t he home fingers, in t he
days before t he gramophone and t he radio had usurped t he
funct ion of t he music- maker in t he house. Nowadays, when by
t he t wist ing of a dial, music can be provided ad libit um for t he
home and it s people, parent s do not expect t heir children t o
Music for children
While t ouring Melbourne, Aust ralia, Huberman wrot e an
art icle published in t he The Argus on Sat urday 17 July
1937. He discusses music educat ion and pract ise.
Music for children: huberman.info
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supply t he musical fare for t he household. As a result , in many
homes children are no longer receiving any t uit ion in music. And
t hat is j ust where t he great mist ake is being made. The
enj oyment of list ening and t hat of self- performing is about as
different as t hat of seeing t he fruit and eat ing it .
Ent i r el y Wr ong At t i t ude
The ent ire at t it ude t oward musical t uit ion has been wrong ever
since t he first music lesson in t he world was given. Because a
child learnt music t he parent s expect ed t hat t he child should be
ready t o give a display of his t alent ( or lack of t alent ) whenever
he was called upon t o do so. I n t he eyes of t he parent s t he only
reason for st udying music was t o become a performer. This
at t it ude is, of course, ut t erly wrong.
A child does not st udy hist ory or geography for t he specific
purpose of ent ert aining his relat ives and friends wit h recit at ions
of hist orical or geographical dat a; nor does he st udy mat hemat ics
for t he express purpose of dazzling his friends wit h his feat s as a
ready - reckoner. Hist ory, geography, mat hemat ics, languages
all t hese are t aught from a broad educat ional point of view. Music
should be t aught in precisely t he same way t o give pupils an
underst anding of t he vast lit erat ure of music, t o help t hem t o
become appreciat ive list eners of beaut iful music, and t o
experience for t hemselves t he beaut ies of a self- performed work.
A Compul sor y Subj ect
Music should be made a compulsory subj ect in schools, and
children should be inst ruct ed in such a way t hat t hey learn t o
regard music as t he expression of t he soul. I f t he subj ect is
t aught int elligent ly t hen by degrees t he love of serious music will
become more widespread and many cit ies and t owns will become
cent ers of music.
The conservat ion of amat eurism on a high level is of paramount
import ance for t he propagat ion of t he professional musician. Just
as t he rat io of pearls t o oyst er shells is one t o a t housand so
also is t here only one genius t o each t housand music st udent s.
Therefore, it is t o t he int erest of t he musical profession t o
increase t he number of st udent s so t hat a larger number of
pearls may be procured. The ranks of amat eur musicians in t he
world have already supplied a surprisingly large number of
pearls Moussorgsky, Borodin, and Cesar Cui are a few
examples, for all t hree were Government officers by profession.
Rimsky- Korsakov, Tschaikowsky, Glinka, and Balakirew were
amat eur musicians for t he great er part of t heir lives, and it was
only when t hey were comparat ively advanced in years t hat t hey
gave up t heir ot her professions in favour of music.

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Why I became a Pan-Europan: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/literature/pan_europa/living_age/[02/11/12 06:49:24]
WHY I BECAME A PAN- EUROPEAN
BY BRONI SLAW HUBERMAN
I HAVE spent t he last four wint ers in t he Unit ed St at es, and I
shall first relat e my experiences t here, for t hey explain how I was
convert ed t o t he idea of a Unit ed St at es of Europe. I am not one
of t hose prej udiced Europeans who look down upon America. On
t he cont rary, many of it s polit ical and social inst it ut ions impress
me as models and excit e my envy. I wish my fellow Europeans,
especially t he wealt hier among t hem, would t ake a lesson from
t he liberal public spirit and t he sense of civic dut y t hat inspires
many Americans of t heir class.
Since t he days of t he Medici t he world has not seen such
generous givers as every import ant t own in t he Unit ed St at es t o-
day possesses. Universit ies, research inst it ut ions, museums,
libraries, conservat ories, symphony orchest ras wit h adequat e
concert - halls, t est ify t o t he munificence of public- spirit ed privat e
cit izens. Nor do t hese men confine t heir bount y t o signing checks.
They oft en devot e a subst ant ial part of t heir t ime and energy t o
t he welfare of t hese inst it ut ions.
I can hear t he prej udiced European obj ect ing: ' Yes, but wit h all
t heir wealt h it ' s no real sacrifice t o give a lit t le. ' But I look around
our circle of European Crsuses in vain for a Carnegie or a
Rockefeller who devot es t wo t hirds of his wealt h t o public
obj ect s.
What made t he st rongest impression upon me, however, was not
t he wealt h of individuals in America, of which we hear many
misleading st ories, but t he general st andard of well - being among
t he masses. I t was t o see so many people wearing silk st ockings
and fur collars, and riding around in aut omobiles. These t hings
were much more impressive t o me t han t he glit t er of diamonds in
t he boxes at t he Met ropolit an Opera.
Let me relat e some personal experiences. When I reached a cit y
of t he Middle West , on one of my first engagement s in America, I
found a musical acquaint ance wait ing for me at t he st at ion. I
remembered him well as occupying t he last seat among t he
second violins in t he Warsaw Philharmonic. Aft er t he usual
greet ings t his fellow count ryman of mine said t hat he would t ake
me t o t he hot el in his machine and t hen accompany me t o t he
rehearsal. I t hought I must have misunderst ood him, and said it
was very kind of t he people in charge of my recit al t o place an
aut omobile at my disposal. Whereupon my friend informed me
t hat it was his own machine. I smiled, but felt an inner shock.
Can it be, I t hought , t hat t his fellow, who was hardly up t o
playing t he last of t he second violins in Warsaw, has a posit ion
here t hat enables him t o keep his own aut omobile? He must be
t he direct or at least . How much bet t er off an American direct or
must be t han any direct or, or even impresario, I know in Europe.
Why I became a Pan-European
This art icle was published in t he American publicat ion
The Living Age, November 1925.
Huberman briefly discusses t he ideas t hat were
expanded upon lat er t hat year in his book Mein weg zu
Paneuropa.
Filled wit h forebodings as t o t he qualit y of such an orchest ra, I
went t o t he rehearsal. But what did I see t here? My fellow
count ryman who owns his aut omobile, wit h a modest y
inconceivable in a European t hus blessed, t ook t he same place at
t he end of t he row of second violins t hat he had held in Warsaw.
The only difference was t hat in Europe he had looked half -
st arved and impecunious, while here he looked like a prosperous
businessman.
Anot her example. I set up housekeeping in America and engaged
a servant . His mont hly wage was a hundred and t en dollars. A
European who convert s t his sum int o t he money of his own
count ry may half - incredulously pit y me. But he would be wast ing
his pit y, for a hundred and t en dollars was no larger a percent age
of my American income t han t he wages of a similar servant in
Europe would have been of my income at home. But t he
significant fact was t he relat ion of t hat man' s salary t o his
expenses. He had t o pay not hing for room and board. Suppose
he want ed a pair of shoes. He could buy t hem for five dollars, or
about four per cent of his mont hly wages. But let us assume t hat
he was a lit t le more ambit ious and want ed a Ford aut omobile.
The price of t hat was t wo hundred and sixt y- five dollars, or less
t han t wo and one- half mont hs' salary. Now point out t o me any
count ry in Europe, even before t he war, where a servant could
buy a pair of subst ant ial shoes for a day and a quart er' s wages,
or an aut omobile for sevent y days' wages! Such condit ions are
not unusual in America. They are universal. I knew a lady who
had t o give up a woman cook whom she had engaged because
she did not have room in her garage for t he cook' s aut omobile.
St ill anot her example from a different occupat ion. I n get t ing
aboard a sleeping- car I hung on t o my precious violin- case. That
aroused t he int erest of t he colored port er, who was a music-
lover. Let me say parent het ically t hat I t hink t he American
Negroes, wit h t heir inborn gift for rhyt hm and melody, are about
t he most promising musical mat erial in t he count ry. When I
began t o pract ise, as is my cust om when t raveling, I could not
keep t hat port er out of my compart ment . I t t urned out t hat he
owned a hundred Vict rola records of Kreisler, Elman, Heifet z, and
my modest self, which he crit icized in his charact erist ic dialect , t o
my int ense but suppressed amusement . Now I never met , even
in t he most musical count ries of Europe, a railway port er who
could t alk wit h me appreciat ively and int elligent ly about t he
qualit y of my playing as reproduced on Vict rola records. A
Cont inent al port er might possibly be a member of a men' s
chorus, for our European railway men are somet imes musical, but
I can hardly conceive of his having a more ext ensive knowledge
of t he musical world t han t hat connect ion might give him.
Conceive also my surprise when, upon offering my room- servant
at a hot el a free t icket t o one of my symphony concert s, he
refused it wit h t hanks, explaining t hat he had a season t icket for
t he whole series. Yet t hat was not so surprising as it might
appear, for a season t icket for a fairly good seat at t he t en
concert s cost $7. 50, or no more t han it would in Europe; and in
proport ion t o t he man' s wages, which were several t imes as high
as t hey would be here, it was a mere bagat elle.
I received st ill anot her memorable surprise at a concert I gave t o
t he employees of t he Beechnut plant , one of America' s finest
food- preserving est ablishment s. This concert was not got up as a
similar ent ert ainment would have been in Europe - t hrough an
invit at ion from a Social - Democrat labor delegat ion t o play for t he
workers grat uit ously. I t was a regular business- engagement , at
my usual fee, arranged bet ween my agent and t he propriet ors. I
should have been well repaid by t he experience it self, however,
had I given t he concert free. I do not know whet her my playing
came up t o t he expect at ions of my audience of employees, but
my own expect at ions regarding t hemselves, t hough high, were
far exceeded. The people came in t heir own aut omobiles,
including not only Fords but also more expensive cars. The ladies
were dressed much bet t er t han t hose in a middle- class European
audience - elegant shoes, silk st ockings, fur collars, and, last but
not least , a cert ain self- possession and poise t hat I admire
immensely in t he American fair sex; and t he men were quit e
wort hy of t heir part ners in dress and manners. I could not help
drawing ment al comparisons bet ween t heir appearance and t hat
of a similar audience in Europe, and I felt a heart - pang as I
recalled t he pale careworn faces and shabby clot hing I should
have seen on such an occasion in my own count ry.
I could fill volumes wit h similar incident s. But t hey would add
not hing t o what I have already said. Universal prosperit y, general
cont ent , and a cert ain pride in belonging t o a great , unit ed
nat ion, t ake t he place of our irrit at ing class- dist inct ions, of t he
mut ual hat red bet ween bourgeoisie and prolet ariat , and of our
nat ional animosit ies. This difference even produces a clearly
discernible physical resilience in t he American people. Nowhere
else can you hear t he grass of progress grow t he way t hat you
can t here.
Such impressions were renforced, [ sic] moreover, by economic
phenomena t hat seem t o a European like t he effect of wit chcraft .
For inst ance, t ake t he relat ion bet ween wages and prices. The
average wage of an American worker must be at least t hree and
one- half t imes t hat of a European. Nevert heless, t he product of
his labor is by no means t hree and one- half t imes dearer t han in
Europe. I t is not t wo and one- half t imes dearer. Many t hings may
cost t wice as much, but ot her t hings cost no more, and some
t hings are even cheaper t han in Europe. Any man can see t hat if
an operat ive earns t hree and one- half t imes t he European wage
for making a hat , for example, but t hat hat can be sold for t he
European price, he can buy t hree and one- half t imes as many
hat s as his European comrade. I f, however, - as, for example, in
t he aut omobile indust ry and in t he building- t rades, - he earns
from four t o t en t imes t he European wage, but can produce
t hings t o sell at one fourt h of t he European price, t hen t here is a
relat ion bet ween wages and purchasing power t hat simply
bewilders a European. I n such cases t he American worker is
sixt een t o fort y t imes bet t er off t han our workers. The most
remarkable, but by no means unique, inst ance of t his kind is at
t he Ford works. They keep on raising t he wages of t heir
employees, reducing t he prices of t heir cars, and yet adding t o
t heir profit s!
Now such t hings make a man t hink. They must have a cause. I
made an exhaust ive inspect ion of t he Ford plant in Det roit j ust t o
discover, if possible, t his cause. The impression t hat t he place
made on me was as overwhelming as t hat produced by a Part it ur
by St ravinski - bot h alike were emanat ions of genius and t he
cont emporary spirit .
The short est explanat ion of t he magic formula of America' s
prosperit y, whose most perfect exponent perhaps is t he Ford
syst em, is t he Unit ed St at es. The Unit ed St at es connot es t wo all -
import ant fact ors - mass out put and quant it y market s; in ot her
words, t he lowest possible cost s of product ion and t he largest
possible sales. These t wo fact ors combine t o cheapen goods
aut omat ically. They make it possible, not only t o lower cost s of
product ion t o t he minimum, but also t o place product s in t he
hands of consumers at t hese low cost s of product ion plus profit s,
wit h no deduct ion for cust oms dut ies and war t axes, which are as
inevit able on a cont inent divided up int o a mult it ude of pet t y
St at es as is war it self.
I ret urned t o Europe filled wit h t hese ideas, and resolved t o st art
a campaign for a Unit ed St at es of Europe. But t he first t ime I
opened my mout h t o proclaim t his new gospel a friend slapped
me smilingly on t he shoulder and said: ' Yes, yes, I know where
you get t hat idea. Pan- Europa. '
I asked him what he meant , and learned t hat a movement t o
at t ain t his obj ect already exist ed - t he Pan- Europa organizat ion
of Count Coudenhove- Kalergi. I bought his book, and was
delight ed t o find many of my ideas already in it , and above all t o
discover t hat his obj ect was ident ical wit h my own.
I do not pique myself upon t he originalit y of my ideas. They are
everywhere in t he air. We j udge t he man of vision, whet her he be
poet , leader, or prophet , not by t he novelt y of his revelat ions,
but by his abilit y t o give form and subst ance t o what already lies
in t he heart s and minds of men. Coudenhove has done t hat . He
has st udied t he problem under all it s aspect s and has always
come back t o t he same conclusion. All roads may not lead t o
Rome, but all roads do lead t o a Unit ed St at es of Europe - t he
road of reason, t he road of mat erial prosperit y, and t he roads of
et hics, of religion, of pacifism, of Christ ian love for our neighbor,
and of t he inst inct of self- preservat ion.

Search
Mein Weg zu Paneuropa: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/literature/pan_europa/mein_weg/[02/11/12 06:49:55]
MEI N WEG ZU PANEUROPA
v on Br oni sl aw Huber man
Wir begren BRONI SLAW HUBERMAN, den
welt berhmt en Geiger, als Mit arbeit er.
Die Redakt ion.
I . AMERI KANI SCHE EI NDRCKE
I ch verbracht e die let zt en vier Wint er in den Vereinigt en St aat en
von Nordamerika. Von den dort gewonnenen Eindrcken will ich
zuerst erzhlen, denn sie waren der Boden, auf dem in mir der
Gedanke von den "Vereinigt en St aat en von Europa" als der
einzigen Mglichkeit und Not wendigkeit ent st and, unserem armen
Welt t eil dass zum Leben erforderliche, bisher vermit e
Mindest ma von Wohlst and zu geben und es zugleich von der
Gefahr zu befreien, die ihm von der zweikpfigen Hydra eines
neuen unvermeidlichen Krieges und des Bolschewismus droht .
Um es vorwegzunehmen: I ch gehre nicht zu den eingebildet en
Europern, die auf Amerika mit kaum verhllt er Geringscht zung
herabsehen. I m Gegent eil: Viele seiner st aat lichen und
gesellschaft lichen Einricht ungen erscheinen mir vorbildlich und
erfllen mich Europer geradezu mit Neid, wie ich denn auch von
manchen meiner europischen Mit brger, besonders von denen
der Millionrsgilde, wnschen wrde, da sie sich die
Opferfreudigkeit , den Gemeinsinn, das Pflicht bewut sein mancher
ihrer amerikanischen Klassengenossen zum nachahmenswert en
Beispiel nehmen mcht en.
Seit den Tagen der Medici hat die Welt solche Tat en
grozgigst en Mzenat ent ums noch nicht gesehen, wie sie in
j eder greren St adt Amerikas an der Tagesordnung sind.
Universit t en, Forschungsinst it ut e, Museen, Bibliot heken,
Konservat orien, Symphonieorchest er mit den dazu gehrenden
Konzert slen verdanken ihr Best ehen fast ausschlielich der
Munifizenz einzelner Brger. Dabei erschpft sich ihr I nt eresse
keineswegs mit der Zeichnung des Schecks. Sie verwenden oft
auer ihren Geldmit t eln ihren ganzen Einflu, ihre freie Zeit fr
das Gedeihen ihrer St ift ungen. Wenn man an die erreicht en, in
der Welt wohl einzig dast ehenden Result at e, wie zum Beispiel die
Morgan- Bibliot hek, das Carnegie- I nst it ut , das Philadelphia-
Orchest er usw. denkt , so mu man wohl sagen: "Die Werke loben
ihren Meist er. " I ch hre schon die Einwendungen des
voreingenommenen Europers: "Ja, bei diesem Reicht um ist es
Welt kart e
Mein Weg zu Paneuropa
To fire a gun out side t he boundary of our count ry is
lawful it is called pat riot ism . . . when t he shot is
specially well fired it is recompensed wit h medals,
pensions, promot ion. To fire a gun inside t he boundary
on t he cont rary is called assassinat ion, homicide, and it
is prohibit ed by law and punished wit h imprisonment for
life or hanging . . . it does not mat t er whet her t he bullet is
fired at a friend or an enemy, a fellow cit izen or a
foreigner. The only crit erion which decides whet her t he
act is one of heroism or of crime is t he nat ional front ier.
wahrlich nicht schwer, munifizent zu sein. " I ch knnt e darauf
erwidern, da ich unt er den europischen Krsussen vergebens
nach einem Ausschau gehalt en habe, der wie Carnegie oder
Rockefeller zwei Drit t el seines wenn auch geringeren Reicht ums
fr ffent liche Zwecke gespendet ht t e. Recht bezeichnend fr die
amerikanische Art , das Prinzip "Noblesse oblige" anzuwenden, ist
die schne Gest e einer mir befreundet en Musikent husiast in: Seit
Jahren war sie die Seele einer Musikgesellschaft , die sich zum
Ziele geset zt hat , selt en gehrt e lt ere Werke und ganz moderne
Komposit ionen in vorbildlicher Weise zur Auffhrung zu bringen.
Kein Wunder, da bei einer solchen Exklusivit t der Programme
das Defizit immer grer wurde. Als es schlielich ihr Budget
derart berst ieg, da sie vor der Alt ernat ive st and, ihre geliebt en
Konzert e einst ellen zu mssen, verkauft e sie schnell ent schlossen
ihr wert vollst es Perlenhalsband! I ch fhle, meine
voreingenommenen Europer verst ummen auch nicht vor dieser
Wucht der Tat sachen. Sie bezweifeln die Aufricht igkeit der
Mot ive, denken an Snobbismus, Eit elkeit . Als wenn es bei uns in
Europa keine gbe . . . Nur t oben sie sich bei uns, j e nach der
Mode, in Parforce- Jagden und Kieler Regat t en aus.
Was auf mich drben den st rkst en Eindruck macht e, war j edoch
nicht so sehr der Reicht um des Einzelnen, von dem bei uns so
viele irrefhrende Fabeln erzhlt werden, als vielmehr der
allgemeine Volkswohlst and, der in den Seidenst rmpfen,
Pelzkragen und Aut omobilen der arbeit enden Klassen vielleicht
noch sinnflliger zum Ausdruck kommt als in den Diademen
einzelner Logeninhaberinnen der Met ropolit an Opera.
Einige Beispiele aus meinen eigenen Erfahrungen illust rieren es
besser, als noch so begeist ert e allgemeine Schilderungen es
vermcht en. Bei meiner Ankunft in einer Musikst adt des
Mit t elwest im Anfang meiner amerikanischen Laufbahn werde ich
von einem Orchest ermit glied erwart et , das ich als einen gut en
Bekannt en schlecht en Angedenkens, nmlich vom let zt en Pult der
zweit en Geiger der Warschauer Philharmonie, begrt e.
( Schlecht en Angedenkens, weil auch noch dieser Plat z zu gut fr
sein Falschspiel schien. ) Nach der Bewillkommnung sagt mir mein
Landsmann, da er mich in seinem Aut o nach dem Hot el und
dann zur Probe begleit en werde. I ch glaubt e schlecht gehrt zu
haben und sage, es sei sehr freundlich vom Musikverein, mir ein
Aut o zur Verfgung zu st ellen, worauf j edoch mein Bekannt er
mich verbessert und auf das Aut o als auf sein Eigent um hinweist .
uerlich lchelnd, erlit t ich innerlich einen Choc. Wie, dacht e ich
im St illen, dieser Mann, der in Warschau zu schlecht fr das let zt e
Pult war, bekleidet hier eine St elle, die ihm gest at t et , ein eigenes
Aut o zu halt en? Er mu also mindest ens einen
Konzert meist erpost en inne haben. Damit glaubt e ich schon die
viel gnst igere Lage eines amerikanischen Orchest ermusikers
eskompt iert zu haben, denn welcher Dirigent , geschweige denn
Konzert meist er in Europa knnt e sich ein Aut o leist en? Voll
bsest er Ahnungen ber die Qualit t eines solchen Orchest ers
fuhr ich denn zur Probe. Was aber sah ich dort ? Mein Aut o-
Landsmann set zt sich mit einer Bescheidenheit , die fr einen
europischen Aut obesit zer schier undenkbar wre, an dasselbe
let zt e Pult , das er in Warschau inne hat t e, nur mit dem
Unt erschied, da er in Europa dabei am Hungert uch nagt e,
whrend er drben an allen Lebensgenssen und
Bequemlichkeit en t eil hat t e, die in Europa allein der sehr dnnen
Gesellschaft sschicht der Wohlhabenden vorbehalt en sind.
Ein weit eres Beispiel: I ch fhrt e einen eigenen Hausst and in
Amerika und st ellt e einen Diener an. Sein Monat slohn bet rug 110
Dollar. Die Europer werden bei Umrechnung dieser Summe in
ihre einheimische Whrung die Hnde ber dem Kopfe
zusammenschlagen und mich bemit leiden. Das ist aber erst ens
berflssig, weil 110 Dollar einen kleineren Prozent sat z meines
amerikanischen Einkommens ausmachen, als der ent sprechende
europische Dienerlohn von meinen europischen Einnahmen
bedeut en wrde. Zweit ens ist mein Ausgaben- Budget im Sinne
der vorliegenden Bet racht ungen weniger int eressant als das
Einnahme- Budget meines Dieners, aus dem einfachen Grunde,
weil es mehr Diener als Geiger gibt . Also er erhielt 110 Dollar.
Wie verhielt sich nun sein Lohn ( von der er nicht s mehr fr
Quart ier und Verpflegung abzugeben hat t e) zu seinen Ausgaben?
Nehmen wir an, er braucht e ein Paar Schuhe: 5 Dollars gleich 4
Prozent seines Monat slohnes. Ein Ford- Aut o: 265 Dollars oder
nicht ganz zweieinhalbfacher Monat slohn! Man zeige mir ein Land
in Europa, auch aus der gesnderen Vorkriegszeit , wo ein Diener
sich in eineinviert el Tag Arbeit ein Paar t adellose Schuhe, in
siebzig Arbeit st agen ein Aut o verdient ht t e! I n Wien wrde ein
Diener zirka sechs Jahre fr das gleiche Aut o arbeit en mssen!
Daher ist es keine Fabel, sondern eine wirkliche Begebenheit , da
eine mir befreundet e Dame die bereit s aufgenommene Kchin
doch wieder ent lassen mut e, weil in ihrer Garage kein Raum fr
das Aut o der Kchin vorhanden war!
Ein Beispiel aus einer andern Arbeit erschicht : I ch best eige einen
Schlafwagen. Meinen Geigenkast en lasse ich dabei nicht aus der
Hand. Dies erweckt das I nt eresse des augenscheinlich
musikliebenden farbigen Schlafwagen- Schaffners. ( Nebenbei
bemerkt , bildet meiner Ansicht nach die amerikanische
Negerrasse mit ihrem angeborenen Sinn fr Rhyt hmus und
Melodie das wert vollst e Musik- Rohst off- Reservoir Amerikas. ) Als
ich dann meiner Gewohnheit gem unt erwegs zu ben beginne,
ist der Neger nicht mehr von meinem Coup wegzubringen. Und
es st ellt sich heraus, da er an die hundert Grammophonplat t en
von Kreisler, Elman, Heifet z und - meiner Wenigkeit besit zt ,
deren fr ihn charakt erist ische Unt erschiede er mir zu meiner
innerst en Belust igung auseinanderset zt . Auch in den
musikalischest en Lndern Europas bin ich noch auf keinen
Schaffner gest oen, der mir Vort rge ber die Qualit t meiner
Grammophonplat t en oder - ins Europische berset zt - meiner
Konzert - Vort rge gehalt en ht t e. Er mag einem
Mnnergesangsverein angehren, denn musikalisch ist er j a
zuweilen, aber eine weit ere Teilnahme am Musikleben kann er
sich einfach nicht leist en. - Man denke sich meine berraschung,
als ein mich bedienender Zimmerkellner eine Freikart e zum
Symphoniekonzert , in dem ich mit wirken sollt e, danken
ausschlug, mit dem Hinweis, da er im Besit z eines Saison-
Abonnement s fr alle Symphonie- Konzert e sei. Was Wunder
auch, da Abonnement fr einen mit t elgut en Sit z zu den 10
Konzert en kost et 7 Dollar, also nicht mehr als in Europa, im
Verhlt nis zu dem um Vielfaches hheren amerikanischen
Kellnerverdienst j edoch nur einen Brucht eil der europischen
Eint rit t spreise.
berwlt igend wirkt e auf mich ein Konzert , das ich vor der
Arbeit erschaft der Beech Nut Plant , Amerikas vornehmst er
Konservenfabrik, gab. Dieses Konzert kam nicht et wa auf dem in
Europa fr solche Veranst alt ungen blichen Wege zust ande, das
heit durch Unt erbreit ung der Einladung seit ens einer
sozialdemokrat ischen Arbeit ervert ret ung und deren Annahme
durch den Knst ler unt er Verzicht auf sein Honorar. Nein, hier
wurde ich durch die bliche Vermit t lung meines Agent en seit ens
des Fabrikbesit zers gegen mein volles Honorar regelrecht
engagiert . Und gerade in diesem Falle ht t e ich gern auch
unent gelt lich zugesagt , nur aus I nt eresse an dem Anblick einer
solchen Veranst alt ung. I ch wei nicht , ob ich mit meinem Spiel
die Erwart ungen des Arbeit er - Publikums recht fert igt e, aber
sicherlich wurden die meinigen, so hochgespannt sie auch waren,
noch weit bert roffen. Diese meine Erwart ungen konnt en sich
nat urgem nur auf das uere Bild und Benehmen meines
Audit oriums beziehen. Da blieb aber auch kein Wunsch unerfllt .
Es begann mit der Auffahrt in eigenen Aut os, brigens nicht nur
Ford- Wagen, dann folgt e die berraschung durch das
best rickende uere der j ungen Damen, die keinen Vergleich mit
einem rein brgerlichen europischen Audit orium zu scheuen
gehabt ht t en. Elegant es Schuhwerk, Seidenst rmpfe, Pelzkragen
und last not least j ene gewisse st olze Kopfhalt ung, die ich bei
Amerikanerinnen so liebe. Die Mnner in Anzug und Benehmen
wrdig ihrer schneren Hlft en. I ch konnt e nicht umhin, im Geist e
einen Vergleich mit hnlichen europischen Veranst alt ungen zu
ziehen, und mein Herz krampft e sich mir zusammen im Gedanken
an die abgehrmt en Gesicht er und die drft ige Kleidung, die von
der Vorst ellung gleichart iger Volksschicht en in Europa nun einmal
nicht zu t rennen sind.
I ch knnt e noch Bnde mit derart igen Beispielen fllen, aber es
wrde alles auf dasselbe hinauslaufen: Allgemeiner Wohlst and,
innere Zufriedenheit , ein alle verbindendes st olzes Gefhl der
Zugehrigkeit zu einer einzigen groen Volksgemeinschaft und
nicht wie bei uns in Europa die peinvolle Scheidung in Bourgeois
und Prolet arier, die durch einen Abgrund von Neid, Ha und
Rachegefhl voneinander get rennt sind. - Von der hnlich
geart et en Absonderung der einzelnen europischen Nat ionen
schon ganz zu schweigen. Daher auch drben der geradezu
krperlich wahrnehmbare Zug nach vorwrt s, nach
Vervollkommnung. Nirgends kann man das Gras der Ent wicklung
und des Fort schrit t es frmlich so wachsen hren wie drben. All
diese Eindrcke wurden noch vervollst ndigt durch manche
konomische Phnomene, die auf den europischen Beobacht er
wirken mssen wie Zaubereien eines Schwarzknst lers.
Da ist das Verhlt nis zwischen Arbeit slohn und Warenpreis. Der
durchschnit t liche Lohn eines amerikanischen Arbeit ers drft e
3mal hher sein als der des europischen. Trot zdem ist das
Produkt dieser 3mal hher bezahlt en Arbeit keineswegs 3mal
t eurer als in Europa, es ist nicht einmal 2mal t eurer; manches
ist 2 oder 1 mal t eurer, einiges ist berhaupt nicht t eurer und
vieles sogar direkt billiger als in Europa. Es ist j edem klar, da,
wenn ein Arbeit er das 3fache des europischen Lohnes fr die
Herst ellung, sagen wir eines Hut es, bekommt , aber diesen Hut
selbst um den europischen Preis sich kaufen kann, er 3mal so
viel Ht e kaufen kann als sein europischer Kollege. Wenn er
aber, wie zum Beispiel in der Aut omobil- I ndust rie, im
Baugewerbe und Bergbau, das Vier - bis Zehnfachedes
europischen Lohnes erhlt , den Art ikel selbst aber um ein Viert el
des europischen Preises kaufen kann, dann ent st eht ein
Verhlt nis von Arbeit slohn zur Kaufkraft , welches auf den
Europer so aufreizend wirken mu, da ich mich ht en wrde,
es zu nennen, wenn ich nicht die eingest andene Absicht ht t e, die
Europer aufzurt t eln: Der Amerikaner st eht sich dann 16 bis
40mal besser als der Europer gleicher Kat egorie! Das
verwirrendst e, aber keineswegs vereinzelt dast ehende Phnomen
ist Ford. Er bringt es fert ig, den Lohn seiner Arbeit er allj hrlich zu
erhhen, den Preis seiner Aut omobile zu ermigen und dennoch
seinen Net t ogewinn st et ig zu st eigern!
Diese Eindrcke und Beobacht ungen mssen einen denkenden
Menschen zum berlegen zwingen. Denn solche Phnomene
mssen auf best immt en Ursachen beruhen. Diese zu erkennen
war der Zweck meiner eingehenden Besicht igung der Fordschen
Fabrik in Det roit . Der Eindruck war berwlt igend, seine Wirkung
nicht weniger at emraubend als et wa eine Part it ur von St ravinsky
- beides Emanat ionen von Genie und Zeit geist .
Die krzest e Erklrung der Zauberformel fr die Blt e Amerikas,
deren vollkommenst er Exponent Ford sein drft e, heit :
Vereinigt e St aat en. Diese bedeut en die Vorausset zung fr deren
zwei wicht ige Fakt oren: Massenprodukt ion und
Massenabsat zgebiet , das heit billigst e Produkt ion und grt en
Absat z. Sie schlieen aber auch die aut omat ische Folgewirkung
einer weit eren Verbilligung ein: Nmlich auer derj enigen durch
verbilligt e Massenherst ellungsweise auch noch die Mglichkeit des
Verkaufes dieser wohlfeileren Produkt e zu den reinen
Herst ellungspreisen plus Verdienst , aber unbelast et durch
Grenzzlle und Kriegsst euern, die ebenso unvermeidlich
Begleit erscheinungen der Vielst aat erei sind wie die Kriege selbst .
I I . DI E TAT COUDENHOVES
Erfllt von diesen I deen, kam ich nach Europa zurck, mit dem
fest en Vorsat z, eine Bewegung ins Leben zu rufen, die kein
geringeres Ziel ht t e als die Schaffung der Vereinigt en St aat en
von Europa. Doch schon beim erst en Versuch wurde mir lchelnd
auf die Schult er geklopft , et wa mit den Wort en: "Ja, j a, wir
wissen schon, wo du das her hast : Paneuropa". I ch fragt e, was
dies bedeut e und erfuhr auf diese Weise, da bereit s ein
Krist allisat ionspunkt fr eine solche Bewegung exist iert e:
"Paneuropa" von Graf Coudenhove Kalergi. I ch verschafft e mir
das Buch und war sehr beglckt , viele meiner I deen darin
vorzufinden und vor allem dasselbe Ziel.
I ch bilde mir auf diese I deen nicht s ein, denn sie liegen j et zt
geradezu in der Luft , ebenso wie andererseit s dieses I n- der -
Luft liegen die Tat Coudenhoves nicht im Geringst en schmlert .
Denn das Krit erium fr den Begnadet en, sei er Dicht er, Fhrer
oder Prophet , best eht nicht darin, da er unerhrt Neues, noch
nie Dagewesenes dem erst aunt en Volke zeigt , sondern ganz im
Gegent eil in der Fhigkeit , das, was vieler Menschen Herz oder
Geist bewegt , in die ent sprechende Form zu kleiden und dadurch
erst sein Verknder zu werden. Und das hat Coudenhove get an.
Er hat das Problem von allen Seit en beleucht et und kommt immer
wieder zum gleichen Ergebnis. Wenn auch nicht alle Wege nach
Rom fhren, so fhren sie doch alle nach Paneuropa, gleichviel,
ob es der Weg der Vernunft , des Mat erialismus, der Et hik, der
Religion, des Pazifismus, der christ lichen Nchst enliebe oder der
St elbst erhalt ung ist . Es fragt sich nur, ob Coudenhove nicht , t reu
seinem angeborenen Hange nach philosophischer Erkennt nis und
et hischer Reinheit , die idealist ische Seit e des Problems zu sehr
unt erst richen, die prakt ische, mat erielle hingegen, t rot z aller
sachlichen Logik, zu sehr in den Hint ergrund geschoben hat .
I I I . PANEUROPA ALS KONOMI SCHES PROBLEM
Fr mich st ellt sich das Problem als ein vorwiegend konomisches
dar oder, um ganz ehrlich zu sein, meine berzeugung von dem
Herdent riebe und der Raubt iernat ur vieler Menschen - um nicht
zu sagen des Menschen an sich - drngt mich zu der Takt ik, die
Wahrheit en ber die durch nicht s zu berbiet enden mat eriellen
Vort eile unserer Bewegung so st ark als mglich
herauszust reichen, dagegen aber mit dem meinem Herzen noch
nher liegenden gleichzeit igen Ziel allgemeiner Verbrderung und
Abschaffung des gegenseit igen Menschenschlacht ens ein wenig
hint er dem Berge zu halt en. Wozu auch darber reden? Von Plat o
an ber Christ us und Kant bis in unsere Zeit wurden
Nchst enliebe und Pazifismus von den edelst en Geist ern immer
wider gepredigt - st et s mit demselben negat iven Ergebnis. Also
will ich der Menschheit mit dieser abgegriffenen Mnze lieber
nicht kommen. I ch begnge mich mit dem Bewut sein, da die
Erreichung auch dieses Zieles ohnehin aut omat isch und unlsbar
mit der Gesamt heit des Problems Paneuropa verknpft ist . Daher
mcht e ich mich nicht wie die bisherigen Pazifist en nur an die
I nt ellekt uellen und I dealist en, sondern vor allem an diej enigen
wenden, die den Haupt vort eil aus dieser Bewegung zu ziehen
best immt sind: an die groe Masse. Denn fr die Prolet arier
bedeut et Paneuropa nicht mehr und nicht weniger als die
Befreiung von j ahrt ausendalt er, auf keine andere Weise
abzuschaffender Sklaverei.
Bedarf es fr die Richt igkeit dieser Behaupt ung noch eines
Beleges unt er Hinweis auf das amerikanische Beispiel ? I ch knnt e
hchst ens mit einer Probe aufs Exempel dienen: Amerika, das
Land mit der zahlreichst en Arbeit erbevlkerung, ist das einzige
I ndust rieland der Welt , in dem es keine polit ische Arbeit erpart ei
gibt . Die meist en Arbeit er - darunt er auch geist ige, wie zum
Beispiel die Musiker - sind in den Trade- Unions auf das
mcht igst e organisiert und erringen und erhalt en sich mit deren
Hilfe ihren hohen Lebensst andard. Aber auch die wt endst en
Lohnkmpfe vermgen sie nicht polit isch von dem Rest der
brgerlichen Gesellschaft zu t rennen, als deren vollwert ige
Mit glieder sie sich mit Recht fhlen. Mit dieser Fest st ellung habe
ich ein wicht iges Blat t des paneuropischen Problems
aufgeschlagen: Die europische Union in ihrer negat iven Wirkung
auf den Bolschewismus. Wenn es uns auch hier in Europa gelingt ,
Zust nde zu schaffen, die eine polit ische Absonderung der
Arbeit ermasse vom Rest der Bevlkerung unnt ig machen, dann
verhindern wir eo ipso das Umsichgreifen des Bolschewismus.
Da aber andererseit s der Bolschewismus fr weit e Kreise einen
groen Gedanken darst ellt , werden auch seine Gegner nicht
leugnen knnen. Einen Gedanken, mag er auch verst iegen
erscheinen, kann man aber nicht mit dem Baj onet t ausrot t en.
Man kann ihn nur mit einem greren Gedanken besiegen. Dieser
grere Gedanke heit wiederum Paneuropa. Meiner Ansicht nach
gibt es fr die Bourgeoisie Europas nur eine Alt ernat ive:
Ent weder es gelingt ihr, das Niveau der Lebensfhrung der
arbeit enden Klassen zu heben und allmhlich dem ihrigen
anzugleichen, oder aber die Arbeit er werden sie zu ihrem
Lebensst andard hinunt erreien, wie sie es in Ruland bereit s
get an haben. Wie kann man aber nun ihre Lebensbedingungen
heben? Die scheinbar einfache Met hode, den berschu den
Besit zenden wegzunehmen und unt er die Besit zlosen zu vert eilen,
hat sich, gelinde gesagt , nicht bewhrt . Kurzweg den Arbeit slohn
erhhen? Das wre ein circulus vit iosus: Der Arbeit er, dem heut e
der Lohn gest eigert wurde, mu bermorgen um so viel mehr fr
seinen Lebensunt erhalt ausgeben, weil j a der Arbeit geber kein
Zauberer ist und den Preis seiner vert euert en Produkt e im
gleichen Verhlt nis erhhen mu. I ch wundere mich nur, da
diese fort geset zt e Beschwindelung der Arbeit nehmer, die
allerdings keine von den Arbeit sgebern beabsicht igt e, sondern die
nur eine unvermeidliche Folgeerscheinung der polit ischen
St rukt ur Europas ist , nicht lngst von den Arbeit erfhrern erkannt
und bekmpft worden ist . Ein Kind wrde das Problem in die
Wort e fassen: "Den Kuchen essen und doch ganz lassen". Den
Wohlhabenden nicht s wegnehmen und den Armen mehr geben.
Dies geht nur, wenn man dem Arbeit er die Mglichkeit gibt ,
innerhalb derselben Arbeit szeit mehr Gt er zu erzeugen als bisher
und den grt en Teil dieses Plus zu seinem Lohne schlgt . Am
krzest en wrde die Formel laut en: Lohnst eigerung durch
Produkt ionsst eigerung ohne Preisst eigerung, sondern mit
Preissenkung. I m Europa der Vielst aat erei ist das gleichbedeut end
mit der Quadrat ur des Zirkels, im Europa der Vereinigt en St aat en
ist es das Ei des Kolumbus. Fr die Skept iker mcht e ich die
konomischen Folgen von Paneuropa nochmals mit Schlagwort en
rekapit ulieren: Massenprodukt ion durch alsdann sich lohnende
Einst ellung ent sprechender Maschinen, unbeschrnkt er
Massenabsat z durch Abschaffung der Grenzen, fast keine
St euern, keine Zlle, weil Kriege, I nvaliden,
Kriegsent schdigungen, eigene oder fremde Reparat ionen
fort fallen.
I V. KEI NE GRENZEN - KEI NE KRI EGE
Wo es keine Grenzen gibt , da gibt es auch keine Kriege, und
lat ent er Ha mildert sich bis zur Vert rglichkeit . ber die Grenze
schieen ist erlaubt - man nennt es Pat riot ismus, Brgerpflicht ,
Heldent at , und sit zt der Schu besonders gut , so wird er mit
Orden, Pensionen, St andeserhhungen belohnt . I nnerhalb der
Grenzen schieen heit dagegen Mord und Todschlag, ist
polizeilich verbot en, wird mit Zucht haus oder durch den Galgen
best raft und st at t der St andeserhhung droht einem Verlust der
brgerlichen Ehrenrecht e. Dabei ist es gleichglt ig, ob der Schlu
Freund oder Feind, dem St ammesbruder oder Fremden galt . Das
einzige Unt erscheidungsmerkmal fr die Frage, ob es sich um
eine Heldent at oder ein gemeines Verbrechen handelt , ist die
Landesgrenze.
Bei der heut igen hoffnungslosen Ment alit t Europas bedeut et es
vielleicht nicht offene Tren einrennen, sondern im Gegent eil
hermet isch verschlossene, wenn ich diese Behaupt ung mit
einigen Beispielen aus der neueren Geschicht e zu belegen
versuche. Das naheliegendst e Beispiel ist die Schweiz. Sie ist von
drei grundverschiedenen Volksst mmen bewohnt , deren j enseit s
der Schweizer Grenzen wohnende Haupt vert ret er seit bald zwei
Jahrt ausenden sich in wechselnder Gruppierung bekmpfen. Noch
bebt die Welt von der Wucht des let zt en Anpralles, t rot zdem
sieben Jahre seit Niederlegung der Waffen verst richen sind. Wie
verhielt en sich nun whrend des Welt krieges die Deut schen,
Franzosen und I t aliener innerhalb der Schweizer Grenzpfhle? Die
Frage st ellen heit sie auch schon beant wort en. Die Wogen der
nat ionalen Erregung, der Part einahme fr die eine oder andere
Nat ion gingen manchmal sehr hoch, aber niemand hat et was von
einem Waffengange zwischen einem Welschschweizer,
Deut schschweizer oder Tessiner gehrt . Das wre die Lehre von
dem friedlichen Verhalt en dreier scheinbar feindlicher
Volksst mme innerhalb einer Grenzlinie. Ein in ent gegengeset zt er
Richt ung vielleicht noch berzeugenderes Beispiel von der
t euflischen Wirkung der Grenzen liefert das Verhalt en der
polnischen Nat ion im Welt kriege. Wir Polen rhmen uns mit
Recht , da wir t rot z unserer schwierigen St ellung in den drei
Lagern niemand im Krieg verrat en haben, so lange man uns nicht
selbst hint ergangen hat t e. Da dies der vollen Wahrheit
ent spricht , bin ich selbst in der Lage zu bezeugen. Der Vat er
eines Bekannt en von mir - Baron von Knig - befehligt e eine fast
nur aus Posenschen Polen best ehende preuische Division, die er
nach dem frheren Russisch- Polen fhrt e. Wie aus seinen Briefen
hervorging, war er voller Begeist erung ber das pflicht t reue und
heldenmt ige Verhalt en seiner Truppe. Dasselbe rhmt e Freiherr
von der Golt z, der Chef eines aus polnisch- rheinischen
Kohlenarbeit ern best ehenden Regiment s. Der Heldenmut der
polnischen unt er st erreich dienenden Legionen gehrt bereit s
der Geschicht e an. Die Rit t er des Maria Theresien- Ordens -
st erreichs hchst er Kriegsauszeichnung, und des Georg- Ordens
- Ruland hchst er milit rischer Dekorat ion - lassen sich in
polnischen Reihen zahlreicher finden als ihrem zahlenmigen
Verhlt nis zum Rest der rein st erreichischen, respekt ive
russischen Bevlkerung ent sprechen wrde. I ch kannt e selbst
mehr als eine polnische Familie, deren mehrere Shne in den
verschiedenen, einander feindlich gegenberliegenden Lagern
kmpft en, so wie der Zufall es gefgt hat t e. Was bedeut et nun im
Grunde genommen die st olze Behaupt ung von der polnischen
Loyalit t ? Nicht s anderes, als da wir dumm genug waren, in
einem St reit e, der uns nicht bet raf, der Suggest ion des
Grenzzwanges zu erliegen und dem Befehl, auf die
Grenzbewohner zu schieen, nachzukommen, selbst auf die
Gefahr hin, unseren Bruder zu t reffen. Die Rechnung st immt : Hier
die grenzumzunt e Schweiz, die sich mit ihrer drei - einigen
deut sch- franzsisch- it alienischen Bevlkerung friedlich verhlt ,
dort das gemart ert e, zerrissene, aber innerlich einige Polen,
dessen drei Teile gegeneinander kmpfen! Dies sind nur zwei am
ergreifendst en sprechende Beispiele aus einer unermelich
langen Reihe. Wie war das Verhalt en der Deut schbalt en
gegenber Ruland? Wider der St olz auf die Loyalit t ! Whrend
sich die Deut schen und Russen von j enseit s der Grenzen die
Kpfe einschlugen, verblieben die Deut schen diesseit s der
russischen Grenzpfhle, t rot z mancher russischen
Verdcht igungen und Verfolgungen, in ihrer hist orischen Mission,
St t ze des russischen Kaisert hrones zu sein. Namen wie
Rennenkampf, St ackelberg, Kaulbars, Ungern- St ernberg usw. ,
laut er russische Generle deut scher Abst ammung, best t igen nur
diese Tat sache. Ebenso waren die Kroat en seit 600 Jahren St t ze
des Habsburgert hrones, auch dann, wenn es galt , gegen ihre
Brder, die Serben, zu kmpfen. Diej enigen, die behaupt en
wollt en, da das Verhalt en der Polen, Deut schrussen und Kroat en
nicht s mit Grenzsuggest ionen zu t un hat t e und ausschlielich
durch den Zwang des milit rischen Befehls zu erklren ist ,
verweise ich auf das winzige Finnland, welches als einzige der
unt er russischer Bot migkeit st ehenden Vlkerschaft en sich dem
Kriegsdienst sehr wohl zu ent ziehen vermocht e. Dies dank der
Tat sache, da sie als einzige durch eine Grenze vom brigen
Ruland get rennt war. Das die Teilnahme am Kriege mit Erfolg
verweigernde I rland, von England durch die Wassergrenze
geschieden, ergnzt dieses Beispiel. Soweit die Geschehnisse der
Jahre 1914/ 18. Wie sah es nun um 1866 aus? Hannoveraner,
Sachsen, Braunschweiger und st erreicher kmpft en gegen
Preuen, Bayern usw. Richt et die alt en Grenzen wieder auf, und
sie werden heut e das Gleiche t un, so wie es alle Menschen,
seit dem die Welt best eht , get an haben, und zwar nur nach
Magabe der sie t rennenden Grenzen, Mann gegen Mann, Dorf
gegen Dorf, St adt gegen St adt ( siehe die it alienischen
St dt erepubliken) , St aat gegen St aat , St aat engruppe gegen
St aat engruppe. Mgen Deut sche, I t aliener oder beliebige andere
Europer ruhig schaudern bei dem Gedanken an solche j et zt als
ket zerisch gelt enden Vorst ellungen; vielleicht wird ihnen dadurch
leicht er der Sinn dafr aufgehen, da in unserer Zeit die
gegenseit ige Abschlacht ung mehrerer demselben europischen
Kult urkreise angehrenden Vlker keine geringere moralische und
wirt schaft liche Ungeheuerlichkeit bedeut et als es frher die
Abschlacht ung der demselben Sprachgebiet angehrenden St adt -
oder St aat sangehrigen war.
V. DI E EUROPI SCHE MENTALI TT UND ANDERE
GEGENARGUMENTE
Noch nie ist et was Posit ives so grndlich und - ich wage es zu
behaupt en - so schlecht en Glaubens ins Gegent eil verdreht
worden, als das t at schliche Best ehen gemeinsamer europischer
Kult urbande durch chauvinist isches Abst reit en derselben. Sie
best ehen seit undenklichen Zeit en. Die erbit t ert st en europischen
Feinde verst ehen sich immer noch besser und sind sich, wenn
auch oft unbewut , doch noch mehr zuget an als die int imst en
berseeischen Freunde. Wie mir j eder vielgereist e Europer
best t igen wird, kommt es auf unserem Erdt eil gar nicht selt en
vor, da der Bewohner eines europischen Landst riches in der
Darlegung auch der subt ilst en, verklausuliert est en Gedanken von
dem Bewohner eines andern mit t en in seiner Rede unt erbrochen
wird, nicht durch Fragen oder aus Widerspruchsgeist , sondern
vor laut er Ungeduld, seine Zust immung zu dem noch nicht halb
ausgesprochenen und doch schon ganz errat enen Gedanken zu
uern. Bei all meinem Verst ndnis, meiner Begeist erung und
Liebe fr Amerika mu ich doch gest ehen, da ich diese Art von
Genugt uung drben selt en erlebt habe. Ein Europer luft in
Amerika keine Gefahr unt erbrochen zu werden. Und am Ende wird
er mit t ausend Fragen best rmt und t rot z aller Erlut erungen
doch nicht immer ganz verst anden werden. Nicht anders drft e es
wahrscheinlich dem Amerikaner in Europa ergehen. Jenes hchst e
Erdenglck des st illen Einverst ndnisses zweier gleichgest immt er
Seelen kann sich eben nur zwischen Menschen einst ellen, in
deren Seelen wie in dunkler Schat zkammer gleichgeart et e erst e
Eindrcke schlummern, Eindrcke, wie sie in nebelhaft er
Kindheit szeit durch die Amme, die Gromut t er mit ihren
Mrchenerzhlungen, Schreckgespinst en, Heldenund
Wiegenliedern ins j unge Gemt gesenkt wurden, und die dann im
spt eren Leben auf best immt e Reakt ionen als best immt e
Associat ionen mit schwingen und das halb ausgesprochene Wort
hellhrig ergnzen. Da sich solche Harmonien der Seele
zwischen Angehrigen weit voneinander ent legener europischer
Gebiet e ebenso nat rlich einst ellen knnen wie zwischen einem
New Yorker und einem Kalifornier, ist mir ein gengender Beweis
von der Exist enz unserer gemeinsamen paneuropischen Kult ur
und spricht eindringlicher als das noch so laut e Hageschrei
bezahlt er Agit at oren, int eressiert er Krmer, j a mehr sogar, als im
Kriege die Aust rit t serklrungen und St reichungen von Mit gliedern
aus "feindlichen" wissenschaft lichen Vereinigungen durch einige
irregeleit et e, das eigent liche Wesen ihrer knst lerischen oder
wissenschaft lichen Mission verleugnende Hochschulprofessoren.
Das Paneuropa der Ment alit t exist iert also. Man hat versucht , es
fr die Bedrfnisse des Krieges knst lich in St cke zu reien, aber
t rot z der redlichst en Bemhungen unredlichst er Menschen ist
dieser geist ige Meuchelmord nie ganz gelungen. Das deut sche
Theat er unt er Max Reinhardt s Leit ung unt ernahm whrend des
Krieges st aat lich subvent ioniert e Propagandareisen ins neut rale
Ausland mit St cken des "feindlichen" St aat sangehrigen Maxim
Gorki, in Wien und Budapest wurde, whrend die Schlacht en am
I sonzo t obt en, in St aat st heat ern Puccini, in Pariser Konzert en
Wagner und Brahms aufgefhrt ; ich, der Pole, fhrt e t rot z
meines offiziellen St andes als feindlicher St aat sangehriger in
Berlin im Jahre 1917 das Meist erst ck des Russen Taneieff, die
Konzert suit e, auf, und in Paris im erst en Jahre nach dem
Waffenst illst and spielt e ich die Sonat e des Deut schen Richard
St rau. Was aber fr die Beurt eilung der europischen Ment alit t
noch schwerer wiegt als unsere Auffhrungen, ist die Tat sache
ihrer Erfolge. Das Publikum, das doch sicherlich nicht aus laut er
Elit emenschen zusammengeset zt sein konnt e, war begeist ert und
reagiert e oft mit demonst rat ivem Beifall. Einige schwarze Schafe,
wie zum Beispiel eine Londoner Zeit ung, die mich wegen meiner
Wahl von Bach und Brahms im Jahre 1919 anpbelt e, oder eine
Berliner Zeit ung, die wegen Vort rages einer russischen
Komposit ion dasselbe t at , fallen dabei nicht ins Gewicht . Es hat
keine Zeit gegeben, auch nicht whrend der schlimmst en
deut sch- polnischen Verhet zung, in der man nicht deut sche
Knst ler in Polen und polnische Knst ler in Deut schland mit
Begeist erung aufgenommen ht t e.
Der Hinweis auf die vielen auch dauernden Herzensbande, die
zwischen Angehrigen der okkupierenden Armee und der
eingesessenen feindlichen Bevlkerung angeknpft wurden, ist in
diesem Zusammenhang vielleicht nicht ganz unangebracht .
Das Paneuropa der Wissenschaft und des Verkehrs best eht erst
recht , und wenn es nicht best nde, wrde man es schaffen
mssen. Darber noch Wort e zu verlieren, hiee wirklich
unheilbar Blinden von der Sonne oder Brandst ift ern von der
Feuerwehr erzhlen wollen.
I ch habe mich absicht lich et was lnger bei dem Kapit el
"Europische Ment alit t " aufgehalt en, weil ich in meinen
Unt erhalt ungen mit St aat smnnern und Wirt schaft spolit ikern die
Beobacht ung macht e, da, wenn sie schon gar keinen
st ichhalt igen Einwand gegen den Gedanken der Vereinigt en
St aat en von Europa erheben konnt en, sie wenigst ens die
angeblich mangelnde europische Ment alit t als Hindernis der
Vereinigung gelt end machen, und zwar t un sie es meist ens in
einer Art und Weise, die einer gewissen Komik nicht ent behrt .
Zunchst bet euert der Einzelne seine eigene begeist ert e
Zust immung zum Prinzip. Dann ent ringt sich ihm ein Seufzer,
dessen t iefen Sinn ich, gewit zigt durch die Erfahrung mit seinem
Nachbarn, im voraus errat e: Das Mit rauen gegen den bsen
Nachbarn. Ja, wenn der nicht wre! Da er selbst Nachbar des
Nachbarn ist und diesem als solcher nicht mehr Vert rauen
einflt , als er ihm selbst ent gegenbringt , will er nat rlich nicht
wahr haben. Eine der nchst en Aufgaben der paneuropischen
Bewegung wird die Zerst reuung des gegenseit igen Mit rauens
bilden mssen durch Persnlichkeit en, die kraft der hheren
Wert e ihres Berufes, der edlen Menschlichkeit ihrer Gesinnung,
geeignet sind, den verhet zt en Menschen diesseit s der Grenze ins
Gedcht nis zu rufen, da auch auf die Bewohner, j enseit s der
Grenze noch immer die Kant sche Definit ion des Menschen pat :
Ein auf zwei Beinen gehendes, sinnlich- vernnft iges Suget ier.
Ob wir diese Apost el des Vert rauens unt er den heut igen
St aat smnnern, die aus der klassischen Schule des Mit rauens
hervorgegangen sind, finden werden, erscheint mir zumindest
zweifelhaft . Wenn wir auch j eden Bekehrt en in unserer Mit t e
willkommen heien, so lege ich doch persnlich kein besonderes
Gewicht darauf. Jeder neue I nhalt mu sich seine neue Form
schaffen, j eder neue Glaube braucht neue Verknder, j ede neue
Regierungsform bildet sich auch ihre eigenen neuen Organe. So
wie es unsinnig gewesen wre, die demokrat ischen Maximen der
Revolut ion von 1789 mit Mnnern des ancien rgime in die
Regierungspraxis umset zen zu wollen, oder die sozialist ischen
Maximen der englischen Labour Part y, beziehungsweise die
kommunist ischen Prinzipien der russischen Bolschewiken mit Hilfe
demokrat ischer Fhrer, ebenso wenig knnt e ich irgendeinen
Vort eil fr unsere Bewegung in Versuchen erblicken, die
St aat smnner des heut igen sich zerfleischenden Europa in unser
Lager herberzuziehen. Es wre nut zlose Kraft verschwendung.
Nchst dem Einwand von der angeblich mangelnden europischen
Ment alit t erscheint von grt er Wicht igkeit die Befrcht ung, da
mit der Niederreiung der Grenzen auch der not wendige Schut z
fr manches nur knst lich am Leben erhalt ene Sorgenkind der
einheimischen I ndust rie wegfallen wrde. Die Kurzsicht igkeit und
Naivit t einer solchen Auffassung liegt fr mich so klar auf der
Hand, da ich mich ber ihre Gelt endmachung durch int elligent e
Menschen nicht genug wundern kann. Diese nicht lebensfhigen
I ndust rien, die nur in einem St aat e Exist enzberecht igung haben,
der morgen durch Krieg von den auslndischen Spezialquellen
abgeschlossen werden knnt e, werden zwar zugrunde gehen
mssen, dafr aber den billigeren und besseren Produkt en der
gesnderen Konkurrenz Plat z schaffen. Die dadurch heut e brot los
gewordenen Arbeit er werden morgen Anschlu finden an neue,
den einheimischen nat rlichen Lebensbedingungen besser
ent sprechende I ndust rien, oder an alt e, die ihrerseit s wieder
durch Fort fall der knst lichen Konkurrenz im Auslande
konkurrenzfhiger werden: - ebenso wie et wa seinerzeit die
ent lassenen Post illone Anschlu an die Bahnen oder an durch
diese ins Leben gerufene I ndust rien gefunden haben. Warum
mu mir in Deut schland, um nur ein Beispiel anzufhren,
minderwert iges deut sches Parfum und ebensolcher Champagner
aufgedrngt werden, wenn die franzsischen echt en Erzeugnisse
zum gleichen Preise zu haben sein sollt en? Oder in Frankreich
zweifelhaft e Chemikalien st at t der einwandfreien deut schen?
Warum mu ich in st erreich fr den billigst en Serienwagen 1050
Dollars bezahlen, wenn ein europischer Ford auch nur 265
Dollars kost en sollt e? Dasselbe kann man von fast allen Art ikeln
und allen Lndern behaupt en. Es gibt kaum ein Land, welches die
Nat ur ganz st iefmt t erlich behandelt und kaum einen
Menschenschlag, der nicht eine besondere Handfert igkeit erlangt
ht t e.
VI . PAN- HUMOR
I n Paneuropa wrden zum Beispiel Operet t en, Walzer,
Mnnergesangsvereine und alle goldenen Herzen aus Wien
bezogen werden, Anilin- Farben, besonders die graue ( fr alle
Theorien) , Nibelungent reue, Ersat z von Surrogat en, besonders
von Kaffee- Surrogat en und das Wesen, an dem die Welt genesen
soll, aus Deut schland, Aut omobile und alle sonst igen
Annherungsversuche aus Deut schland und Frankreich
gemeinsam, alle Lcher fr Ksesort en und fr - j our
Handarbeit en aus der Schweiz, Prager Schinken wirklich aus
Prag, Kognak aus Cognac, Eau de Cologne aus Kln, die Kunst ,
mit den kleinst en Fchen auf grt em Fu zu leben, aus Polen,
dagegen die schwerst en Holzpant offel fr die mildest e
Frauenherrschaft aus Holland, Klubs, abgenut zt e I solat oren ( aus
der Zeit der Splendid I solat ion) sowie die neuest en Przisions-
Wagen und Gewicht e ( zur Aufrecht erhalt ung des europischen
Gleichgewicht es) aus England, alle Mnt elchen, besonders die
kommunist ischen fr kapit alist ische Bet riebe, alle Konzessionen
und alle Unt erschiede zwischen Theorie und Praxis aus Ruland
. . .
Dadurch, da die j eweils zu dieser oder j ener Produkt ion speziell
befhigt en Lnder den gesamt en Konsum des ganzen Europa in
den bet reffenden Art ikeln zu decken ht t en, wrde eine
Serienfabrikat ion ermglicht , die den Preis, sagen wir eines
Wiener Art ikels in Paris niedriger halt en knnt e als dies zurzeit in
Wien selbst mglich wre. Auch der Export von Menschen, die
Emigrat ion, wrde in geregelt e, spezialisiert e Bahnen geleit et . I ch
sehe eine Zeit kommen, in der smt liche europischen Armeen -
eine cont radict io in adj ect o, da bekannt lich Paneuropa keine
Armeen, sondern nur eine gemeinsame Miliz haben wird -
ausschlielich preuische Vizefeldwebel, smt liche Volksschulen
nur deut sche Schulmeist er anst ellen, wo der gesamt e
Kunst himmel Paneuropas voller polnisch- j discher Geiger hngen
wird, wo alle Verschwrer, sowohl revolut ionre als auch
gegenrevolut ionre, aus Ruland, alle Fascist en aus I t alien, alle
Dauerlufer aus Finnland, alle Vorkmpfer fr Gerecht igkeit und
die Freiheit en der Welt nebst allen Verfolgern von Spionen und
Landesverrt ern wie auch deren Vert eidigern aus Frankreich, die
Ent decker des bisher unbekannt en Ost - und West - Pols aus
Skandinavien, die Zigeuner fr alle Rest aurat ions- Kapellen, die
Royalist en fr alle republikanisch regiert en Lnder aus Ungarn
bezogen wrden . . .
VI I . NATI ONALES BEKENNTNI S
Dieser vielleicht vorzeit ige Ausflug in die Provinz des Humors von
Paneuropa hat einen ernst en Kern: Meine unerscht t erliche
berzeugung, da die Niederreiung der Zollgrenzen Europas
keinen oder nur geringen Einflu auf die individuellen
Eigent mlichkeit en der einzelnen europischen Nat ionen haben
wird. Als Knst ler wre ich auch der let zt e, eine Nivellierung der
nat ionalen Kult uren zu predigen. Denn alle echt e Kunst wurzelt
let zt en Endes im nat ionalen Boden. Das Schlagwort : "Die Kunst
ist int ernat ional" mu in seiner oft mibruchlichen Gelt ung
eingeschrnkt werden. I nt ernat ional ist die Kunst nur in dem
Sinne, da sie fr den int ernat ionalen geist igen Konsum, fr
wechselseit ige Anregung, best immt ist . Ebenso j edoch wie das
Vorkommen des Kaviars auf einem New Yorker Menu noch nicht
bedeut et , da der St r in der Hudson- Mndung gerade so gut
veget ieren kann wie in der Wolga- und Donau- Mndung, ebenso
wenig kann das noch so hufige Erscheinen der Meist ersinger auf
dem Repert oire der Pariser Oper darber hinwegt uschen, da
ein Richard Wagner allein aus deut schem Wesen hervorgehen
konnt e. Wenn der Knst ler die Fhigkeit zu seinem Schaffen
seiner persnlichen Begabung verdankt , die nat rlich nat ional
unbegrenzt ist , so dankt er den Weg, den diese Begabung
nimmt , den t ausendflt igst en Einflssen seiner Umgebung. Das
gilt fr die Knst e im allgemeinen. Fr die Musik im besonderen
kommen noch drei wicht ige, nat ional st ark unt erschiedliche
Fakt oren hinzu: Volkslieder, Tanzrhyt hmen und lit urgische
Einflsse.
Nach alledem knnt e man versucht sein anzunehmen, da die
Forderungen der Geist eskult ur mit den Forderungen der
Wirt schaft skult ur in einem I nt eressenkonflikt st ehen: Hier
nat ionale Absonderung als Mat erialbereicherung fr das Mosaik
der europischen Knst e, dort das St reben nach Nivellierung,
St andardisierung, Kart ellen, Trust s ber die Landesgrenzen
hinaus, mit einem Wort der Drang nach rest loser Vereinigung
zwecks I nt ensivierung und Verbilligung der Produkt ion und ihrer
Erschlieung fr breit est e Volksschicht en. Bei nherer
Bet racht ung st ellt sich j edoch dieser Gegensat z nur als ein
scheinbarer heraus. Die kult urellen Grenzen sind nicht ident isch
mit konomischen, und durch die Aufhebung let zt erer werden die
kult urellen Unt erschiede keineswegs verwischt . Meinem
bisherigen Verfahren get reu, will ich auch fr diese, von manchen
zunchst bezweifelt e Behaupt ung Tat sachen - Beispiele anfhren:
Gibt es et was deut scheres als die Schweizer Got t fried Keller,
Konrad Ferdinand Meyer, Bcklin, St auffer - Bern, Hodler, et was
franzsischeres als die gleichfalls schweizerischen Jean Jacques
Rousseau, Benj amin Const ant , Jacques Dalcroze, Honegger ? Gibt
es et was im best en Sinne deut scheres als den Geist der
Deut schbalt en, so wie er sich in allgemeiner Bildung, in
Archit ekt ur, Wissenschaft und Kunst in den frheren balt ischen
Provinzen Rulands uert e? Wenn man nach einer lngeren
Reise durch Groruland nach Riga oder Reval kam, glaubt e man
sich unwillkrlich in eine alt e deut sche Hansast adt verset zt , so
sehr st ach der ganze Geist dieser St dt e vom brigen Ruland
ab. Das kult urell ganz zu Skandinavien gehrige Finnland kann
ich fr meine Argument e allerdings kaum in Anspruch nehmen,
weil es t rot z der Oberherrschaft Rulands durch eine offizielle
Grenze von demselben get rennt war. Mit um so grerem Recht e
kann ich aber hier auf Polen hinweisen: Zwei von den drei Teilen
wurden nicht nur polit isch, sondern auch - und vor allem -
kult urell auf Schrit t und Trit t , in der Schule, auf dem Markt plat ze,
in ihrer Ent wicklung gehemmt und verfolgt , j a sogar im freien
Gebrauch ihrer Mut t ersprache und in der Ausbung ihrer Religion
behindert . Und was war nach hundert fnfzig Jahren das Result at ?
Eine gerade kult urell ganz ungebrochene, homogene Nat ion, die
auf der Geist espalet t e der europischen Vlker sich ihre eigene
st arke Farbe unvermischt erhalt en hat t e. - Nicht einmal die Juden
sind ihrer kult urellen Eigenart ganz verlust ig gegangen, t rot zdem
sie seit bald 2000 Jahren der element arst en Vorausset zungen zur
Pflege einer nat ionalen Kult ur, der eigenen Scholle, Sprache und
t errit orialen Volksgemeinschaft , beraubt sind.
Wenn man bedenkt , da es sich bei den angegebenen Beispielen,
mit Ausnahme der Schweiz, um unt erj ocht e und in ihrer
kult urellen Ent wicklung knst lich gehemmt e Nat ionalit t en
handelt , so kann kein Zweifel darber best ehen, da bei einer
freiwilligen Vereinigung der Vlker ihre kult urelle I nt egrit t erst
recht gewahrt bliebe. berdies st nde der Aufnahme von
besonderen Kult urkaut elen in die Verfassungen der einzelnen
Lnder nicht s im Wege. Da dieselben, j edes geheimen
imperialist ischen Vor - oder Nacht eils beraubt , ehrlicher
beobacht et wrden als die Minorit t sgeset ze des Versailler
Vert rages, liegt auf der Hand.
VI I I . AMERI KAS REI CHTUM. EI N GRUND MEHR FR
PANEUROPA
Nun bleibt mir noch die Auseinanderset zung mit einem
Gegenargument brig, das auf den erst en Anhieb schwerer zu
wiegen scheint als die brigen, aber bei nherer Bet racht ung noch
weniger st andhlt : Der Hinweis auf den angeblich greren
Reicht um Amerikas an Bodenscht zen und auf seine dnnere
Besiedlung, welche einem greren nat ionalen Besit zant eil pro
Kopf der Bevlkerung gleichkme. Zunchst erscheint mir der
grere nat rliche Reicht um Amerikas gegenber Europa noch
nicht erwiesen; wenn man aber Ruland zu Europa hinzurechnet ,
was man bei einer hoffent lich fort schreit enden Hut ung der
Bolschewiken in absehbarer Zeit zu t un berecht igt sein drft e, so
wage ich, das bergewicht Amerikas in Nat urscht zen geradezu in
Zweifel zu ziehen. Und dies erst recht , wenn man die den
europischen Mcht en gehrenden Kolonien hinzurechnet . Aber
selbst angenommen, da Europa an Bodenscht zen wirklich
rmer sie als Amerika - das wre hchst ens ein Grund mehr fr
die schleunigst e Durchfhrung der Rat ionalisierung unserer
Wirt schaft , das heit der Paneuropisierung. Seit wann ht t e man
gehrt , da der Arme mehr verschwenden darf als der Reiche!
Diej enigen also, welche die angebliche Armut Europas als
Einwand gegen die Zweckmigkeit einer konomischen
Nachahmung Amerikas anfhren, denken nicht s weniger als
logisch. Sie knnt en best enfalls die Frage aufwerfen, ob uns die
Ersparungswirt schaft , als welche sich Paneuropa darst ellt , solche
Scht ze einbringen kann als sie Amerika abgeworfen hat . I ch
wrde mit einem "Ja" ant wort en. Aber auch im
ent gegengeset zt en Falle, das heit ohne Rcksicht auf die Hhe
der erspart en Summe, wre schon geradezu Unausrechenbares
gewonnen, wenn durch Abschaffung von Grenzen, Armeen und
Kriegen einerseit s zwei Drit t el unserer gegenwrt igen
europischen Budget s gespart wrden ( soviel machen die
Ausgaben fr die Armeen und den Zinsendienst der
Kriegsanleihen aus! ) , anderseit s aber die Gt ererzeugung durch
Massenprodukt ion auf das Vielfache der heut igen Menge
gest eigert und auf Brucht eile ihrer heut igen Preise ermigt
wrde.
Der paneuropische Gedanke als solcher hat keine offenen
Gegner. Meist ens verschanzen sie sich hint er Gegenargument e,
die sie von der hist orischen, t errit orialen, mat eriellen, ment alen
und sprachlichen Verschiedenheit zwischen Europa und Amerika
herleit en. Daher habe ich mich hier bei der Auseinanderset zung
mit diesen Gegenargument en lnger aufgehalt en als bei der
posit iven Seit e des Gedankens, der als solcher j a ohnehin j edem
einleucht en mu. Wenn ich dabei durch Eingehen auf einen
Einwand, den er vielleicht gar nicht erhoben ht t e, die Geduld
manchen Lesers auf die Probe gest ellt habe, so wolle er mir
zugut e halt en, da ich aus Paneuropa auch den andern Leser
nicht ausschlieen mcht e, der vielleicht gerade dieses Argument
fr das st ichhalt igst e ansieht . I ch wrde den event uellen Vorwurf
bert riebener Gegenargument anfecht erei gern auf mich nehmen,
wenn es mir nur gelnge, den Leser in dem Teil der angefhrt en
Einwendungen, den er als t rift ig ansieht , zu ent waffnen und von
der Richt igkeit der folgenden paneuropischen Glaubensst ze zu
berzeugen:
I X. RESUMEE
Die Vereinigt en St aat en von Europa bedeut en:
Hhere Lhne,
Billigere Preise,
Freie Konkurrenz, das heit bessere Qualit t ,
Greren Reicht um,
Hheren Lebensst andard der gesamt en Bevlkerung,
Wandlung des Lohnkampfes aus einem dest rukt iv- polit ischen in
einen aufbauend konomischen,
Aut omat ischen Abbau des Bolschewismus,
Pazifismus.
Die erst e Vorausset zung hiezu, die europische Ment alit t , ist
lat ent im Unt erbewut sein eines j eden Europers vorhanden.
Gegent eilige Erscheinungen sind t rgerische Ausflsse knst licher
Aufhet zung.
Die Amerikanisierung, das heit Vereinheit lichung unserer
Wirt schaft , bedeut et keineswegs die Gefahr der Amerikanisierung
unserer Kult uren. Umgekehrt aber ist die Vielflt igkeit der
europischen Kult uren kein Hindernis fr Vereinheit lichung
unserer Wirt schaft ssyst eme.
Der Schaden, der bei ffnung der Grenzen durch Eingehen
konkurrenzunfhiger I ndust rie ent st ehen wrde, ist nur ein
scheinbarer und selbst dieser nur vorbergehend.
X. AMERI KAS I NTERESSE AN PANEUROPA
"Also ht t e die Schpfung Paneuropas nur Vort eile und gar keine
Nacht eile?" werden Unglubige zweifelnd ausrufen.
"Mit Bezeichnung wie Vort eile", wage ich zu erwidern, "wre das
Unt ernehmen nicht im Ent fernt est en eingescht zt . " Hier handelt
es sich um Sein oder Nicht - Sein, um Freiheit oder Sklaverei.
Sollt e uns das Wunder gelingen, das Schicksalsschiff Europas
durch die Skylla des nchst en Krieges und die Charybdis des
lauernden Bolschewismus glcklich hindurchzust euern, so harrt
unser die Versklavung durch Amerika. Schon heut e sind die
europischen Nat ionen zu Tribut pflicht igen Amerikas geworden.
Da sich die Europer freiwillig, durch immer laut ere Kredit -
Bet t eleien, in diesen Zust and hineinbegaben, ndert nicht s an der
Sache. Dabei werden die wachsende Kredit not und die
Unmglichkeit indust rieller Konkurrenz mit Amerika unret t bar
einen circulus vit iosus verursachen. Europa knnt e die horrenden
Zinsen von 8 bis 14 Prozent , mit denen die europischen St aat en
und die I ndust rie die amerikanischen Schulden und Kredit e
verzinsen mssen, wenn berhaupt , dann nur durch vergrert en
Absat z auf den Welt mrkt en hereinbringen. Auf diesen
Welt mrkt en aber begegnet es seinem amerikanischen
Geldgeber, gegen dessen Konkurrenz aufzukommen es Europa
mit seiner unrat ionellen Produkt ionsmet hode immer schwerer
fallen wird. Der Augenblick ist nicht mehr fern, wo in Amerika die
Erkennt nis aufdmmern wird, da es von Europa in seiner
heut igen konomisch- polit ischen St rukt ur niemals auch nur einen
angemessenen Brucht eil seiner Schulden wird eint reiben knnen.
Von diesem Zeit punkt an werden die I nt eressen Amerikas mit
denen der paneuropischen Bewegung ident isch sein. Denn so
schwer den einzelnen europischen St aat en die Verzinsung und
Tilgung der amerikanischen Schulden wird, so leicht wrde es
dem in kurzer Zeit reich gewordenen Paneuropa fallen. Wir
Paneuroper mssen dafr sorgen, da diese Erkennt nis sich so
schnell wie mglich in Amerika Bahn bricht . I ch bin gewi, da
Amerika alsdann ebenso energisch und erfolgreich die I nit iat ive in
der Richt ung der Vereinigt en St aat en von Europa ergreifen wrde,
wie es den Dawesplan ins Leben rief. Ein florierendes Paneuropa
liegt auch sonst nur im I nt eresse Amerikas. Die gelegent liche
Einbue der amerikanischen Monopolst ellung auf einigen wenigen
Gebiet en der I ndust rie wrde durch vergrert e Konsumfhigkeit
Europas fr andere amerikanische Produkt e reichlich wet t
gemacht werden. Dies lehrt am best en das Beispiel Englands,
welches sein Arbeit slosenproblem nicht mehr bewlt igen kann,
seit dem Deut schland, sein grt er Konkurrent , aber auch sein
best er Abnehmer, darniederliegt . Amerikas Vort eile von
Paneuropa wrden die mannigfalt igst en sein:
Sicherst ellung der Verzinsung und Tilgung seiner Schulden,
Die Mglichkeit der Erricht ung von Tocht erfabriken in Europa.
Bekannt lich mut en diesbezgliche mehrfache Versuche Fords an
der gegenseit igen Abwehrzoll - Polit ik der europischen St aat en
scheit ern.
XI . PANEUROPA KEI NE UTOPI E MEHR
Amerika, das uns das glorreiche Vorbild seiner Vereinigt en
St aat en gab, mu und wird uns auch die Kraft verleihen, seinem
Beispiel nachzueifern, wenn es gewahr wird, da wir uns selbst
helfen wollen. Der j et zige Augenblick scheint mir hiezu besonders
gnst ig. I n der Tat , es t reffen j et zt so viele glckliche Fakt oren
zusammen, da man heut e vielleicht zum erst en Mal in der
Geschicht e unseres Welt t eils die Grndung der Vereinigt en
St aat en Europas errt ern kann, ohne sich den Vorwurf eines
Ut opist en zuzuziehen. brigens wrde mich die Gefahr eines
solchen Vorwurfs nicht im geringst en abschrecken. Wie
Coudenhove mit Recht sagt , haben alle bedeut enden I deen in der
Geschicht e der Menschheit als Ut opien begonnen, um als Realit t
zu endigen. Aber - ich mcht e fast sagen leider - hrt j et zt
Paneuropa auf, eine Ut opie zu sein. Die Grnde hiefr sind
folgende:
1. Der Welt krieg mit seinen Greueln ist noch in aller Erinnerung.
An seinen Verwst ungen kranken wir noch alle. Seine
Zwecklosigkeit , nein, seine Schdlichkeit auch fr den Sieger,
beginnt sogar in den dmmst en Gehirnen aufzudmmern. Bisher
versprach der Krieg fr den Sieger ein gut es Geschft zu werden.
Da die eigene geist ige und physische berhebung zu den
wicht igst en Gebot en des Pat riot ismus eines j eden St aat es
gehrt e, so darf man sich nicht wundern, da beide Part eien bei
Kriegsgefahr sich des gut en Geschft es eines Sieges sicher
fhlt en. Daher war der auf Menschlichkeit basiert e Pazifismus
zum Scheit ern verurt eilt . Lieber Mord und Tot schlag als Verzicht
auf die winkende Beut e. Und die Beut e des Siegers schien
meist ens des Schweies der Edlen wert . Seit Ausgang des
Welt krieges hat sich das durchaus gendert . Nicht , da ich die
Gromcht e des Nachlassens in ihrer Habgier verdcht igen
wrde. Das sei ferne von mir! Aber sie beginnen einzusehen, da
die Zeit des groen Fischzuges mit Hilfe eines "frischen,
frhlichen Krieges" vorber ist . Noch so schlau geprgt e, auf
Volksbet rug und Aufpeit schung abzielende Schlagwort e, wie die
von der groen Zeit , die uns erniedrigen, pardon, vert iefen soll,
von dem uns abhrt enden St ahlbad, von der Minderwert igkeit
und Perfidie des Gegners, werden daran auch nicht s ndern. Der
Krieg hat sich, zum erst enmal in der Geschicht e der Menschheit ,
selbst ad absurdum gefhrt . Der einzige Unt erschied zwischen
Sieger und Besiegt em, wenn es berhaupt noch einen solchen
gibt , ist , da der eine mehr verliert als der andere, , aber verlieren
t un sie alle beide. Das war 1914 bis 1918. Beim nchst en Krieg
wird auch noch dieser geringe Unt erschied verschwinden, weil
berhaupt von keinem der Beiden eine Spur brig bleiben wird . . .
Von nun an gibt es nur noch einen Sieger, den t ert ius gaudens,
den neut ralen Heereslieferant en, vorausgeset zt , da er selbst
weit genug vom Schu sit zt . Auch Amerikas Kriegsgewinst e
rhren nicht von seiner Teilnahme am Kriege her, sondern von
seiner Rolle als neut raler Heereslieferant .
Erst seit dem der Krieg aufgehrt hat , ein rent ables Geschft zu
sein, kann man mit einiger Aussicht auf Erfolg darauf ausgehen,
die Wirt schaft der europischen St aat en von der Kriegsauf die
Friedensbasis umzust ellen. Also auf Paneuropa.
2. Einen weit eren gnst igen Umst and fr die Wahl des j et zigen
Zeit punkt es zur I nangriffnahme der Grndung Paneuropas
erblicke ich in der Demokrat isierung und Replubikanisierung des
grt en Teils unseres Kont inent s. So lange Europa von den auf
ihr Got t esgnadent um in allem Ernst pochenden Dynast ien der
Romanows, Habsburger und Hohenzollern regiert wurde, wre
j eder derart ige Versuch eine an Maj est t sbeleidigung grenzende
Zumut ung gewesen: Die Dynast ien, welche die Souvernit t ihrer
St aat en als ihr eigenes persnliches At t ribut bet racht et en, ht t en
niemals die geringst e Einschrnkung derselben zugegeben. Die
schweren, ber ein Jahrhundert dauernden Kmpfe, welche
sowohl die deut schen als auch die it alienischen Frst en
gegeneinander fhrt en, nur um die Einheit sbest rebungen ihrer
Vlker zu hint ert reiben, geben uns einen kleinen Vorgeschmack
von den Hindernissen, welche die europischen Gromacht -
Dynast ien den paneuropischen Best rebungen in den Weg gelegt
ht t en. Nicht so sehr als berzeugt er Republikaner denn als
Paneuroper rufe ich aus: Got t sei Dank, da uns diese Gefahr
nicht mehr droht !
3. Von grt er Wicht igkeit fr Paneuropa ist ferner der Umst and,
da der sonst verabscheuungswrdige Welt krieg durch die
Befreiung Finnlands und der t schechischen Nat ion sowie die
Wiederaufricht ung Polens wenigst ens die schreiendst en
Verbrechen aus der Blt ezeit europischer Raub- und
Diebst ahlspolit ik wieder gut gemacht hat . Sonst wrde Paneuropa
fr die bei lebendigem Leibe begrabenen St aat en eine Gefahr, fr
die Nut znieer dieser Verbrechen ein Hilfsmit t el zur Verewigung
dieses schmachvollen Zust andes bedeut et haben. Dem
gegenber st ellen manche grausamen Hrt en der
Friedensvert rge von Versailles und St . Germain kult urelle
bergriffe dar, die, wenn auch t ief schmerzlich fr die
Bet roffenen, im Vergleich zu den St aat smorden von frher ( siehe
Schlacht am Weien Berge und rest lose Auft eilung Polens) sich
als bloe Verst mmelungen ausnehmen. Und gerade diese
Wunden lassen sich mit Hilfe des paneuropischen Verbandes am
leicht est en und nat rlichst en heilen . . .
4. Die konomischen Snden von Versailles und St . Germain
( ebenso wie frher von Brest - Lit owsk und Bukarest ) sind noch
schwerwiegenderer Nat ur. Fr j eden, der zu sehen verst eht ,
mssen die durch die angefhrt en Friedensvert rge in den
st erreichisch- ungarischen Nachfolgest aat en wie auch in den
russischen Randst aat en angericht et en wirt schaft lichen
Verwst ungen einem akut en Anreiz fr die Verbreit erung von
Wirt schaft sgebiet en bilden, also let zt en Endes fr Paneuropa. Der
am grnen Tisch durch blinden Chauvinismus, falsche Theorien
und konomische I gnoranz angericht et e Schaden ist
unvergleichlich grer gewesen als der durch unmit t elbare
Kriegszerst rungen verursacht e. Ganze blhende einheit liche
Wirt schaft sgebilde, die in ihrer damaligen Gest alt fast durchwegs
ein nat rliches Parallelogramm der auf sie einwirkenden
geographischen und wirt schaft lichen Krft e bildet en, wurden mit
einem Federst rich auseinander gerissen. Die von j edem simplen
Unt ert anenverst and, nur nicht von demj enigen der ahnungslosen
Regierungs- Weisen von 1918 sofort befrcht et en Folgen sind
auch nicht ausgeblieben: Finanzieller Bankrot t , Arbeit slosigkeit
und Elend, Hungersnot und Warenhunger ungezhlt er Familien.
Das Verfahren j ener Herren, wirt schaft liche Probleme nach
sprachlich- kult urellen oder nat ional - st rat egischen
Gesicht spunkt en gewalt sam lsen zu wollen, ht t e nur dann eine
Exist enzberecht igung gehabt , wenn der liebe Herrgot t sie bei der
Best immung der Flulufe der Donau, der Weichsel, des Nj emen
usw. , ferner bei der Vert eilung der Erz- , Kohlen- und sonst igen
Scht ze dieser Welt zu Rat e gezogen ht t e. Nachdem aber Got t ,
ihm sei es gedankt , die Unt erlassungssnde begangen hat ,
augenscheinlich nur nach seinem eigenen unerforschlichen
Rat schlu zu handeln, so mt en nun diese falschen Prophet en
wohl oder bel wiederholen, was schon der Prophet Mahomet vor
ihnen get an hat : sich nach den Flssen und Bergen zu richt en, da
diese sich nicht nach ihnen richt en wollen . . .
Fr denj enigen, der zwischen den Zeilen zu lesen verst eht ,
bedeut et auch das Resumee der st erreichischen Expert ise des
Vlkerbundes nicht s anderes als die Verurt eilung der aus der
Zerst ckelung des st erreich- ungarischen Wirt schaft skrpers sich
ergebenden, einander befehdenden Zwergwirt schaft en und den
lblichen Versuch, ihre schlimmst en Auswchse durch
Palliat ivmit t el zu lindern. Was von st erreich gesagt wird, t rifft
auch auf die meist en andern neuen St aat en Ost europas, auf
manche sogar noch in hherem Mae zu. Eine dauernde
Gesundung kann ihnen nur das Radikalmit t el Paneuropa bringen.
Wenn man die Schlufolgerung aus dem j et zigen Elend dieser
frher blhenden Gegenden zieht und sie auf das brige Europa
anwendet , so ergibt sich mit zwingender Gewalt von neuem die
Tat sache: Zwergwirt schaft bedeut et Armut ; Grobet rieb dagegen
Wohlst and. Der frhere relat ive Wohlst and Ost europas im
Verhlt nis zu seinem heut igen Elend ist nicht geringer als der
knft ige Reicht um Paneuropas im Verhlt nis zu der heut igen
Armut seiner einzelnen, auch der greren west europischen
Teile sein wrde. Die Armut der ost europischen Kleinst aat en
verhlt sich zum Zust and der west europischen Mit t elst aat en wie
dieser sich zum Reicht um des Grost aat es Nordamerika verhlt .
XI I . SOFORTI GES HANDELN - GEBOT DER STUNDE
So lat uns denn den gnst igen Augenblick nicht ungenut zt
verst reichen und ohne Sumen ans groe Werk gehen.
Wie j eder Mensch, der sich an die ffent lichkeit wendet , hege ich
die Hoffnung, da meine Ausfhrungen die Zust immung der Leser
finden.
I m Gegensat z zu meiner knst lerischen Tt igkeit knnt e ich mich
aber mit Beifall allein nicht begngen. Er wre mir keinen
Groschen wert , wenn ich nicht zugleich auch - den Groschen dazu
bekme. Wir brauchen eure Zust immung, aber auch eure
Mit arbeit , eure Werbekraft und eure Unt erst t zung in j eder Form.
Wir mssen mcht ig und reich werden, wenn wir siegen wollen.
Die Geschicht e lehrt uns, da Vernunft und Gerecht igkeit zu
ihrem Siege st rkerer Waffen und lngerer Kmpfe bedrfen als
Beschrnkt heit und Eigennut z, vielleicht aus dem Grunde, weil es
schlielich weit aus mehr beschrnkt e als aufgeklrt e Menschen
auf der Welt gibt .
Wenn wir uns das groe, ber fast unbeschrnkt e Geldmit t el
verfgende Heer von Organisat ionen vergegenwrt igen, die an
Zollschranken, Vlkerzwist und Kriegfhrung unmit t elbar wie an
einem eigenen Geschft mat eriell int eressiert sind, so werden wir
einen Begriff davon bekommen, welcher Mit t el wir bedrfen, um
ihre oft schlaue, meist ens auf die Kderung der Dummen
angelegt e Propaganda zu paralysieren. Wer uns hilft , frdert
nicht nur alt ruist isch eine gut e Sache, er scht zt sich und die
Seinen vor Vermgenszerst rung, Elend, Massenmord und
eigenem Unt ergang.
Wer sich ber unsere nchst en Bedrfnisse und weit eren Plne
sowie ber die Art , wie er sie am t at krft igst en frdern knnt e,
orient ieren will, wende sich an die "Paneuropische Union" seines
Landes, und wo eine solche noch nicht best eht , an die
Zent ralleit ung der Paneuropischen Union, Wien, Hofburg.
I n groen Zgen mcht e ich die Wege, die uns zu Paneuropa
fhren sollen, folgendermaen skizzieren: Erweckung des
paneuropischen Bewut seins und Gewissens; Organisierung der
unserem Gedanken gewonnenen Werber und St reit er. Als weit ere
Ent wicklungsst ufe: Grndung von paneuropischen
parlament arischen Part eien in allen Lndern Europas. Und dann
eines schnen Tages bergang vom Reden und Schreiben zur
Tat . Was diese alles in sich begreifen wird, st eht noch dahin. Es
wird wohl auch zum Teil von der Beschaffenheit des uns
ent gegengeset zt en Widerst andes abhngen. Wenn nt ig, werden
wir auch einen uns et wa aufgedrngt en Kampf fr die Erricht ung
der Vereinigt en St aat en von Europa nicht scheuen, ebenso wenig
wie Lincoln vor dem Einsat z von Gut und Leben fr das
Weit erbest ehen der amerikanischen Union zurckgeschreckt ist .
2. Jahrgang, Heft 5 Zeit schrift PANEUROPA Herausgeber R. N. Coudenhove- Kalergi
Copyright 1925 by Paneuropa- Verlag Wien, Hofburg Leipzig, Kohlgart enst rae 20.

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Vaterland Europa: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/literature/pan_europa/vaterland_europa/[02/11/12 06:50:17]
I NHALT
Europa im Kampf der Zlle, Klassen und Vlker
Der Weg zum europischen Bundesst aat
Merkwort fr das Programm des Europa-
Kongresses in Basel 1932
EUROPA
I N KAMPF DER ZLLE,
KLASSEN UND VLKER
Eine Gedrngt e Auseinanderset zung mit den Problemen, die
durch die Frage eines europischen Zusammenschlusses
aufgeworfen werden, gehrt zu den schwierigst en Aufgaben. Die
Schwierigkeit best eht weniger in dem, was darber zu sagen ist ,
als vielmehr in der Flle dessen, was angesicht s der mir selbst
auferlegt en Beschrnkung durch den Rahmen einer Broschre
ungesagt bleiben mu. Es gibt kaum ein Gebiet des polit ischen,
sozialen, kult urellen Lebens, das nicht von Paneuropa berhrt und
von Grund aus eine Umwandlung erfahren wrde. Es ist j edoch
hier unmglich, die gesamt en durch Paneuropa berhrt en oder
neuaufgeworfenen Probleme zu erschpfen oder auch nur
oberflchlich zu errt ern. Es ist nicht einmal mglich, hier auf die
gesamt en Argument e fr oder gegen Paneuropa selbst
einzugehen. Aber sogar im Falle der Mglichkeit wre die
Zweckmigkeit zweifelhaft . Diese wrde von der
Zusammenset zung meines Leserkreises abhngen. Spreche ich zu
schon berzeugt en Paneuropern oder nur zu berzeugt en
Musikfreunden? Fast wnscht e ich das Let zt ere; nicht et wa in der
Annahme, da ich sie alle in berzeugt e Paneuroper verwandeln
wrde, sondern aus dem peinlichen Bewut sein heraus, da ich
auch bei Beobacht ung aller gebot enen Knappheit es nicht
vermeiden kann, hier Tat sachen und Argument e vorzubringen,
die auf Paneuroper wie das Einrennen offener Tren wirken
mssen. Paneuroper, verzeiht es mir um derj enigen willen, die
es noch nicht sind. Und die Skept iker bit t e ich, nicht zu glauben,
da j eder ihrer et waigen Einwnde gegen die hier niedergelegt en
Gedankengnge bersehen wurde oder nicht ent krft et werden
knnt e, auch dann, wenn es t echnisch unmglich ist , j edesmal
mit dem vollzhligen Rst zeug kont radikt orischer Beweisfhrung
zu kommen.
Wie immer in meinem Leben, wenn es sich um mein ganzes I ch,
meine ganze berzeugung, um das Einst ehen mit meiner Person
handelt e, so ist es mir auch mit dem Problem Europa ergangen:
I ch mut e es mit meinem Gefhl zuerst erleben, und dann kam
Bronislaw Huberman
Vaterland Europa
Perhaps it is not superfluous t o remember t hat we
Europeans, alt hough we speak different languages, draw
our t hought s and feelings from a common spirit , we are
one in our fait h, in our unreligion and even in our
superst it ion, in our epic legends, in our fables and even
in our childrens fairy t ales; t hat a spirit ual spark has
never been lit in any part of Europe wit hout t he whole
cont inent becoming immediat ely inflamed or even set
on fire.
die erklrende und kont rollierende Vernunft nach. Mein Erlebnis
begann gleichsam mit einem Paradox: I ch wurde Paneuroper in
Amerika! I m Jahre 1920, im Moment des t iefst en europischen
Zusammenbruchs, des wirt schaft lichen Chaos und nat ionalen
Mit rauens, der Verzweiflung, Hoffnungslosigkeit und des
Egoismus kam ich zum erst enmal nach den Vereinigt en St aat en.
Was ich dort erblickt e, mut e gerade in j ener Zeit auf einen
denkenden und fhlenden Europer wie die Rckkehr zum Eden
wirken und zu einem Versuche reizen, auch in Europa die
Vorausset zungen zur Erricht ung eines solchen Paradieses auf
Erden zu schaffen: Gegenseit iges Vert rauen, Opt imismus,
Wohlhabenheit auch der unt erst en Volksschicht en, Zufriedenheit ,
Hilfsbereit schaft ! Hier nur einige St reiflicht er ber die damalige
amerikanische Lage, die ich in meiner seinerzeit igen Broschre[ 1]
mit ausfhrlichen Prosperit t sbeispielen illust riert habe: Die
Kchin, die ihre neue St elle wieder aufgibt , weil in der Garage der
Herrschaft kein Plat z zum Einst ellen ihres Aut os ist ; der
schwarze Schlafwagenschaffner, der, ohne mich zu erkennen,
meine Grammophonplat t en mit denj enigen meiner Kollegen
sachgem vergleicht ; der Chicagoer Zimmerkellner, der die
Freikart e zum Symphoniekonzert dankend ablehnt , weil er ein
Abonnement fr die ganze Serie Symphoniekonzert e besit zt , usw
. . . . Damit soll keineswegs angedeut et werden, da der
amerikanische Kellner oder Schaffner musikalischer als sein
europischer Kollege sei, sondern nur die Tat sache, da er sich
diese Dinge leicht er leist en kann, weil sein Lohn im Verhlt nis
zum Preis der Konzert kart e oder der Schallplat t e um das
Vielfache hher ist als der Lohn seines europischen Kollegen im
Verhlt nis zu europischen Konzert kart en und Plat t en. Dieses
Phnomen der hohen Arbeit slhne und niedrigen Warenpreise
findet seine Erklrung in den amerikanischen Met hoden der
Gt ererzeugung und vert eilung. Sie beruhen auf der
sogenannt en Massenprodukt ion und haben Massenabsat zmrkt e
zur Vorausset zung, also polit ische Vorausset zungen. Diese
Massenprodukt ion ist nicht s anderes als die zulet zt erreicht e
Phase in der Ent wicklung menschlicher Arbeit st eilung, und
Arbeit st eilung war schon immer der wicht igst e Fakt or in der
Ent wicklung des Menschen vom Hhlenbewohner zum
Kult urmenschen. Die amsant est e I llust rat ion von der Bedeut ung
der fort schreit enden Arbeit st eilung gibt uns Adam Smit h ( Wealt h
of Nat ions) mit dem berhmt en Beispiel der
St ecknadelfabrikat ion. Whrend die Herst ellung einer St ecknadel
durch einen einzelnen Menschen ohne Arbeit st eilung gerade einen
Tag beansprucht ht t e, wrden innerhalb derselben Zeit mit Hilfe
der Arbeit st eilung durch 10 Arbeit er und ent sprechender
Werkzeuge 45 000 St ecknadeln hergest ellt werden. Das war nach
dem St ande der Technik vom Jahre 1720. Heut e wrde das
Verhlt nis wahrscheinlich 1: 1 000 000 sein. Dies kennzeichnet am
best en den Weg von der Armut der Nat urvlker zum Wohlst and
der Kult urvlker. Es beleucht et aber zugleich auch eine der
wicht igst en Ursachen des relat iv hohen Lebensst andards in
Amerika.
Fr den amerikanischen Beit rag zum Kapit el Arbeit st eilung
mcht e ich nun ein Beispiel fr Viele errt ern: das Fordsche Aut o,
auch wenn es manchem ( meiner Ansicht nach zu Unrecht ) als
durch die Welt krise berholt erscheinen sollt e.
Ford hat mit einer geradezu genialen Khnheit und Konsequenz
das Prinzip der Arbeit st eilung mit Hilfe von raffiniert est en
Maschinen und des berhmt en laufenden Bandes so weit
get rieben, da sich die Arbeit eines einzelnen Arbeit ers auf ein
zwei Griffe reduziert . Die Folge ist , da bei Ford et wa 10 mal
soviel Aut omobile auf den Kopf des Arbeit ers ent fallen als in
europischen Fabriken. Das besagt vielleicht weniger als die
folgenden, geradezu berwlt igenden Wirkungen auf die Lhne
und Preise dieses Art ikels: Als Fords Jahresprodukt ion bei et wa
200 000 Aut omobilen hielt , da kost et e ein Wagen 1250 Dollar,
und der Lohn des ungelernt en Arbeit ers bet rug et wa 4 Dollar pro
Tag. Als sich seine Produkt ion im Laufe einiger Jahre mit
fort schreit ender Arbeit st eilung verzehnfacht e auf ber 2 Millionen
pro Jahr, da konnt e er den Preis des Wagens ( Roadst er 192428)
von 1250 Dollar auf 260 Dollar ermigen, den Tageslohn des
ungelernt en Arbeit ers dagegen von 4 auf 6 Dollar erhhen und
seinen eigenen Profit dabei um ich wei nicht wieviel st eigern!
Dies weist auf eines der wicht igst en konomischen Geset ze hin,
dessen bewut e Anwendung durch die berufenen Fakt oren das
ganze innere und uere Bild unseres Erdt eils von Grund aus
verndern wrde: Das Geset z von der Relat ion der Preise zur
Quant it t der Erzeugung, zum Umfang und zur St eigerung des
Bedarfes. Wenn wir uns vorst ellen, der 4- Dollar - Arbeit er selbst
ht t e zur Zeit der kleineren Produkt ion ein Aut o erwerben wollen,
dann ht t e er bei einem Anschaffungspreis von 1250 Dollar
ungefhr seinen Jahreslohn ausgeben mssen. Ut opie! Denken
wir uns aber, der 6- Dollar - Arbeit er wollt e sich ein paar Jahre
spt er den verbilligt en ( und zugleich noch verbessert en)
Fordwagen kaufen, dann wrde der Preis von 260 Dollar einem
Arbeit slohn von blo dreieinhalb Monat en gleichkommen. Das
kann er sich leist en, mit andern Wort en: er ist aus einem
Prolet arier zu einem Aut obesit zer geworden! Dieses Prinzip kann
man in Amerika auf die meist en I ndust rieerzeugnisse angewendet
sehen und mit demselben Result at . I ch habe das Aut o als Beispiel
gewhlt , weil es nicht s eindrucksvolleres fr die Richt igkeit
wirt schaft licher Manahmen gibt , als zu sehen, wie durch sie ein
Luxusart ikel privilegiert er St nde zum t glichen Gebrauchsart ikel
des ganzen Volkes wurde. Aber erst recht kann man die Wirkung
der Massenprodukt ion in einem zollfreien gesamt kont inent alen
Wirt schaft sgebiet an j enen t ausenden Gebrauchsgegenst nden
beobacht en, die die Tagessorgen der Europer bilden:
Bekleidung, Nahrungsmit t el, Verkehr, Theat er, alles ist im
Verhlt nis zum amerikanischen Lohn 3 bis 8 mal billiger als diese
Gegenst nde in Europa im Verhlt nis zum europischen Lohn.
Die Erzhlungen europischer Reisender von den hohen
amerikanischen Preisen, welche die hohen Lhne ziemlich
wet t machen, beruhen auf einem gedankenlosen Fehlurt eil.
Nat rlich mssen dem europischen Amerika besucher seine
Ausgaben hoch erscheinen. Handelt es sich doch meist ens
ent weder um Europer mit bescheidenen, aus niedrigen
Europalhnen erspart en Mit t eln, denen gegenber alle fr
Amerikalhne noch so billigen Preise hoch erscheinen mssen,
oder aber um reich bemit t elt e, die gewohnt sind, ihre St iefel und
Kleider nach Ma arbeit en zu lassen, 34 Dienst bot en zu halt en
und sonst ige menschliche Dienst e unmit t elbar
ent gegenzunehmen. Das kann man allerdings in Amerika nicht .
Oder man mu schon als sehr reicher Mann die Konkurrenz mit
den hohen Arbeit erlhnen der amerikanischen Fabriken
gegenber seinen Dienst bot en, Maschuhmachern usw.
aufnehmen. Aber darin best eht doch gerade die krzest e
Definit ion des Begriffes Volkswohlst and : hchst e Bewert ung der
menschlichen Arbeit , niedrigst e Preise der I ndust rieart ikel. Und
von den 120 Millionen Amerikanern werden sich mindest ens 119
Millionen mit Kleidern, Schuhen, Aut os, Bdern usw. usw. aus der
Massenfabrikat ion begngen; aber die knnen sie sich auch alle
leist en, und nicht wie in Europa blo j eder Zehnt e oder
Hundert st e et wa . . . Die blichen Hinweise auf den Bodenreicht um
und die dnne Bevlkerungsschicht Amerikas, mit denen man
seine bisherige Blt e erklren wollt e, mu ich als t rugschlssig
zurckweisen. Bleiben wir einmal bei den angeblich so billigen
Rohst offen: Das Aut o best eht aus folgenden Rohst offen: St ahl
er ist in Amerika et was t eurer als in Europa; Gummi wchst
dort ebensowenig wie hier; der St off Menschenkraft ist dort 3
bis 4mal t eurer; und das Gesamt ergebnis kost et doch nur et wa
die Hlft e bis ein Drit t el des europischen Preises! Die
amerikanische Prosperit t ( so wie sie damals herrscht e, und wie
sie meiner bescheidenen Ansicht nach zuerst dort wieder
einkehren wird) , Prosperit t , das heit im Verhlt nis zu Europa
die dreifach erhht en Lhne und auf ein Brucht eil reduziert en
Warenpreise, sie beruht auf ganz andern Fakt oren als
Bodenscht zen und dnner Bevlkerungsschicht . Bodenscht ze
gibt es vielleicht noch mehr in Ruland, in Afrika, und dazu alle
Grade von Bevlkerungsdicht en. Der Grund fr die Prosperit t der
Vereinigt en St aat en liegt in der Organisat ion der Arbeit , und diese
wurde in Amerika erst ermglicht durch die Vereinigung der
St aat en.
Zur Massenprodukt ion gehren nmlich auch
Massenabsat zgebiet e. Mit der billigen Produkt ion durch die
Arbeit st eilung allein ist es j a noch nicht get an, man mu den
Gegenst and auch billig an den Konsument en verkaufen knnen.
Durch die Vereinigung von 48 St aat en hat der amerikanische
Fabrikant die Gewhr, da seine Bemhung um weit ere
Rat ionalisierung mit Hilfe kost spieliger Spezialmaschinen im
ganzen Bereiche der 48 St aat en sich auch voll auswirkt und
bezahlt macht . I nnerhalb dieser 48 St aat en gibt es keine
Grenzen, keine Einfuhrverbot e, keinen unlaut ern Wet t bewerb mit
Hilfe von Ausfuhrprmien und Einfuhrzllen, keine Grenzwachen,
keine Fest ungen, keine Kriege, keine Kriegsst euern; und das um
260 Dollar hergest ellt e Aut omobil kann um diesen Preis in allen
48 St aat en auch wirklich verkauft werden.
I n Europa lagen die Vorausset zungen fr die Rat ionalisierung
wesent lich anders. Die europischen I ndust riest aat en konnt en
nat rlich mit ihren alt en Fabriksausrst ungen der amerikanischen
Konkurrenz auf dem Welt markt e nicht st andhalt en und haben
nach dem Kriege angefangen, um die Wet t e zu rat ionalisieren.
Das bedeut et Milliardenausgaben. Das ist ein groer Teil j ener
kurzund langfrist igen Kredit e, von denen wir in den let zt en Jahren
so viel gelesen haben, und an denen Europa bankrot t gegangen
ist . Daran ist aber nicht das Prinzip der Rat ionalisierung schuld,
sondern nur die enge europische Ment alit t , der polit ische Hader
und Neid, der Mibrauch des Begriffes Pat riot ismus , welcher
das ganze europische wirt schaft liche und polit ische Chaos
verursacht . Religion und Pat riot ismus gehren zu den heiligst en
Gefhlskat egorien, und es ist ebenso widerlich wie unsinnig,
wenn man sieht , wie der I m- oder Export von Schweinespeck
oder Mlleimern mit dem Begriff von Vat erlandsliebe
durcheinandergebracht wird. Diese Dinge haben ebensowenig mit
Pat riot ismus zu t un wie et wa die I nquisit ion und die
Religionskriege mit wahrer Religion et was zu t un hat t en. Fr uns
Deut sche, Franzosen, Polen und wie wir alle heien, gibt es j a
gegenwrt ig nicht s Niedert rcht igeres, Gemeineres, als wenn ein
Nachbar zum andern kommt , um ihm et was billiger zu verkaufen
als es der Andere selbst herst ellen kann. Das kommt als
Charakt erzug ungefhr gleich nach St ehlen und Morden in
Europa. Und die Verfolgung solcher gemeingefhrlichen
Verbrechen wie das Angebot billiger Waren wird j a auch mit noch
wirkungsvolleren Mit t eln bet rieben. Ein Verbrecher mag noch
durch Gefngnismauern leicht er durchschlpfen als billige Ware
durch europische Zollmauern. Und das nennt man dann
I ndust rieschut z und t ut berrascht und j ammert , wenn der
Nachbar sich durch hheren Agrarschut z rcht . Das Result at ist ,
da man in Agrarlndern an seinen Landesprodukt en erst ickt und
dafr schlecht ere und t eurere I ndust rieart ikel hat , und in
I ndust rielndern herrscht das gleiche Verhlt nis umgekehrt zu
Agrarprodukt en, also man knnt e sagen wissent lich bet riebene
gegenseit ige Zerst rung der Landesprodukt ion, die man zu
scht zen vorgibt . Es drngt sich einem die Frage auf, ob die
hierfr verant wort lichen Part eipolit iker sich j e ber die
element arst e Tat sache klar geworden sind, da der Besit z auch
des kost barst en Obj ekt es, z. B. des gesamt en Weizenbodens der
Welt , noch keinen Reicht um darst ellt und vollkommen wert los
wre, wenn man die Welt ernt e nicht z. B. gegen ein Paar Schuhe
vert auschen drft e, da somit Vert auschbarkeit , d. H.
Verkuflichkeit von Besit z erst den Reicht um darst ellt ? ber diese
Binsenwahrheit knnen noch so hocht nende Phrasen ber
St rkung des Binnenmarkt es nicht hinweghelfen.
So mut en denn nun die Wirkungen der europischen
Rat ionalisierung denen der damaligen amerikanischen vllig
ent gegengeset zt sein. Die Vereinigt en St aat en sind ( 1928) mit 83
Prozent an der Welt - Aut o- Produkt ion bet eiligt , Europa nur mit 12
Prozent . Trot zdem besit zt Amerika nur 152 Aut omobilfabriken,
Europa dagegen 333. Dafr erzeugt Amerika im Durchschnit t 28
675 Wagen pro Jahr und Fabrik, Europa nur 1792! Amerika hat
blo 3 Volkswagen: Ford, Chevrolet und Overland. Europa mit nur
12 Prozent der gesamt en Aut oprodukt ion hat dagegen ber ein
Dut zend Volksaut ofabriken, also 11 berflssige, mit all der
dadurch hervorgerufenen Produkt ionst euerung und
Kapit alverschwendung. Dadurch ist schon der Preis im
europischen Erzeugungslande bedeut end hher, im
Nachbarlande mit Zollaufschlag meist ens 1 bis 3 mal so hoch
wie der gleiche Wagen in Amerika. Aber diese Lohn- und
Preisberechnung in Gold ist eigent lich eine irrefhrende. Die
richt ige Rechnung ergibt sich erst aus dem Verhlt nis des Preises
zum Lohne. Wenn z. B. ein europischer Arbeit er mit seinem
durchschnit t lichen Tageslohn sich ein Fordaut o oder einen Cit roen
oder Fiat kaufen wollt e, so mt e er ber 2 Jahre Arbeit slohn
dafr hergeben, der Amerikaner aber nur 3 Monat e. Demnach
ist der amerikanische Arbeit er, haupt schlich dank der
Rat ionalisierung, fast 8 mal reicher geworden als der
europische. Dazu kommen in Europa et wa 100150 Dollar
Aut ost euer und hohe Benzinverbrauchsst euern, in Amerika nur 10
bis 15 Dollar Aut ost euer und fast vllige Benzinst euerfreiheit ,
also ist er eigent lich 1012 mal kaufkrft iger.
I n Europa dagegen wurde die Gefahr, da der bse Nachbar j et zt
dank der Rat ionalisierung billiger liefern knnt e, durch noch
hhere Zollmauern wet t gemacht , und auch im I nnern der
europischen Lnder wurde die verbilligt e Produkt ionsmet hode
durch um so hhere St euern ausgeglichen. Eine Rat ionalisierung
j edoch, die ihr Ziel, nmlich hhere Produkt ion bei niedrigeren
Preisen, aber gleichen oder sogar vermehrt en Arbeit skrft en,
nicht erreicht , sondern nur die gleiche Produkt ion bei gleichen
Preisen mit weniger Arbeit skrft en, mut e zur
Arbeit slosigkeit fhren, und diese hat t e Schrumpfung der
Kaufkraft , Bet riebseinst ellungen, Bankrot t erklrungen der
Arbeit slosenfrsorge und im weit eren Verlauf die St aat sbankrot t e
der let zt en Zeit zur Folge.
So hat nat ionalist ische Verblendung und part eipolit ische
Verbohrt heit in Europa die sozialen Wohlt at en der
Rat ionalisierung in einen Fluch verwandelt , der sich in einem
vlligen Zusammenbruch auswirkt e. Auf den naheliegenden
Einwand, da auch Amerika von der Krise nicht verschont wurde,
mcht e ich folgendes erwidern: Mit der Gegenberst ellung
AmerikaEuropa sollt e nur die durch fast ein Jahrhundert
bewhrt e berlegenheit eines Syst ems uerst er Arbeit st eilung in
einem Growirt schaft sraum ber Zwergwirt schaft ssyst eme in
Zeit en relat iv gleicher Prosperit t beider Syst eme bewiesen und
die ent gegengeset zt en Wirkungen der Rat ionalisierung auf beide
Syst eme beleucht et werden. Und diese Tat sache wird durch die
Anst eckung Amerikas mit dem Krisenbazillus nicht erscht t ert . I m
Gegent eil, sie beweist nur, da die Geset ze nat ionaler
Reziprozit t , die die europischen Regierungen durch
nat ionalist ische Repressalien glaubt en erset zen zu knnen, auch
im Verkehr zwischen Kont inent en nicht ungest raft verlet zt
werden drfen. Und in dieser Hinsicht ist Amerika hint er Europa
nicht sehr weit zurckgeblieben, als es auf der Rckzahlung der
europischen Schulden best and, zugleich aber durch eine
malose Erhhung seiner Zollschranken deren Tilgung durch
europische Warenlieferung unmglich macht e; als es seine
Massenprodukt ion auf et wa 1015 Prozent ber den Eigenbedarf
einricht et e, den Export dieses berschusses aber durch
Drosselung des europischen I mport es selbst hindert e. Der
augenblickliche t rost lose Zust and Amerikas liefert den Beweis,
da sogar die Wirt schaft eines Erdt eils wie Nordamerika t rot z
seiner schier unerschpflichen Hilfsquellen an Rohst offen und
geschult em Menschenmat erial keine Absonderung von der Welt
ert ragen kann.
Wie man angesicht s einer solchen Lage, wo durch knst liche
Vert euerung aller Preise und Verhinderung des gesamt en Handels
und Verkehrs 20 Millionen Europer arbeit s- , brot - und
obdachlos, die brigen 380 Millionen not leidend geworden sind,
von berprodukt ion reden kann, ist mir unerfindlich. Das ist
ungefhr so, als wenn ich durch falsche Regierungsmanahmen
gezwungen wre, 30 Mark pro Kart e fr meine Konzert e zu
nehmen, und mich dann bei einem nat rlich unausbleiblich leeren
Saal ber die Unmusikalit t des Publikums oder ber musikalische
berprodukt ion beklagen wrde. Es gibt keine berprodukt ion, es
gibt nur Unt erkonsum! Und dieser beruht , wie wir gesehen
haben, in seinen erst en Ursachen auf nat ionalpolit ischen Mot iven,
die erst zu den eben hier errt ert en nat ionalkonomischen
Konsequenzen gefhrt haben.
Damit wren wir also bei der Polit ik angelangt . Das europische
Konzert hat sich zu einer Kakophonie ent wickelt . Es ist ein
Lgengewebe, wie es die Welt in solcher Vollkommenheit kaum
vorher gesehen hat . I ch wei nicht , wo mit den Widersprchen,
Hypokrisien anfangen. Pat riot ismus Pazifismus, europisches
Solidarit t sgefhl, Kult urgemeinschaft , Christ ent um, konservat ive
oder liberale Welt anschauung, Freiheit , alle diese echt en Gefhle
gut glubiger Massen werden heut e von den St aat en Europas zur
Heuchelei verzerrt , um der Verschleierung ganz anderer Ziele zu
dienen. Mit besonderer Vorliebe wird z. B. von der Erbfeindschaft
mancher Vlker gegeneinander als Kriegsgrund gesprochen. Noch
nie wurde eine infamere Lge aufgest ellt . Ein Wort macht sie
zunicht e: die Umgruppierung der Kriegsgegner und Verbndet en
bei fast j edem neuen Kriege. Unent wegt wechseln die Allianzen,
die Verbndet en von heut e sind die Gegner von morgen, j e
nachdem es ihnen ihre wirklichen oder vermeint lichen I nt eressen
dikt ieren. Es mag Vlkerant ipat hien oder sympat hien geben,
aber noch nie haben solche allein zu Kriegen oder zu Alliancen
gefhrt . Nicht der Erbha fhrt zu Kriegen, sondern der Krieg
fhrt nat urgem zum Ha, der aber den Generalst ben und
Auenminist erien als St imulanz zu Heldent at en so wenig
verllich erscheint , da sie erst richt ige Vergift ungs- und
Verleumdungsfabriken glauben schaffen zu mssen, die sie
Propagandazent ralen benennen, um mit ihrer Hilfe die Vlker
leicht er als Kanonenfut t er gebrauchen zu knnen. Aber selbst
dann hat der Ha noch so kurze Beine, da er menschliche
Beziehungen zwischen den feindlichen Scht zengrben, enge
Herzensbande zwischen der Okkupat ionsarmee und der
feindlichen Bevlkerung nicht hindern kann. . .
Es handelt sich also um I nt eressen und nicht um Gefhle bei der
Ent scheidung ber Krieg und Frieden. Und die I nt eressen werden
nicht von Volksoder Rassefragen dikt iert , sondern durch
Macht fragen, die nat rlich erst durch Grenzziehung zwischen den
St aat en ent st ehen. Zum Beispiel haben sich die Deut schen und
Franzosen durch St aat sgrenzen get rennt im Laufe der
Jahrhundert e in wechselnder Gruppierung bekmpft . Dieselben
Vlkerschaft en im Schweizer St aat innerhalb einer Grenze
vereinigt vert ragen sich seit ebensovielen Jahrhundert en
friedlich. Und die durch St aat sgrenzen get rennt en Bayern,
Hannoveraner, st erreicher, Preuen usw. ebenso wie der
Neapolit aner, Savoyarden usw. , sie alle fanden es bis in die Mit t e
des 19. Jahrhundert s hinein genau so nat rlich, t rot z
St ammesbruderschaft gegeneinander zu kmpfen, wie sie seit
Erricht ung des gemeinsamen deut schen Reiches bzw.
it alienischen Knigst eiches die Zumut ung zu einem Krieg
unt ereinander als Landesverrat brandmarken wrden. Man sage
mir nicht , da ich hier mit dialekt ischer Spit zfindigkeit die
Ursache mit der Wirkung verwechsle. Es sind die Grenzen
gewesen. I m Welt krieg haben wieder Deut sche gegen Deut sche
gekmpft , durch nicht s anderes get rennt als durch
St aat sgrenzen. I ch meine damit die Deut schbalt en innerhalb des
Russischen Reiches. Ebenso kann ich auch das kriegerische
Verhalt en der Polen gegeneinander in den drei Kaiserreichen
whrend des Welt krieges zum Beweise meiner These anfhren,
oder das der Kroat en gegen die Serben. Man versuche die
Grenzen zwischen allen diesen St ammesbrdern wieder
aufzuricht en, und sie werden bei gegebener Gelegenheit
skrupellos wieder bereinander herfallen, so wie es alle
Menschen, seit dem die Welt best eht , get an haben, und zwar nur
nach Magabe der sie t rennenden Grenzen Mann gegen Mann,
Dorf gegen Dorf, St adt gegen St adt ( beispielsweise die
it alienischen St dt erepubliken) , St aat gegen St aat ,
St aat engruppe gegen St aat engruppe. Und so sage ich: Schaffet
die polit ischen Grenzen zwischen Deut schland, Polen, Frankreich,
I t alien usw. ab, und es wird sich auch zwischen ihnen der
psychologische Proze der Suggest ivwirkung ent wickeln, die von
einer gemeinsamen St aat lichkeit ausgeht . Und manches
europische Problem, das heut e ohne Krieg unlsbar erscheint ,
dessen kriegerische Lsung aber auch nur ein Unrecht durch ein
anderes erset zen knnt e, wird sich von selbst auflsen, wenn die
heut igen polit ischen Grenzen zu der Bedeut ungslosigkeit lokaler
Verwalt ungsbezirksgrenzen herabsinken, ebenso wie die heut e
noch vorhandenen deut schen Enklaven und Korridore, einst mals
Ursache und Obj ekt schwerst er Konflikt e, mit der gemeinsamen
Reichsgrenze von 1870 macht polit isch gegenst andslos geworden
sind.
Wenn es schon seit j eher die Grenzen waren, in deren Nat ur es
lag, Reibungen zwischen den Nachbarn hervorzurufen, so mut e
sich die friedenst rende Wirkung der Grenzen im 19. Jahrhundert
kat ast rophal st eigern: Es gibt kein obj ekt ives Krit erium fr die
Gerecht igkeit der Grenzziehung. Die zur Haupt sache auf Grund
des dynast ischen Hausmacht sprinzips zust ande gekommenen
St aat sgrenzen mut en die erwachenden Nat ionen und Rassen in
einer polit isch, sozial und konomische verndert en Welt mit
Unzufriedenheit erfllen, und sie versucht en ihren Forderungen
nach Grenzregulierung et hnographische, geographische,
wirt schaft liche, st rat egische oder hist orische Recht e zugrunde zu
legen. Und da der liebe Herrgot t die Vlkerwanderung anders
leit et e als die Berg- und Flubildungen, die Eheschlieungen der
frheren Herrscher, aus denen St aat enbildungen hervorgingen,
durchaus unabhngig et wa von dem Vorkommen von Erz- und
Kohlengruben gest alt et e, so kann es gar keine wirklich gerecht en
Grenzen in Europa geben, es wird immer das eine oder andere
Prinzip vergewalt igt werden.
Es war durchaus logisch und nat rlich, da die St aat en ihre
St reit igkeit en mit der Waffe in der Hand auszut ragen versucht en,
solange die Kriege noch Aussicht auf einen Sieg hat t en; solange
der Sieg wenigst ens fr die paar hundert oder t ausend Familien,
die die regierende Kast e eines Landes ausmacht en, Reicht um,
Glanz und Ehre bedeut et e; solange gerade diese Familien, die
also aus dem Krieg im Siegesfalle best immt , bei einer Niederlage
manchmal auch noch Vort eil zogen, auch ber Krieg und Frieden
zu ent scheiden hat t en; solange ein Reich um so mcht iger und
reicher sein konnt e, j e rmer sein Nachbar war; solange die
Vlker ungebildet und recht los waren und keinen Einblick in ihre
wahren I nt eressen hat t en. I n den let zt en Jahrzehnt en, aber
insbesondere seit dem Schlu des Welt krieges und den Lehren,
die er uns gebracht hat , ist j ede einzelne der von mir eben
aufgezhlt en Vorausset zungen fr Recht fert igung europischer
Kriege verschwunden: Die Kriegst echnik hat sich selbst ad
absurdum gefhrt , es gibt heut e keine Sieger mehr sonder nur
Besiegt e verschiedener Grade, und beim nchst en Krieg wird es
nicht einmal mehr Besiegt e geben sondern nur Leichenfelder und
Schut t haufen; der reine Macht nimbus, so unent behrlich als
Gloriole und Begrndung des monarchischen erblichen
Got t esgnadent ums, verliert seine Logik, wenn angewendet auf
republikanische Demokrat ien; die Wohlfahrt eines Landes beruht
heut e nicht auf nat ionaler Wirt schaft sfhrung, die sich um andere
Lnder nicht zu kmmern braucht e, sondern sie hat zur
Vorausset zung zwischenst aat liche Arbeit st eilung und auch
berst aat lichen Absat z der so erzeugt en Massengt er; mit der
Vernicht ung des milit rischen Gegners wrde man zugleich den
best en Kunden und den im zwischenst aat lichen
Gt ererzeugungsproze unent behrlichen Arbeit st eilungspart ner
vernicht en; die Vlker haben ihren polit ischen Schlaf
abgescht t elt und halt en die Ent scheidung ber Krieg und Frieden
durch ihr St immrecht selbst in der Hand. Trot zdem lassen es ihre
Vert ret er in den europischen Parlament en zu, da die
Regierungen mit einander nach den alt en diplomat ischen
Met hoden verkehren, welche die Vlker um die let zt en Ziele ihrer
polit ischen Kmpfe bet rgen. Die europischen Vlker haben
endlich zwar ihre polit ische Freiheit erlangt , aber das was diese
Freiheit erst zum Bewut sein ihres wahren Wert es bringt ,
nmlich die Teilnahme an den Kult urgt ern durch Befreiung von
den konomischen Sklavenket t en, das wird ihnen noch immer
vorent halt en. Mit den konomischen Sklavenket t en meine ich die
Armut , das Elend unserer Fabrikarbeit er, Bauern, kleineren und
mit t leren Angest ellt en usw. , ihre nackt e Lebensfrist ung, fr die
einzig und allein unsere Regierungen Schuld t ragen, und zwar
dadurch, da sie das heut e sinnlos gewordene europische
Kleinst aat ensyst em eigensinnig aufrecht erhalt en. I n Auswirkung
dieser Polit ik machen sie unsere Kult urgt er dem weit aus grt en
Teil der Europer unzugnglich. Bevor ich auf das europische
Kult urproblem als solches zurckkomme, mcht e ich noch ein
Problem unserer Armut st reifen, nmlich den Klassenkampf. Man
mu es offen aussprechen, sein geist iger Nhrboden, der
Kommunismus, ist eine I dee, die vielen als eine groe erscheint ,
besonders denj enigen, die nicht s zu verlieren haben; und unsere
europische Polit ik hat es so weit gebracht , da immer
zahlreicher die Menschen werden, die nicht s mehr zu verlieren
haben. Die I dee des Kommunismus kann man ebensowenig wie
irgendeine andere I dee mit Gefngnis ausrot t en, man kann sie
nur mit einer noch greren I dee bekmpfen. Diese grere I dee
heit : Paneuropa! Die soziale Auswirkung Paneuropas, so wie sie
sich aus den frher errt ert en Mglichkeit en der
Massenprodukt ion, d. h. der hheren Lhne und niedrigeren
Preise ergibt , wird aut omat isch zugleich das Problem des
Klassenkampfes lsen. Bevor wir eine gerecht ere Gt ervert eilung
fordern, mssen wir fr eine gengende Gt erprodukt ion sorgen.
Dieses Ziel kann Europa nur auf dem Wege der fderat iven
Einricht ung seiner Polit ik und der kapit alist ischen Ent wicklung
seiner Wirt schaft erreichen. Ja, ich habe mich hier nicht
versprochen: Ent wicklung der kapit alist ischen Wirt schaft sform!
Bisher haben wir nmlich in Europa noch keinen reinen
Kapit alismus gehabt . Diej enigen, die heut e behaupt en, da sich
das kapit alist ische Wirt schaft ssyst em berlebt hat , das sind
polit ische oder konomische Diagnost iker, die das St erben eines
Greises von der vielleicht uns winkenden Geburt eines Babys
nicht unt erscheiden knnen. Vielleicht aber droht uns eine
Tot geburt , wenn man noch lange die bisherigen Hebammen am
Krankenbet t der Europa herumdokt ern lt . Vorlufig ist aber das
von vielen Prophet en bereit s t ot gesagt e, von anderen mit
Gefhlen des Heils begrt e Baby Kapit alismus noch nicht einmal
ausget ragen.
I ch best reit e, da zum Wesen des modernen Kapit alismus ein
ewiger Turnus von et wa 40 Jahren Kriegsvorbereit ung, die man
flschlich Frieden nennt , und 30 Jahren Kriegszust and gehrt .
( Der Welt krieg war nmlich ein 30j hriger Krieg, in 4 Jahren
ausgefocht en! ) Zum Kapit alismus gehrt doch wohl in erst er
Linie Kapit al, und daherist es der grt e Widersinn, wenn man
ein Syst em als kapit alist isch bezeichnet , welches nur ein Ziel
kennt : Krieg und Kriegsvorbereit ung, d. h. Kapit alzerst rung und
Verhinderung neuer Kapit albildung. Was wir erleben, das sind
Nachwehen des europischen Dynast inismus und Ausgeburt en
des kleinbrgerlichen nat ionalen Chauvinismus, vermischt mit
einem Vorgeschmack des Sozialismus. Und die erst e Heldent at ,
die ich mir von dem reinkapit alist ischen Baby Herkules erwart e,
ist , da es gleich nach seiner Geburt der chauvinist ischen
europischen Hydra alle Kpfe abschlgt .
Von der Sprache des Bildes in die Sprache des Wort es berset zt ,
bedeut et es, da ich die von nat ionalist ischen I rrlehren befreit e
Wirt schaft Europas als Basis fr Paneuropa ansehe, und da ich
von dem wirt schaft lichen Riesenraum Paneuropa die
Befriedigung der gerecht en Ansprche der geist igen und
Handarbeit er auf ein Mindest ma von Hygiene, Bildung, Kult ur,
Komfort , aber auch Kunst und Vergngen erwart e. Nur damit
wre die t odfeindliche Spalt ung Europas in zwei Lager: die der
Brger und der Prolet arier, vermeiden. Wenn man also
konsequent sein will, so mu man zugeben, da der Vershnung
der Klassen die Verbrderung und Fderat ion der Vlker in
Europa vorangehen mu, weil erst diese die polit ischen und
wirt schaft lichen Vorausset zungen schaffen kann, die zur
Erhhung des Lebensst andards der mit Recht verbit t ert en
Volksmassen in Europa fhren sollen.
Diese Warnung mcht e ich in vollem Bewut sein meiner
Verant wort lichkeit hier wie bei j eder gegebenen Gelegenheit in
Europa ausrufen: Ent weder es gelingt , die Prolet arier zum
brgerlichen Lebensst andard emporzuheben, oder man mu
gewrt ig sein, da sie die Brger zu dem ihrigen herunt erzerren
werden wie in Ruland. I ch spreche hier nicht Hoffnungen,
Theorien oder dokt rinre Dedukt ionen aus. Hier spreche ich
gerade von unerscht t erlichen Tat sachen: Amerika, das Land mit
der zahlreichst en Arbeit erbevlkerung, war bis zum Ausbruch der
Welt krise das einzige I ndust rieland der Welt , in dem es keine
polit ische Arbeit erpart ei gab. Die meist en Arbeit er darunt er
auch geist ige wie z. B. Musiker sind in t rade unions auf das
mcht igst e organisiert und errangen sich mit deren Hilfe ihren
hohen Lebensst andard. Aber auch die wt endst en Lohnkmpfe
vermocht en sie nicht polit isch von dem Rest der brgerlichen
Gesellschaft zu t rennen, als deren vollwert ige Mit glieder sie sich
mit Recht fhlen. Ob freilich die kat ast rophale St rung des
int ernat ionalen Gt eraust ausches und das damit auch fr Amerika
verbundene allgemeine Elend nicht doch zur Bildung einer
kommunist ischen Part ei durch die Arbeit slosen in U. S. A. fhren
wird, das ist nicht vorauszusehen, wrde aber auch
zut reffendenfalls nicht die Gelt ung der These erscht t ern, da nur
Prosperit t den Kommunismus besiegen kann.
Hier glaube ich Widerst nde mancher Leser zu spren: Man solle
nicht Amerika hierher verpflanzen und Prosperit t mit
Oberflchlichkeit , Frieden mit Heldenlosigkeit , Zivilisat ion mit
Kult urlosigkeit erkaufen. Alle diese Dinge vermut et man in
Amerika. So denken wenigst ens 99 von 100 Europern, die 99,
die in Amerika nicht waren, gegen den Einen, der in Amerika war
und gewhnlich als ein gelut ert er, einsicht igerer Mensch
zurckgekommen ist . I ch z. B. best rebe mich seit meiner
Rckkehr aus Amerika, dem Gebot der uramerikanischen Et hik zu
folgen: Give everybody a chance! Daher bin ich ein
abgeschworener Feind unserer europischen Usancen, die man
formulieren kann mit : Take everybodys chance . Aber ich kann
meinen europischen Landsleut en t rot zdem im Vert rauen
verrat en: bei all meiner obj ekt iven Einscht zung Amerikas
mcht e ich doch durchaus nicht Amerika nach Europa
verpflanzen. Eine solche Gefahr best eht j edoch fr Paneuropa
keineswegs. Das was von der Krit ik an den amerikanischen
Zust nden nach Abzug der t emporren Erscheinungen durch die
Welt krise und der Ausbreit ung des Verbrechert errors durch die
hoffent lich bald verschwindende Prohibit ion zu Recht best ehen
bleibt , das kommt j a weder von der Fderat ion noch von der
Massenprodukt ion, noch von dem bisherigen Wohlst and der
Massen, es erklrt sich einfach aus der Jugend der Nat ion, aus
dem Mangel an Tradit ion, aus dem Zwang zur Pionierarbeit auf
allen Gebiet en. Es werden sich auch in Sdafrika, in Aust ralien
oder Sdamerika keine Raphaels, Beet hovens oder Goet hes
finden. Und da lobe ich mir wenigst ens den Genius eines Landes
wie Nordamerika, der es in 100 Jahren ( die erst en 300 zhlen
kaum) zuwege gebracht hat , da dieses Land sich die
Kult urerzeugnisse lt erer Nat ionen in einer Weise anzueignen
vermag, fr die man hchst ens ein Beispiel in der Geschicht e
findet : Rom im Verhlt nis zu Griechenland. Wie das rmische
Schwert griechische Philosophen versklavt e, so ent fhrt
allmhlich der amerikanische Dollar unsere best en Lehrer,
Musiker, Archit ekt en usw. , und mit ihrer Hilfe ent st eht eine neue,
aut ocht one amerikanische Kult ur.
Paneuropa will nicht amerikanische Zust nde in Europa einfhren.
Es will im Gegent eil durch bernahme des Best en aus Amerika,
nmlich der Bundesverfassung, der Massenprodukt ion mit dem
Massenmarket , den hohen Lhnen und niedrigen Warenpreisen
unsere Kult urt rger und Kunst scht ze vor den Lockungen des
Dollars bewahren. Aber durch Hebung unseres Lebensst andards
wird noch immer unsere vielt ausendj hrige Geschicht e nicht zu
einer vierhundert j hrigen, unsere Volks- und Heldenlieder werden
nicht durch Jazz und Negro- songs erset zt ( wenigst ens nicht mehr
als sie es j et zt schon sind) , und unsere Persnlichkeit , wie sie
sich aus der Vielflt igkeit der Nat ionen ergibt , wird keineswegs in
dem Mischmasch eines europischen Schmelzt iegels unt ergehen.
Die europischen Nat ionen werden uns auch in Paneuropa
erhalt en bleiben; nein, sie werden sich dann erst frei ent falt en
knnen, wenn sie erst einmal von der Gefahr befreist sind, da
die Vert eidigung ihrer I nt eressen als Vorwnde fr ganz andere
als wirklich nat ionale Zwecke mibraucht wird. Als Knst ler
wre ich auch der let zt e, eine Nivellierung der nat ionalen
Kult uren zu predigen. Den alle echt e Kunst wurzelt let zt en Endes
im nat ionalen Boden.
Das Schlagwort Die Kunst ist int ernat ional mu in seiner oft
mibruchlichen Gelt ung eingeschrnkt werden. I nt ernat ional ist
die Kunst nur in dem Sinne, da sie fr den int ernat ionalen
geist igen Konsum, fr wechselseit ige Anregung best immt ist .
Ebenso j edoch wie das Vorkommen des Kaviars auf einem
Neuyorker Men noch nicht bedeut et , da der St r in der
Hudsonmndung geradeso gut gedeihen kann wie in der Wolga-
und Donaumndung, ebensowenig kann z. B. das noch so hufige
Erscheinen der Meist ersinger auf dem Repert oire der Pariser
Oper oder Chopins auf deut schen Konzert programmen darber
hinwegt uschen, da ein Richard Wagner allein aus deut schem
Wesen, Chopin nur aus polnischem Wesen hervorgehen konnt e,
wenn auch dieses nat ionale Wesen seinerseit s ebenso wie dessen
Vert ret er das Ergebnis mancher rassischer Okulierung und
gegenseit iger Befrucht ungen darst ellen.
Wenn der Knst ler die Fhigkeit zu seinem Schaffen seiner
persnlichen Begabung verdankt , die nat rlich nat ional
unbegrenzt ist , so dankt er den Weg, den diese Begabung
nimmt , den t ausendflt igen Einflssen seiner Umgebung. Das gilt
fr die Knst e im allgemeinen. Fr die Musik im besonderen
kommen noch drei wicht ige, geographisch und nat ional st ark
unt erschiedliche Fakt oren hinzu: Volkslieder, Tanzrhyt hmen und
lit urgische Einflsse. Damit soll keineswegs et wa den
Rassenscht zlern fr die Domne der Kult ur das Wort geredet ,
und z. B. der unermeliche musikalische Schat z, der fr die
Menschheit gerade aus der Rassenmischung der st erreicher und
Russen ent st anden ist , in seinem unvergleichlichen Wert
herabgeset zt werden. Es st ellt nur das Liebesbekennt nis eines
Europers zur Heimat dar, das Gelbnis zur Wahrung der
regionalen Physiognomien in Europa und gegen die gerade von
den Nat ionalist en so beliebt e Verflschung des kult urellen genius
loci.
Nach alledem knnt e man versucht sein anzunehmen, da die
Forderungen der Geist eskult ur mit den Forderungen der
Wirt schaft in einem I nt eressenkonlfikt st ehen: hier nat ionale
Gliederung als Mat erial bereicherung fr das Mosaik der
europischen Knst e, dort das St reben nach Nivellierung,
St andardisierung ber die Landesgrenzen hinaus. Bei nherer
Bet racht ung st ellt sich j edoch dieser Gegensat z nur als ein
scheinbarer heraus. Die kult urellen Grenzen waren schon bisher
nicht ident isch mit konomischen, und durch die Aufhebung
let zt erer werden die kult urellen Unt erschiede keineswegs
verwischt . Zum Beweise gengt es, einige wenige Beispiele aus
der Kult urgeschicht e anzufhren: Gibt es et was deut scheres als
die Schweizer Got t fried Keller, Konrad Ferdinand Meyer, Bcklin,
St auffer - Bern, et was franzsischeres als die gleichfalls
schweizerischen Jean Jacques Rosseau, Benj amin Const ant ,
Madame St al, Jacques Dalcroze, Honegger ? Gibt es et was im
best en Sinne deut scheres als den Geist der Deut schbalt en, so wie
er sich in allgemeiner Bildung, in Archit ekt ur, Wissenschaft und
Kunst in den frheren balt ischen Provinzen Rulands uert e?
Wenn ich auch das kult urell ganz zu Skandinavien gehrige
Finnland fr meine Argument e kaum in Anspruch nehmen kann,
weil es t rot z der Oberherrschaft Rulands durch eine offizielle
Grenze von demselben get rennt war, so kann ich hier mit um so
grerem Recht auf Polen hinweisen: Zwei von den drei Teilen
wurden nicht nur polit isch, sondern auch und vor allem kult urell
auf Schrit t und Trit t in ihrer Ent wicklung gehemmt und verfolgt ,
j a sogar im freien Gebrauch ihrer Mut t ersprache und in der
Ausbung ihrer Religion gehindert . Und was war nach 150 Jahren
das Result at ? Eine gerade kult urell ganz ungebrochene,
homogene Nat ion, die auf der Geist espalet t e der europischen
Vlker sich ihre eigene Farbe unvermischt erhalt en hat .
Wenn man bedenkt , da es sich bei den angegebenen Beispielen,
mit Ausnahme der Schweiz, um unt erj ocht e und in ihrer
kult urellen Ent wicklung knst lich gehemmt e Nat ionalit t en
handelt , so kann kein Zweifel darber best ehen, da bei einer
freiwilligen Vereinigung der Vlker ihre kult urelle I nt egrit t erst
recht gewahrt bliebe. berdies st nde der Aufnahme von
besonderen kult urellen Sicherheit skaut elen in die Verfassungen
der einzelnen Bundesst aat en nach dem Vorbild der Schweizer
Verfassung nicht s im Wege. Da dieselben, j edes geheimen
imperialist ischen Vor - resp. Nacht eils beraubt , ehrlicher
beobacht et wrden als die Minorit t sgeset ze des Versailler
Vert rages, liegt auf der Hand.
Von der produkt iven Seit e bet racht et , wren demnach unsere
nat ionalen Kult uren durch die Fderat ion Europas nicht nur nicht
gefhrdet , sie wrden in ihrer freien Ent falt ung geradezu
gefrdert werden. Soweit die Kult ur als Schpfungsakt .
Das nicht minder lebenswicht ige Problem der Kult urvermit t lung
an die Volksgemeinschaft wrde berhaupt erst im Bundesst aat
Europa einer Vollwert igen Lsung zugefhrt werden knnen. I n
dieser Hinsicht hat die europische Kult ur seit j eher unt er einem
t ragischen Paradoxon gelit t en: I hre Quellen ent springen der
Vielflt igkeit der europischen Nat ionen. Dieser Vielflt igkeit
verdanken wir die Neunt e Symphonie, den Faust , die Sixt inische
Madonna, die Chopinschen Balladen, usw. Diese aus der Tiefe des
Menschenherzens heraus geschaffenen Meist erwerke, von denen
j edes einen Niederschlag des Edelst en der Nat ion und nur der
einen Nat ion darst ellt , sie sind fr die ganze Menschheit
best immt . Es gibt auf dieser Erde keine Wert e an sich, sie
ent st ehen erst in Verbindung mit der Zweckbest immung: Mensch.
Auch die heiligst en Begriffe Got t , Religion, Vat erland, Kult ur
erhalt en erst ihren Sinn in dem Mae, als sie zur Erlsung des
Menschen beit ragen und verwandeln sich in einen Fluch, sobald
sie in Gegensat z zum Menschen t ret en. So war die Bot schaft von
dem Got t essohn, der sich fr die Menschheit kreuzigen lie, das
Erscht t erndst e und Hehrst e, was das Menschenherz in seiner Not
erschuf, das Got t esopfer zur Erlsung des Menschen; dagegen
eine t euflische Lst erung die Menschenopfer, die zur Ehre Got t es
dargebracht wurden.
Nicht anders verhlt es sich mit unserer Kult ur. Nach dem Et hos
ihrer Schpfer soll sie der Menschheit dienen; aber bei der
bisherigen polit ischen St rukt ur Europas war die Quelle ihres
Reicht ums die Vielheit der Nat ionen zugleich die Ursache, da
nur ein Brucht eil aller Europer unserer Kult ur t eilhaft ig werden
konnt e. I mmer wieder er lebt man es in Europa: Dieser Hamlet ,
diese Neunt e Symphonie versammelt um sich nicht alle ihrer
wrdigen und bedrft igen Zuhrer, sondern nur j enes kleine
Huflein, das bei dem periodisch wiederkehrenden
Zusammenprall der europischen Vlker dank einem glcklichen
Zufall dem wirt schaft lichen Ruin ent gangen ist . Eine Kult ur, die zu
ihrer Vorausset zung sich gegenseit ig zerfleischende Nat ionen hat ,
infolgedessen 99 von 100 Europern unzugnglich ist und daher
eine reine Klassenkult ur bleibt , eine solche Kult ur ist ein blut iger
Hohn und mag get rost zugrundegehen. Dieses Urt eil wre
irrevokabel, wenn diej enigen recht behielt en, die an die
Friedlichkeit von Nat ionen ebensowenig glauben wie an die
Zhmung wilder Best ien. Kampf ist ein ewiges Nat urgeset z!
sagen sie. Ja, gewi, Kampf ist ein Nat urgeset z, sagen wir
Paneuroper auch, aber seine primit ivst e Form, die Vernicht ung,
das ist kein Nat urgeset z. Der nackt e Sexualt rieb z. B. ist auch ein
Nat urgeset z, und doch haben ihn die Menschen im Laufe von
Jahrt ausenden zum Gefhl der Liebe sublimiert . Und so ist es den
Menschen mit allen Nat urt rieben ergangen, den Kampf von
Mensch zu Mensch schlielich inbegriffen.
I ch mu dabei an eine Episode aus dem Musikleben denken: 2
berhmt e Geiger, befreundet e Kollegen, t reffen sich in einer
Haupt st adt Europas und ent decken zu ihrem rger, da ihre
Konzert e an gleichen Abenden st at t finden und von ihren sich
befehdenden I mpresarii als schrfst e Konkurrenzunt ernehmungen
gegeneinander ausgespielt werden. I m Gegensat z zu Apollo, der
im Sinne der Lehre vom Kampf als Nat urt rieb den Flt enspieler
Marsyas aus Neid ber seine Kunst erschlug, spielt e dieser
moderne Wet t kampf im Geigen sich spielend ab. Am liebst en
ht t en sie ihre Konzert e zu gemeinsamen Duet t abenden
vereinigt , aber ihre I mpresarii wollt en nicht .
Das ist gar kein schlecht es Gleichnis fr die heut ige Lage der
europischen Vlker. Die Mehrzahl unt er ihnen mcht e in Frieden
gelassen werden und sich zur gemeinsamen Arbeit auf allen
Gebiet en menschlicher Bet t igung vereinigen. Da wrden sie dem
Nat urgeset z vom Kampf im friedlichen Wet t bewerb folgen. Aber
auch ihre I mpresarii wollen nicht ! Warum? Das dynast isch-
feudalist ische Prinzip wurde in Europa durch den Mechanismus
der Part eiherrschaft erset zt . Die Part eien sind in vielen Lndern
t rot z des gleichen Wahlrecht es keine Vert ret er des Volkes,
sondern oft nur Exponent en best immt er, aus dem j et zigen
polit ischen Zust and hervorgegangener I nt eressen. Dieser
polit ische Zust and wurde durch die seit Anfang des 19.
Jahrhundert s in Europa allmhlich zur Herrschaft , mindest ens zur
Mit herrschaft gelangt e Bourgeoisie verursacht . Nach dem Vorbild
aller frheren Herrschaft skast en in der Menschheit sgeschicht e ( z.
B. der t heokrat ischen, monarchischen, feudalen) ht t e auch der
nunmehr regierende Brgerst and zunchst seine eigenen
mat eriellen Klassenint eressen klar erkennen mssen, um sie
alsdann, verbrmt mit mehr oder weniger ehrlich gemeint en
alt ruist ischen I dealismen, rcksicht slos zur Maxime seiner
St aat spolit ik zu erheben. Die Bourgeoisie war der I nhaber des
gesamt en Produkt ions- und Handelsapparat es, der Fhrer in
Kunst und Wissenschaft . I hr St andesint eresse ht t e folglich eine
Polit ik des rst ungslosen Friedens und ungehemmt en mat eriellen
und geist igen Gt eraust ausches zwischen den Nat ionen ebenso
gefordert , wie z. B. das persnliche I nt eresse der in ihrer
Souvernit t , Finanzgebahrung oder Legit imit t durch Habsburg
oder Papst bedroht en deut schen und englischen Frst en die
Unt erst t zung der Reformat ion, d. h. die Sprengung der
Reichsresp. Religionseinheit gefordert hat . So wie damals das
Losungswort vom Kampf um die Reinheit der Religion dem
gut glubigen Volk als Regierungset hik vorgehalt en wurde, so
ht t e j et zt mit mindest ens demselben Anspruch auf
Berecht igung die Parole Prosperit t der Massen oder Kult ur
dem Volke oder Europische Solidarit t als uere et hische
Grundlage der brgerlichen Regierungsmaximen ausgegeben
werden mssen. St at t dessen hat die brgerliche Gesellschaft ,
wohl aus Tradit ionsmangel und dem ihn erset zenden
Moralsnobismus heraus, einen ent art et en Begriff von sich
not gedrungen gegenseit ig auffressenden Pat riot ismen zum
et hischen Leit mot ive ihres Handelns erhoben. Damit hat sie
zuerst St andesverrat , in der Auswirkung aber Landesverrat
begangen: Pat riot ismus cont ra pat riam! I n dem Chaos, welches
durch diese selbst mrderische Polit ik in Europa ent st anden ist ,
wurde die Bourgeoisie zum groen Teil selbst prolet arisiert , ohne
da sie aber die Zusammenhnge zwischen ihrem Niedergang
und ihrem hypokrit ischen polit ischen Verhalt en erkannt ht t e. Die
Geschicht e lehrt j edoch, da j eder polit ische Zust and, auch der
unnat rlichst e, unheilvollst e, I nt eressen schafft , die sich gegen
j ede Vernderung, auch zum Besseren, aus Selbst erhalt ungst rieb
st emmen mssen. So ist es auch heut e. Mit diesen, am heut igen
polit ischen und wirt schaft lichen Zust and klebenden Fakt oren den
Zusammenschlu Europas durchfhren zu wollen, das ist so, als
wenn man den Ersat z der Post kut sche durch die Eisenbahn von
der Erlaubnis der Post illone abhngig gemacht ht t e. Da der
Fhrer der Paneuropabewegung, Graf Coudenhove, diesen
Versuch mit den heut igen Post illonen unt ernommen hat , erschien
mir persnlich von vornherein ziemlich aussicht slos. Dennoch
mssen wir uns glcklich preisen, da uns die Vorsehung in der
St unde der Not diesen reinen Prophet en, diesen dicht erischen und
zugleich klarst en Geist geschenkt hat . Er hat Europa wider zum
Bewut sein seiner selbst gebracht , er hat das europische
Gewissen und Solidarit t sgefhl aufgeweckt . Darber hinaus hat
er aber eine heroische Tat vollbracht , die mehr Vorgnger, von
Abb St . Pierre ber Henri I V. und Vict or Hugo bis Niet zsche.
Coudenhove hat den Mut gehabt , eines schnen Tages auf der
Auenseit e seiner Eingangst r ein Schild anzuschlagen, welches
die Aufschrift t rug: Paneuropische Union! So wie Mohamed im
Anfang nur 2 Anhnger besa: sich und seine Schwest er, so
best and die paneuropische Union zunchst nur aus 2
Mit gliedern: dem Grnder und seiner Gat t in. Und im Laufe von 8
Jahren hat diese Bewegung, wenn auch zunchst nur als I dee,
relat iv reiendere Fort schrit t e gemacht als irgendeine
sozialpolit ische Umwlzung in der Geschicht e Europas. Aber es
bedeut et eben eine Umwlzung des ganzen polit ischen Denkens
und auch vieler Maximen des Regierens. Und meine Zweifel an
der Richt igkeit des Coudenhoveschen modus procedendi mcht e
ich in die Wort e kleiden, da Coudenhove gewissermaen selbst
das Epochale und Umwlzende seiner idealist ischen Vision und
ihrer prakt ischen Formulierung unt erscht zt hat , wenn er
glaubt e, diese Akt ion mit Hilfe der best ehenden Regierungen so
durchfhren zu knnen wie irgendein neues Wahlgeset z oder
dergleichen. Paneuropa st rebt in seinen let zt en Konsequenzen
eine neue ra in der Geschicht e der europischen Vlker an, und
es wre unhist orisch, anzunehmen, da man ein neues Regime
mit Hilfe des zu st rzenden ancien rgime einfhren knnt e. I ch
glaube, man kann den europischen Regierungen gerecht erweise
nicht einmal einen Vorwurf aus ihrem schlecht verhehlt en
Widerst and gegen den Zusammenschlu machen. I ch wage zu
behaupt en, da ein ehrliches Eint ret en der heut igen Regierungen
fr Paneuropa fast inkompat ibel wre mit ihrem Eid und ihren
Pflicht en als Diener und Ht er der heut igen Ordnung oder
vielmehr Unordnung, mit all ihrem sich nat urgem ergebenden
Zwang zur Prest igepolit ik. Es gengt daher, da ein noch so
ehrlich vat erlndisch, aber zugleich europisch gesinnt er Minist er
sich zu Paneuropa bekennt , um die I dee im Nachbarlande zu
kompromit t ieren. Man st ellt sich dumm und verdcht igt eine
solche I nit iat ive des heimlichen Pat riot ismus. Damit beweist man
aber, da man noch dmmer ist als man sich st ellt . Jawohl, es ist
Pat riot ismus, wenn man unt er Pat riot ismus nicht das Nachj agen
hint er einem abst rakt en, ent menscht en geographiphisch-
hist orischen Macht phant om verst eht , sondern die Liebe zu seinen
Kompat riot en, die Herzensangst um sie und ihre Kinder. Ein
solcher wahrer Pat riot ismus, dem die Heimat Vat erland, aber
auch das Land der Shne und Enkel bedeut et , mu heut e zu einer
europischen Kooperat ion drngen. Den nur diese gibt dem
Pat riot en die Gewhr, da seine Kompat riot en vor elend und
Vernicht ung gescht zt werden. Wobei ich hier das reine
Friedensproblem als Ausflu der Et hik, als gt t liches Gebot der
allmenschlichen, durch keinen falschen Pat riot ismus beschrnkt en
Nchst enliebe absicht lich unerrt ert lie. Wozu auch darber
reden? Von Plat o an ber Christ us und Kant bis in unsere Zeit
wurden Nchst enliebe und Pazifismus von den edelst en Geist ern
immer wieder gepredigt st et s mit demselben negat iven
Ergebnis. Also will ich mich mit dem st illen Bewut sein begngen,
da auch dieses meinem Herzen am nchst en liegende Ziel
ohnehin aut omat isch und unlsbar mit der Gesamt heit des
Problems Paneuropa verknpft ist , und mit dem Siege der
Vernunft auch die Sit t lichkeit t riumphieren wird.
Man darf nicht erwart en, da die auf Grund ganz anderer
Vorausset zungen inst alliert en heut igen Regierungen in der Lage
sind, die Konsequenzen aus der Wandlung der Zeit zu ziehen. I n
dieser Beziehung ist es sehr lehrreich, zu beobacht en, wie sie
sich winden und wenden, um sich dem mit schicksalhaft er Gewalt
an sie herant ret enden Forderungen zu ent ziehen. Es werden
Konferenzen nach Konferenzen einberufen, Expert isen nach
Expert isen unt ernommen, alle mit dem gleichen Resumee, mit
dem gleichen Not ruf: Nieder mit den Zllen, nieder mit den
Rst ungen, nieder mit den Handelshindernissen! , was als
Synt hese gleichbedeut end mit Paneuropa ist . Und t rot zdem als
wenn die Expert en Dilet t ant en und die Herren Dilet t ant en
Expert en wren set zen die Regierungen die ent gegengeset zt en
Manahmen, und zwar in immer st eigendem Mae fort . Genf ist
j et zt wie eine Kirche des Mit t elalt ers, wo man paneuropische
Ablsse sucht , um dann zu Hause um so mehr ant ieuropisch
sndigen zu knnen!
Es mu einen t iefst e Verzweiflung und Hoffnungslosigkeit
erfassen, wenn man es j et zt erlebt , wie immer wieder versucht
wird, die lebensgefhrlichen Krankheit serscheinungen Europas
mit Palliat ivmit t eln abzuschwchen, nur um einer
gesamt europischen Radikalkur aus dem Wege zu gehen:
Arbeit slosigkeit , Export rckgang, kommunist ische Gefahr,
drngende Agrarkrise, alles wird wie voneinander unabhngige
Erscheinungen behandelt . Jet zt sind wir richt ig beim finanziellen
Bankrot t angelangt , und auch er wird nur gar zu gern unt er dem
Gesicht swinkel einer selbst ndigen Finanzkrise beurt eilt . Die
moralische Falschmnzerei ist dabei noch schlimmer als die
met allische, mit der man j et zt das europische Problem lsen
will. Das ist hnlich so, als wenn ein Musiker durch miserables
Spiel Defizit e in seinen Konzert en erleiden wrde und dann
Scheckflschungen zur Deckung der Schulden beginge, anst at t
durch emsige Arbeit sein Spiel zu vervollkommnen und seine
Anziehungskraft auf das Publikum zu st eigern.
Es kommt auf umfassende Manahmen an. I n die Sprache der
Polit ik berset zt wrde es heien: Abrst ung der Nat ionalarmeen,
Erricht ung einer bernat ionalen europischen Armee, allmhlicher
Abbau der Zollgrenzen, dadurch Ankurbelung von Handel und
I ndust rie und Wiedereinst ellung der Arbeit slosen, Verankerung
des darauf wiedererwachenden Vert rauens in einem fest en
europischen Bundessyst em, das sich unt er der Sankt ionsmacht
der europischen Bundesarmee als ein gengend st arker
Schut zwall gegen Auswchse des Ehrgeizes von polit ischen Va-
banque- Spielern erweisen mt e. I ch hoffe, da die St reiflicht er,
mit denen ich die unendlichen Verflecht ungen der
paneuropischen Probleme zu beleucht en mich bemht habe,
gengen werden, um mich vor dem naheliegenden Vorwurf zu
scht zen, da ich ausgerechnet an den an der Oberflche
liegenden Schwierigkeit en et wa gedankenlos vorbergegangen
bin.
Als eines der unberwindlichen Hindernisse dieser Art gegen den
europischen Zusammenschlu gilt die Unant ast barkeit der
Souvernit t der europischen St aat en. Diese Ansicht hlt j edoch
einer hist orischen Analyse nicht st and. Aus der Lehre der
Geschicht e ergibt sich im Gegent eil, da nicht einmal die den
Souvernit t sbegriff persnlich reprsent ierenden deut schen und
it alienischen Dynast ien sich dem hist orischen Drang nach immer
greren St aat sverbnden auf die Dauer ent gegenzust emmen
vermocht en. Schwerer wiegt schon die Belast ung Europas
durch die Verschiedenheit der Sprache, Rasse und Tradit ion.
Doch, wahrlich, das sind keine ernst en Schwierigkeit en. Wir
haben auch schon massenhaft Beispiele fr deren berwindung.
Da ist z. B. die Schweiz mit ihren drei Haupt nat ionen und
mehreren Volkssplit t ern. Die Geschicht e der Schweiz war eine
bewegt e Geschicht e mit vielen ueren Kriegen und innern
Kmpfen. Aber in ihrer ganzen acht hundert j hrigen Geschicht e
hat es in der Schweiz keinen einzigen Fall gegeben, wo die
Verschiedenheit der Sprachen zu nat ionalist ischen Zwist igkeit en
gefhrt ht t e.
I m brigen haben wir 6 mehrsprachige Lnder neueren Dat ums:
Finnland, Belgien, Tschechoslowakei, Jugoslawien, Est land,
Let t land und Sowj et ruland. Wir haben zwar noch kein
offizielles Paneuropa, aber wir haben seit langem schon
unzhlige, auf paneuropische Kooperat ion angewiesene
I nst it ut ionen wie Eisenbahn, Schiffahrt , Telegraph und Post ,
Flugverkehr, das ganze Banksyst em und vor allem Kunst und
Wissenschaft . Nun, diese I nst it ut ionen haben sich alle auf et wa
drei Welt sprachen nebst der Landessprache eingericht et , und es
liegt gar kein Grund vor, in Paneuropa eine andere Lsung zu
suchen. Lieber j hrlich ein paar Millionen mehr Ausgaben fr
viersprachige Geset ze und Dekret e aus den erspart en Milliarden
anst at t ungezhlt er Milliardenausgaben und Millionen
Menschenopfer. Auerdem darf nicht bersehen werden, da in
einem europischen Bundesst aat die Gemeinsamkeit der Wurzeln
der gesamt europischen Kult ur in Sage, Geschicht e, Religion,
Kunst und Wissenschaft sich ganz anderes auswirken wrde als
heut e, wo absicht lich nur das Trennende, nie das Verbindende
zum Bewut sein der Vlker gebracht wird. Es ist vielleicht nicht
berflssig, daran zu erinnern, da wir in Europa wohl
verschiedene Sprachen reden, aber aus einem gemeinsamen
Geist denken und fhlen, da wir eins sind im Glauben,
Unglauben und sogar Aberglauben, in Heldensagen, Mrchen und
sogar Ammenmrchen, da nie ein geist iger Funke irgendwo in
Europa sich ent zndet hat , ohne zugleich den ganzen Kont inent
zu ent flammen oder in Brand zu st ecken.
Nur so ist die Tat sache zu erklren, da sich oft die erbit t ert st en
europischen Feinde sowohl individuell als auch als Vlker
noch immer besser verst ehen als Europer mit ihren
berseeischen Freunden. Wie oft kommt es auf unserm Erdt eil
vor, da der Bewohner eines europsichen Landst richs in der
Darlegung auch der subt ilst en, verklausuliert est en Gedanken von
dem Bewohner eines andern mit t en in seiner Rede unt erbrochen
wird, nicht durch Fragen oder aus Widerspruchsgeist , sondern
vor laut er Ungeduld, seine Zust immung zu dem noch nicht halb
ausgesprochenen und doch schon ganz errat enen Gedanken zu
uern. Bei all meinem Verst ndnis, meiner Begeist erung fr
Amerika mu ich doch gest ehen, da ich diese Art von
Genugt uung drben selt en erlebt habe. Ein Europer luft in
Amerika keine Gefahr, unt erbrochen zu werden. Und am Ende
wird er mit t ausend Fragen best rmt und t rot z aller
Erlut erungen doch nicht immer ganz verst anden werden. Nicht
anders drft e es wahrscheinlich dem Amerikaner in Europa
ergehen. Jenes hchst e Glck des st illen Einverst ndnisses zweier
gleichgest immt er Wesen kann sich eben nur zwischen Menschen
einst ellen, in deren Seelen wie in dunkler Schat zkammer
gleichgeart et e erst e Eindrcke schlummern, Eindrcke, wie sie in
nebelhaft er Kindheit szeit durch die Amme, die Gromut t er mit
ihren Mrchenerzhlungen, Schreckgespinst en, Helden- und
Wiegenliedern in die Seele des Kindes gesenkt wurden, und die
dann im spt eren Leben auf best immt e Reakt ionen als best immt e
Associat ionen mit schwingen und das halb ausgesprochene Wort
hellhrig ergnzen. Wer aber sein Europert um als ein bewut es
nat ionalhnliches Zusammengehrigkeit sgefhl in sich ent decken
will, der gehe nach bersee und erlebe die Begegnung mit einem
andern Europer; da wird nicht viel nach Sprache oder engerer
Heimat gefragt , Europa wirkt als das Zauberwort , das zugleich
Vat erland, Verst ndnis, Solidarit t bedeut et .
Die europische Geschicht e ist Jahrt ausende alt . Es war ein
ewiger Kampf um irgendein Recht , um irgendeine Freiheit . Aber
erst seit et wa Mit t e des vorigen Jahrhundert s beginnt die
Beunruhigung unseres Kont inent s durch nat ionale Unduldsamkeit .
Und nun soll eine Jahrt ausende alt e Kult ur zugrundegehen, weil
man sich eines seit ein paar Jahrzehnt en aufgekommenen
Wahnsinns nicht erwehren kann?! Nein, da bin ich t rot z meiner
Verzweiflung ber den j et zigen Zust and opt imist ischer als alle
Opt imist en. Es mssen nur die Menschen gut en Willens und klarer
Einsicht sich Rechenschaft darber ablegen, da es bei diesem
Kampf um Europa um das Schicksal eines j eden Einzelnen geht .
Wir mssen zusammenhalt en, und j eder mu innerhalb seines
geist igen und sonst igen Vermgens dazu beit ragen, da dieser
Gedanke in die breit est en Volkskreise eindringt , insbesondere sich
der heranwachsenden Jugend bemcht igt . Dann wird es mglich
sein, eines schnen Tages, vielleicht in naher Zukunft , aus
unserer eigenen Mit t e heraus neue Fhrer zu erziehen, um mit
ihrer Hilfe die groe Reform ehrlich durchzufhren. Ob das nun in
der bisherigen Form eines geist igen Kampfes mit dem Ziele der
Einwirkung auf die heut igen Regierungen geschehen wird oder im
Gegensat z zu diesen Regierungen oder durch Grndung
paneuropischer Part eien zwecks direkt er Einflunahme auf
europische Parlament e und Regierungsbildungen, ob Paneuropa
als Reakt ion gegen den Zoll - und Rst ungswahnsinn der heut igen
St aat en ent st eht ( so wie z. B. der Marxismus in machen Lndern
nur als Reakt ion gegen das Verbrechen des Welt krieges, der
Faschismus nur als Reakt ion gegen den Marxismus zu begreifen
ist ) , ob die europischen Regierungen aus Angst vor drohendem
Zusammenbruch und Revolut ionsgefahr, besonders in Zent ral -
und Ost europa, doch noch im let zt en Moment Vernunft annehmen
und mit regionalen Zusammenschlssen beginnen, das vermag
heut e keiner vorauszusagen. Es ist aber auch vollkommen
berflssig! Das Gebot der St unde ist Propaganda fr unser
Vat erland Europa! Und die best e aller Propaganden erleben wir
j et zt durch die prakt ische Lekt ion von der europischen
Gemeinsamkeit in Form von gemeinsamer Not . Ein Beispiel: Es
plat zt die Bombe des deut schst erreichischen Zollunionplanes.
Die Folge ist ein Run der angloschsischen Kredit geber auf die
st erreichische Kredit anst alt und ihre Bankrot t erklrung. Darauf
beginnt durch die ngst liche Abziehung auslndischer Kredit e
auch das deut sche Bankengebude zu wanken. Unmglichkeit der
Zurckziehung englischer Gelder aus Deut schland, darauf
Kndigung des Goldst andards des Pfundes und als weit ere Folge
I nflat ion auch der skandinavischen Valut en. Hier ist die
gesamt europische Kausalit t sreihe geschlossen: I n Deut schland-
st erreich wird eine nat ionale Unbedacht samkeit begangen, und
auf dem Umwege ber Verheerungen in Zent raleuropa und
England verlieren beispielsweise in Skandinavien konzert ierende
Knst ler durch Valut enst urz ein Drit t el ihrer Honorare. Die
einfache Dedukt ion sagt uns, da umgekehrt auch eine Tat der
Vernunft in logischer Kausalit t sfolge sich wohlt t ig durch alle
St aat en auswirken mt e, und da daher das eigenst e
Lebensint eresse der St aat en sie zu Konzessionen in ihren
vermeint lichen I nt eressen, zur Kooperat ion in ihren wirklichen
I nt eressen drngen mt e. Das verst ehen sogar einfache
Musikant en, deren Honorare in Nordeuropa durch falsche
Regierungsmanahmen in Zent raleuropa gekrzt werden.
Vielleicht wrden es die Herren Minist er in ganz Europa auch
besser verst ehen, wenn ihre eigenen Honorare unt er den
Fehlgriffen der schlecht en Musikant en im europischen Konzert
ebenso in Mit leidenschaft gezogen wrden . . .
Da ich nicht schlieen kann in der Hoffnung auf eine plt zliche
Einkehr der europischen Regierungen, so bleibt mir nicht s
anderes brig, als es in der Erwart ung einer ungehemmt en
Ent wicklung ihres Absperrungswahns zu t un. Die groen
Ereignisse der Welt geschicht e sind fast nie als Folge posit iver
Best rebungen einget ret en, sondern vielmehr als Reakt ion gegen
Unt erlassungen und Verbrechen. Und in diesem Sinne gibt es
unbegrenzt e Mglichkeit en fr Paneuropa!

DER WEG ZUM EUROPI SCHEN BUNDESSTAAT [ 2]
Ein eigent mliches Gefhl erfat mich in dem Augenblick, in dem
ich von diesem mir so lieben, wohlvert raut en Plat ze meiner
langj hrigen knst lerischen Wirksamkeit aus zu I hnen sprechen
soll. Es ist ein Gefhl innerer Bewegung und ueren
Unbehagens. Das erst e werden Sie alle wohl verst ehen. Es ist aus
dem Glcksgefhl geboren, bei der Grundst einlegung eines
groen Menschheit swerkes dabei sein und mit wirken zu drfen.
Das Unbehagen dagegen werden nur diej enigen unt er I hnen mit
mir fhlen, die ebenso wie ich dem Geset z der Assoziat ion
unt erworfen sind, also vor allem meine Wiener Konzert besucher.
Dieses mir fast zum eigenen heim gewordene Podium, die fest lich
geschmckt e Versammlung, der ffent liche Charakt er meiner
heut igen Aufgabe, alles dies gibt mir die Zwangsvorst ellung
meiner Konzert e. Und doch ist alles Wesent liche verndert und
wirkt gerade in dieser Umgebung doppelt fremd. Meine geliebt e
Geige fehlt . Der Ton ist durch das Wort erset zt , die Gefhle sollen
Gedanken weichen, das Argument der Logik soll an St elle der
Spont aneit t , der Beweis der Tat sachen an St elle des
Symbolismus t ret en. Das infolgedessen sich einst ellende
Unbehagen st eigert sich fast bis zur Peinlich keit , wenn ich als
Folge der auch fr Sie gest rt en Assoziat ion in I hren Augen die
st ille Frage zu lesen vermeine: Ja, warum t un Sie das? Wie
kommt berhaupt ein Mensch, der Jahrzehnt e lang Kunst gebt
hat , dazu, sich plt zlich mit Dingen der Polit ik zu befassen? I ch
fhle, ich darf I hnen die Ant wort darauf nicht schuldig bleiben,
sonst wrde ich Gefahr laufen, da mir ent weder die Kunst oder
die Polit ik nicht geglaubt wrde.
Ja, Kunst und Polit ik, es sind so disparat e Begriffe, da ich,
plt zlich mich dessen bewut werdend, mit t en auf meinem Wege
zu Paneuropa st ockt e und mir selber die gleiche Frage vorlegt e.
Obwohl ich in meinem Unt erbewut sein fhlt e, da zwischen
meinem Drang zur Kunst und dem Drang zu dieser sogenannt en
Polit ik, die nebenbei bemerkt fr mich et was ganz anderes
bedeut et , eine innere Verbindung best ehen mu, wut e ich mir
zuerst keine Ant wort . I ch mut e in das unt erst e Sout errain
meiner Seele hinabst eigen, um nach einem verborgenen
Verbindungsgang zu suchen. Und da macht e ich folgende
verblffende Ent deckung: I ch hat t e bis dahin angenommen, da
wir Knst ler nur um der Kunst willen Kunst t reiben. Das aber
st ellt e sich als ein I rrt um heraus. Denn, wenn wir nur um der
Kunst willen Kunst t rieben, so wre es z. B. im Falle des
ausbenden Knst lers gar nicht nt ig, das Mart yrium dieser
nervenzerst renden Lebensweise auf sich zu nehmen, einer
Lebensweise, die durch ihre Hast , durch das ewige
Ausdemkofferleben verhindert , da man zur Besinnung seiner
selbst kommt . Die Meilenst eine des Lebens werden verwischt und
Nervenzerrt t ung ist oft die Folge. Das Losungswort Kunst fr
Kunst wrde uns alle diese Opfer ersparen. Die wohlhabenden
unt er uns Knst lern knnt en die vier nackt en Hot elwnde gegen
ein gemt liches Heim vert auschen, in dem vor allem ein groer
akkust ischer Saal nicht fehlen drft e, und in diesem knnt en sie
dann nach Herzenslust ihre Lieblingsst cke herunt erleiern. Das
wre Kunst um der Kunst willen. So wird sie von den Dilet t ant en
gebt , die sich eben oft mehr durch diese egoist ische
Gengsamkeit also durch Charakt er und Welt anschauung als
durch ein Minderma an Begabung vom Knst ler unt erscheiden.
Der wahre Knst ler j edoch schafft nicht Kunst fr Kunst als
Selbst zweck, was gleichbedeut end wre mit Kunst fr sich selbst ,
nein, ihm ist der Endzweck der Mensch, er schafft Kunst fr die
Menschen, um ihnen Freude, Erhebung, Vergessen ihrer Sorgen
zu bringen. Und glauben Sie mir, es ist auch dieses Bewut sein
der Erfllung einer hheren, beneidenswert en Mission gegenber
seinen Mit menschen nt ig, um den Knst ler fr sein Leben voller
Ent sagungen und Mhsal zu ent schdigen. Mit dem Begriff Kunst
ist also auch eine soziale Funkt ion verknpft . Nun, meine
hochverehrt en Anwesenden, ist denn dieser Sprung so gro von
meiner bisherigen sozialen Funkt ion, die darin best eht ,
Tausenden fr zwei St unden eine geist ige Erhebung zu bringen,
zu dieser neuen Funkt ion, mit deren Hilfe ich nun mit Recht oder
Unrecht , aber j edenfalls mit fanat ischem Glauben zu der
dauernden geist igen und mat eriellen Erhebung von 400 Millionen
Menschen beizut ragen hoffe?
Eine geist ige und krperliche Befreiung der Bewohner unseres
Erdt eils, dies und nicht weniger bezweckt Paneuropa. Es bedeut et
ein Heraust ret en aus dem circulus vit iosus von nat ionaler
Verhet zung, Krieg, Verwst ung, Kriegsschulden, Zllen,
St euerdruck, Teuerung, Lohnelend, Arbeit slosigkeit und das
Hineint ret en in einen, wenn ich so sagen darf, circulus virt uosus
von St euersenkung, Zollfreiheit , Massenprodukt ion,
Riesenabsat zgebiet , hohen Lhnen, niedrigen Preisen, nat ionaler
Eint racht , Vlkerfrieden, Kult urfort schrit t . Das bedeut et aber
ebensoviele Probleme und zwar Europische Zollunion,
Whrungsunion und Recht sangleichung, Abrst ung der nat ionalen
Armeen, Aufst ellung einer bernat ionalen Armee, wirklichen
Minderheit enschut z, Unsicht barmachung der Grenzen und als
Krnung des Ganzen polit ische Union. Nun ist es auch dem
grt en paneuropiischen Opt imist en klar, da dieses gewalt ige
Gebude nicht auf einmal vllig gerst et aus dem Fuboden
gest ampft werden kann, wie Pallas At hene aus dem Haupt e des
Zeus ent sprang. Man wird also schrit t weise vorgehen mssen.
Wenn ich mir die einzelnen Probleme gleichsam ber einander
geschicht et denke, und zwar zu oberst das scheinbar leicht est e
und brennendst e, nmlich die Zollunion, zu unt erst das
schwerst e, nmlich die milit rische und polit ische Union, so wrde
ich die Frage st ellen: Wie sollen wir vorgehen, vert ikal, d. h.
gleichzeit ig ein St ck von j edem Problem in Angriff nehmen, oder
aber horizont al, d. h. an die get rennt e, dafr aber gnzlich
Lsung des zu oberst liegenden Problems, also Zollunion
herangehen, und erst nach ihrer Vollendung das nchst e Problem
herannehmen usw. , bis zum Schlu das unt erst e, die polit ische
Union drankme? Es ist von grt er Wicht igkeit , da der
Paneuropische Kongre seine Meinung ber den zu whlenden
modus procedendi ausspricht . Der Schrei nach der europischen
Zollunion wurde nmlich in der let zt en Zeit nicht nur von
Paneuropern erhoben, sondern sowohl von manchen harmlossen
und polit ischen Schwrmern als auch von verschiedenen serisen
wirt schaft lichen Krperschaft en, insbesondere in Deut schland und
Frankreich. Es best eht daher die Gefahr, da durch eine
einseit ige, vom gesamt europischen Fragenkomplex get rennt e
Behandlung dieses Problems dem paneuropischen Gedanken der
grt e, vielleicht nicht wieder gut zumachende Schaden zugefgt
wird.
Zur Sache selbst mcht e ich mir erlauben, folgende Erwgungen
zu unt erbreit en:
Man kann vielleicht verschiedener Meinung sein ber das Prinzip
Freihandel oder Schut zzoll fr ein gegebenes Wirt schaft sgebiet .
Sobald aber die Frage des Freihandels verknpft wird mit einer
Erweit erung dieses Wirt schaft sgebiet es um eben j ene Lnder,
denen gegenber die Zollschranken fallen sollen, dann verndern
die Schut zzlle ihren Charakt er, sie verwandeln sich in
Binnenzlle, ber deren Widersinnigkeit hier ein Wort zu verlieren
selbst widersinnig wre. Die Fragest ellung laut et daher nicht :
Schut zzoll oder Freihandel ? , sondern: Nat ionale Verengung
oder Kont inent ale Erweit erung des Wirt schaft sraumes? Und was
die Erweit erung des Wirt schaft skrpers im Zeit alt er der
fort schreit enden bernat ionalen t echnischen Arbeit st eilung fr die
Wohlfahrt des Landes bedeut et , das zeigt nicht nur der
mrchenhaft e Aufschwung der Vereinigt en St aat en, sondern
relat ive ebenso berzeugend die blhende Ent wicklung
Deut schlands nach Erricht ung des deut schen Zollvereins. Somit
wre allein vom wirt schaft lichen St andpunkt aus der Gedanke
einer europischen Zollunion als erst em Schrit t zu Paneuropa zu
begren. Aber die Zollfrage hat nicht nur eine wirt schaft liche,
sie hat auch eine polit ische Seit e von vit aler Bedeut ung. Sie
berhrt nmlich unmit t elbar den Lebensnerv der
Landesvert eidigung. Seit dem die Kriege nicht mehr von Armeen,
sondern von Vlkern gegen Vlker gefhrt werden, ist nicht mehr
allein die Tragweit e und Durchschlagskraft der Geschosse fr den
Ausgang eines Krieges ent scheidend, sondern oft die Verfgung
ber irgendwelche Gebrauchsart ikel, wie sie eben von
Millionenarmeen und fr das Hint erland nt ig sind, nicht nur fr
milit rische Akt ionen, sondern einfach zum Leben, zum
Durchhalt en. Die ideale Milit rnat ion wre also diej enige, welche
vollkommene Wirt schaft saut arkie ht t e. Auf nat rliche Weise ist
eine derart ige wirt schaft liche Unabhngigkeit vom Auslande
keinem Lande erreichbar, denn die Nat ur hat die Lnder und
Vlker sehr ungleichmig mit ihren Gaben bedacht . Daher
greifen die St aat en zu knst lichen Mit t eln, um dem Zust and einer
wirt schaft lichmilit rischen Aut arkie mglichst nahezukommen.
Viele I ndust rien, die in den bet reffenden Lndern nicht die
geringst en Vorausset zungen an Rohst offen oder
Menschenmat erial haben und daher t eurer und schlecht er
produzieren als die Konkurrenz in den hierfr geeignet en
Lndern, werden nur mit Hilfe von Schut zzllen,
St euererleicht erungen, Subvent ionen oder Ausfuhrprmien am
Leben erhalt en. Diese I ndust rien wrden in der europischen
Zollunion nat rlich sofort eingehen. Sicherlich zum Nut zen aller
Bet eiligt en, denn an deren St elle wrde dafr manche andere
nat rlich gewachsene I ndust rien, befreit von den Zollhemmungen
des bisherigen Auslandes, nunmehrigen I nlandes, einen
Aufschwung nehmen, der zur Absorbierung der durch die
eingegangene I ndust rie ent lassenen Arbeit er fhren wrde. Aber
gerade diese gefhrdet en I ndust rien braucht der St aat im Kriege,
sonst wrde er sie j a im Frieden nicht mit schweren Opfern
knst lich zcht en. Nun frage ich Sie, wie knnt e man einem
verant wort lichen St aat smann zumut en, da er um eines
wirt schaft lichen Vort eils willen sein Land von der Verfgung ber
einen I ndust rieart ikel ent ble, den es vielleicht morgen fr die
Kriegfhrung bent igen wrde? Doch nur dann, wenn man ihm
zugleich die Gewhr biet en wrde, da ein Krieg knft ig
ausgeschlossen sei. Diese absolut e Gewhr kann nicht nur auf
irgendeinem Fet zen Papier und auch nicht einmal im Geist von
Locarno begrndet werden, so begrenswert , j a beglckend
diese erst en Anst ze polit ischer Vernunft auch sind. Die
Friedenssicherung ist nur durch Abbau, bzw. Unsicht barmachung
der Grenzen zu erreichen, also durch polit ische Union.
Wo es keine Grenzen gibt , da gibt es auch keine Kriege. ber die
Grenze schieen, auch auf seine St ammesbrder, ist erlaubt
man nennt es Pat riot ismus, Brgerpflicht , Heldent at , innerhalb
der Grenzen schieen, auch auf den St ammesgegner, heit
dagegen Mord und Tot schlag und ist polizeilich verbot en. Das
naheliegendst e Beispiel dafr ist die Schweiz. Sie ist von drei
grundverschiedenen Volksst mmen bewohnt , deren j enseit s der
Grenzen wohnende Haupt vert ret er seit ber einem Jahrt ausend
sich in wechselnder Gruppierung bekmpfen. Wie verhielt en sich
nun whrend des Welt krieges die Deut schen Franzosen und
I t aliener innerhalb der Schweizer Grenzpfhle? Die Frage st ellen
heit sie auch schon beant wort en. Ein berzeugendes Beispiel in
ent gegengeset zt er Richt ung: Die Polen rhmen sich mit Recht ,
da sie im Kriege t rot z ihrer schwierigen St ellung in den drei
Lagern niemand verrat en haben. Dies bedeut et nicht s anderes,
als da sie in einem St reit e, der sie nicht bet raf, der Suggest ion
des Grenzzwanges unt erlagen und dem Befehl, auf die
Grenzbewohner zu schieen, nachkamen, selbst auf die Gefahr
hin, ihren Bruder zu t reffen. Hier also die Schweiz, die sich mit
ihrer dreieinigen deut sch- franzsisch- it alienischen Bevlkerung
innerhalb einer Grenze friedlich verhielt , dort das zerrissene aber
innerlich einige Polen, dessen drei Teile t rot zdem gegeneinander
kmpfen! Und wie war das Verhalt en der Deut schbalt en und der
nach Millionen zhlenden deut schen Kolonist en gegenber
Ruland? Whrend sich die Deut schen und Russen von j enseit s
der Grenze die Kpfe einschlugen, verblieben die Deut schen
diesseit s der russischen Grenzpfhle in ihrer hist orischen Mission,
St t ze des russischen Kaisert hrones zu sein. Namen wie
Rennenkampf, St ackelberg, Kaulbars, Ungern- St ernberg,
Lambsdorff, Benkendorff, Plehwe usw. , laut er russische Generle
und St aat smnner deut scher Abst ammung, best t igen nur diese
Tat sache.
Das Gefhl von der europischen Kult ur - und
I nt eressengemeinschaft und von der Not wendigkeit ihrer
gemeinsamen Vert eidigung gegen gemeinsame Gefahren set zt
sich zwar in dem Bewut sein der europischen St aat slenker t rot z
des in ihnen walt enden Beharrungsgeset zes mit j edem Tage
unabweisbarer durch; solange j edoch diese Gemeinschaft nicht
ihren nat rlichen Ausdruck in einer gemeinsamen milit risch-
polit ischen Union findet , sondern im Gegent eil uerlich verflscht
wird durch Aufrecht erhalt ung anachronist ischer Grenzen aus der
Zeit dynast ischer Raubzge und nat ionalist ischem I mperialismus,
solange wird die Gefahr kriegerischer Verwicklungen mit dem Ziel
der Erweit erung resp. Vert eidigung dieser Grenzen best ehen
bleiben. Jeder St aat smann mu dieser Tat sache Rechnung t ragen
und wird sich daher in eine Gefhrdung der indust riellen Rst ung
durch ffnung der Zollgrenzen nicht einlassen. Wir erleben es
seit der erst en Haager Friedenskonferenz immer wieder, auf
welche Schwierigkeit en schon die rein milit rische Abrst ung
st t , t rot zdem dieselbe bei loyaler proport ioneller Durchfhrung
und gegenseit iger Kont rolle das rein milit rische St rkeverhlt nis
der Mcht e nicht im geringst en verndern wrde. Die
wirt schaft liche Abrst ung j edoch wrde das Krft everhlt nis st ark
verschieben, da sie proport ionell gleichmig gar nicht
durchfhrbar ist : Fort geschrit t ene St aat en mit gleichmig
ent wickelt er nat rlicher Wirt schaft wrden weniger schwer
get roffen als St aat en, die z. B. nur einseit ig agrarisch ent wickelt
sind. Dies knnt e unt er Umst nden sogar eine Aneiferung fr den
relat iv st ark gebliebenen St aat bilden, ber den geschwcht en
st raflos herzufallen. Die einzige halbwegs wirksame
Kriegshemmung, die wir heut e in Europa haben, nmlich die
Gewiheit der gegenseit igen Vernicht ung, wrde auf diese Weise
ent fallen. Somit wre der Versuch einer europischen Zollunion
ohne gleichzeit ige polit ische Union von vornherein zum Scheit ern
verurt eilt . Selbst Adam Smit h, dieser scharfsinnige und
erbarmungslose Bekmpfer j eder Form von obrigkeit licher
Reglement ierung des Handels, lt eine Ausnahme gelt en:
Schut zzoll fr j ene Zweige von I ndust rie und Landwirt schaft , die
der Kriegfhrung dienen sollen. Zu seiner Zeit , vor 200 Jahren,
konnt e man eine solche Auswahl t reffen. Heut e, wo die gesamt e
Landesprodukt ion zur Kriegsfhrung gebraucht wird, ist dies
unmglich. Die Vlker sind sich dieser Aut arkiebedrfnisse des
Krieges erst im Welt kriege so recht bewut geworden. Der
Merkant ilismus unserer Zeit , ber den alle klagen, ist daher kein
Zufall und auch nicht blo et wa ein Ausflu des Ressent iment s
gegenber frheren Kriegsgegnern, er ist eine unmit t elbare
Konsequenz aus den Erfahrungen des Welt krieges. I n dieser
Beziehung bildet England ein lehrreiches Beispiel. Bis zum Jahre
1914 eine Hochburg des Freihandels, macht e England whrend
des Krieges die unangenehme Ent deckung, da es fr die
Erzeugung einiger zur Kriegfhrung unent behrlicher Art ikel nicht
gerst et sei. I n der Tat hat es von den 20000 Tonnen j hrlichen
Friedensbedarfs in synt het ischen Farbst offen 18 000 aus
Deut schland bezogen. Der Rest von 2000 Tonnen wurde zur
Hlft e aus deut schem Rohmat erial bereit et und in zwei in England
befindlichen deut schen Fabriken fert iggest ellt . Ein hnliches
Verhlt nis best and in vielen anderen I ndust rien, z. B. in der
Raffinierung von Met allen und in opt ischen I nst rument en. Nicht s
kennzeichnet besser die psychologische Wirkung dieser
Ent deckung als die Tat sache, da fr die fehlenden I ndust rien der
Begriff von Key - I ndust ries geschaffen wurde, d. h. von
I ndust rien, die den Torschlssel zu Grobrit annien, zu seiner
Macht bedeut et en. Als Ergebnis dieser Sachlage kam im Jahre
1921 das Geset z Safeguarding of I ndust ry Act zust ande,
welches ursprnglich auf 5 Jahre alle auslndischen Produkt e der
Key - I ndust ries mit einem Wert zoll von 33 1/ 3 Prozent belegt e.
Als zu Key - I ndust ries gehrig wurden im Geset z zunchst
folgende angefhrt : opt ische I ndust rie, t echnische Glser,
Przisionsinst rument e, chemische I ndust rie, Elekt rizit t sapparat e,
Wolframbereit ung, Radio. Zugleich wurde das Board of Trade
ermcht igt , andere I ndust rien auf deren Ant rag als Key -
I ndust ry zu erklren und den Zoll unt er Umst nden auf 66 2/ 3
Prozent zu erhhen. Dieses Geset z wurde vor kurzem bis zum
Jahre 1936 verlngert . Bedenken Sie wohl, dieses Geset z ist
eingest andenermaen ein reines Kriegsindust rie- Schut zzollgeset z
und liegt eigent lich j enseit s den prinzipiellen hist orischen
Wirt schaft skampfes zwischen Freihandel und Schut zzoll. Nicht
einmal die freihndlerische Labor - Regierung hat es gewagt ,
dasselbe anzut ast en. Die Verhlt nisse in den anderen
europischen St aat en liegen hnlich, wenn auch die
Einfuhrverbot e und Schut zzlle nicht berall so offen als
milit rische Schut zzlle zugegeben werden. Nun versuche man
einmal in Frankreich Zollfreiheit fr Farbst offe, in England fr
Erzeugnisse der Key- I ndust ries, in der Tschechoslowakei fr
Aut omobile, in Deut schland fr Nahrungsmit t el bei der heut igen
polit ischen St rukt ur Europas vorzuschlagen! I ch sehe schon im
Geist e, wie die verschiedenen Minist er, am grnen Tisch um
einzelne Posit ionen ihrer Landesprodukt e feilschend, sich in den
Haaren liegen, um wenigst ens den not drft igst en Schut z zu
ret t en, und schlielich unverricht et er Dinge auseinandergehen.
Was wre die Folge? Man wrde von dem Scheit ern einer
Zollunion als eines der paneuropischen Probleme erst recht auf
die Unmglichkeit der Realisierung des Gesamt problems
schlieen, whrend t at schlich umgekehrt nur die get rennt e
Behandlung der Zollunion vom brigen paneuropischen
Fragenkomplex die Sprengung Paneuropas verursacht haben
wrde.
Man wird mir verschiedene Einwnde ent gegenhalt en, z. B. die
scheinbare Analogie der europischen Zollunion mit dem
Deut schen Zollverein, oder dem Zollbund zwischen Piemont e,
Rom und Toscana, die beide auch unabhngig von milit risch-
polit ischer Bindung ent st anden waren. Das war im Jahre 1834
bzw. 1847 mglich. Damals wurden die Kriege nur von kleinen
Armeen und nicht von ganzen Vlkern gefhrt , und die
Ausrst ung best and haupt schlich aus Waffen und nicht zugleich
aus der gesamt en nat ionalen Produkt ion. Daher wurde die
Kriegsbereit schaft der Mit glieder des Deut schen Zollvereins resp.
I t alienischen Zollbundes gegeneinander durch den Zollverein
kaum berhrt . I n diesem Zusammenhang erffnen sich fr die
Paneuroper geradezu ungeheuerliche Perspekt iven, wenn ich Sie
zum Beweise meiner These an die Tat sache erinnere, da der
Zollverein, den Sachsen, Hannover, Wrt t emberg, Bayern usw.
mit Preuen usw. 1834 und in den nachfolgenden Jahren
geschlossen haben, ihre Mit glieder nicht im geringst en gehindert
hat , im Jahre 1866 gegeneinander Krieg zu fhren! Auch der
it alienische Dreist aat en- Zollverein hat spt ere Feindseligkeit en
unt en seinen Mit gliedern nicht verhindert !
brigens mut et es uns Zeugen der Beschlagnahme des
Privat eigent ums im Welt kriege wie ein Mrchen an, da t rot z des
Krieges 1866 der Zollverein zwischen den Kriegfhrenden
ungest rt weit er funkt ioniert e. Aus dieser Analogie geht hervor,
da, selbst wenn die Zollunion ohne milit risch- polit ische Union
mglich wre, sie uns vor einem neuen europischen Kriege doch
nicht scht zen wrde. Damit hrt aber die Analogie auch auf.
Denn whrend der Krieg 1866 zur Einigung Deut schlands fhrt e,
wrde der nchst e europische Krieg das Ende Europas bedeut en,
also auch Paneuropas. Bei den brigen paneuropischen
Problemen wrde die Absurdit t ihrer zeit lich get rennt en
I nangriffnahme noch offener zut age t ret en. Die Lsung der
meist en anderen zwischenst aat lichen Aufgaben, wenn auch nicht
mit dem Ziel Paneuropa, war nmlich schon vor dem Krieg in die
Wege geleit et worden. I n Frieds Handbuch der Friedensbewegung
aus dem Jahre 1911 werden 186 int ernat ionale
Regierungskonferenzen und 86 zwischenst aat liche I nst it ut ionen
aufgezhlt , aus denen ich als die wicht igst en nur das Haager
Schiedsgericht , die lat einische Mnzkonvent ion, die
I nt erparlament arische Union, den Welt post verein und die Genfer
Konvent ion hervorhebe. Wenn man diese List e int ernat ionaler
I nst it ut ionen liest , so ist man versucht zu glauben, da
Paneuropa, wenn nicht gar die Welt union, eigent lich schon vor
dem Kriege fix und fert ig dast and und nur noch der Name fehlt e.
Aber es fehlt e eben das Wesent liche: Die Haager
Abrst ungskonferenz war gescheit ert , von einer polit ischen Union
konnt e keine Rede sein, und so konnt en uns all die schnen 86
zwischenst aat lichen I nst it ut ionen nicht s helfen, der Welt krieg
mut e ausbrechen.
Vor meiner Schlufolgerung mu ich noch einen kleinen
Abst echer in ein mit meinem Referat scheinbar in keinem
Zusammenhang st ehendes Gebiet machen, welches j edoch
t at schlich aufs engst e damit verknpft ist : Die wirt schaft liche
Basis von Paneuropa ist bekannt lich die erst durch den
Zusammenschlu zu ermglichende Umst ellung der Wirt schaft
von der einzel - st aat lichen auf die gesamt europische
Arbeit st eilung, also auf Massenprodukt ion nach amerikanischem
Must er, ohne welche wir nicht nur auf den Welt mrkt en, sondern
auch zu Hause der amerikanischen Konkurrenz nicht st andhalt en
knnen. Die Hyperklugen, die prinzipiell alles noch nicht
Best ehende als unmglich ablehnen, verweisen darauf, da
Amerika im Augenblick der Grndung der Union in der I ndust rie
ebensowenig durch einzelst aat liche Zwergwirt schaft en belast et
war wie in Geschicht e und Kult ur durch Tradit ion. Die Amerikaner
braucht en angeblich nur vorwrt s zu schauen, whrend wir
zugleich auch nach rckwrt s sehen mt en. Fr j ede
Massenprodukt ionsmaschine mt en wir nach dieser Ansicht
mehrere alt e Typen niederlegen. Dies in Verbindung mit
unvermeidlichen Produkt ionsst rungen und Arbeit erent lassungen
wrde unbersehbares und gefhrliches Chaos hervorrufen. Diese
Skept iker vergessen nur eines: Die Wirt schaft st agniert
ebensowenig wie das brige Leben und ist wie dieses in einem
ewigen St offwechselproze begriffen. Wenn wir uns die groen
Produkt ionszent ren nher ansehen, so werden wir finden, da
auch im heut igen Europa in den konkurrenzfhigen Bet rieben kein
Schornst ein, keine Lokomot ive, keine Dynamomaschine mehr als
10, 15 Jahre zhlt . Diese Spanne Zeit ist fr die europische
Wirt schaft ausreichend, um sich organisch, ohne j ede knst liche
Erscht t erung, auf die paneuropische Massenprodukt ion
umzust ellen. Der nat rliche Ansporn hierzu mt e von der
Zollpolit ik der paneuropisch gesinnt en St aat en ausgehen. Hand
in Hand mit dem Ausbau der polit ischen und kult urellen
paneuropischen I nst it ut ionen mt e der Abbau der Zlle vor sich
gehen, also keineswegs allein fr sich und nicht ohne bergang.
Auf Grundlage der best ehenden Handelsvert rge und der
aut onomen Zollst ze, welche das klarst e Spiegelbild der noch
best ehenden wirt schaft lichen Schut zbedrft igkeit der
Einzelst aat en abgibt , sollt e ein Zollplan auf so viele Jahre
aufgest ellt werden, als fr den polit ischen Aufbau Europas und
die Rat ionalisierung seiner Wirt schaft nt ig sind, et wa 10 bis 15
Jahre. Whrend dieser Zeit sollt en die Zollst ze aut omat isch um
ein Zehnt el bis Fnfzehnt el, d. h. 6 bis 10 Prozent pro Jahr fallen.
Auf diese Weise wre das polit ische und soziale Risiko einer
vorzeit igen wirt schaft lichen Abrst ung und Erscht t erung
vermieden und andererseit s der Umbau Europas gleichzeit ig auf
polit ischem und wirt schaft lichem Gebiet vollzogen.
Auf den Ausgangspunkt meines Referat es, die Frage nach dem
modus procedendi zurckkommend, gelange ich zu folgendem
Resumee:
Wir mssen Paneuropa organisch aufbauen. Die einzelnen
Probleme drfen vom gesamt en paneuropischen Fragenkomplex
nicht zeit lich gesondert behandelt werden. I nsbesondere ist die
Zollunion ohne gleichzeit ige polit ische Union undurchfhrbar. Aber
auch im Falle der Durchfhrbarkeit wrde sie die ber Europa
hngenden Gefahren nicht bannen.
I n Verbindung mit polit ischer Union bedeut et Zollunion keine
St ellungnahme fr oder gegen Freihandel, sondern ist ein
Bekennt nis gegen europische Binnenzlle.
Die einzelst aat liche europische Abrst ung bedeut et keine
St ellungnahme fr oder gegen den Welt pazifismus, sie ist eine
Konsequenz aus der Erkennt nis, da innereuropische
Conflagrat ionen keine Kriege mehr, sondern Brgerkriege sind.
So wie unsere ganze Konzept ion des Gedankens Paneuropa nicht
die Konst rukt ion eines ut opischen Welt verbesserers ist , sondern
blo aus der Erkennt nis ent springt , da Europa in seinen
gesamt en Lebensuerungen reif, berreif zum Zusammenschlu
ist , so mssen wir auch in unserem Kampfe um die
Verwirklichung unseres I deales alles vermeiden, was ut opisch
und knst lich konst ruiert ist und nicht gleichzeit ig auf die
gesamt en Lebensint eressen Paneuropas gengend Rcksicht
nimmt .

MERKWORT FR DAS
PROGRAMM DES EUROPA- KONGRESSES
I N BASEL 1932
Der europische Zusammenschlu ist ein schwieriges Ziel, aber
es gibt et was, das noch viel schwieriger wre: Die Erhalt ung
Europas im heut igen Zust and.
Daher laut et nicht die Alt ernat ive: Europische Fderat ion oder
Nat ionalst aat en,
sondern ent weder
Fderat ion, d. h. unermeliche gegenseit ige Erweit erung des
Produkt ions- und Absat zgebiet es, Massenprodukt ion,
Lohnerhhung und Preissenkung, Hebung des Lebensst andards
der Vlker, Ende des Klassenkampfes, Beginn des fakt ischen
Vlkerfriedens, Aufblhen der Nat ionalkult ur;
oder aber
Das Labyrint h von int ernat ionalem Mit rauen, Rst ungswahn,
St euerberlast ung, finanziellem, budget rem und valut arischem
Zusammenbruch, Schrumpfung der Kaufkraft , Versagen des
Welt markt es, Erst icken im gegenseit igen Schut zzoll des
I nnenmarkt es, Produkt ionsverfall, Arbeit slosigkeit , Klassenha,
Brgerkrieg, Vlkerkrieg, Chaos.
Daher ist der europische Anschlu keine Forderung der
I dealist en, sondern eine condit io sine qua non des Weit erlebens
der europischen Vlker.
[ 1] Mein Weg zu Paneuropa Paneuropa- Verlag, Wien 1925.
[ 2] Vort rag, gehalt en auf dem I . Paneurop. Kongre, Wien, Groer Konzert haussaal, 3. Okt ober 1926.
BERLI N MCMXXXI I VERLAG FR KULTURPOLI TI K G. M. B. H. Alle Recht e, auch die der berset zung,
vorbehalt en Copyright 1932 by Verlag fr Kult urpolit ik, Berlin. Print ed in Germany Druck der Offizin Haag-
Drugulin A. G. in Leipzig

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The Pan-Europe Problem: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/literature/pan_europa/pan_europe_problem/[02/11/12 06:50:44]
There was once an Englishman or an American who was asked
whet her he plays t he violin. He answered I dont know, I have
not t ried it yet . Now, t here you see a violinist before you, who is
exact ly in a reverse posit ion. When t he great honour of t his
luncheon was ext ended t o me and t he possibilit y of a speech of
mine in t he English language discussed, t hen I t oo had t o give
t he same answer as t he presumpt ive violinist amat eur: I dont
know I have not t ried yet t o make a speech in English .
You expect me t o give you an idea of my Paneuropean vision. To
begin wit h, allow me t o live up t o one aspect of t he Paneuropean
problem, t he linguist ic, and t o say a few words in anot her
European language, t he French. Tout dabord, j e t iens vous
dire, combine j e suis heureux dt re parmi vous, combine j e vous
suis reconnaissant pour le grand honneur que vous mavez fait ,
en minvit ant vous parler de mes ideals dune Europe
reconcilie et runie. Ma grat it ude est daut ant plus profonde que
j e me rends bien compt e quen principe un violinist e qui se met a
parler des suj et s polit iques devrait t re mis au violon.
Art and polit ics seem indeed such disparat e ideas t hat when I
had progressed half - way t o my Paneuropean convict ions I
falt ered and had t o ask myself what is it which pushes me along
t his new pat h?
Alt hough I felt in my subconscious mind t hat t here must be
some inward connect ion bet ween my impulse t owards art and my
impulse t owards so- called polit ics ( which incident ally mean
somet hing quit e special for me) , I could at first find no answer. I
had t o descend int o t he furt herest dept hs of my soul t o find t he
hidden link bet ween t hem. And t hen I made a st upefying
discovery; I had assumed hit hert o t hat we art ist s pract ice our art
for art s sake only. I now say t hat t his was a mist ake. For if we
pract iced art only for art s sake it would, for example, not be
necessary for t he pract icing art ist t o assume t he mart yrdom of
t his nerve- shat t ering way of life, which wit h it s hast e and endless
movement prevent s a man ever coming t o his senses. The
milest ones of Life are oblit erat ed and t he end is oft en nervous
collapse. The magic word art for art s sake would save us all
from t his sacrifice. The more prosperous among us could
exchange t he four bare walls of an hot el for a comfort able home
in which t here would have t o be a large music- room, where we
could st rum our favourit e pieces t o our heart s cont ent . That
would be art for art s sake. So it is pract ised by dilet t ant i who
oft en dist inguish t hemselves from t he art ist s more by t heir
egot ist ical self- sufficiency t han by t heir inferior t alent . The t rue
art ist does not creat e art as an end in it self; for him humanit y is
t he end, he creat es art for human beings, t o give t hem j oy,
The Pan-Europe Problem
This int erest ing lect ure was delivered by Huberman at
t he Polish I nst it ut e of Art s and Let t ers of t he Roerich
Museum, New York, on 16t h December 1934. He gives
persuasive argument s for t he benefit s a Unified Europe
would bring it s cit izens.
Thanks very much t o Joseph Hert er for post ing me t his
art icle from New York.
exalt at ion and forget fulness of t heir sorrows. And believe me, t his
consciousness of fulfilling a higher and enviable mission t owards
his fellow- men is necessary if t he art ist is t o compensat e himself
for a life full of privat ions and care. Bound up t herefore wit h t he
concept ion of art is it s social funct ion.
I s it t hen so I asked myself, so great a j ump from t he funct ion a
real art ist is performing, in giving spirit ual exalt at ion t o
t housands for an hour or t wo, over t o t his new act ivit y wit h which
I now hoped, right ly or wrongly, but wit h fanat ical fait h t o
cont ribut e t o t he last ing spirit ual and mat erial welfare of 400
millions of Europeans?
Since t hose days of my earliest concept ion of a Unit ed St at es of
Europe many a change has occurred in t he polit ical aspirat ion
and const ellat ion of Europe. They do not seem t o encourage t he
effort s of t he Pan- European adherent s. On t he cont rary, t he
t rend goes in t he opposit e direct ion. Mut ual dist rust , j ingoism,
economic wars prevail in Europe. And yet , my firm convict ion t hat
t he movement aiming at t he format ion of t he federat ion of t he
European St at es is t he ult imat e goal of Europe and it s only
salvat ion from self- dest ruct ion and definit e chaos, is unshaken. I
do not hesit at e t o go furt her and confess: t he more nat ionalism
is get t ing hold of all domains of t he polit ical, cult ural and
economic life in Europe, t he firmer is my fait h in t he unavoidable
realisat ion of Paneuropa. When we analyse t he forces which in
t he hist ory of mankind lead t o any progress, revolut ion or reform,
we discover t hat originally t hey never were of a posit ive nat ure.
Never a new idea, no mat t er how elevat ed or useful, was st rong
enough t o at t ract t he masses. The crowds are far t oo much
subj ect t o t he law of inert ia t o get excit ed over t he beaut y of a
new idea. The forces of nearly all t he polit ical, social or religious
movement s in hist ory emanat ed from some feeling of indignat ion
against exist ing condit ions, rebellion against some out rage, abuse
or incapacit y of t he government in power, revolt against some
special sources of misery. This fact applies j ust t he same t o
Christ ianit y and t he Reformat ion as t o t he American War of
I ndependence or t he French or t he Bolshevik revolut ions.
They all had t o begin wit h a form of a prot est , a st ruggle against
somet hing in exist ence. Only in such cases did a new st ruct ure
evolve from t he Chaos which invariably t hreat ens all mass
upheavals, when t he gospel of a new idea happened t o be ready
for act ual embodiment . Well, if one looks from t his point of view
at t he prospect s of Pan- Europe, one need not be pessimist ic at
all. The condit ions of folly and cont radict ions now prevailing in
t he relat ions bet ween t he St at es of Europe are doomed t o lead t o
absurdit y and t he react ion cannot fail t o appear. This will be t he
psychological moment for t he Pan- Europeans t o lay down t he
pract ical basis of a federal European government , provided we
have succeeded in sowing meanwhile in t he European public
opinion t he germ of our polit ical, social, nat ional, economical
creed, as formulat ed in t he concept ion of Paneuropa.
When asked t o give a short definit ion of t his concept ion, one
might feel t empt ed t o st at e simply: Paneuropa is t he cont rary of
t he Europe of t o- day. Yet t his would not only be a superficial and
incomplet e but a misleading st at ement , because even t he
principles of self- dest ruct ion on which Europe is mainly ruled t o-
day, is, quit e nat urally, lacking in consist ency and sincerit y. I can
visualise a European government building, divided int o several
depart ment s; one minist er is engaged in improving t raffic, and
increasing t he speed of locomot ives, aeroplanes and ships in
order t o at t ract foreign t ourist s; next door t o him t here sit s
anot her member of t he same government using all his
shrewdness t o add t o t he exist ing cust om barriers new hidden
blows against t he t raffic of goods and men by means of currency
rest rict ions, passport penalt ies and so on, t hus frust rat ing his
colleagues effort s and t he nat ional expendit ure on ships,
airplanes and railways.
The same applies t o all t he ot her ranges of nat ional and
int ernat ional life: t he race for export s paralysed by t he rage for
aut arkie; t he much emphasised prot ect ion of nat ional cult ure is
being ricialed[ sic] by t he persecut ion of persons belonging t o
anot her cult ure, race or creed. I t is a st at e of perversion and
hypocrisy of which Paneuropa would refuse t o become even t he
ant it hesis.
Paneurope implies a complet e revolut ion in t he polit ical,
economical, social and cult ural ment alit y and leads consequent ly
t o a general change of t he maxims of government . Let me give
you a few flashlight s on each of t he four aspect s j ust ment ioned.
Economically Paneuropa carries wit h her all t he blessings which
t he possibilit ies of an open market of 400 million peoples
represent for t he man in t he st reet as compared wit h t he
narrowness and handicaps of some 28 dwarf market s separat ed
by insurmount able cust om barriers. I n nevcent hesis[ sic] t he
effect s of Paneuropa must not be confused wit h free t rade,
because free t rade means only one- sided abolit ion of t he
cust oms of one given count ry, while Paneuropa means t he
ext ension of t he economic area of an average of 14 millions. This
would enable Europe t o use t he mass- product ion met hods
result ing in lower prices and higher wages. The final difference
bet ween t he purchasing power of a salaried man in t he average
European count ry and t hat of a count ry wit h mass product ion is
simply amazing. Take t he mot or - car as one of many examples:
when t he Ford Fact ory was put t ing out 200. 000 cars a year, t he
price of t he car was 1250 dollars and t he wages of t he unskilled
worker were about 4 dollars a day. When t he yearly out put
reached 2 millions, t he price fell t o 260 dollars and wages rose t o
6 dollars. Thus, t he worker grew seven t imes richer in relat ion t o
t he aut omobile and t o most of t he ot her commodit ies
manufact ured on a mass product ion basis. But in Europe no
fact ory has ever reached a product ion of even 200. 000 cars a
year. A few figures illust rat e t his fact and explain t he differences
in t he purchasing power. I n 1928 t he Unit ed St at es account ed for
83% of t he world product ion of mot or cars, Europe only 12%, yet
in t he St at es t here were only 152 aut omobile fact ories against
333 in Europe.
The average annual out put per fact ory in t he St at es was 28, 675
cars, in Europe only 1792 cars. I n America t here were only t hree
t ypes of popular cars: Ford, Chevrolet and Overland; Europe,
wit h it s t welve per cent share in t he worlds product ion, had over
a dozen popular t ypes, or 11 t oo many, wit h all t he result ant
increase in t he cost of product ion and wast e of capit al.
I t may be obj ect ed t hat America is t he ideal count ry for mass
product ion met hods and yet has fared no bet t er as far as t he
crisis is concerned. This fact , far from weakening my t hesis about
huge economic areas and mass product ion, merely shows t hat it
is impossible for t he laws of nat ional reciprocit y, which t he
European government s imagine t hey could replace by a syst em
of nat ionalist grabbing and reprisals, t o be infringed wit h
impunit y even in t he t rade bet ween cont inent s. I n t he mat t er of
cont empt for nat ural laws t he U. S. were lagging only a lit t le
behind Europe when t hey insist ed on t he repayment of t he
European debt s t o t hem, but at t he same t ime made t he
payment of debt s by means of supplies of European goods
impossible t hrough enormous increase in t heir t ariffs; or when
t hey carried t heir nat ional product ion t o some 15% beyond t he
American capacit y of consumpt ion, but t he same t ime hampering
t he export of t he surplus by t hrot t ling European import s int o
America. The present sit uat ion in t he U. S. proves t hat agricult ure
and indust ry even of t his blessed cont inent , wit h all it s
inexhaust ible st ores of mat erial wealt hs and indust rial skill are
unable t o prosper in isolat ion from t he world.
When we assume t hat t he abolit ion of t he int er - European
cust oms wit h t he ensuing lower prices and higher wages would
increase t he purchasing power of t he workers and t he lower
middle- classes from about 4 t o 8 t imes, t hen we can safely t ake
it for grant ed t hat an economically unit ed Europe would lead
unavoidably t o a socially unit ed or reconciled Europe.
There is no bet t er ground for class warfare, for communism and
fascism t han misery, no great er enemy t han prosperit y.
The advant age which t he numerous nat ional cult ures would draw
from t he Pan- European st ruct ure are not less revolut ionary t han
t hose on economic and social lines. First of all t hese nat ional
cult ures would once and for ever be prot ect ed by mut ual respect
against t he danger of annihilat ion and abuse wit h which
imperialism t hreat ened t hem unint errupt edly since t he dawn of
modern t imes. Think of t he riches humanit y has lost t hrough t he
wilful ext erminat ion of such highly developed nat ional cult ures as
t he Georgian or t he Celt ic ( t he lat t er incident ally having been
recognized in t he 12 t h and 13 t h cent ury as t he foremost
musical count ry in t he world t he original home of t he
polyphonic song) ! Those who fear t hat Paneurope may endanger
t he variet y and independence of t he European cult ures may be
assured: Paneurope, far from being a melt ing- pot for her nat ions,
will mark t he beginning of a new era of real freedom and
flourishing for t heir cult ural subdivisions.
As an art ist I should be t he last t o advocat e t he reduct ion of
nat ional cult ures t o a dull uniformit y. For all t rue art is root ed in
nat ional soil. The phrase: Art is int ernat ional is oft en misapplied
in senses which it cannot legit imat ely bear. Art is int ernat ional
only in t he sense t hat it is int ended for int ernat ional int ellect ual
consumpt ion for reciprocal st imulat ion. But j ust as t he inclusion
of caviar in a New York menu does not imply t hat t he st urgeon
can t hrive as well in t he est uary of t he Hudson river as in t he
mout hs of t he Volga and t he Danube, so t he performance of
Meist ersinger, no mat t er how frequent ly in t he Met ropolit an
Opera House or t he product ion of Shakespeare on t he German
st age cannot dispose of t he fact t hat a Richard Wagner could only
have come from a German environment and a Shakespeare only
from an English one, even t hough t hat environment in t urn,
t oget her wit h t hose born and bred in it , is t he result of manifold
racial admixt ures.
I f t he art ist owes his creat ive capacit y t o his personal
endowment , which, nat urally, is not confined t o nat ional sources,
he is indebt ed for t he course pursued by t hat endowment t o t he
t housand influences of his environment . That applies t o art in
general. For music in part icular t here are t hree furt her import ant
fact ors, st rongly different iat ed geographically and nat ionally: folk
songs, dance rhyt hms and lit urgical influences.
One might , t herefore, be t empt ed t o suppose t hat t he demands
of cult ure and t he int ellect are in conflict wit h t hose of economic
life, and t hat it is not easy t o reconcile t he nat ional subdivision
t hat enriches t he mat erial for t he mosaic of t he European art s
wit h t he universal t rend t owards a levelling and st andardizat ion
across all front iers. But on a closer view t his ant imony proves t o
be only apparent . Cult ural and economic boundaries have not
coincided in t he past , and t he removal of t he lat t er will do
not hing t o efface t he differences of cult ure. A few examples from
t he past will amply demonst rat e t his. I s t here anyt hing more
t horoughly German t han t hose Swiss cit izens t he writ ers Carl
Spit t eler, Got t fried Keller, Konrad Ferdinand Meyer, t he paint ers
Holbein and Arnold Bocklin, or St auffer - Bern, or more t horoughly
French t han t hose ot her famous Swiss cit izens Jean Jacques
Rousseau, Benj amin Const ant , Madame de St ael, Jacques
Dalcroze, Honegger ? I s t here anyt hing more t horoughly German
in t he best sense t han t he cult ural achievement s of t he Germans
of t he former Balt ic provinces of Russia, in t heir art and
archit ect ure, t heir scient ific and educat ional work? I t is , perhaps,
scarcely fair t o quot e t he case of Finland, wit h it s wholly
Scandinavian cult ure, since in spit e of Russias overlordship t he
count ry was separat e from t he Empire by an officially recognized
front ier line. But t here can be no possible cavil in regard t o my
own count ry, Poland.
Two of t he t hree t errit ories int o which she had been part it ioned
suffered from cont inual official obst ruct ion, st eady and rut hless,
of t heir polit ical and especially t heir cult ural development ; t hey
were not even allowed t he free use of t heir mot her t ongue or t he
free exercise of t heir religion. And what , aft er a cent ury and a
half of oppression, was t he result ? A nat ion ent irely unbroken
and homogeneous, above all in regard t o it s cult ure, a nat ion
t hat has maint ained t he full purit y of it s colour on t he int ellect ual
palet t e of t he European peoples.
Bearing in mind t hat , wit h t he except ion of Swit zerland, t hese are
cases of subj ect nat ionalit ies, art ificially hampered in t heir
cult ural development , it is quit e evident t hat a volunt ary union of
t he peoples would enhance rat her t han diminish t he guarant ee of
t heir cult ural int egrit y. I n any case, t here would be not hing t o
prevent t he adopt ion of special cult ural guarant ee clauses in t he
Const it ut ions of t he various federat ed St at es, on t he model of t he
Swiss Const it ut ion. So much for cult ure as a creat ive act ivit y.
The problem, no less vit al, of t he spreading of t he exist ing
cult ures among t he mass of t he people would find in t he enriched
and pacified Federat ed St at es of Europe it s first opport unit y of a
full and wort hy solut ion. I n t his respect European cult ure has
always suffered from a t ragic paradox. I t s sources spring from
t he mult iplicit y of t he European nat ions. I t is t o t hat mult iplicit y
t hat we are indebt ed for t he Nint h Symphony, for Faust , for t he
Sist ine Madonna, t he Ballades of Chopin, and so on. These
mast erpieces, wrung from t he dept hs of t he human heart ,
mast erpieces of which each one is a sublimat ion of t he noblest
t hat a nat ion and t hat nat ion alone can give, are dest ined for
all humanit y. On t his eart h not hing is a value in it self; value is
creat ed only in associat ion wit h t he purpose served . t he
service of man. The most sacred concept ions, God, religion,
mot her count ry, cult ure, are j ust ified only by t heir works in
cont ribut ing t o t he salvat ion of man, and become a curse as soon
as t hey t urn against him. Thus t he evangel of t he Son of God,
who was crucified for humanit y, was t he most affect ing and
exalt ed concept ion of t he human heart in it s need t he sacrifice
of God for t he salvat ion of man; while t he sacrifices of human
beings t hat were made for t he honour of God became a fiendish
blasphemy.
So it is wit h our cult ure. I t s creat ors int ended it for t he service of
humanit y; but in t he present polit ical st ruct ure of Europe t he
source of it s lavishness t he mult iplicit y of nat ions was at t he
same t ime t he cause of all but a fract ion of t he people of Europe
being shut out from it s blessings. Again and again t he spect acle
is repeat ed in Europe! There come t o hear t hese mast erpieces,
t his Hamlet or Nint h Symphony, not all who deserve and who
would desire t o hear t hem, but only t he t iny group of t hose who,
amid t he periodically recurring collisions of t he European nat ions,
have had t he good fort une t o escape economic ruin. A cult ure
t hat depends for it s exist ence on a group of mut ually predat ory
nat ions, and is in consequence inaccessible t o 99 out of every
hundred Europeans and so merely t he cult ure of a class such as
cult ure is a mockery and does not deserve t o endure.
There would be no escape for it if t hose were right who have no
more fait h in t he capacit y of nat ions t o live at peace wit h one
anot her t han in t he capacit y of wild beast s for subj ugat ion.
St ruggle , t hey declare, is an inescapable law of nat ure.
St ruggle is indeed a law of nat ure, and we Paneuropean do not
deny it ; but it s crudest form, annihilat ion, is not always valid for
mankind. Naked sexual lust is t oo a law of nat ure, and yet in t he
course of t he ages men have sublimat ed it in t he emot ion of
love. And so it has been wit h every human inst inct , including t hat
of st ruggle bet ween man and man. Should t hen only t he st ruggle
bet ween nat ions remain et ernally in t he primit ive form of
annihilat ion which in our t imes leads t o absurd self- dest ruct ion?
Such an out look, apart from being inhuman, simply ignores t he
unmist akable voice of t he spirit of our t imes and t he lessons from
hist ory. Hist ory point s t o front iers as t he bearers of t he germ of
war. Germans and French, for inst ance, wit h t he nat ional front ier
dividing t hem, have fought one anot her, from t ime t o t ime
t hrough hundreds of year.
These same peoples, unit ed wit hin a front ier in t he Swiss St at e,
have got on peacefully t oget her for j ust as many cent uries.
Bavarians, Hanoverians, Prussians ( and similarly Neapolit ans,
Savoyards and t he rest ) , divided by St at e front iers, found it
perfect ly nat ural t o fight one anot her in spit e of t heir nat ional
ident it y, but once t he German Empire or t he Kingdom of I t aly
were creat ed, all t hat changed, t he idea of war bet ween t hem
would have been considered as high t reason.
Let me not be charged wit h casuist ry, wit h confusing t he issue by
mixing up cause and effect . I t was t he front iers t hat made t he
difference. The world war once more proved it : in t his war
Germans fought Germans, for no ot her reason t han t he front ier
t hat divided t hem. I am referring t o t he Germans in t he Balt ic
provinces of t he Russian Empire; similarly t he Poles of t he t hree
Empires, or t he Croat s and Serbs fought each ot her. Try t he
experiment of rest oring t he front iers bet ween all t hese nat ionally
kindred unit s; if t he occasion comes, t hey will have no more
compunct ion about falling again upon one anot her t han men
have since t he world began, according t o t he scale of t he front ier
division man against man, village against village, cit y against
cit y, St at e against St at e, grouped St at es against grouped St at es.
Consequent ly pull down t he polit ical front ier divisions bet ween
t he European St at es, and once more t he same psychological
process will operat e, t he force of suggest ion proceeding from a
common st at e cit izenship.
The sacred spirit of our t imes works in t he same direct ion. This
spirit , one may call it t he cont roller of all et hics and morals as t o
t heir conformit y wit h t he requirement s of every new phase in
human evolut ion. There never have been ot her morals ruling
t han t hose imposed by t hese requirement s, no mat t er whet her it
concerned slavery or abolit ion, monogamy or polygamy, waging
wars or organizing peace. There is no bigger crime t han t he sin
against t he sacredness of t his spirit . I n our days it s
commandment s read:
As long as t he dist ance bet ween say Berlin and Dresden was 2
days j ourney, t here was no et hic t o prevent war bet ween t hem.
Since t he dist ance shrunk t o 3 hours, t hey had t o accommodat e
t heir morals and give up wars considering t hem as high t reason.
I t t ook t hem some 40 years t o realize t hat fact and t o form
accordingly t he federat ed German Empire. Now t he radio, t he
aeroplane brought Paris, London many t imes nearer t o Warsaw
and Belgrade t han Berlin was dist anced from Dresden a hundred
years ago. The int erdependence, moral and social, correspond
nat urally wit h t his shrinkage of dist ance bet ween t he European
count ries. The idea of war bet ween t hem must soon, surely in
less t han 40 years, appear j ust as out rageous as it would have
been 10 years ago bet ween Berlin and Dresden or 300 years ago
bet ween Paris and Versailles.
Anot her perhaps st ill more convincing aspect is t he following:
suppose t hat t he aeroplane is making such a headway as did t he
mot orcar. Then in 10 years t ime every European owning a car
t oday will possess his own aeroplane. Every house roof would
represent a hangar. This would make t ariff barriers impossible,
because it would t ake millions of front ier guards in t he air t o
chase 10 millions of aviat ion smugglers. And wit hout t he
prot ect ion of t ariff barriers t here is no possibilit y for t he
preparat ion of a modern war anyway not amongst t he
European nat ions. This mat erial impossibilit y of a European war
will inevit ably out law once for ever an int er - European war. And
t hen t he way would be paved for t he unrest rict ed working of t he
laws of economics. These laws will impose a polit ical federat ion in
Europe as surely as t hey have done in America.
Out of t he consciousness of t hese only real energies wit hin t he
cross- current s in European polit ics, Count Coudenhove st art ed
some 10 years ago t he Paneuropean movement in order t o
prepare t he European public opinion for t he inevit able
development . I j oined him 9 years ago. We have many t housand
members, and t he idea as such is spreading rapidly all over
Europe. Our pract ical success seemed assured when we
succeeded in inducing M. Briand t o make his famous move
t owards a Paneuropean organizat ion before t he League of
Nat ions. But public opinion was not yet mat ure t o see t he fact s as
t hey are. Yet it is moving eppur si muove . Look at t he lat est
development : all Paneuropeans, Pacifist s, all sincere League of
Nat ions support ers have been fight ing for many years for t he
creat ion of an int er - European armed force at t he disposal of t he
League of Nat ions. The powers flat ly refused t o discuss t he
mat t ers. Now t he acut e danger of a European war imposed
simply t he creat ion of a League of Nat ions army t o safeguard
peace in t he Saar Basin. I consider t his perhaps t he most
import ant and revolut ionary polit ical event since t he world war.
Think of it , t he first army of a sovereign int ernat ional body! This
must not at all be confounded wit h previous int ernat ional milit ary
act ivit ies such as t he allied powers in t he world- war or t he
int ervent ion of t he world powers against t he boxer upheaval in
China. The next st ep might be t he League of Nat ions assuming
it s permanent t errit orial sovereignt y over t he Saar Basin. This
out look, we owe it t o Herr Hit ler, of course, against his int ent ion.
- - - - - Let me finish as I began wit h an apology of t he evil as
creat ive power in t he sense of Mephist opheles in Goet hes Faust :
Ein Teil von j ener Kraft , die st et s das Bse will und st et s das
Gut e schafft - - - ( A part of t hat power which always int ends t he
evil, yet always creat es t he Good) .

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Bronislaw Huberman and the Unity of Europe: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/literature/pan_europa/goetz/[02/11/12 06:51:10]
BRONI SLAW HUBERMAN AND THE UNI TY OF
EUROPE
by Hel mut Goet z
( Bronislaw Huberman e l' unificazione europea, t ranslat ed by
Eleonor Nicolson, 1967)
CONTENTS
Preface
The man
Art and polit ics
The problem of peace
The economic fact or
The great model
Our common civilizat ion
The st ruggle for Europe
Conclusions
Bibliography
PREFACE
This essay was writ t en in I t alian on t he occasion of t he t went iet h
anniversary of Bronislaw Huberman' s deat h and published in t he
paper Lot t a Federalist a per gli St at i Unt i d' Europa ( Rome, Largo
San Godenzo, 3) . Maest ro Ant onio Janigro, violoncellist and
orchest ra conduct or, was t he first who suggest ed an English
t ranslat ion. I agreed at once wit h him, because I am convinced
t hat Huberman' s life and work must be recalled t o as large a
number of people as possible. I ndeed, Huberman deserves not
only such a short essay but a complet e biography.
Everybody who is anxious for Europe' s fut ure and impat ient
because of t he dangerous slowness in bringing about it s polit ical
unificat ion, will find great hope and real encouragement , reading
Hubermans' polit ical publicat ions and becoming acquaint ed wit h
his feelings and int ent ions.
I am very grat eful t o all who helped me t o elaborat e t he I t alian
t ext and t o diffuse t his pamphlet . I t hink in part icular of Mr. Tzvi
Avni, Direct or of t he Cent ral Music Library in I srael ( Tel - Aviv) ,
Miss I da I bbeken, Huberman' s former secret ary ( Tel - Aviv) , Mrs.
Sofia Amman ( Milan) , my friends count ess Elsa Triangi, pianist
( Trent o) , Marghit Spirk, violinist ( Trent o) , Dr. Lilana Piu ( Rome) ,
Joseph and Edda Krane ( Rome) , Mrs. Pauline Pisano- Webber
( Rome) and last but not least my aunt Mary Pfist er ( Zurich) , who
was lucky enough t o hear several t imes in her life t he concert s of
Bronislaw Huberman.
Rome, November 1967.
H. G.

THE MAN
Helmut Goetz
This essay by Helmut Goet z gives a good precis of
Hubermans ideas on European polit ical union.
Johannes Brahms did not love infant prodigies and t herefore it
was wit h great diffidence t hat , in January 1896, he t ook his seat
in t he great Musikverein Hall in Vienna, t o list en t o t he t hirt een
year old violinist appearing t o perform Brahms own Concert o for
violin and orchest ra. But t hat day somet hing absolut ely unheard
of happened: already aft er t he first movement t he audience
broke out int o loud applause while Brahms dried t ears of emot ion
from his eyes. At t he end, in t he midst of t he ent husiasm of
t hose present , t he composer embraced t he young violinist
saying: Good Gracious! How you played my Concert o! The
violinist was Bronislaw Huberman.
He was born at Czest ochowa on t he 19t h December 1882 and
was t he son of a Pole of Jewish origin, a simple clerk in a
lawyers office. He was a pupil of Michalowicz and Lot t o in
Warsaw and of t he great Joachim in Berlin. Aft er t he Vienna
concert , of course, concert halls all t he world over were open t o
t he young musician. Wit h his 1733 St radivarius ( and once at
Genoa wit h Paganinis inst rument ) he played Bach and
Beet hoven, Brahms and Chopin, Mendelssohn and Szymanowski
and many ot her composers. I n 1912 he published a book ent it led
Aus der Werkst at t des Virt uosen, t he fruit of his violin
int erpret at ions.
The music crit ic of Turin, Andrea Della Cort e, list ed Huberman
among t he great est violinist s aft er Joachim for his format ion,
aspirat ions, and experience, frame of mind and cult ure ; and in
fact t ill t he t ime of his deat h which happened at Corsier in
Swit zerland on 14t h June 1947, he was given undisput ed
recognit ion.
We must ment ion anot her charact erist ic which made people
ent husiast ic about him: Huberman was homme de coeur. He
performed for t he poor free of charge. I n 1909 he gave a concert
in aid of t he homeless and inj ured aft er t he eart hquake at
Messina, and in 1935, he launched t he idea of creat ing a new
orchest ra t o give work and sust enance t o German Jews suffering
from Nazi persecut ion. On 26t h December 1936 Art uro Toscanini,
following t he init iat ive of t he violinist , conduct ed t he first concert
of t he Palest ine Symphonic Orchest ra at Tel- Aviv, and t o express
it s grat it ude, t he cit y named t he st reet in front of t he concert hall
aft er Bronislaw Huberman in perpet ual memory of t he event . The
act of t he musician was not limit ed only t o Jews, but included all
who suffered under t he Nazi regime, which was shown in an open
let t er, in t he same year, addressed t o German int ellect uals,
whom he invit ed t o unit e wit h t he Roman Cat holic and Prot est ant
churches in t heir courageous st ruggle against t he regime.
The violinist s sensit ivit y was deeply hurt by t he slaught er of t he
First World War and by t he dist ress which followed, and t he
convict ions which he formed because of t his dist ress are
somewhat singular in t he hist ory of European musicians. He
dedicat ed part of his life t o polit ics, j oining t he Paneuropean
Union founded in 1924 by t he philosopher Count Richard
Coudenhove- Kalergi who is st ill alive. I n his aut obiography t he
Count st at es t hat many art ist s were ent husiast ic about t he aims
of t he movement : I n t he front line among t hem was t he genial
violinst Bronislaw Huberman who, in his t ournes spread
informat ion about Paneurope bot h by spoken word and by writ ing
and was one of t he most act ive support ers of t he movement .
ART AND POLI TI CS
That a man who had been for many years devot ed t o Art should
suddenly become concerned wit h polit ics was for Huberman no
cont radict ion: Art and polit ics were cert ainly for him t wo different
concept s, but at t he same t ime he felt subconsciously t hat
bet ween his predilect ions for Art and for polit ics t here must exist
some close connect ion. He revealed t hese ideas at t he beginning
of a lect ure which he gave in Vienna in Oct ober 1926 in t he
Grosser Konzert saal. On t his occasion he recognised as erroneous
his former convict ion t hat art ist s exercise t heir art only for art s
sake. The real art ist , he said, does not however creat e art
for art s sake as an end in it self, he creat es art for men, t o
bring t hem j oy, t o ennoble t hem, t o make t hem forget t heir
worries. Hence t he concept Art is bound t o a social funct ion.
I s t here t herefore such a great dividing line bet ween t he social
funct ion which I have exercise t ill now and t his new one wit h
which I hope, right ly or wrongly, t o cont ribut e t o t he last ing
spirit ual and mat erial ennobling of 400 million men? While
pronouncing t hese words it was during t he First Congress of t he
Paneuropean Union Huberman felt happy and excit ed t o be
present and t o collaborat e in laying t he foundat ion st one of a
great work for mankind.
THE PROBLEM OF PEACE
The age- old hist ory of Europe, Huberman wrot e, has been a
cont inuous st ruggle for cert ain right s, for cert ain libert ies. But
t here began, only t owards t he end of t he last cent ury, t he
agit at ion caused by nat ional int olerance in our cont inent .
I nfluenced by t he evident impression left by t he enormous
cat ast rophe of t he First World War, he considered t he reciprocal
slaught er of peoples belonging t o t he same civilizat ion a moral
and economic monst rosit y. He saw clearly t he human
cont radict ion and t he double moralit y of our societ y: To fire a
gun out side t he boundary of our count ry is lawful it is called
pat riot ism, t he cit izens dut y, an act of heroism; and when t he
shot is specially well fired it is recompensed wit h medals,
pensions, promot ion. To fire a gun inside t he boundary on t he
cont rary is called assassinat ion, homicide, and it is prohibit ed by
law and punished wit h imprisonment for life or hanging; inst ead
of being rewarded we risk being condemned t o t he loss of civil
right s. I t does not mat t er whet her t he bullet is fired at a friend or
an enemy, a fellow cit izen or a foreigner. The only crit erion which
decides whet her t he act is one of heroism or of crime is t he
nat ional front ier. One example in t he Great War of 1914- 18
demonst rat es t he diabolical consequences of t he front iers :
The Poles, divided among t he t hree great powers of Aust ria,
Germany and Russia found t hemselves in t he t errible sit uat ion of
having t o kill t heir own brot hers ( and t his in t he lit eral sense of
t he word) ; t he same applies t o t he Germans in t he Balt ic St at es
who were fight ing in t he army of t he Tsar against t he German
Empire. To t hose who do not believe in t he pacific co- habit at ion
of nat ions, as t hey do not believe in t he possibilit y of t aming wild
animals and consider st ruggle a nat ural law, Huberman says
wit hout hesit at ion: I t is wit hout doubt t rue t hat st ruggle is a
nat ural law , but it s most primit ive form, annihilat ion, t his is not
a law of Nat ure. What t herefore must be done t o save an
age- long civilizat ion and a madness begun a few decades
ago? Launch appeals for peace and good sense perhaps? Or
organise int ernat ional conferences for milit ary disarmament ?
Huberman reminds us t hat in 1911, 186 conferences t ook place
bet ween t he government s of numerous count ries and 86
int ernat ional inst it ut ions exist ed. All t his was of no use, t he world
war broke out j ust t he same. Must we dest roy modern capit alism
which has been accused of preparing wars in et ernal cycles of
about fort y years ? The primary element of capit alism is
capit al, and t herefore it is t he great est cont radict ion t o call
capit alist ic a syst em whose only aim is war and t he preparat ion
of war, t hat is t o say, dest roy capit al and prevent t he format ion
of new capit al. And Huberman cont inues: What we are now
experiencing, are t he post humous birt h pains of t he European
dynast ic syst em and t he fruit of lower middle class nat ional
chauvinism, mixed wit h a t ouch of socialism. And t he first heroic
act which I expect of Hercules, t he offspring of pure capit alism, is
t hat as soon as he is born he should cut off all t he heads of t he
European chauvinist ic hydra.
Huberman shows t hat he has underst ood very well t he problem
of peace when he writ es t hat no agreement signed on paper even
t hough based on t he spirit of Locarno ( Kellogg Pact of 1925) ,
could ever be an absolut e guarant ee of peace. The problem is
quit e a different one: Where t here are no boundaries t here are
also no wars. The cert aint y of peace will be reached only wit h t he
abolit ion of t he front iers, and t herefore wit h polit ical union. To
confirm his st at ement Huberman cert ainly is not lacking in
hist orical examples: Unt il t he middle of t he ninet eent h cent ury
t he Bavarians, Hanoverians, Aust rians and Prussians, j ust like t he
Neapolit ans, t he Savoyards et c. , so long as t hey were divided by
nat ional front iers, all found it nat ural t o fight against each ot her,
j ust as aft er t he unificat ion of t he German Empire and t he
Kingdom of I t aly, t hey condemned every at t empt at int ernal war
as high t reason. I n t his connect ion Huberman cit es t he example
of Swit zerland j ust as Salvemini, Omodeo, Coudenhove- Kalergi
or Denis de Rougemont were t o do lat er on an example which
remains always t he most evident cit izens belonging t o t he same
et hnic groups above ment ioned Germans and I t alians, t he
French and Rhaet o- Romanic peoples live t oget her peacefully
wit hin t he Swiss Federal St at e front iers.
The abolit ion of t he nat ional front iers as t he only efficacious
remedy against war however meet s wit h an obst acle in t he
sovereignt y of t he individual European st at es. But Hubermans
capacit y for analysing bot h t he fact s and t he hist orical evolut ion
was t oo deeply root ed in his mind t o discourage him when faced
wit h an idea of t his t ype: Such an opinion cannot st and up t o
hist orical analysis. On t he cont rary hist ory t eaches us t hat in t he
long run not even t he dynast ies of t he various st at es in Germany
and I t aly t hough t hey had represent ed and personified t he
concept of sovereignt y, were able t o st op t he urge of hist ory
t owards ever vast er and vast er unions of st at es.
For Huberman t he problem of peace derived st raight from et hical
principles, underst ood as a divine command for universal love t o
all men and not limit ed by any false pat riot ism. Alt hough
universal frat ernit y and t he abolit ion of human slaught er were
dearer t o him t han any ot her t hing, he preferred t o speak about
t hem as lit t le as possible in public conferences: From Plat o and
Christ t o Kant and down t o our own day t he most chosen spirit s
have always preached neighbourly love and pacifism but always
wit h t he same negat ive result .
Huberman was convinced t hat t he problem of peace was
inseparable from t he more complicat ed one of polit ical
unificat ion, and t hat , wit h t he vict ory of reason also moral
law would t riumph. He t herefore insist ed in his published works
and speeches in t he years 1920- 30 on t he economic quest ion.
THE ECONOMI C FACTOR
I n order t o find an indisput able argument Huberman t ried t o
bring int o t he limelight t he mat erial advant ages of European
unificat ion. He did not want t o appeal only t o int ellect uals and
idealist s, but t o all t hose who were dest ined t o reap t he great est
advant ages from European unificat ion, t hat is t o t he great
masses of ordinary people. A unit ed Europe means, for t he
prolet ariat no more nor less t han liberat ion from an age- long
servit ude which cannot be eliminat ed in any ot her way. I n fact
t he economic sit uat ion aft er t he First World War was chaot ic. I t
was t herefore necessary in t he first place t o set free t he
workmen in fact ories, farm labourers, office clerks and employees
from povert y and privat ion, from t he fundament al st ruggle for
t heir daily bread. But Huberman st at ed t hat indust rialized
nat ions wit h t heir old- fashioned fact ory machinery, found
t hemselves in a st at e of inferiorit y in comparison wit h American
compet it ion and t his prevent ed t hem from facing wit h efficiency
t he problems connect ed wit h t he t errible st at e of privat ion among
t he people. There began t herefore a race for t he rat ionalizat ion of
t he indust ries cost ing millions which were largely obt ained by
means of long or short t erm credit . At t he same t ime, in order t o
prevent t he wicked neighbour t hanks t o rat ionalizat ion
from offering his goods at a lower price, import dut ies were
increased, while at t he same t ime t o compensat e for t he syst em
of product ion at reduced prices, int ernal excise dut ies were
increased in all European count ries. However a rat ionalizat ion
which was unable t o reach it s aim, t hat is great er product ion wit h
a reduct ion in cost s employing t he same or even a reduced
number of hands; but able t o deliver only t he same amount of
product ion at t he same cost wit h a smaller number of workmen,
could lead only t o unemployment , wit h all it s consequences. I f
rat ionalizat ion has not brought about social benefit s t he blame is
not t o be looked for in t he principle applied, but rat her in t he
narrow mindedness of Europeans, t heir polit ical rivalries and
envy, t he abuse of t he concept pat riot ism, and t he nat ional
blindness which has brought about economic- polit ical chaos in
Europe. I n ot her words: t he fault lies only wit h our
government s who insist on preserving t hey syst em of small
European st at es, which have become t oday an absurdit y.
I t was nat ural t hat t his rapid, progressive pauperizat ion
sharpened t he class st ruggle. I t found spirit ual nourishment in
communism, an idea which t o many people appears great
especially t o t hose who have not hing t o lose. And European
polit ics has in realit y cont ribut ed efficaciously t o t he increase of
t hose men who had not hing t o lose. Wit h regard t o t his
Huberman right ly observes: The communist idea like any
ot her idea moreover cannot be uproot ed by imprisonment ; it
can be fought only wit h anot her idea which is great er. This
great er idea is Paneurope! The problem of t he class st ruggle
could be aut omat ically resolved by mass product ion which means
higher pay and lower prices. I n order t o realise all t his
however, polit ical inst it ut ions on a federal basis and an economic
evolut ion put t ing int o act ion pure capit alism are indispensable.
Huberman expressly repeat s t his post ulat e in order not t o be
misunderst ood: Up t o now we have not yet had in Europe pure
capit alism , t hat is, according t o Huberman, accumulat ion of
capit al and prot ect ion of t he same. From t his he deduces t hat real
capit alism is against war ( t he dest royer of capit al) and against
nat ionalism ( which is t he cause of war) .
THE GREAT MODEL
Bronislaw Huberman became a European federalist in t he Unit ed
St at es of America, where he arrived for t he first t ime in 1920,
while in Europe, aft er t he collapse, economic chaos, diffidence,
nat ional egot ism and despair were ruling. His encount er wit h
t he New World was a revelat ion for him: What I saw t here, of
necessit y appeared at t hat precise moment t o a European
capable of sensit ivit y and t hought , as a ret urn t o Eden, and
urged him t o at t empt t o est ablish in Europe t he grounds for t he
creat ion of a similar t errest rial paradise: mut ual confidence,
opt imism, well - being even in t he most humble classes, serenit y,
readiness t o give mut ual help. Huberman was not one of t hose
Europeans who, proud of t hemselves, j udged America wit h only
slight ly veiled scorn. On t he cont rary, many st at e and social
inst it ut ions seemed exemplary and filled him even wit h envy.
Since t he days of t he Medici t he world has not seen t ill now such
act s of generous pat ronage : Universit ies, research inst it ut es,
museums, libraries, music conservat ories, symphonic orchest ras,
concert halls in all t he larger American t owns, and almost all
exclusively t hanks t o t he generosit y of single cit izens! I have
searched in vain among t he Croesuses of Europe for at least one
who has donat ed t wo t hirds of his wealt h for t he aims of public
benefit s as Carnegie and Rockefeller did. I n America, Huberman
st at ed, one could feel t he grass of evolut ion and progress
growing in every field as nowhere else.
But what impressed t he violinist above everyt hing else was t he
general prosperit y of t he people and of t he working classes in
part icular: t he cook who must refuse a new post because t here is
not room in t he mast ers garage for his car; t he Chicago hot el
wait er who has a season t icket for all t he symphony concert s;
t he negro sleeping- car at t endant who possesses a collect ion of
about a hundred gramophone records of t he best violinist s of t he
moment among whom are Kreisler, Elman, Heifet z and Huberman
himself, and who discusses as a connoisseur t he differences in
t heir int erpret at ions; t he domest ic man- servant who earns 110
dollars a mont h ( wit h no board and lodging expenses) and last ly
working men and women in t he Beech Nut Plant ( a j am and
preserves fact ory) who come t o a concert of Hubermans,
arranged for t hem by t he owner of t he firm, in t heir own cars
wit h fashionable shoes and silk st ockings and fur collars, all t he
t hings which would make many well - t o- do people in Europe
envious.
Huberman st at es t hat America is t he count ry where t he working
class is t he most numerous in t he world, t he only indust rialized
count ry in t he whole world where t here is no workers polit ical
part y. There are t rade- unions which defend t he int erest s of t he
working class efficient ly wit hout however separat ing it from t he
rest of middle class societ y.
Hubermans charact er was t oo scient ific not t o invest igat e t he
det erminat ive causes of t he phenominal well - being and for t his
reason he visit ed at t ent ively t he Ford fact ories at Det roit : t he
impression was amazing, t he effect as breat h- t aking as t he
reading of a musical score of St ravinskys bot h are t he
emanat ions of t he genius and spirit of t he epoch. The violinist
discovered t hat Fords secret was t he coherent applicat ion of t he
principle of division of labour using t he most refined machinery
including conveyor belt s. The increase in product ion permit t ed an
increase in wages and a reduct ion in t he price of cars up t o t he
equivalent of t hree and a half mont hs pay: t he prolet ariat have
become propriet ors of cars. Huberman had chosen t he Ford
fact ory t o show t hat a luxury art icle for t he privileged classes
had become an art icle of every day use for a whole people; and
also because t he Ford syst em was more or less t ypical of
American indust ry.
But a syst em based on mass- product ion at low cost and on mass
sales at low prices was possible because t here exist ed a pre-
supposit ion of a polit ical charact er, t hat is t he Unit ed St at es.
Wit hin t he 48 St at es t here are no boundaries nor import
prohibit ions, t here is no disloyal compet it ion wit h export rewards
and import dut ies, nor are t here front ier cust oms officers,
fort ificat ions, wars, t axes for armament s; and t he car
manufact ured at a cost of 260 dollars can really be sold at t hat
price in all t he 48 St at es.
Of course Huberman was t oo obj ect ive not t o see t he negat ive
side of t he American way of life, however he could not share t he
prej udices of at least 99 out of 100 Europeans about t he
Unit ed St at es, where, generally, t hey had never st ayed. To
t ranquillize his European fellow- count rymen however, he said
t hat t o make t he Unit ed St at es of Europe did not mean t o
t ransplant America int o our cont inent , but t o int roduce t he best
t hings of t he New World: t he Federal Const it ut ion, mass
product ion and mass market s, high wages and low prices; t his
would also have t he effect of prot ect ing t he t rust ees of our
civilizat ion and our t reasures of art from t he seduct ion of t he
dollar. On t he ot her hand a higher st andard of life would not
cancel an age- long civilizat ion, nor would it make popular songs
and epics disappear subst it ut ing for t hem j azz and negro songs
( at least not more t han has happened) , and our personalit y, born
of t he mult iplicit y of nat ions, would not be dissolved in t he
European crucible.
OUR COMMON CI VI LI ZATI ON
The principal premise for t he polit ical unificat ion of Europe
already exist s: it is t he cult ural unit y of Europe which Huberman
had known and felt so deeply. He was not ignorant of t he
common root s of t he complicat ed European civilizat ion in fables,
hist ory, religion, art and t he sciences . The Federal European
St at e should put t hese int o t he right relief, whereas t oday we do
not t each t he peoples what binds us t oget her, but we
int ent ionally t each what separat es us. Huberman cont inues:
Perhaps it is not superfluous t o remember t hat we Europeans,
alt hough we speak different languages, draw our t hought s and
feelings from a common spirit , we are one in our fait h, in our
unreligion and even in our superst it ion, in our epic legends, in our
fables and even in our childrens fairy t ales; t hat a spirit ual spark
has never been lit in any part of Europe wit hout t he whole
cont inent becoming immediat ely inflamed or even set on fire.
I n any case t he nat ionalist ic t eaching in schools and t he
campaign of hat red which we had during t he first great
conflagrat ion, did not succeed in cancelling t he hist orical fact of
our common civilizat ion from t he memory of men, chauvinism did
not succeed on t he ot her hand in penet rat ing int o t he
subconscious of Europeans. Here are some proofs: During t he
First World War, Huberman st at es, t he German t heat rical
t roupe under t he direct ion of Max Reinhardt embarked on
propaganda t ours, St at e aided, in neut ral count ries giving
performances of t he enemy cit izen, Maxim Gorki; in t he St at e
Opera Houses of Vienna and Budapest , while t he bat t le of t he
I sonzo was raging, Puccini was performed; in Paris t hey list ened
t o Wagner and Brahms; and I , a Pole, in spit e of my official st at e
as an enemy cit izen, played in Paris [ Berlin?] in 1917 t he
Russian, Taneieffs mast erpiece, t he concert suit e, and in t he first
year aft er t he armist ice, I played a sonat a of t he German Richard
St rauss in Paris. The public which cert ainly could not have been
composed only of t he lit e, proved ent husiast ic and oft en react ed
by breaking out int o applause. And Huberman concludes wit h
an observat ion which gives us great hope for t he fut ure: There
has never been a period, not even when t he German- Polish
campaign of hat red was at it s height , when German art ist s would
not have been ent husiast ically welcomed in Poland and Polish
art ist s in Germany. Those who have not yet discovered t his
Zusammengehrigkeit sgefhl, t hat is t he feeling of belonging t o
t he same communit y, Huberman advises t o go overseas: t here,
language differences are not import ant or our nat ive count ry does
not mat t er; t here, Europe has t he effect of a magic word
meaning at t he same t ime nat ive land, mut ual underst anding,
solidarit y.
But t he cult ural unit y of Europe whose source is in t he Greek-
Roman civilizat ion and in Christ ianit y, does not mean uniformit y,
because t he hist ory of European civilizat ion is t he best
demonst rat ion of it s diversit y and mult iplicit y. This is t he real
wealt h of Europe, t o which t he format ion of t he single nat ions
has given moment um. Whoever t hinks t hat t he polit ical
unificat ion of Europe will eliminat e t he individual charact erist ics of
t he nat ions is in error. As an art ist , Huberman st at es, I
would be t he last t o preach a levelling down of nat ional cult ures.
Since every aut hent ic art , when all is said and done, has it s root s
in t he nat ional soil. Wagner and Chopin would have been
inconceivable det ached from t he spirit of t he count ries where
t hey were born. But at t his point Huberman admit s t hat t his
genius loci and his t rust ees are not hing ot her t han t he fruit of
many graft ings of different races and fert ile exchanges of ideas.
Neit her t he Germans of t he Balt ic count ries, t hen provinces of
Russia, nor t he Poles who were for 150 years hindered in t heir
cult ural evolut ion, nor even t he Jews have lost t heir
charact erist ics, t heir essence.
Huberman is convinced t hat a volunt ary union of peoples would
preserve t heir cult ural int egrit y and would favour it s expansion.
Besides, following on t he example of Swit zerland, regulat ions for
t he safeguarding of local cult ures could be int roduced int o t he
const it ut ions of t he single federal st at es.
THE STRUGGLE FOR EUROPE
What inst it ut ions are t o be creat ed, and what measures must be
t aken t o reach t he absolut ely indispensable obj ect ives of libert y,
peace, well - being and j ust ice in Europe? Huberman gives a list , in
t he order of t he degree of difficult y of t heir realisat ion: Cust oms
union, monet ary union, assimilat ion in t he j udicial field, armed
forces above t he nat ional level and a Federal European St at e. At
t he same t ime t he violinist admit s t hat even t he great est opt imist
in t he Paneuropean field must underst and t hat a const ruct ion of
t his t ype cannot be built up all in a moment , j ust as Pallas
At hene came out of t he head of Zeus. We must proceed st ep
by st ep, but in what way ? Huberman right ly sees several ways
t he cust oms, financial, j udicial, milit ary and polit ical all
connect ed one wit h t he ot her. For example, can we seriously
expect a responsible st at esman t o give up indust rial ent erprises
which are necessary for t he defence of his count ry, for t he sake
of economic advant ages t o be derived from a cust oms union, if
t here is no guarant ee of peace? And Huberman remembers t hat
t he Zollverein, signed in 1833 and in t he following years by t he
great er part of t he German st at es, did not prevent t he 1866 war
of Prussia and some of t he minor German st at es against Bavaria,
Wrt t emberg, Saxony, Hannover, Baden, et c. , because t his union
had no check in t he milit ary or polit ical fields. We must also keep
in mind t he fact t hat t he failure of a cust oms union might lead us
t o t he conclusion t hat it is impossible t o have a unified Europe,
while on t he cont rary it would be only t hat t he separat e
t reat ment of t he cust oms quest ion t hat is det ached from t he
ot her aspect s of t he European life of which it is a part would
have caused t he failure. Therefore t here remains only one single
way: To const ruct Europe organically. The single problems
cannot be t reat ed separat ely in t ime from t he whole complex of
European problems. The cust oms union in part icular cannot be
realised wit hout a cont emporary polit ical union. But , even if t his
is realised, it does not avert t he dangers which menace Europe.
I s not t his precisely our present day sit uat ion?
There remains t he last quest ion which cert ainly at t ract s above all
t he int erest of t he federalist s, t he t echnique of t he st ruggle for
t he Federat ion.
To whom must t he const ruct ion of t he Federal St at e of Europe be
ent rust ed? Hist ory t eaches, Huberman reminds us, t hat
every polit ical sit uat ion, even t he most unnat ural, t he most ill-
omened, creat es vest ed int erest s and t hose who benefit by t hese,
because of t he inst inct of self- preservat ion, must be opposed t o
any change, even if it is for t he bet t er. Would it have been
conceivable perhaps t o make t he int roduct ion of t he railway
syst em depend on t he post illions? Or t hat t he French Revolut ion
could have been made by represent at ives of t he ancien rgime or
t he Bolshevik Revolut ion by t he democrat s? I t is t herefore
against t he t eachings of hist ory t o expect help from nat ionally
const it ut ed government s which follow a policy of prest ige of t heir
own based on t heir sworn allegiance and on t heir dut ies as
servant s and cust odians of t he order or rat her of t he disorder of
t oday. To t ry t o win t hem over t o our side would be a useless
consumpt ion of energy, because: Every new mat erial must
creat e it s own new form, every new fait h needs it s own new
apost les There is no ot her way out except an appeal t o t he
cit izens. Men of good will and of lively int elligence must
underst and t hat in t he st ruggle for Europe, t he dest iny of each
individual cit izen is at st ake. We must remain unit ed, and
everyone must cont ribut e according t o his int ellect ual and
financial means unt il t his idea penet rat es int o ever wider st rat a of
t he populat ion and t akes possession of yout h in part icular. The
imperat ive of t he moment is: propaganda for our European
nat ive land. Huberman proposes t o cit izens of good will, a fairly
clear and precise programme t o be carried out in different
phases: t he organizat ion of all propagandist s and workers
recent ly convert ed t o t he federalist idea; t he rousing of a
European conscience and awareness; t he eliminat ion of
diffidences on bot h sides of t he front iers ( keeping in mind Kant s
definit ion, according t o which aft er all, on bot h sides of t he
front ier t here are mammalian animals walking on t wo legs ) ,
and at a lat er dat e t he foundat ion of Paneuropean polit ical
part ies wit h parliament ary represent at ion in all t he count ries of
Europe. Turning once more t o t he t eachings of hist ory, Huberman
warns us however t hat great er weapons and longer st ruggles
are more necessary t o affirm reason and j ust ice t han would be
needed t o affirm narrow mindedness and egoism And
t herefore one day we must st op speaking and writ ing and t urn t o
act ion. And again he says, we do not know what t he act ion may
be, because it will depend upon t he t ype of resist ence which our
adversaries will set up. But , if it is necessary, in order t o found
t he Unit ed St at es of Europe, we shall not draw back, not even in
facing a st ruggle, if t his should come, j ust as Lincoln was not
afraid and did not hesit at e at t he necessit y of pledging his own
life and propert y t o save t he exist ence of t he American union.
CONCLUSI ONS
Except for cert ain observat ions condit ioned by t he period in which
he lived, Bronislaw Hubermans polit ical t hought is st ill valid, and
t he federalist s of 1967 cannot but learn from t he lesson of t his
except ional man: not only his ideas are exemplary but also his
behaviour as a man and as a cit izen. He had no personal
ambit ions ( as a world- famous art ist he had no need t o be in
search of glory) ; his democrat ic and republican public spirit was
unquest ionable; he was no Ut opian or polit ical dreamer ( he was
well aware of t he savageness of human nat ure) , but he was a
realist ( he had also foreseen t he Second World War if t he polit ical
unit y of Europe were not realised in t ime) ; he had clear long-
dist ance ideas and was not wit hout a sense of humour, and last ly
during his whole life he gave many proofs of human feelings. He
was a man wit h a st rong charact er and wit h his fight ing spirit he
want ed t o convince ot hers. The words which he wrot e so long ago
as 1925 seem pronounced wit h his living voice and t hey ring in
our ears wit h all t heir ardour as if t hey were spoken only
yest erday: Like every man who addresses t he public, I nourish
t he hope t hat what I am unfolding will meet wit h t he readers
approval. However, cont rary t o what happens in my art ist ic
act ivit y, mere approval does not sat isfy me. We need your
approval, but also we need your collaborat ion, your
propagandist ic act ivit y and your help in every way. Those who
help us, do not only alt ruist ically favour a good cause, but t hey
prot ect t hemselves and t heir dear ones from t he dest ruct ion of
propert y, from povert y, from collect ive murder, and from t heir
own ruin. Those who read t his insist ant appeal, will feel t he
great fervour, t he great seriousness and t he sincere anxiet y of
Huberman for t he human race. Many musicians, for example his
friend Frit z Busch and Bruno Walt er, bot h orchest ra conduct ors,
and many writ ers, like Paul Claudel and Thomas Mann had given
t heir support t o European federalism but no ot her was involved
wit h such fait h and perseverance in t he st ruggle for t he libert y
and peace of Europe.
According t o t he t est imony of Andrea Della Cort e, Bronislaw
Huberman explained t o whoever asked him about musical
quest ions, his t heory about Paneurope. I s it a Ut opia? Many
ideas are born so and aft er t hey become a realit y.

BI BLI OGRAPHY
Huberman, B. , Mein Weg zu Paneuropa, in Paneuropa ( Wien) , 2,
1924, Heft 5, p. 1- 34.
Huberman, B. , Vat erland Europa. Berlin 1932.
Huberman, B. , Open let t er t o t he German int ellect uals, in The
Manchest er Guardian 7 Mar 1936
Busch, Frit z, Aus dem Leben eines Musikers. Zrich 1949.
Coudenhove- Kalergi, Richard, Ein Leben fr Europa. Meine
Lebenserinnerungen. Kln- Berlin 1966.
Della Cort e, Andrea, L' int erpret azione musicale e gli int erpret i.
Torino 1951.
Gradenwit z, Pet er, Huberman, B. , in Die Musik in Geschicht e und
Gegenwart vol. 6, 1957, p. 815- 816
Hordynski, Wladyslaw, Huberman, B. , in Polski Slownik
Biograficzny vol. 10, 1962- 1964, p. 77- 78
Kalbeck, Max, Johannes Brahms, vol. 4. Berlin 1914.
Magidoff, Robert , Yehudi Menuhin. Zrich 1958.

Search
Aus der Werkstatt der Virtuosen: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/literature/books/virtuosen/[02/11/12 06:51:43]
Aus der Wer k st at t des Vi r t uosen
I ch wei nicht , wie es mit der Werkst at t anderer Berufe ist . Bei
dem meinen wre es j edenfalls verfehlt , von einer Werkst at t zu
reden; es sind deren mehrere, die mir, j ede fr sich, das
Handwerkszeug meist ens im bert ragenen Sinne fr meinen
Beruf liefern, ebenso wie mein Beruf selbst aus mehreren
Berufen zusammengeset zt ist .
I ch spiele so viel Geige, da ich schon quant it at iv den Tit el
Geiger fr mich in Anspruch nehmen kann.
Aber auch die Dauer und Ausdehnung meiner Reisen wrden mich
zu einem weit eren Berufst it el berecht igen, dem eines Reisenden,
sagen wir commis voyageur in Geigenspiel, wie andere ehrsame
Brger et wa in Mehl, Leder u. dgl. reisen. Dazu kommt noch
meine Tt igkeit als Bureauchef. Und die ist bei meinen vielen
Reisen nicht die einfachst e, wenn man bedenkt , wie wenig sich
ein geschft licher Bet rieb fr ambulat orische Erledigung eignet .
Dazu kommen verschiedene Nebent t igkeit en und Erfordernisse,
wie: Eisenbahngeographie, Volkspsychologie, Reklamewesen
usw. , und die Zusammenfassung aller dieser Tt igkeit en, von
denen j ede einzelne gengt , einen Menschen auszufllen, ergibt
erst den modernen konzert ierenden Knst ler.
Um daher eine mglichst bersicht liche Darst ellung von den
verschiedenen Werkst t t en zu geben, aus denen Teile meines
Berufes, sei es Handwerkzeug, sei es bung, hervorgehen, mt e
ich die einzelnen Tt igkeit en voneinander scheiden und
nacheinander besonders behandeln.
Dies wrde j edoch weit ber den Rahmen des heut igen Vort rages
hinausgehen und drst e wohl kaum I hr I nt eresse erwecken. I ch
will mich daher auf das Wicht igst e beschrnken, auf den Kern,
um den sich alles brige gruppiert , auf das Rein- Musikalische.
Zunchst will ich die ueren Umst nde beleucht en, die dazu
fhrt en, da ich Musiker und speziell Geiger wurde. Hand in Hand
damit wird der Versuch gehen, den Nachweis von der Richt igkeit
einer von mir aufgest ellt en Theorie zu liefern, da nmlich bei der
Ergreifung eines Berufes nur uere Umst nde magebend sein
knnen und keineswegs eine spezielle einseit ige Begabung, aus
dem einfachen Grunde, weil ich die Exist enz einer solchen
speziellen Begabung verneine, selbst in j enen Fllen verneine, wo
hervorragende Berufsleist ungen nacht rglich den Beweis einer
Bronislaw Huberman
Bronislaw Huberman
als Knabe
Aus der Werkstatt des Virtuosen
Hubermans first book I n t he workshop of t he Virt uoso
was published by Hugo Heller in Vienna, 1912. The book
cont ains many annecdot es, and a discussion of t opics as
varied as t he role of t he musician, and t he commonplace
of st upidit y. Aus der Werkst at t was a series of books,
and Hubermans wife Elza Galafres wrot e one ent it led
Aus der Werkst at t der Schauspielerin ( I n t he workshop of
t he Act ress) .
Thank you very much t o Dr. Hans- Hermann Zahn from
Hamburg who e- mailed me t his book as a pdf file.
speziellen Prdest inat ion zu erbringen scheinen. Mit anderen
Wort en, ich glaube, da es eine spezielle Begabung nicht gibt ,
nicht geben kann, sondern nur verschiedene Grade all gemeiner
Begabung, die ich definieren mcht e mit einer kleineren oder
greren Fhigkeit des Gehirns, Eindrcke von auen in sich
aufzunehmen, zu verarbeit en und dann in einer vllig neuen Form
wieder von sich zu geben. I ch ziehe die Konsequenz dieser
Annahme und gehe weit er zu der Behaupt ung, da j emand, der
auf dem einen Gebiet e Hervorragendes leist et , auf sehr vielen
anderen Gebiet en ebenso Hervorragendes geleist et ht t e, wobei
ich die gleiche Hilfe durch I mponderabilien, wie sie ihm in dem
einen Berufe zut eil wurde, vorausset ze. I ch denke dabei an rein
uere Umst nde, als da sind: Familient radit ion,
Vermgensverhlt nisse, Erziehung, Umgebung, besondere
Eindrcke in der lugend, Einflu der Elt ern, Spezialst udium, dann
auch rein anat omisch- physiologische Vorausset zungen. Ein Maler
darf nicht farbenblind sein, ein Musiker braucht nat rlich gut es
Gehr, ein Geiger mu dazu noch besonders geeignet e Hnde
haben usw. Dazu kommen noch ungezhlt e Zuflligkeit en, wie
robust e Gesundheit , Flei, Armut oder Reicht um, die dem einen
Berufe frderlich, dem andern ent behrlich oder auch schdlich
sein knnen. Aber das Vorhandensein dieser At t ribut e, selbst in
vollkommenst er Form, kann man doch noch nicht als spezifisches
Talent bezeichnen.
Das sind alles nur, ich mcht e sagen, mechanische Hilfsmit t el,
die allein noch gar nicht s zuwege bringen. Die eigent liche
Leist ung kommt erst durch die Art und Weise zust ande, wie das
Gehirn alle diese Mit t el verwendet . I ch sehe kein Hindernis fr die
logische Folgerung, da ein Gehirn, welches die gnst igst en
I mponderabilien fr den Beruf X genial zu verwenden wut e, das
Gleiche auch fr den Beruf Z zu t un imst ande wre.
Gewi kann auch einem allgemein begabt en Menschen das eine
oder das andere Gebiet verschlossen sein, aber das ist noch kein
Beweis fr die Einseit igkeit seiner Begabung, sondern vielleicht
nur ein spezielles Manko, hervorgerufen sei es durch die
Verkmmerung eines Sinnes, sei es durch die bermige
Absorpt ion seines Gehirns fr den Spezialberuf.
I ch kann daher das Wesen eines speziellen Talent es oder Genies
best enfalls gelt en lassen in der Verbindung ent sprechender
Universalbegabung mit rein ueren, von der geist igen Tt igkeit
vollkommen geschiedenen Fakt oren. Phrenologen werden
vielleicht einwenden, da die Gehirnbildung groer Mnner hufig
deut liche Spuren ganz spezieller Begabung t rgt . Damit ist aber
noch gar nicht s bewiesen, denn wer sagt uns, da diese
besonderen Tt igkeit smerkmale im Gehirn, falls sie wirklich
exist ieren, nicht erst im Laufe der fachmsigen Ausbung
besagt er Tt igkeit en aufget ret en sind? Man kme sonst zu
Ergebnissen, die man nicht anders als absurd bezeichnen knnt e.
Denken wir uns irgend ein Gebiet geist iger Tt igkeit , dessen
Erschlieung unserer Zeit erst vorbehalt en war; denken wir uns
irgend ein Gebiet geist iger Tt igkeit , dessen Erschlieung unserer
Zeit erst vorbehalt en war; denken wir uns ferner, es wre das
Gehirn der genialen Pfadfinder dieser Gebiet e auf das
Vorhandensein dieser Begabungsmerkmale unt ersucht worden, u.
zw. mit posit ivem Ergebnis. Wenn wir uns nun den Erdengang
derart iger Gehirnbesit zer in eine frhere Zeit zurckverset zt
denken, in eine Epoche nicht minderer geist iger Regsamkeit , aber
doch wohl anderer geist iger I nt eressen, dann bekommen wir
geradezu schauerliche Bilder. I ch greife nach irgend einem
beliebigen Beispiel: Billrot h vor Ent deckung der Asepsis, Madame
Curie vor Ent deckung der X- St rahlen, Joachim vor Ent wicklung
des I nst rument enbaues bis zur Geige, oder gar Bach oder
Beet hoven et wa im griechischen Alt ert um. Das Dasein aller dieser
Mnner wre nach der Theorie der Spezialbegabung zwecklos
gewesen, sie ht t en mit ihrem unverwendbaren Genie
ebensowenig anzufangen gewut , wie et wa j ener Millionr mit
seinem Gelde, der whrend des russisch- j apanischen Krieges bald
Hungers gest orben wre, weil er bei sich laut er Tausend- Rubel-
Not en hat t e, die in der Mandschurei noch niemals gesehen
worden waren und daher nicht eingewechselt werden konnt en.
Nein, nein, nein, Menschen mgen vielleicht derart ige Schrullen
vollfhren, die Nat ur nicht . Billrot h wre auch ohne das die
Chirurgie erst ermglichende Chloroform kein Selchermeist er
geworden, Mozart wrde auch in einer musiklosen Zeit kaum als
Diener des Erzbischofs von Salzburg gest orben sein und wer
wei, ob aus der Sappho in unseren Tagen nicht eine Curie, aus
Homer ein Beet hoven geworden wre. Ein j edes Wesen ist eben
in seinen Neigungen, Leist ungen und Gewohnheit en den
Einflssen seiner Zeit , Nat ionalit t und Umgebung unt erworfen,
der begabt e Mensch wird unwillkrlich von den
Bet t igungsgebiet en am st rkst en angezogen, die augenblicklich
in der Blt e st ehen; daher das auffallende gruppenweise
Auft ret en bedeut ender Geist er in den einzelnen Zweigen und
Zeit en der Kult urgeschicht e.
Wenn wir uns die lit erarischen Arbeit en des Musikers Schumann
vergegenwrt igen, oder die physikalischen oder biologischen
Arbeit en des Dicht ers Goet he, auf die ein Darwin in seiner
Einleit ung zur Zucht wahl hinweist , wenn wir der reizenden
Skizzen Mendelsohns gedenken, oder des Buches Billrot hs: Wer
ist musikalisch? , oder der berset zungen von t schechischen
Dicht ungen Vrchlickys durch den Chirurgen Albert oder der
Geset zbcher Napoleons, die, wenn auch von anderen
ausgefhrt , im Geist e und in der raschen Bewlt igung sie
wurden in vier Monat en ausgefhrt den St empel von Napoleons
Genie t ragen; wenn ich hinzufge, da ich selbst in Breslau
Gelegenheit hat t e, den Chirurgen Mikulicz bei einem
gemeinsamen Vort rag der D- moll - Sonat e von Brahms als einen
ausgezeichnet en Musiker kennen zu lernen, in einer anderen
deut schen St adt Knigsberg einen Pianist en in meiner erst en
Begeist erung vom Fleck weg als Part ner fr meine Tourneen
engagieren wollt e, der sich leider als ein ebenso gut er Kinderarzt
ent puppt e, wenn wir an alle diese und ungezhlt e andere
Leist ungen denken, die nicht blo von Genies, sondern auch von
Talent en aller Schat t ierungen vollbracht werden und wenn wir
dabei nicht aus dem Auge verlieren, da all dies fr die
bet reffenden nur ihr hobby , ihre Erholungsbeschft igung war
und ohne die Konzent rat ion und die Vorst udien eines Berufes
vollbracht wurde, dann knnen wir nicht anders als annehmen,
da diese Mnner unt er den gleichen Auspizien zu den gleichen
Result at en gelangt wren, auch in anderen als den einmal
gewhlt en Berufen.
Bei dieser Gelegenheit will ich zur St t zung meiner
Ausfhrungen eine kleine Episode erzhlen, die, wenn sie auch
vielleicht noch nicht berzeugt , immerhin eine int eressant
Charakt erist ik eines der bedeut endst en Heerfhrers aller Zeit en
bildet . I ch habe den Vorzug, mit einem Neffen des Feldmarschalls
Molt ke befreundet zu sein; dieser Herr pflegt mit Vorliebe den
Umgang mit Knst lern und Gelehrt en. Eines abends saen wir
ein kleiner Kreis bei einem Glase Bier und debat t iert en. I ch
wei nicht wie, ich kam zu meiner Begabungst heorie. Mein
Gegner war der bekannt e Berliner Maler Professor Hugo Klein. Er
wollt e von meinen Wort en nicht eines gelt en lassen und geriet
frmlich in Harnisch; da fiel ihm Herr von Molt ke beschwicht igend
ins Wort und st ellt e sich durch folgende Erzhlung auf meine
Seit e. Er gedacht e seines groen Onkels, gedacht e der Abende,
an denen sich die Mit glieder der Familie um ihr allverehrt es
Oberhaupt gruppiert en, die Neffen und Groneffen zu seinen
Fen, die Kleinst en ihm am nchst en, alle mit Andacht seinen
Wort en lauschend. Denn im Kreise seiner Familie konnt e der
Feldmarschall in St immungen kommen, die aus dem groen
Schweiger einen gemt reichen, zu Herzen gehenden Erzhler
macht en. Eines abends, in einer besonders mit t eilsamen
St immung, lie der greise Held ganze Bilder aus seiner Jugend an
dem geist igen Auge seiner Zuhrer vorberziehen, erzhlt e von
seinem St reben und Hoffen, von seinen Kmpfen und Siegen,
fhrt e die Anwesenden auf den Hhepunkt seines Lebens
Sedan! Dann folgt e eine lange, lange Pause. Bis sich ihm endlich
mit einem t iefen Seufzer das Gest ndnis ent wand: Und doch ,
rief er aus, wrde ich heut e ein neues Leben beginnen, ht t e ich
mir wieder ein Lebensziel zu set zen, dann zu set zen, dann wrde
ich einen ganz anderen Beruf whlen, einen Beruf, in dem ich es
nach meiner berzeugung, nach meiner Neigung, nach meiner
Begabung sicher noch weit er gebracht ht t e, in dem ich vor allem
eine grere innere Befriedigung gefunden ht t e: Archit ekt ur!
Das waren die Wort e eines Menschen, von dem man meinen
sollt e, da er vermge seiner beispiellosen Leist ungen als ein
Must er einer speziellen Begabung gelt en knnt e. Nun werden so
manche von I hnen, meine verehrt en Anwesenden, in diesem
Gest ndnis vielleicht nur Wort e und Neigungen sehen, aber
keineswegs den Beweis, da Molt ke in der Archit ekt ur auch
wirklich Hervorragendes geleist et ht t e und es wird I hnen
vielleicht auch wie mir Heines Vorrede zur zweit en Auflage seines
Buches der Lieder einfallen, dieses Meist erst ckchen deut scher
Prosa, worin der Dicht er an seinem Lebensabend mit Wehmut die
vielen falschen Pfade erkennt , die er gegangen, die Mhe und
Arbeit bedauert , die er an Dinge, welche seiner Nat ur
widersprachen, vergeudet und sich nun mit der Erkennt nis t rst en
zu mssen glaubt , da die Menschen die Geschenke, die ihnen die
Nat ur am bequemst en ent gegent rgt , kindisch verkennen,
dagegen die Gt er, die ihnen am schwerst en zugnglich sind, fr
die kost barst en ansehen. Zur Charakt erist ik dieses angeblich
allgemein menschlichen Hanges erzhlt er, wie er einst nach
einem Konzert e von Paganini diesem Meist er mit
leidenschaft lichen Lobsprchen ent gegent rat , von dem
Hexenmeist er j edoch mit den Wort en unt erbrochen wurde: Aber
wie gefielen I hnen meine Kompliment e, meine Verbeugungen?
I ch fr meinen Teil mcht e den Spie umdrehen. I ch st elle mir
vor, da z. B. ein Leonardo da Vinci die Ekst ase ber sein
Abendmahl unt erbrochen ht t e, et wa mit der Frage nach dem
Wert e seiner opt ischen Arbeit en. Dem Grade der allgemeinen
Begabung mag eben bei Paganini die auf Effekt abzielende
Verbeugung so ent sprochen haben, wie et wa einem Leonardo die
Camera opt ica . . .
I ch mcht e ausdrcklich hervorheben, da ich die Unt erschiede
zwischen der sich blo ber dem Durchschnit t bewegenden
Begabung, dem groen Talent und dem Genie absicht lich
unberhrt gelassen habe, weil sie fr meine Ausfhrungen ganz
irrelevant sind. Es ist selbst verst ndlich, da diese Unt erschiede
in den Allgemeinfhigkeit en genau so zum Ausdruck kommen
werden, wie in den Spezialleist ungen, ich meine: ein
bescheidenes, kleines Talent wird bescheidene
Allgemeinfhigkeit en besit zen, ein groes Talent groe
Universalfhigkeit en usw. bis zum Universalgenie. Daher wird es
mir hoffent lich nicht als berhebung ausgelegt werden, wenn ich
auch meinen bescheidenen Werdegang als Beweis fr die
Richt igkeit meiner Theorie anfhre, insbesondere die Anfnge
meiner Laufbahn.
Da ich berhaupt von mir spreche, ist mir j a unsympat hisch
genug, aber ein Vort rag ber die eigene Werkst at t ist von der
persnlichen Not e doch wohl nicht ganz freizuhalt en.
Wie wurde ich Musiker, Geiger ?
Durch folgende Umst nde: Mein Vat er, ein leidenschaft licher
Musikfreund, aber nur Aut odidakt , konnt e es nicht verwinden,
da es ihm die Verhlt nisse in seiner Jugend unmglich gemacht
hat t en, Musiker zu werden. Er hofft e, seine Sehnsucht in seinem
Sohne erfllt zu sehen. Andererseit s kann auch ich auf einen
ganzen Schat z j ener frhest en, st ereot ypen uerungen eines
musikalischen Talent es hinweisen; was ich hrt e, sang ich
ziemlich rein nach, als Vier - , Fnfj hriger wnscht e ich mir zum
Geburt st age sehnlichst eine Harmonika als Spielzeug. Jet zt , wo
ich auf diesem Gebiet e et was geworden bin, legt man all dies als
zwingende Sympt ome eines musikalischen Talent es aus; aber,
mein Got t , wenn alle diese Kinder, die melodisch lallen und st at t
St einbaukast en oder Eisenbahnen Musikinst rument e zerbrechen,
wenn all diese Kinder so musikalische veranlagt wren, wie es
nahezu alle Elt ern vermeinen, dann wrde die Welt fast
ausschlielich von groen Musikern bevlkert sein. Vielleicht
ht t e die Musiksehnsucht meiner Elt ern und auch mein gut es
Gehr noch zu keinem posit iven Ergebnis gefhrt und meine
Spielerei mit dem Mal - oder Baukast en wrde in spt eren Tagen
biographisch dieselbe nacht rgliche prophet ische Bedeut ung
erlangt haben, wie sie nun einmal, wie die Dinge liegen, meiner
Beschft igung mit Ziehharmonika beigemessen wird, vielleicht ,
sage ich wenn nicht ein ganz uerliches Ereignis
hinzugekommen wre: die Europareise des damaligen Schah von
Persien. Ja, so komisch es auch klingt , meine Laufbahn und der
Schah von Persien st ehen in einem, wenn auch mit t elbaren
Kausal- Nexus mit einander. Das kam so: bei seiner Durchfahrt
durch Warschau wurde dem Schah ein klavierspielendes
Wunderkind vorgefhrt , ber dessen Leist ungen er so ent zckt
war, da er ihm eine Lebensrent e, einen Hoft it el und den Lwen-
und Sonnenorden verlieh. Wenigst ens bericht et en es so die
Zeit ungen und das war die Haupt sache. Und keine Sonne hat
j emals die Kpfe der Elt ern so erhit zt wie diese Ordenssonne die
Kpfe der bet eiligt en und auch der unbet eiligt en Elt ern, denn alle,
alle hofft en sie, demnchst auch bet eiligt zu werden. Dieses
Ereignis liefert e auch meinen Elt ern neuen Zndst off fr ihre
ohnehin leicht zu ent flammende Phant asie. I ch sollt e also auch
Musik st udieren und zwar ebenfalls Klavier wie j enes von der
Sonne der persischen Gunst beschienene Wunderkind. Aber dem
st ellt e sich eine unberwindliche Schwierigkeit ent gegen: Die
Geldfrage. Man fand, da selbst ein abgespielt es Pianino den
viert elj hrigen Gehalt meines Vat ers verschlingen wrde und
selbst die dauernde Belast ung einer Leihgebhr ging ber die
Verhlt nisse meines Vat ers, der als Advokat in einem
Recht sbureau ein sehr krgliches Brot verdient e. Man berlegt e,
schob die Ent scheidung hinaus. Jet zt t rit t wieder ein uerlicher
Fakt or ein: bt e der erst e durch Macht und Reicht um seinen
mit t elbaren Einflu aus, so kam die unmit t elbare Wirkung des
zweit en Fakt ors von der ent gegengeset zt en Seit e, es war ein
armer Geiger, ein Konservat oriumsschler, den wir auf einer
kleinen Abendgesellschaft bei einer befreundet en Familie t rafen.
Er t rug einige Piecen vor, seine Weisen und seine Geige zogen
mich an, ich macht e mir, ein kleiner Knirps von noch nicht sechs
Jahren, um ihn zu schaffen und t rllert e, wie es meine
Gewohnheit war, einige Brocken von dem Gehrt en nach. War es
die Reinheit dieser Kinderst imme, oder die Hoffnung auf einen
neuen Schler, was ihn bewegt e, ich will das nicht nher
unt ersuchen. Jedenfalls wurde der j unge Mann auf mich
aufmerksam und, da t rit t der uere Fakt or hinzu, er rief aus:
Mein Got t , das wren Finger, fr die Geige wie geschaffen. Es
st immt allerdings, da meine Hand vermge ihrer besonderen
Biegsamkeit und der gegen das Ende schmal verlaufenden Finger
sich fr die Geige als besonders geeignet erwies. Er best rmt e
meine Elt ern, mich Geige lernen zu lassen. Meine Elt ern
zaudert en, lieber wre ihnen das Klavier gewesen, aber
schlielich siegt e der Einwand, da der Kaufpreis einer Geige nur
so viel ausmache, wie die Monat sleihgebhr eines Klaviers.
I ch bekam also Geigenunt erricht und damit war der erst e St ein
zu meiner Laufbahn gelegt . I ch rekapit uliere kurz. Erst er Fakt or:
Armut meines Vat ers in seiner Jugendzeit , zweit er Fakt or: seine
ungest illt e Musiksehnsucht , drit t er, hier noch nicht erwhnt er
Fakt or: die leicht beschwingliche, t raumhaft e Phant asie meiner
Mut t er, welche unbewut erkannt e, da die Musik an und fr sich
ein schneller zu bebauendes Feld ist , viert er Fakt or: Schah von
Persien, fnft er ( negat iver) Fakt or: der t eure Preis des Klaviers,
sechst er Fakt or: Begegnung mit dem Konservat orist en, welcher
durch seine Armut auf Schlerfang angewiesen war, siebent er
Fakt or: die gnst ige Form meiner Hnde.
Nun ist es j a wahr, da ich erst aunliche Fort schrit t e macht e, aber
nicht minder wahr, da die allgemeine Ausbildung, die
gleichzeit ig einset zt e, verhlt nismig gleichen Schrit t hielt . I ch
sage verhlt nismig, denn es liegt in der Nat ur der Sache, da
eine gleichmige Begabung auf musikalischem Gebiet e viel
schneller und ppiger ihre Frcht e t rgt als auf humanist ischem
Gebiet e, weil in der Musik, besonders in der ausbenden, die
Anhufung von posit ivem Wissen eine weit geringere Rolle spielt
als auf allen anderen Gebiet en geist iger Arbeit , wogegen das
posit ive Knnen, worunt er ich auch j ede Art I nspirat ionsfhigkeit
verst ehen mcht e, in der Musik in den Vordergrund t rit t ; und das
posit ive Knnen ist ungleich leicht er zu erreichen, als das Wissen,
denn bei Erwerbung des Knnens kann Begabung manche Arbeit
direkt erset zen, bei Erwerbung des Wissens hchst ens erleicht ern.
Dies, in Verbindung mit dem unserer Kunst unent behrlichen
Unbewut sein, ist die Erklrung fr das hufige Vorkommen von
sogenannt en musikalischen Wunderkindern; die psychologische
Erlut erung dieses vermeint lichen Phnomens, das fr mich nur
eine ganz nat rliche Erscheinung darst ellt , mu ich mir, als ber
den Rahmen dieses Vort rages hinausgehend, leider versagen.
Wenn ich also, wie gesagt , den Element arst off spielend leicht
bewlt igt e, so t rat en nat urgem die musikalischen Fort schrit t e
noch viel greifbarer in Erscheinung. Das wiederum zog immer
grere Konzent rierung auf das Musikst udium nach sich und nach
knapp zweij hrigem Unt erricht e konnt e ich mit groem Erfolge
zum erst enmal ffent lich auft ret en. I m weit eren Verlaufe
wechselt en St udium und ffent liches Auft ret en mit einander ab,
wobei sich das gegenseit ige Verhlt nis allmhlich umkehrt e.
Zuerst t rat en die Konzert e sporadisch auf, dann vermehrt en sie
sich zu immer ausgedehnt eren Tourneen und die Zeit en des
eigent lichen St udiums wurden immer krzer. Und diese
Abwechslung war gut . Denn auch das ffent liche Auft ret en
bet racht e ich als einen nicht zu unt erscht zenden Lehrbehelf,
vielleicht als den wicht igst en. Der pdagogische Wert eines
Konzert es ist mannigfalt ig. I ch mcht e das Vorspielen des
angehenden Musikers den Manverbungen des Milit rs
vergleichen und auch wir Knst ler vermgen erst im Angesicht e
des Feindes ich meine das Publikum, aber Feind nat rlich nur
im bert ragenen Sinne zu erkennen, was von den
einexerziert en Griffen wirklich sit zt . Einen unermelichen,
dauernden Vort eil zieht der Knst ler auch aus der I nspirat ion, die
sich in der t eils weihevollen, t eils j ubelnd begeist ert en St immung
eines Konzert es viel hufiger einst ellt als in der oft von Sorgen
und Prosa erfllt en At mosphre der St udierst ube. I ch fr meinen
Teil habe auf diese Weise oft im Konzert den let zt en Griffel an ein
Werk gelegt . Manchmal glaubt e ich, zu fhlen, wie gleichsam ein
elekt rischer St rom von mir zum Publikum lief, um wieder
verst rkt zu mir zurckzukehren. Von diesem Blt enst aub der
Eingebung bleiben auch fr die Zukunft in der Phrasierung einige,
wenn auch noch geringe Spuren zurck. Einen sicheren Gewinn
bedeut et ferner fr den Knst ler die Geschmackslut erung, die
sich bei ihm im Verkehre mit dem Publikum vollzieht . Er lernt die
Wirkungen ermessen, sieht , was auf die groe Menge wirkt , was
zu dem Kopfe der Elit e spricht und was zum Herzen aller Hrer.
Das let zt e ist das Wicht igst e. Die Kunst ist nicht fr Znft ler da.
Eine wahre Kunst mu auf j edes st het isch empfngliche Gemt
erhebend wirken und wenn sie das nicht vermag, so ist sie alles
eher als Kunst . I ch mu es hier aussprechen, da ich auf Grund
meiner zahllosen Erfahrungen und Beobacht ungen den grt en
Respekt von der vox populi habe. Das Publikum ist ein eigenart ig
Ding. I n seine Best andt eile zerset zt , sieht man erschreckend viel
Snobismus, Urt eilslosigkeit , Unverst and, Gleichglt igkeit , j a
I gnoranz und die Zahl der verst ndnisvollen I ndividuen drft e
einen erst aunlich kleinen Prozent sat z des Publikums in einem
Konzert ausmachen. Aber als Ganzes genommen, ist es der
wunderbarst e Organismus, den man sich denken kann. Voll
reinst en I nst inkt es, voll von Herz, von Begeist erungsfhigkeit . Es
fehlt diesem Organismus allerdings Bewut sein und Logik, aber
die mu der Knst ler mit bringen, der vom Publikum et was lernen
will. Das Publikum wird sich nat rlich niemals darber
Rechenschaft geben, warum ein Knst ler z. B. an dem einen
Abend weniger gewirkt hat als an einem andern, es wird sogar in
vielen Fllen nicht einmal der Tat sache der geringeren Wirkung
sich bewut werden, aber der Knst ler merkt sofort die
schwchere St immung, und wenn er nicht eingebildet ist , wird er
nun die Urlache zu ergrnden haben. Selbst verst ndlich mu er
ein richt iges Ma bei der Einscht zung der Wirkung walt en
lassen, j e nachdem, was, vor wem und fr wen er spielt .
Als einen meiner grt en Erfolge mcht e ich den Vort rag einer
Sonat e von Brahms in Zrich bezeichnen, wo eine derart ig
weihevolle St immung sich der Zuhrer bemcht igt e, da ich das
Werk zu Ende spielen konnt e, ohne bei den einzelnen St zen
durch Applaus unt erbrochen zu werden. Dieses Result at wrde
ich bei vielen anderen Werken als Fiasko empfunden haben. I ch
kann mit Fug und Recht behaupt en, da das Podium meine
eigent liche Schule war. Nebenbei bemerkt , habe ich eine richt ige
Schule niemals besucht , weder fr Musik, noch fr die allgemeine
Bildung. Einen geregelt en Privat unt erricht habe ich im ganzen
durch drei Jahre genossen et was ber zwei Jahre in meiner
Vat erst adt Warschau und et wa neun Monat e in Berlin. Dann, als
Zehnj hriger, ging ich auf Konzert reisen, nippt e gelegent lich bei
den verschiedenen Meist ern und sucht e j edem das Best e
abzulauschen. Mit 12 Jahren hat t e ich die let zt e derart ige
Unt erricht sst unde. Da man unmglich annehmen kann, da ein
elf - oder zwlfj hriges Kind, bei aller Anerkennung seiner
Leist ungen, schon in seiner Ent wicklung fert ig sei, so wird man es
mir nicht als Undankbarkeit gegen meine frheren Lehrer
auslegen, wenn ich mich selbst als meinen eigent lichen Lehrer
bezeichne. Als solcher habe ich frhzeit ig den Fluch erkannt , der
auf uns I nst rument alist en last et und mich mit ihm nolens volens
abzufinden versucht . Dieser Fluch laut et : I m Schweie Deines
Angesicht es sollst Du Dir Deine Technik erwerben. Ein Fluch ist ,
diese ewige Not wendigkeit zu ben, die geist t t end wirkt und uns
den ganzen Beruf geradezu verekeln kann. Wer behaupt et , gern
zu ben, der lgt . Kann es denn fr einen denkenden und
fhlenden Menschen eine grere Qual geben, als immer wieder
einzelne Passagen wiederholen zu mssen, t echnische St ellen aus
Werken, deren geist igen I nhalt man lngst erschpft hat , j a, die
man auch t echnisch vor lngerer oder krzerer Zeit bereit s
beherrscht hat t e! Und doch ist ber diesen bungszwang nicht
hinwegzukommen. Oft hrt man von Laien Rufe des Erst aunens
darber, da Knst ler, die seit langem den Gipfel der
Meist erschaft erreicht haben, noch immer ben mssen. I ch
finde, nicht s ist mehr erst aunlich, als dieses St aunen selbst .
Gewi ist die Tt igkeit eines I nst rument alist en als eine geist ige zu
bezeichnen, aber sie bedarf doch der Vermit t lung von Arm und
Finger und diese mssen fr die Geige nat rlich genau so oder
vielleicht noch mehr gedrillt und im Training erhalt en werden, wie
bei irgend einem Sport oder wie die Fe der Ballerina beim
Ballet t .
Kein Mensch wrde nach einem mehrwchigen Zubet t eliegen
seinen Beinen zumut en, ihn schnurst racks auf dem Mont blanc zu
t ragen und was Tourist enbeinen der Mont blanc, das bedeut et
Geigerhnden das Griffbret t , mit dem Unt erschied, da des
Griffbret t s Wege nur noch viel enger und halsbrecherischer sind.
Der Zweck des bens, ich meine: des reinen Fingerdrills unt er
Ausschalt ung geist iger Mit arbeit , mu dreierlei erfllen:
Erwerbung der Technik, ihre Anwendung und st et e
Vervollkommnung, zulet zt ihre Prfung im Training. Jeder dieser
drei Zwecke erfordert eine verschiedenart ige Behandlung. Eine
Technik erwerben heit , sich die in der Violinlit erat ur am
hufigst en vorkommenden Griffe, Lufe und St richart en
aneignen. Zu diesem Ziele fhrt am schnellst en das St udium von
Et uden, die met hodisch diese t echnischen Gemeinplt ze
vornehmen. Die Technik anwenden heit , sie ihrem Selbst zweck
ent ziehen, sie in den Dienst eines Vort ragsst ckes zu st ellen.
Dazu gengt , auch rein t echnisch, das in den Et uden Gewonnene
nicht mehr. Wie alle Theorien ist auch die Theorie der Et uden
grau und kann alle die Vorkommnisse des Lebens, des
musikalischen Lebens, nicht vorausahnen. So mu denn auch der
grt e Teil der in einem Tonst cke vorkommenden Lufe einzeln
gebt , gest uckt werden. Das wre die Lehre von der
angewandt en Technik. Das Schwierigst e ist der drit t e Teil, das
Training oder die Erzielung der grt en Ausdauer der Technik. Auf
diesem Gebiet e erlebt man seine lieben Wunder. Da hat man
einen Lauf st unden- und t agelang gebt , endlich scheint er zu
gehen, man at met erleicht ert auf und will sich fr diese
Frohnarbeit ent schdigen, indem man nun zum eigenen Genusse
das Werk oder den Sat z, in welchem j ener Lauf vorkommt , in
seiner Gnze durchspielt . Aber schon bei den erst en Tnen des
Laufes st olpert man, als wenn nicht s gewesen wre. Aus dem
Ganzen herausgerissen, geht der Lauf, im Zusammenhange nicht .
Es fehlt eben das Training. I m Zusammenhang haben die Finger
nicht mehr die Ausdauer fr den schwierigen Lauf, oder ihr
Gedcht nis, auf das ich noch zurckkommen werde, verwirrt sich.
Das Hindernis mu nunmehr sozusagen im Anlauf genommen
werden. Wenn auch das ben bei diesen Prozessen die wicht igst e
Arbeit verricht et , so ist doch die psychische Teilnahme daran
unleugbar. Das verrt sich durch zahllose kleine Phnomene.
Znm Beispiel: will ein Lauf t rot z bens nicht gelingen, et wa durch
die Hart nckigkeit eines besonders schweren Tones; da ist es
hufig vorgekommen, da ich durch Aut osuggest ion der
Schwierigkeit Herr wurde, indem ich den schweren Ton in meiner
Vorst ellung durch eine Bet onung quasi herausfordert e oder durch
ein Verweilen erleicht ert e, wohlverst anden, in meiner Vorst ellung,
nicht in Wirklichkeit ; und der Lauf gelang. Ein anderes Sympt om
psychischer Mit arbeit bei der Technik ist die Tat sache, da oft die
schwierigst en Passagen nach wochenlangem, j a, j ahrelangem
ben nicht gehen, dann aber, nach einer langen Pause wieder
vorgenommen, mit der grt en Leicht igkeit gelingen. Man hat
dann das Gefhl der vollzogenen inneren Grung. Und da die
Grung nicht in den Fingern, sondern im Kopfe vor sich geht , ist
wohl klar.
I n dasselbe Gebiet fllt die Beobacht ung, da die Finger sich
manchmal gegen die leicht est en Passagen st ruben und ihren
Dienst versagen. Die Ursache mag Nervosit t sein, oder
berarbeit ung; sie mag, ganz wie bei anderen pat hologischen
Erscheinungen des Nervensyst ems, von einem Schreck herrhren,
et wa in der Weise, da einmal beim Vort rag der bet reffenden
St elle durch irgend eine I rrit at ion vom Publikum oder der
Begleit ung her die Passage milang und nun, in der Erinnerung an
diesen Vorfall und in der Furcht vor dessen Wiederholung,
t at schlich immer wieder milingt . Wenn ich frher das Griffbret t
als unseren Mont blanc bezeichnet habe, so kann ich diese oft
plt zliche I diosynkrasie der Finger am t reffendst en dem allgemein
bekannt en Gefhl der Plat zangst vergleichen und die Mit t el, die
zu ihrer Heilung fhren, sind sich bei beiden gleich: allgemeine
Krft igung der Nerven, eine eiserne Energie, Aut osuggest ion,
vielleicht auch Hypnose. Scheut man sich nicht vor Konzessionen,
so kneift man aus, genau so, wie bei der Plat zangst der Beine,
man macht Umwege, d. h. ins Geigerische berset zt , man nimmt
st at t der bisher gewohnt en nat rlichen Fingerst ze neue, oft ganz
verrckt schwere, und die Plat zangst ist berwunden. Komisch
berhrt es einen, wenn es der Zufall fgt , da nach einiger Zeit
auch der Weg des neuen Fingersat zes der Plat zangst verfllt , und
man auf den alt en Fingersat z wie auf einen ganz neuen wieder
zurckgreifen mu; und das Mit t el versagt auch da nicht . Oft ,
wenn mir et was Knst lerisch besonders gut gelang, emprt e sich
bei mir das soziale Gerecht igkeit sgefhl gegen meine eigene
Leist ung; ent set zt frug ich mich, wieso ich dazu komme, ohne
besonderes Verdienst von der Nat ur mit Gaben bedacht zu sein,
die mir von der Wiege an einen groen Vorsprung gegenber
vielen meiner Mit menschen geben; j edes soziale Bemhen, die
konomischen Ungerecht igkeit en der Menschen auszugleichen,
schien mir aussicht slos und anmaend, denn wie sollt e es den
schwachen Menschen gelingen, ein Unrecht gut zumachen, das
nicht sie, sondern die Nat ur begeht durch die ungerecht e
Vert eilung ihrer Gaben? Und dann, wenn ich der unermelichen
Mhsale und Ent behrungen aller Art gedacht e, die zum
Vollbringen einer vollkommenen Leist ung, auf welchem Gebiet e
immer, gehren, dann leist et e ich der eben gescholt enen Nat ur
Abbit t e. Es st ieg in mir eine Ahnung auf, da es hiee, Perlen vor
die Sue werfen, wrde die Nat ur alle Menschen gleichmig mit
Fhigkeit en ausst at t en, denn mit den besonderen Fhigkeit en
kommt in dem Menschen zugleich auch der Trieb, sie zu
bet t igen. Auch frs Geist ige gilt das Noblesse oblige. Es sind
gleichsam so viel Recht e als Pflicht en und die wenigst en
Menschen wrden sich bereit finden lassen, die schweren
Pflicht en einer Begabung auf sich zu nehmen. Je grer also eine
Begabung, dest o grer und nicht dest o kleiner die Arbeit , d. h. ,
mit der Gre der Begabung st eigert sich die seelische
Konzept ion, deren prakt ische Ausfhrung dem Krper auch
ent sprechend grere Arbeit verursacht und der mit einer
hheren Begabung begnadet e Mensch kann nicht eher ruhen, bis
er diese Leist ung seinem Krper abgerungen.
Und diese opfer - und ent behrungsfreudige Pflicht erfllung
gegenber seiner Begabung ist es, die ihm nacht rglich einen
Anspruch auf die Bevorzugung durch die Nat ur und im weit eren
Verlaufe auf die Belohnung durch die Menschen Anspruch
verleiht . Die Nat ur vergreift sich j a selt en in der Wahl ihrer
Lieblinge; geschieht es einmal, dann ent st eht daraus ein
merkwrdig halt loser Trumer, der durch sein reicheres
I nnenleben fr die Erfordernisse des gewhnlichen Tagewerkes
verdorben ist und doch die Kraft nicht aufbringen kann, ein
groes Werk zu schaffen; es ist im Gegensat ze zum
bermenschen der Unt ermensch, wie er von Schnit zler in der
Gest alt des j ungen Medardus so wundervoll verkrpert wurde.
Meiner frher geuert en hohen Meinung vom richt igen I nst inkt
des Publikums ent spricht der Glaube, da wiederum das Publikum
den von der Nat ur Begnadet en richt ig herausfhlen wird, sobald
dem Publikum dazu Gelegenheit gebot en ist . Diese Gelegenheit
biet et sich dem Publikum in der Hast des modernen Lebens einzig
und allein durch die Reklame. Nat rlich meine ich damit nur die
in den Grenzen des Geschmackes sich bewegende
Gelt endmachung einer Persnlichkeit und nicht die
markt schreierische Ausart ung der Reklame. I st Volkesst imme
Got t esst imme, so ist die Presse der Pet rus dieses Got t es. I ch
kann den Schmerzensschrei nicht unt erdrcken: ht t en wir doch
schon vor hundert fnfzig Jahren eine Demokrat ie besessen, mit
ihrem Haupt organ, der Presse, nie wre die Schmach ber das
Menschengeschlecht gekommen, da es einen Mozart verhungern
lie! Dieses Verbrechen konnt e nur geschehen in einer Zeit der
Herrschaft des I ndividuums, des unberufenen, eingebildet en
I ndividuums mit all seinen frher skizziert en zweifelhaft en oder
vielmehr unzweifelhaft en Eigenschaft en. Tausendfach gepriesen
sei die Zeit , wo diese Herdenmenschen, aber doch nur diese, in
der groen, schnen Seele des Ganzen unt ergehen mssen. Geht
also das Publikum im ganzen und groen an dem Got t eszeichen
der Begabung selt en acht los vorbei, so fehlt ihm doch oft das
Verst ndnis dafr, zu ermessen, wie gro an einer schnen
Leist ung der Ant eil der Begabung war, was nur durch rast lose
Arbeit erreicht werden konnt e und was nur so nebenher luft . I ch
fr meinen Teil bin j a nur froh, wenn oft die
t echnischschwierigst en St ellen beim Publikum unbemerkt
vorbergehen, denn das ist mir der sicherst e Beweis, da sie so
gelungen sind, als wenn sie kinderleicht wren. Dem Publikum
die berwundene Schwierigkeit vor die Nase zu reiben, hiee,
einen knst lerischen oder vielmehr unknst lerischen Parven
abzugeben. Aber eines inneren Lchelns kann ich mich beim
umgekehrt en Vorgang nicht erwehren, wenn ich sehe, wie das
Publikum manchmal auf die einfachst en Effekt fallen hereinfllt ,
wie ihm mit Erfolg, wenn auch meist ens mit ephemeren Erfolg
Sand in die Augen gest reut wird. Zu den mit Unrecht als schwer
gehalt enen Effekt en gehren z. B. die Manipulat ionen mit
Pizzicat t i und flageolet t s. Gewi kann auch aus ihnen durch
Grazie, Rhyt hmus, dmonisches Temperament eine
Knst lerschaft sprechen, aber Pizzicat t i und Flageolet t s als solche
sind leicht . Einmal erlernt , brauchen sie kaum wieder gebt zu
werden, whrend z. B. die effekt losen Lufe aus dem
Violinkonzert Beet hovens infolge ihrer Heiklichkeit und
Abhngigkeit vom Ausdruck vor j eder Auffhrung aufgefrischt
werden mssen. Fr die Beurt eilung, ob ein Lauf schwer oder
leicht sei, ist seine Best immung magebend. Ein Lauf, der nur als
Mit t el zum Zweck, nmlich zum hheren Zwecke des
musikalischen Ausdrucks dient , erfordert ungleich subt ilere
Beherrschung, als derselbe Lauf zum virt uosen Selbst zweck
erfordern wrde, denn bei seiner Verwendung als Mit t el zum
Zweck mu der Geist des Spielers auch in der grt en
Geschwindigkeit sich noch immer die freie Verfgung ber j edes
Tnchen des Laufes vorbehalt en, z. B. kaum wahrnehmbare
Bet onung der t hemat ischen Not en, wenn es sich um Variat ionen
oder Fiorit uren handelt , oder einzelne Akzent e, Crescendi usw. ,
j e nach den Gebot en des melodischen oder harmonischen
Ausdrucks. Da ein Musiker von Herz und Geist mit Vorliebe nach
Werken dieser Kat egorie greifen wird, so ergibt sich die
Folgerung, da ein wahrer Knst ler eine ungleich grndlichere
und verllichere Technik besit zen mu als ein reiner Virt uose.
Das ist eine Tat sache, die durch keinerlei noch so glit zernde
Hokus- Pokus- Kunst st ckchen aus der Welt geschafft wird. Sie
ist , wie ich schon sagt e, der Fluch, die Tragik unseres Berufes.
I ch wei, auch Dicht er, Maler und Bildhauer mssen ewig nach
Ausdruck ringen, aber wir, denen dieses Ringen auch nicht
erspart bleibt , mssen auerdem unsere best e Zeit sozusagen an
das Reinigen der Palet t e, das Schneiden des Federkiels, oder das
Spit zen des Meiels vergeuden. Und zwar am meist en die Best en
unt er uns, solche die es am bit t erst en empfinden.
I n das Kapit el der vom Publikum berscht zt en oder vielmehr
nicht richt ig eingescht zt en Leist ungen gehrt auch das
Auswendigspielen. Wenn schon ein Zuhrer gar nicht s verst eht ,
so bewundert er zumindest das Gedcht nis. Dieses ist j edoch
beim Auswendigspielen sehr wenig bet eiligt . Unt er Gedcht nis
verst ehe ich die akt ive, bewut e Merkfhigkeit , j enes
Erinnerungsvermgen, wie es beim Einst ucken disparat er
Begriffe, unzusammenhngender Namen und Zahlen, z. B. der
Hrt egrade der Mineralien oder der Jahreszahlen der Geschicht e
in Akt ion t rit t . Nun, auf diesen Behelf allein knnen wir uns nicht
verlassen, weil er uns zu unsicher wre. I n der Musik gibt es kein
Zaudern, kein knst liches Verweilen auf einem Ton, bis das
gndige Gedcht nis geruht , das so flehent lich Erbet ene
einzuflst ern. Auf dem Podium gibt der Rhyt hmus seine
unbarmherzige Ordre und da mu einfach pariert werden. Wir
haben zu diesem Behufe zwei Behelfe, die viel sicherer sind als
das Gedcht nis des Gehirns. Wir haben erst ens das spezifisch-
musikalische Gedcht nis, das ist eine besondere Gabe, die uns in
St and set zt , uns an das ein- oder mehrmals gehrt e Musikgebilde
am Faden seiner Melodie zu erinnern, d. h. es nicht ganz rein
gedcht nismig zu bersehen, sondern es uns nach einander,
wie die Glieder einer Ket t e zusammenzuset zen. Recht
bezeichnend, wenn auch doch nicht richt ig definierend, nennt
man diese Fhigkeit ein gut es musikalisches Gehr. Aber auch
diese Art von Gedcht nis kann uns gegebenenfalls im St iche
lassen. Nicht ein Mal ist es mir passiert , da ich mich auf dem
Podium ent set zt frug: Mein Got t , wie geht nur nach dem X-
nchst en Ton die Sache weit er ? Und schneller als ich mir die
Frage beant wort en konnt e, waren die Finger darber
hinweggeglit t en. Das Phnomen, das mich erret t et e, war das
Gedcht nis der Finger. Mit Umgehung des Gehirns verricht et en
die Finger ihre Arbeit nach Art der Reflexbewegung. Eine j ede der
vielen t ausend in einem Musikst ck ent halt enen Not en hat sich
den Fingern derart eingeprgt , da sie einen best immt en Reiz,
eine Reflexbewegung zur Erzeugung der nchst folgenden Not e
auslst und zwar unbewut , hnlich der Verricht ung irgend einer
unserer Lebensfunkt ionen. Es ist daher keine Phrase, sondern fast
buchst bliche Wahrheit , wenn von einem Knst ler behaupt et
wird, da ihm ein Werk in Fleisch und Blut bergegangen, da es
zu seinem innerst en Eigent um geworden ist . Aber auch nur dann
kann der ausbende Knst ler seiner Million gerecht werden.
I ch mcht e das, was ich unt er der Million eines ausbenden
Knst lers verst ehe durch ein Gleichnis erlut ern. Ein Gegenst and,
durch den ein elekt rischer St rom fliet , bleibt uerlich
unverndert , aber in seinem I nnern gerat en die Molekle in
Vibrat ion und j emand, der den Gegenst and berhrt , erhlt einen
elekt rischen Schlag. So mu auch in unserer Kunst der
Gegenst and, also in diesem Falle die Komposit ion st et s
unverndert bleiben. Vom reproduzierenden Knst ler aber mu
ein St rom ausgehen, der das I nnere des Werkes durchfliet ,
j edes Wort , j ede Not e belebt und der das Publikum elekt risiert .
Obgleich also der Gegenst and, die Komposit ion unverndert
bleibt , mu doch der I ndividualit t des Ausbenden freier
Spielraum gewhrt werden. Einmal ist es eben ein galvanischer
St rom, ein anderesmal ein faradischer! Bei dieser Belebung des
Werkes darf die Technik nur eine unt ergeordnet e Rolle spielen.
Die Technik mu freilich bis zur hchst en Vollendung ent wickelt
werden, aber es gibt fr sie im Reiche der Kunst keine Freiheit .
Die Technik mu immer gehorsamst der Sklave bleiben. Sie mu
dem Herrn dienen, dem Geist und der Herrin, der Seele. Wehe,
wenn dieser Sklave seine Fessel lst .
Daher bin ich ein Gegner der Exzesse von Repert oire- Theat ern.
Ein Theat erst ck, das in wenigen Wochen einst udiert worden ist ,
last et auf den Schult ern des Souffleurs und kann den Knst lern
unmglich zum innerst en Eigent um geworden sein; es ist einfach
ausgeschlossen, da sie sich in einer derart ig oberflchlich
st udiert en Rolle so frei ent falt en knnen, wie in der Rolle ihres
Privat lebens. Und das mt en sie, wollen sie nicht auf die
St ellung eines im Nachschaffen schaffenden Knst lers verzicht en
und zu gewerbsmigen Komdiant en herabsinken. Daher mag
es kommen, da wir die Darbiet ungen it alienischer Knst ler als
so lebenswahr und warm empfinden, denn in I t alien gibt es
bekannt ich keine Repert oire- Theat er, sondern nur St agioni, die in
j eder Saison nur einige wenige St cke herausbringen und damit
das ganze Land bereisen. Dafr knnen sie aber die St cke so
virt uos herausfeilen, da sie auf den Souffleur Verzicht leist en.
Nat rlich mu man auch da die goldene Mit t e beobacht en, sonst
kommt man vom Regen in die Traufe. Durch zu groe
Einschrnkung des Repert oires, d. h. durch zu hufiges
Wiederholen einzelner St cke begibt sich der Knst ler in die
Gefahr, sein kst lichst es Gut zu verlieren: das Unbewut sein der
Empfindung. Dieses Unbewut sein ist die Seele der Kunst , was
die Kunst von der Wissenschaft unt erscheidet . Auch hiefr ein
Beispiel: Vor einigen Jahren, als noch die Blinddarmoperat ion in
Mode war j et zt t rgt man j a wieder Blinddarm da war de
der Berliner Professor Sonnenberg der meist gesucht e Appendix-
Schneider. Warum? Weil er eine St at ist ik ber 1000
Blinddarmoperat ionen verffent licht hat t e. Man nahm mit Recht
an, da Tcht igkeit vorausgeset zt ein Arzt , der t ausend
derart ige Operat ionen vollfhrt hat , sie besser machen wird, als
ein Arzt , der von der Sort e vielleicht nur hundert gemacht ht t e.
Sehen Sie, bei uns ist das umgekehrt . Ein Knst ler wrde ein
Werk, das er nacheinander t ausendmal gespielt ht t e, unt er allen
Umst nden im Durchschnit t schlecht er spielen, als nach der
hundert st en Auffhrung. Alle die Akzent e der Leidenschaft , die
Seufzer der Wehmut , die zart en Schwingungen der Poesie
verlieren bei zu hufigen Wiederholungen ihre frische
Unmit t elbarkeit , ihr Unbewut sein. Der Knst ler wird gegen die
Schnheit en des Werkes abgest umpft . Die St immung st ellt sich
von selbst nicht mehr ein, dafr will er sie forcieren, indem er die
Emanat ionen dieser St immungen, das sind die einst unbewut
sich ergebenden Seufzer und Akzent e, die Crescendi und
St ringendi knst lich aus dem Gedcht nis nachmacht , nat rlich
ohne inneren Beweggrund. Die Folge davon ist Maniriert heit und
innere Erst arrung. Das ist die Erklrung, warum so mancher
Knst ler noch in der Blt e seiner Jahre wie ein ausgebrannt er
Vulkan dast eht . Die Angst , auch mir knnt e einst das heilige
Vest alinnen- Feuer ausgehen, bildet die grt e Sorge meines
Lebens. Und ich habe mir eine best immt e Met hode zurecht
gelegt , um diesem Schicksal zu ent gehen. Vor allem scheide ich
aus meinen bungen, wenn es sich um alt e Werke meines
Repert oires handelt , den musikalischen Teil ganz aus und
beschrnke mich auf die t echnischen St ellen. Dann erneuere ich
auch regelmig mein Repert oire durch Novit t en, so da der
Wiederholungst urnus ein sehr weit er ist . Das wicht igst e ist aber,
da ich nach Absolvierung einer groen Tourne, in die sich st et s
et was Schablone oder zumindest ens eine gewisse
Spielberdrssigkeit einschleicht , mit dem Spielen fr viele
Wochen ganz ausset ze. Das ist ein radikales, aber uerst
wirksames Mit t el. I ch vergesse dann alles, das Gut e wie das
Schlecht e. Nach einer solchen vier - bis sechswchent lichen Pause
wre ich auer St ande, ein Konzert zu geben. Um wieder auf die
Hhe zu kommen, mu ich im Kleinen meinen gesamt en
Ent wicklungsgang wieder durchmachen, wie das Embryo die
Phyt ogenese in der Ont ogenese. Das gibt mir viel Arbeit , aber
auch neue Kraft und Aufnahmsfhigkeit .
Und nun danke ich I hnen herzlich fr die Aufmerksamkeit , die Sie
mir gewidmet haben, und bit t e Sie, nicht meine eigene Waffe
gegen meine Theorie ins Feld zu fhren, indem Sie sagen, da ich
doch noch ein viel besserer Geiger als Redner bin. Das wei ich
selbst . Als mir der ehrende Ant rag zut eil wurde, diesen Vort rag
zu halt en und die Frage an mich herant rat , ab ich denn diese
Aufgabe auch werde lsen knnen, da konnt e ich immerhin mit
unverflscht er Naivit t die berhmt e Ant wort wiederholen, die der
Englnder gab, als man ihn frug, ab er Geige spiele. Er erwidert e:
I ch wei es nicht , ich habe es noch nicht versucht . Nun, ich
habe es zum erst enmal mit einem Vort rag versucht . I ch bin mir
seiner Schwchen vollkommen bewut , aber glauben Sie et wa,
da mein erst er Geigenversuch besser ausgefallen ist ?
ber Reklame und Kunst
Einer vernnft igen Reklame kann unsere Kunst ebenso wenig
ent behren wie die Kriegskunst der St rat egie; ungeacht et des
Wert es aller persnlichen Eigenschaft en, denen j a schlielich die
Ent scheidung Got t sei Dank! im Kampfe vorbehalt en bleibt .
Und kmpfen mssen wir, nicht nur gegen Unverst and und Neid
kmpfen, sondern, wenn es sich um Neues in der Kunst handelt ,
vor allem gegen das Geset z der Trgheit , dem die Massen mehr
noch als das I ndividuum unt erworfen sind. Und es sind gerade die
Massen, die heut zut age im Konzert leben den Ausschlag geben.
Die st et ig fort schreit ende Demokrat isierung des Konzert wesens,
die auf der einem Seit e Knst lern und Publikum unscht zbare
Vort eile bringt , drngt auf der andern Seit e den
Konzert veranst alt ern nat urgem einen ganz andern
Ankndigungsapparat auf als in der gut en alt en Zeit , da sich
Herr Kapellmeist er Mozart noch begngen konnt e, mit
gndigst er Erlaubnis ein groes musikalisches Konzert zu seinem
Vort eil auf handgroen Zet t eln anzukndigen, wobei er auch
noch selbst die Billet t e verkauft e!
Auch in allen brigen Zweigen des ffent lichen Lebens ist die
grere Ellenbogenbet t igung, die die Masse erfordert , sehr,
vielleicht noch unangenehmer zu spren als auf unserem Gebiet e.
I n der Religion, in der Polit ik nennt man das Propaganda, bei uns
heit s Reklame .
Es handelt sich also nur darum, wie diese Reklame beschaffen
ist . Es wre ganz int eressant und dem St ande sehr bekmmlich,
wenn alle j ene erst en Vert ret er unserer Kunst , denen die
Ausbung ihres Berufes noch ein Rest chen Kunst geschmack fr
die auerprofessionalen Bedrfnisse ihres Lebens gelassen hat ,
sich zu einer Art Musikerkammer ( nicht zu verwechseln mit
Knst lerzimmer oder Kammermusik) zusamment un wrden,
der es unt er andrem obliegen wrde, einen Reklame- Ehrenkodex
herauszugeben. Darin mt en vor allem verpnt sein: Selbst lob,
Lge, Byzant inismus, Ausbeut ung von Familien- und sonst igen
Verhlt nissen und des Privat lebens berhaupt . Daneben mt e
die Reklame an posit iven Eigenschaft en besit zen: Originalit t ,
I nt eresse ( nicht nur fr den Knsler, sondern auch fr das
Publikum) , ferner irgend eine direkt e Beziehung zur Kunst des
Reklamiert en und vor allem Geschmack. Gegen eine derart
gelut ert e und redigiert e Reklame wird wohl kein vernnft iger
Mensch et was einzuwenden haben. Schlielich bleibt doch zu
bedenken, da der Knsler kein blo von leinen Lorbeeren sich
nhrender Veget arier ist .
Wir leben nicht nur in, sondern von der ffent lichkeit ; das
Publikum hat ein I nt eresse am Knst ler, und ich mcht e mich
sogar zur uerung verst eigen, da wir in gewisser Hinsicht dem
Publikum gegenber zu j enen Mit t eilungen verpflicht et sind, die
man gemeinhin schon als Reklame bezeichnet .
I m engeren Sinne des Wort es bedeut et Reklame allerdings nicht
j ene Mit t eilungen, die aus dem Grund in die ffent lichkeit
dringen, weil sie einen bereit s berhmt en Mann bet reffen dem
j edoch diese oft ungewollt e Reklame nicht weniger Nut zen bringt
sondern hufiger die wicht igt uerischen bert reibungen der
neuen Ankmmlinge. Kann man es j edoch j enen verbeln, da
sie oft mit groer Berecht igung Not oriet t erlangen wollen
und sich dabei, wenn auch nicht unwahrer, so doch ob und zu
erst konst ruiert er Reklamemit t eln bedienen, wie sie den bereit s
Berhmt en in nat rlichst er Form, und zwar nur weil sie berhmt
sind, in den Scho fallen. Eine Port ion Selbst bewut sein,
Selbst vert rauen in solchen Versuchen ist sehr verzeihlich. ( War
doch Mohammed selbst der erst e und eifrigst e Anhnger seiner
Lehre. ) Ohne Selbst bewut sein keine I ndividualit t , ohne
I ndividualit t keine Kunst .
Oft ent st eht in diesem Reklamekampf, wenn auch ohne j emandes
eigent lichen Verschuldens, ein unlaut erer Wet t bewerb, der nicht
eines komischen Beigeschmacks ent behrt . Man denke sich z. B.
eine Knst lerin, die infolge ihrer erot ischen Veranlagung in
int eressant e galant e Abent euer verst rickt wird. I st sie unbekannt ,
so krht kein Hahn darnach; st eht sie j edoch bereit s im
Mit t elpunkt des knst lerichen I nt eresses, so spricht alle Welt
davon, sie hat , abgesehen von der Annehmlichkeit oder
Unannehmlichkeit des Erlebnisses, die Reklame davon.
Was t ut nun ihre Kollegin, der die Nat ur die psychischen oder
krperlichen Vorbedingungen zu einer solchen Rolle vorent halt en
hat ? . . .
Oder man denke sich einen Geiger, der sich die Hand gebrochen
hat . I st die Hand eine Meist erhand, so wird daraus ein
Gesprchst hema, die Reklame ist da. Dem
gesundheit sst rot zenden, reklamebedrft igen Rivalen, dem das
Glck zu verunglcken versagt war, bleibt in diesem Falle nicht s
anders brig als den Hals zu brechen.
Solange die Kunst im ffent lichen I nt eresse st eht , solange wird es
auch Reklame geben, aus dem einfachen, eben illust riert en
Grunde, da Reklame nicht nur Ursache der Berhmt heit ,
sondern auch umgekehrt deren oft unvermeidliche Wirkung sein
kann. Wir schreiben fr und wider die Reklame; die Obj ekt ivit t
hiezu werden viele von uns nur in dem Gefhle finden, da dabei
fr sie auf j eden Fall Reklame herauskommt . Wie et wa
Elekt rizit t wieder Elekt rizit t erzeugt , Geld sich gern zu Geld
gesellt , so gebiert Berhmt heit wieder Berhmt heit . Nur drfen,
um beim Beispiel zu bleiben, die Zinsen im Verhlt nis zum Kapit al
Reklame zur Berhmt heit nicht zu Wucherzinsen ausart en.
Dies zu verhindern wre meines Eracht ens das Publikum
mindest ens in demselben Mae berufen wie der Knst ler. Das
gut e Publikum mit den soliden Prinzipien verhlt sich aber zur
Reklame des Knst lers wie der st renge Ehegat t e zum
Toilet t enaufwand seiner Frau. Er hrt nicht auf, ber die
Rechnungen zu schimpfen, sich ber den Widersinn mancher
Mode aufzuhalt en, behaupt et hin und wieder, die Schnheit
seiner Frau bedrfe auch gar nicht dieser knst lichen
Anziehungsmit t el, die sie ent wrdigen und geht doch der
erst en best en Koket t e, die diese Talmiknst e besser verst eht , ins
Garn. . . . Und so manche Frau, der die Liebe und Treue ihres
Mannes ber alles ging, mut e in den Kampf der Schminke und
der falschen Locken um des Lockens willen ziehen.
I ch mcht e daher meine Meinung ber diese St reit fragen in den
Ruf ausklingen lassen, der sich vor allem an Krit ik und Publikum
richt et : Lasset das Schimpfen, lasset das Krit t eln. Bedenket die
Arbeit und Mhsal, die nervenverzehrende, krperaufreibende
Hast einer Knslerlaufbahn. Lasset ihn gewhren, diesen
modernen Ahasver in seinem Kampf um Ruhm und Anerkennung,
um Ruhe und Sicherheit seines Alt ers, um den schnst en, ihm
von allem Anfang an winkenden Lorbeer, um dereinst unabhngig
von den Gebot en des Mammons, ganz seinen knst lerischen
I dealen leben zu knnen.
Glaubt I hr j edoch einmal wirkliche Ursache zur Klage zu haben,
hat sich ein Knst ler ernst lich gegen Geschmack oder gut e Sit t e
vergangen, dann bleibt st andhaft und unnachsicht ig, verschlieet
Euer Ohr mit Wachs gegen die Lockungen der Reklamekyrke. Auf
diese Weise st raft I hr nicht nur den Fehlenden, I hr scht zt auch
gleichzeit ig am best en den ehrlich gebliebenen Knst ler vor dem
Zwange der Nachahmung.
Gemeinplt ze der Dummheit .
Jedes Leben ist ein Roman, doch nicht j eder Roman ein Leben ,
sagt der Dicht er. Nun biet et das Leben auch Tragdien und
Possen, und am Ende kommt es darauf an, welche Rolle man sich
selbst darin zuweist . I n der Tragdie spiele ich am liebst en mit , in
der Posse bin ich Zuschauer. I ch habe viele Possen gesehen und
von manchen gehrt . Das macht : I ch komme weit herum, die
Dummheit aber ist berall zu Hause und kennt keine Grenzen.
Das Charakt erist ische an ihr ist , da man sie berall in derselben
Quant it t und in denselben Kleidern findet , whrend die Klugheit
st et s neue Wege sucht . So erwart et mich bei meiner Ankunft in
irgend einer St adt , mag sie im Sden oder Norden, in Amerika
oder Europa liegen, st et s derselbe rger: Wenn ich auch noch so
viel Handgepck mit mir fhre, die Trger st rzen sich immer nur
auf den einen Gegenst and, den ich beim Ausst eigen aus dem
Waggon in der Hand halt e und nie aus der Hand gebe: Meinen
Geigenkast en. Verlange ich im Hot el ein ruhiges Zimmer, so
laut et die st ereot ype Ant wort : So ruhig wie bei uns ist es
nirgends. Mein Koffer wird von den diversen Lohndienern st et s
hart an die Wand gest ellt , so da ich ihn erst drei Schrit t e weit
zerren mu, damit der Deckel beim ffnen nicht sofort wieder
zuklappt . Ent schliee ich mich da oder dort , bezglich des
Programms, der Sit zpreise oder im Konzert arrangement eine
Neuerung zu versuchen, so bekomme ich berall zu hren: Ja,
unsere St adt lt sich mit anderen nicht vergleichen. Da mu
man erst die besonderen Verhlt nisse kennen lernen.
Da zum Beispiel die Kreut zersonat e in Ruland und Amerika als
eine musikalische Erlut erung zum Roman des Grafen Tolst oi
aufgefat wird, will ich nicht weit er erwhnen. I nt eressant er ist ,
wenn der Referent einer Pilsener Zeit ung mir vor drei Jahren den
Vorwurf macht e, ich behandelt e denn doch die Kleinst dt er mit zu
groer Geringscht zung, indem ich die Sonat e eines lngst
vergessenen und berdies nie bedeut enden Geigers namens
Kreut zer aufs Programm set zt e. Eine Ehrenst elle in meinen
Gemeinplt zen der Dummheit gebhrt einer Begebenheit , die mir
vor zwei Jahren in Meran widerfuhr. Da die lange Haart racht fr
die Menge das Sinnbild der Knst lerschaft bedeut et , ist bekannt .
I ch habe mir auch aus diesem Grunde die Haare recht kurz
scheren lassen, weil ich finde, da es doch nicht angeht , sich
selbst als Genie oder Talent zu st igmat isieren. I n Meran nun gab
diese meine Vorsicht Anla zu einer art igen Verwechslung. I ch
hat t e dort vier Konzert e absolviert und war eben im Begriff
abzureisen, als zwei Amerikaner eint rafen, die das Wundert ier
wenigst ens sehen wollt en, nachdem sie zum Hren schon zu spt
gekommen waren. I ch ging mit meinem frheren Pianist en Willy
Klasen durch das Foyer des Hot els Meranerhof nach dem
Bureau, um meine Rechnung zu begleichen. Whrend Klasen auf
mich wart et e, t rat einer der neuangekommenen Yankees auf ihn
zu und fragt e ihn verlegen: Verzeihen Sie, sind Sie der berhmt e
Geiger ? Klasen: Sie meinen Herrn Huberman? Nein, der zahlt
eben dort seine Rechnung. Worauf der andere zweifelnd: Sie
sind also nicht Herr Huberman? Nein, wie ich ihnen sage, bin
ich sein Begleit er und heie Klasen. Das ist aber merkwrdig.
Sie sind blo sein Begleit er und t ragen doch lngere Haare als er ?
!
Et was Komisches erlebt e mein I mpresario Hfer mit einem
Angehrigen des Offiziersst andes, einem sicherlich sonst sehr
acht baren Manne, dem der Dienst nicht Zeit gelassen hat t e, mit
der Musik ein Verhlt nis anzufangen. Hfer fiel es auf, da der
wackere Krieger, der sich im Verlauf meines Konzert s weidlich zu
langweilen schien, bei einer am Schlusse zugegebenen Bach-
Nummer fr Violino Solo in Ekst ase geriet , und er konnt e nicht
umhin, den Herrn nach der Ursache dieser plt zlichen Wandlung
zu fragen. Ja wissen Sie, laut et e die Ant wort , ich habe schon
viele Geiger gehrt ; da war Sarasat e, der sich im Wiener
Musikvereinssaal von sechzig Musikern begleit en lie. Dann kam
Joachim, der nur drei Genossen zur Begleit ung braucht e. Noch
besser gefiel mir allerdings Kubelik, der sich mit einem Pianist en
zu helfen wut e. Die Krane gebhrt aber Huberman, der mit
seiner Wiedergabe Bachs bewies, da er auch ohne Begleit er
nicht in Verlegenheit gert ! ! hnliches passiert e mir sogar in
Riga. I ch sage: Sogar. Denn ich halt e Riga fr eine der
int elligent est en und daher auch musikalischest en St dt e Europas.
Schon als Kind dort sehr beliebt , kam ich nach mehr als
sechsj hriger Abwesenheit vor vier Jahren zum zweit enmal dahin.
I ch hat t e das Malheur, unmit t elbar vor meiner Abreise nach
Ruland den Pianist en wechseln zu mssen, da meinem st ndigen
Begleit er von seit en der st erreichischen Behrden der Pa bis
zur Erledigung seiner Milit rpflicht verweigert wurde. I ch konnt e
rasch Ersat z schaffen, doch war es schlielich nicht Schuld des
Mannes, wenn beim erst en Rigaer Konzert das Zusammenspiel
viel zu wnschen brig lie. I ch in meinem berschumenden
Temperament half dem mangelnden Rhyt hmus durch einen
krft igen Fut rit t nach. Und das Publikum, dieser grt e Freund
von uerlichkeit en, acht et e nicht weit er auf die sonst igen
Vorzge des Pianist en, sondern brach den St arb ber ihn. Da
der Mann unschuldig war, bewies er beim zweit en Konzert . Wir
hat t en gengend Zeit zum Proben, und das Konzert nahm einen
glat t en Versauf. I ch spielt e das Konzert von Tschaikowsky, die
Ciaconna von Bach fr Violino Solo und mehrere kleinere St cke
mit Klavierbegleit ung. Das Tschaikowsky- Konzert ging
vort refflich, doch der Beifall klang flau, das Publikum lehnt e sich
gegen den Pianist en auf, der Hand in Hand mit mir auf dem
Podium erschien. Erst nach der Ciaconna von Bach brach ein
wahrer Applausorkan aus. I ch mu gest ehen, da mir bei aller
Wert scht zung des Rigaer Publikums dieser Beifall nach einem so
schwer verst ndlichen St cke nicht begreiflich war. Am nchst en
Morgen erfuhr ich die ganze konkret e Ursache Es hie: Die
Geist esgegenwart Hubermans ist doch erst aunlich. Als er sah,
da ihm der Pianist mit der Begleit ung des Tschaikowsky-
Konzert s wieder einen St rich durch die Rechnung macht e, verfiel
er auf die I dee, die Ciaconna ohne Klavierbegleit ung zu spielen.
Ein weit eres Komment ar ist berflssig.
Das unglaublichst e St ckchen menschlicher Einfalt hat ein Freund
von mir, der berhmt e Pianist Alfred Reisenauer, in Ruland
erlebt . I ch mu zur Erlut erung vorausschicken, da dieser
Knst ler, der zu den wahrhaft Begnadet en gehrt , nach Ant on
Rubinst ein in Ruland den grt en Erfolg hat t e, so da sein Ruhm
bis in die kleinst en Winkel des unermelich groen Reiches
drang, wo ein Flgel ein unbekannt es Ding ist . Eines Tages sollt e
er in Kut ais im Kaukasus konzert ieren, wohin ihm die erst e
Klavierfirma Rulands, Becker, das Klavier per Wagen
nachschickt e, da die St adt damals noch keine Bahnverbindung
hat t e. Doch die Achse des Wagens, worauf sich der Flgel befand,
brach unt erwegs und Reisenauer langt e ohne Flgel und voll
dst erer Erwart ungen in Kut ais an. Dort erfuhr er, da das
einzige Klavier, das im Ort anzut reffen sei, dem Groherzog von
Oldenburg gehre, der dort in Verbannung lebt e. Reisenauer eilt e
in das Palais und erhielt vom Adj ut ant en die Zusage, da er, doch
erst nach 9 Uhr, auf den Flgel rechnen knne. Beruhigt begab er
sich zu dem dort igen Konzert arrangeur, einem ehrsamen
Hndler, der vielleicht wut e, wie viel St ck ein Schock Eier
habe, doch von dem Wesen eines Konzert s offenbar keine
Ahnung hat t e. Alle Bemhungen Reisenauers, dem Manne
begreiflich zu machen, da das Konzert erst um 9 Uhr beginnen
knne, blieben frucht los. Der best and vielmehr auf seinem Schein
und verlangt e, da der Beginn fr 8 Uhr eingehalt en werde, da er
gewohnt sei, seine Best ellungen prompt zu liefern. Die Szene
droht e ungemt lich zu werden, als der Wackere plt zlich ein
Schreiben aus seiner Brieft asche nahm und zu dem Virt uosen
sagt e: I st das I hre Handschrift ? Ja, aber . . . Nun, dann
knnen Sie mir nicht ent gehen. Hier heit es ausdrcklich im
Programm: Adagio und Fugue, dann Schuman, Karneval, St cke
von Chopin, Rhapsodie Nr. 13 von Liszt und erst am Schlusse,
Flgel von Becker. Sie brauchen also den Flgel erst am Schlusse
des Konzert s und nicht zu Beginn. Tableau!
Erinnerung an Josef Joachim
Josef Joachim! Noch zit t ert in meiner Erinnerung der Widerhall
nach, den einst die erst e Kunde von diesem Apost el der Musik in
meinem kindlichen Gemt erweckt e; es war ein Gefhl
andcht iger, verst ummender Scheu, wie es eben nur die
legendre Vorst ellung von unermelicher Gre, grenzenloser
Aut orit t , noch unfabarer durch die schier unerreichbare
Ent fernung dieses Wesens Warschau Berlin in der
Phant asie eines Kindes zu erwecken vermag! Und nun kommt die
let zt e Kunde von ihm, den ich inzwischen durch eigenes
Erkennen und Erfassen zu lieben und zu verehren gelernt habe,
seine Erscheinung verflcht igt sich zu einer sagenhaft en Vision
und es erfat mich wieder j ener heilige Schauer meiner Kindheit ,
der fort an die Vorst ellung des Meist ers in meinem I nnern
begleit en wird. Wenn ein Mensch nach fast acht zigj hrigem
Erdenwallen noch solche Gefhle wachzurufen vermag, dann
t rgt er das Got t eszeichen des Genies in sich. Die hehre Art
allein, wie Joachim diese Gabe bet t igt e, wrden ihm wie im
Gedcht nis aller Zeit genossen, so auch in dem meinigen ein
Denkmal schwrmerischer Verehrung sichern. Doch bei mir
gesellt sich noch ein persnliches Gefhl hinzu, das der
Dankbarkeit . Die Begebenheit en, die mich dem Meist er auf ewig
verpflicht et en, will ich hier erzhlen.
Es sind zwar leider nur sprliche Erinnerungen, sie beleucht en
j edoch Ereignisse, die fr meine Ent wicklung von der grt en
Bedeut ung wurden.
Es war im Jahre 1892, ich zhlt e erst neun Jahre, sprach nur
polnisch; es ist also selbst verst ndlich, da ich zu j ener Zeit nicht
fhig war, Reflexionen anzust ellen ber das, was ich sah und
hrt e, und wenn daher die nachst ehende Schilderung et was
reichlich vom St andpunkt e des eigenen I ch ausgeht , so mag das
dem kleinen Jungen verziehen werden, aus dessen Erinnerungen
ich schpfe.
I ch war, wie gesagt , neun Jahre alt , als ich zu Joachim kam. Drei
Jahre lang hat t e ich bereit s in meiner Vat erst adt Violinunt erricht
genossen. Mehrere erfolgreiche Konzert e in Warschau und den
umliegenden St dt en waren der Lohn meiner emsigen Arbeit . Alle
Welt war des Lobes voll ber meine Begabung und man sagt e mir
die glnzendst e Zukunst voraus. Doch war man sich darber
einig, da erst der Berliner Meist er mich gehrt und sein Verdikt
ausgesprochen haben msse, bevor ich mich ganz der
Knst lerlaufbahn widme. Auch meinen Elt ern drngt e sich diese
berzeugung auf, doch wurde es ihnen schwer, sie in die Tat
umzuset zen. Wir lebt en von der Hand in den Mund und eben erst
hat t e mein armer, frhzeit ig verst orbener Vat er, der von Beruf
Advokat war, nach vieler Mhe eine fest e Anst ellung in einem
Recht sbureau erhalt en. Doch das Glck ihres Kindes und
dieses hing j a von dem Beifall des ruhmreichst en Geigers ab
lag ihnen derart am Herzen, da sie mit berwindung aller
Hindernisse nach Berlin zu gehen beschlossen. Um die Mit t el
hiezu beschaffen zu knnen, mut e unser gesamt es Hab und Gut
verkauft werden. Mit dem Erls 400 Rubel st rzt en wir uns
in das von unbekannt en St rmungen durchzogene Meer des
Lebens, als dessen einziger Ret t ungsanker uns der groe Mann in
Berlin erschien. Der geradezu schwindlige Wagemut meiner Elt ern
sollt e belohnt werden. Bei unserer Ankunft in Berlin wurde uns
recht bange ums Herz, als wir hrt en, da der Meist er
Wunderkindern nicht sehr gewogen war. Mein Vat er gebraucht e
eine List , um nur bis in das Heiligt um zugelassen zu werden. Er
lie dem Meist er seine Visit enkart e des I nhalt s: Jakob
Huberman, Advokat aus Warschau berreichen, und ich mut e
mich noch kleiner machen, als ich war, um vorlufig gar nicht
bemerkt zu werden. Die List gelang, und mit der Frage, welche
j uridische Angelegenheit ihm wohl das Vergngen verschaffe,
wurden wir von Joachim empfangen: Wie ent set zt prallt e er
zurck, als er mich hint er dem Rockzipfel meiner Mut t er erblickt e.
Was, schon wieder ein Wunderkind, ich will nicht s davon wissen,
lassen Sie mich in Ruhe damit ! Das oder hnliches waren seine
Wort e, wie ich aus den Gest en und nacht rglichen berset zungen
ent nehmen konnt e. Meine Elt ern, die in ihrer waghalsigen
Zuversicht alle Brcken hint er sich abgebrochen hat t en, lieen
sich nicht so bald einschcht ern. Nachdem ihm mein Vat er die
Opfer aufgezhlt , die er fr diese Pilgerfahrt gebracht hat t e,
erbarmt e sich Joachim endlich und best immt e eine St unde fr die
Prfung. Diese St unde wird mir unvergelich bleiben. I ch sehe
noch den groen alt en Herrn mit dem grauen Bart und dem
gt igen, abes doch st reng ernst en Ausdruck, der mir zuerst nicht
wenig Angst einflt e, sehe, wie er sich halb ungeduldig ans
Klavier set zt , mich zu begleit en, wie sein I nt eresse fr mein Spiel
mehr und mehr wchst , wie er schlielich, alle anfngliche
Zurckhalt ung beiseit e lassend, auf mich zueilt und mich
t rnenden Auges in seine Arme schliet . Man wird es
verst ehen, wenn in diesem schmerzlichen Augenblick auch mein
Auge nicht t rocken bleibt , da ich an des t ot en Meist ers Trne
denke, welche mir die knst lerische Weihe verlieh. I ch spielt e
ein Konzert von Spohr, die Ballade und Polonaise von Vieuxt emps
und eine Noct urne von Chopin. Der Meist er war wie verwandelt .
Er bekundet e die grt e Teilnahme fr unsere Lage und erbot
spont an seine Hilfe. Am glcklichst en macht e mich seine
Erklrung, da er mich als Schler aufnehmen wolle. Beim
Fort gehen bergab er uns zwei Briefe, den einen an Herrn
Dreler gericht et , einen in Berlin wohnhaft en polnischen Musiker,
wohl mit Rcksicht auf unsere Unbeholfenheit im Deut schen.
Leider ist es mir nicht gelungen, diesen bedeut samen Brief
recht zeit ig zur St elle zu schaffen. Das andere Schreiben war fr
die ffent lichkeit best immt und laut et e:
Mit Vergngen spreche ich es aus, da der neunj hrige
Huberman ein ganz hervorragendes musikalisches Talent besit zt .
Mir ist kaum im Leben eine so viel versprechende frhzeit ige
Ent wicklung auf der Geige vorgekommen.
Denn es wurde ausgemacht , da ich es war im Monat Mai
den Sommer ber mit einer Tournee in den Kurort en ( Karlsbad,
Marienbad, I schl usw. ) mir einiges Geld verdienen sollt e, und da
konnt e dem Unbekannt en das Zeugnis Joachims als Geleit brief
dienen. I nzwischen wollt e Joachim das Terrain vorbereit en, um
die mat erielle Mglichkeit fr mein Verbleiben in Berlin zu
schaffen. I m Sept ember sollt e ich zurckkommen. So geschah es
auch. Joachim hat t e Wort gehalt en. I m Verein mit der durch ihren
Kunst - und Gemeinsinn bekannt en Familie Ginsberg, deren Sohn
Ludwig mich schon ein Jahr vorher in Polen sozusagen ent deckt
hat t e, war es ihm gelungen, ein ungewhnlich hohes St ipendium
( 4000 Mark j hrlich) fr mich zu erwirken, und nun begann fr
mich die arbeit sreichst e Zeit meines Lebens. Der Lehrplan wurde
nach den Anordnungen Joachims fest geset zt , welcher ein Feind
aller spezialist ischen Einseit igkeit war. Er t raf selbst die Wahl der
Professoren fr Harmonielehre und Klavier, und best ellt e auch
noch einen Geigenlehrer, der mein st eifes Handgelenk fr den
Kursus bei Joachim vorbereit en sollt e. Er sorgt e auch fr
grndlichen Unt erricht in den humanist ischen Fchern. Dieses
St reben, den Horizont seiner Schler nach allen Seit en hin
mglichst zu erweit ern, kennzeichnet am best en das Weisen von
Joachims Persnlichkeit und weist auf den Weg hin, den er selbst
gegangen. Ein wicht iger Fakt or war in seinen Augen das Anhren
hervorragender Meist er, und zwar nicht nur Geiger. So erinnere
ich mich noch dankbarst eines Rubinst einkonzert es, das ich auf
Joachims Veranlassung hin besucht e; auch mut e ich Rubinst ein
vorspielen und darber Bericht erst at t en. Nach neunmonat lichem
Aufent halt e, der den Grund zu meiner allgemeinen Bildung legt e
und mir meine spt ere Kunst richt ung vorzeichnet e, verlie ich
Berlin infolge besonderer Umst nde, welche ich heut e unberhrt
lassen mcht e. I ch ging in die weit e Welt und hrt e nicht auf,
ungeacht et meiner nun beginnenden Konzert reisen an mir immer
weit er zu arbeit en und mich zu vervollkommnen. I ch lie keine
Gelegenheit vorbergehen, mich an der Joachimschen Kunst zu
erheben und sog bis in die allerlet zt e Zeit mit t iefen, gierigen
Zgen die, ich mcht e sagen, gereinigt e At mosphre ein, welche
vom Konzert podium aus st et s von Joachim ausging.
Mein ganzes Leben lang werde ich an den rhrenden
berwlt igenden Eindrcken der let zt en Joachimquart et t e zehren.
Es war hchst e Abgeklrt heit , dabei doch die frischest e
Gest alt ungskraft und die innigst e I nbrunst , die aus seinen Tnen
sprach. Nicht s I rdisches haft et e mehr diesem Evangelist en an,
auer den Mit t eln, ber die er zu seinen Offenbarungen verfgt e.
Und auch diese erschienen mir manchmal wie ein Wunder. Wenn
ich, von meiner Andacht erwachend, zum Podium aufschaut e und
dieses ehrwrdige, ergraut e Haupt erblickt e, mut e ich mich
unwillkrlich fragen, wie ist es mglich, da sich dieser Greis
einen solchen Grad auch rein t echnischer Frische bewahrt hat . Ein
geradezu anat omisches Rt sel blieb mir bis an sein Lebensende
seine Bogenfhrung, um die ihn alle j ngeren, in der Flle ihrer
Kraft st ehenden Geiger beneiden konnt en. Am liebst en folgt e ich
ihm in j ene hchst en Regionen der Musik, in deren Erschlieung
eines seiner unvergnglichen Verdienst e liegt . Wo man bis dahin
nur Eis und felsiges Gest ein vermut et e, da pflckt e er die
schnst en Alpenrosen und Edelwei, und erffnet e den
herrlichst en Fernblick auf blaue, von linden Lft en sanft bewegt e
Seen, umrahmt von blumengeschmckt en, im Sonnenschein
erst rahlenden Fluren.
I ch preise das gt ige Geschick, welches mich im Wint er 1906
nach einem Zeit raum von dreizehn Jahren wieder mit Joachim
zusammenfhrt e. Die gt igen Wort e, die der Meist er an mich
richt et e, seine Freude ber meine Wirksamkeit , von der er durch
Freunde verschiedent lich gehrt , und vor allem die Befriedigung,
die er darber uert e, da ich der klassischen Musik t reu
geblieben bin, werden mir ein Ansporn sein, auch weit erhin dem
mir vorschwebenden I deal nachzust reben, in nie erlschender
dankbarer Erinnerung an den Meist er, dessen Heimgang nicht nur
fr uns Geiger und Musiker, sondern fr die gesamt e Kult urwelt
einen unerset zlichen Verlust bedeut et .

Search
Elza Galafres: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/literature/books/galafres/[02/11/12 06:52:09]
p. 33 - 34
Spring brought wit h it an excit ing concert season, t he climax
being t he piano recit al by Josef Hofmann and t he appearance of a
young violinist , Bronislaw Huberman, whose name I heard for t he
first t ime. He apparent ly began his career as a child prodigy and
had been t raveling over t he world. His concert s were sensat ional.
Audiences raved. I n Riga, crowds gat hered in front of t he Concert
Direct ors office t o get a glimpse of t he display of gift s t o t his
wonder child gorgeous j eweled wreat hs, lit t le silver and gold
violins, diamond wat ches and ot her fabulous obj ect s.
Unfort unat ely I couldnt at t end his concert s as t hey t ook place at
t he same t ime as my own appearances. How lit t le I guessed t hat
dest iny had already begun t o lay plans which would culminat e in
t his same cit y a decade and a half lat er.

p. 59 - 62
Simply a t elephone call, but it changed my life, t hough at t he
t ime who could have guessed t he out come? Mrs. Keller, wife of
t he Direct or of Concert s, invit ed me t o share her box one evening
t o hear t he Brahms Violin Concert o wit h Bronislaw Huberman as
soloist .
I t was a long t ime since I had first heard t hat name, and t he
waves of t urbulent success t hat followed it . I knew t he gossip
about t he over - zealous and greedy fat her who had forced t he
boy t o give concert s t o t he point of exhaust ion. Playing, playing,
night aft er weary night t o earn t he money t o support a whole
family. Not t oo unusual a st ory; almost a commonplace in t he
musical world.
Our box was close t o t he st age, and I sat forward, int ense and
impat ient for t he appearance of t his famous figure. Good God!
Was t his a night mare? Could t his languid yout h who came slowly
on t o t he st age wit h st ooped shoulders and dragging st eps be t he
great Huberman? I was close enough t o see his pale, almost
ashen face and heavy red eyelids. What a price t o pay for
success. My heart was flooded wit h pit y. He was st ill very young,
but surely he had been great ly wronged t o look like t his. Who
had t reat ed him so?
His left hand lift ed t he violin and pressed it t ight ly t o his shoulder
and chin, while his right hand lift ed t he bow, and t here emerged
a t one sweet er, more powerful, more sublime t han I had ever
heard. I t was like a voice t hat sobbed and rej oiced alt ernat ely,
but always wit h pain, somet imes a cry of anguish, somet imes
silent mourning. Cadences of heavenly sound poured fort h as t he
left hand commanded, forced, mast ered. And t he supreme
assuredness of t he right hand, full of energy wit h a long, st eady
Bronis & Elza at
Sanat orium Lahmann,
Dresden
At t he summer home,
Rekawinkel , Aust ria
Elza and Johannes,
1911
Elza Galafrs
Elza Galafrs, a well known singer and act ress, married
Huberman in 1910. They had one child, but t he marriage
did not last long, and she lat er married t he composer
Dohnanyi. She moved t o Canada, and published an
aut obiography Lives . . . Loves . . . Losses from which t hese
ext ended ext ract s are t aken. Alt hough t he book is out of
print , second- hand copies are st ill regularly obt ainable.
bow. Here was t he ult imat e of genius, as he t ransport ed his great
audience t o height s of happiness wit h his art . But he, himself ?
The moment he dropped t he violin by his side t he magic
depart ed, and t he old, t ired, dull expression came over his face.
A weak smile moment arily t ouched his lips as he bowed st iffly
and almost wit h embarrassment . Deafening applause engulfed
him as a hurricane, and he t ook call aft er call. Laboriously t he
t hin body st raight ened t he last down bow t hen he left t he
plat form wit h t he same heavy, languid st eps.
I was st ill looking at t he exit t hrough which he had left t he st age,
st unned, and wit h my hands cramped and whit e from having
been clenched so t ight ly. A voice brought me back t o realit y.
Well, what do you have t o say? A t remendous success alright ,
but poor Bron! Hes in a bad way at t he moment , as you could
see. You must have been disappoint ed at his appearance, werent
you?
Before I could mumble a reply, my companion looked at me
shyly.
Youve no idea t he number of beaut iful, elegant women who are
aft er him. But right now hes had a lit t le misfort une, poor fellow.
His lit t le love nest in San Remo is no more.
Before I had t o list en t o any more gossip Mrs. Keller t ook my
arm:
Let s go. A few of us are having a lit t le privat e dinner.
Huberman will be t here.
He was sit t ing at a t able discussing his order wit h a wait er when
we arrived at t he hot el I mperial. Half a bot t le of champagne
st ood in front of him. As I was int roduced he gave me only a
quick glance:
Excuse me if I dont get up. I m t erribly t ired. These awful night s
on t he t rain, and t he noise in t he hot els. I f only I didnt have t his
rankling insomnia, and t his season were at an end!
He filled his glass and drank it at a gulp.
I m no part icular friend t o alcohol but it helps me over t he init ial
fat igue.
He didnt at t empt t o fill my glass and as I sat down a wait er
brought his order which he immediat ely began t o eat , complet ely
ignoring me. A glass crashed t o t he floor, he j umped, looking at
me wit h a st art led glare. I felt helpless but having t o say
somet hing I blurt ed out :
Broken glass brings good luck!
Luck ? His eyes focused on me, and I not iced for t he first t ime
t hey were slight ly crossed. A heavy vein bulged on his forehead.
The sensit ive nerves frayed by irrit abilit y were mirrored painfully
on his face. I pit ied him wit h all my heart and would have given
much t o find words t o lift his t ired spirit s even for a moment t o
t ake him out of t he t roubles which seemed t o overwhelm him. I
did t alk and his look was not discouraging, as t hough my
rambling did not displease him. I t alked about t he sublimit y of art
and t he role of t he art ist , and t he wonder of finding t he human
being in t he producer behind t he product ion. He int errupt ed me
here.
I t hink youre an art ist yourself. You surely know t hat t he art ist
and t he human being are not divisible.
Oh t hey are. We bot h know art ist s whose work is sublime. Yet
as human beings t hey are small, pet t y, filled wit h vanit ies and
weaknesses t hat make a very poor comparison wit h t heir art .
Perhaps you put t oo much weight on ext ernal percept ive t hings.
Rekawinkel, 1911-
1912
An art ist cannot be import ant if he fails as a human being.
I was silenced, and I t hink he saw my discomfit ure, for he
smiled. Life can be so complicat ed t hat t he complicat ions
prevent you from living.
He t hen t ook leave of t he company, saying My t rain leaves at
seven in t he morning.
I d have liked so much t o t hank him for what he had given us
t hat evening wit h his art , t o say somet hing t hat might have
pleased him and lift ed him from his let hargy. I felt t hat t he poor
young man had never in his life enj oyed t he peace of simple
happiness. And t hat I couldnt pass on t o him some of my own
j oy in living was a pain t o me. I lay awake for a long t ime. Near
me on a t able was a big bunch of Parma violet s. They gave me
an inspirat ion, and event ually I fell asleep. I wakened early, and
once again t he violet s seemed t o urge me. I dressed, t ook t he
flowers and hast ened t o t he West St at ion. The t rain was already
in. There was no sign of Huberman. Three minut es before
depart ure he came on t o t he plat form wit h his secret ary. I
hurried up t o him and held out t he violet s. Surprised but
seemingly delight ed he t ook t he flowers and grasped my hand.
I f I d known you were t o be here I d have come much earlier.
How was your night ? Could you sleep a lit t le?
Hardly an hour. And it goes on and on. So many weeks, mont hs,
unt il t he end of t he season.
Do t ake care of yourself. That s no life.
He laughed bit t erly.
Life?
All aboard, a shake of t he hand, a wave from t he window, and he
slowly passed from view.
But not from my life. When I ret urned from a guest t our a few
weeks lat er, my mot her handed me a t elegram, which said
Passing t hrough Vienna on Friday. Delight ed t o have dinner wit h
you at I mperial. Greet ings.
I t was signed Suderman, but we couldnt underst and why
Suderman, t he well - known aut hor, whom I had never met ,
should have invit ed me t o dinner. The t elegram remained
unanswered. I t had been from Huberman!

pp. 66 - 90
At t he end of a busy season in Vienna I went t o Weisser Hirsch
in Dresden t o recuperat e at t he Sanat orium run by Dr. Lahman
where he cured some people and t aught ot hers how t o live a
healt hy life.
I t was healt hy indeed. A cold shower, breakfast , a brisk walk clad
only in a bat hing suit , despit e t he weat her. A hot spring bat h, a
sun bat h, a silent rest in a quiet forest glade before every meal,
which consist ed t o a great ext ent of salads and fruit . Much
walking, early ret iring, and a det erminat ion not t o t hink about
problems. This was my prescript ion, and I t ried t o follow it
explicit ly unt il one morning during sunbat hing I caught a snat ch
of conversat ion bet ween t wo client s.
But hes ugly.
I dont t hink so. Hes int erest ing.
What about t hat love affair ?
There he is different from t he average art ist . I hear he t ook it
very seriously and really suffered.
Oh, I m not sure. I t hink hes only exhaust ed aft er overworking.
The t hing is hes only aft er money.
Do you wonder, aft er t he kind of childhood he had. Poor
Huberman. When did he arrive? I s he st aying in t he San. or in
one of t he privat e villas?
Before my eyes t he landscape was whirling. I had t o get up. I
t ook a shower and went int o t he garden, seeking a quiet place in
which t o calm myself. But it was useless. Baron Rosen, a
pleasant acquaint ance from Vienna swooped down on me, wit h
reproaches t hat I had been hiding myself from people! When I
didnt answer he looked at me closely.
My dear your nerves must be badly on edge. Must you always
play your part s wit h your whole soul ? Youll burn yourself out .
Take t hings more easily. Why dont you let me come t o see you
one aft ernoon? To such an old man you can surely t alk, and
unburden yourself. I was nearly in t ears when he left , and t hat
night at dinner my neighbour, t he famous singer, Hans Erwin,
looked at me sympat het ically and said seriously:
Have you an upset st omach? You look t roubled?
I was furious wit h myself for having such a t ransparent face.
St rangers even could see when I was dist urbed. But was I
dist urbed? Where was my wonderful peace of mind now, t hat
simply t he name of t his man had such an effect on me. And on
t he ot her hand, t here was my great , et ernal longing for t he
perfect emot ional experience, t he except ional fat e. Was t his t o be
it ? Didnt I crave t o make t his man happy? To make him happy
t o do him good? Damn, was t hat it ? Always resolving it self int o
This poor man!
I did not see him for some days, and t hen one aft ernoon as I
was sit t ing wit h friends I perceived at a dist ance a t hin figure,
walking slowly, but not dragging. He had on a cream silk summer
suit , and was an elegant figure. He spoke t o me: Do I int errupt ?
I learned only t oday t hat you are here. He remained when my
friends left . What a change! As closed as he had been t he
evening I met him, so now was he open and t alkat ive. He spoke
about his violin, about his music desk which t urned pages
aut omat ically, t he special pneumat ic cover for his violin t o
prevent inj ury t o it on voyages. An invent ion on which he want ed
t o procure a pat ent and of which he appeared t o be prouder t han
of his great art ist ry. Was t his t he same man, so warm, almost
childlike? I t was. From t ime t o t ime a shadow passed quickly over
his face, and hed make a caust ic remark, or sarcast ically dist ort
a word in a wry j oke, but always skillfully, even brilliant ly. I
began t o realize more fully t he dept h and complexit y of t his great
art ist , and not for t he first t ime I felt pit ifully ignorant . He
dazzled me wit h his logic, and t eased me on any subj ect . Finally
he began t o t alk about his early yout h, and here, alt hough he
picked his words wit h care, he showed bit t erness and regret .
We were poor all right , but t hat neednt have prevent ed a lit t le
j oy in our lives. My fat her had an ungovernable t emper it cost
him his first j ob as a t eacher, so he had t o become a clerk in a
lawyers office. As soon as it was recognized t hat I had t alent he
gave up working in order t o build up my career. I was only t en
years old at t he t ime, and t here were t wo younger brot hers, but
t he whole financial support of t he family fell on me.
I was shaken t o t he dept hs by his quiet words. What a t ragic
yout h he had.
My fat her died as a paralyt ic when I was t went y. My mot her of
course was full of fears and anxiet ies, and fant asies as well. But
she loved me t enderly. We were t he best of friends, unt il He
st opped short . And in fut ure conversat ions he always st opped at
t his point and refused t o cont inue. Once one lat e aft ernoon part
of t he secret unveiled.
People are always t alking about my eagerness for money. That
I m not generous enough, even for my own needs. But can you
imagine how much I want t he quiet ness and peace t han can only
be guarant eed by having enough money? To get t his I have t o
give up, for t he t ime being at least , all t hought s of a personal life.
When my fat her died t he fort une I had made was in his name. I
wasnt of age, and t he law said t hat everyt hing had t o be shared
wit h my mot her and brot hers. My only expedient was t o t ake t he
capit al under an obligat ion t o support my mot her and educat e my
brot hers. These are my first dut ies, and t o fulfill t hem I have t o
look aft er my healt h, and career, and sacrifice everyt hing else for
t hat .
But why didnt your mot her make a lit t le home which would
ensure you peace and quiet during your free t ime?
We t ried t hat . Shes an excellent host ess but . .
Again t hat but . He cont inued.
A suit e in an apart ment house full of noise, giving me no sleep,
is out of t he quest ion t oo. A privat e home wit h my endless
t raveling would be t oo expensive, but t hat is my dream! Now I
live in a sanat oria, and my mot her on t he French Riviera.
The Riviera?
She lives fairly modest ly t here. Her passion for t he place in
unconquerable. He sighed deeply. She suffers from an illusion,
delusion I suppose it is, t hat some Duke is going t o marry her.
Shes made a hell of bot h her own life and mine wit h t his
hallucinat ion, and we are no longer as close as we used t o be.
While he was speaking his face seemed t o change, I saw again
t he t ired yout h I had first met , t he ashen face and heavy eyes.
You can see how I am burdened wit h all t he cares and sorrows
of a family wit hout any of t he j oys, or even t he blessing of a lit t le
comfort .
What grief t hese confessions gave me. This man who had given
so many hours of happiness t o millions of people, had no shred of
happiness himself. Loneliness! I shuddered at t he t hought of his
bleak lonesome life, and what ever I had in me of sympat hy, pit y,
admirat ion and love flowed out t o him. I t hought at t hat moment
t hat t here could be no more beaut iful aim in life t han t o bring him
happiness, and wit h happiness would come peace and healt h.
I ve been t oo egot ist ical he smiled at my earnest face. I ve
t alked only about myself. Tell me somet hing of your life.
As briefly and concisely as possible I gave him a pict ure of my
life, and obviously I t old more t han I realized, for he t ook my
hand and said,
Then you t oo are lonesome. You t oo are in search
Yes.
We became lovers, and in our love we found profound
complet ion. Oh t he perfect serenit y and boundless happiness of
t hat wonderful summer! But t hough for us it was t he world
forget t ing , it was not in t he least by t he world forgot . The lit t le
shadow of t he first cloud had always been in t he sky, but in t he
beginning I ignored it . My mot her! Her life since t he deat h of my
fat her had been irrevocably bound up in mine. Not t hat she ever
let me t hink it was a sacrifice, but she had no ot her life t han
mine. And I knew her ideas t hey were my own. She had given
t hem t o me. She would not for a moment condone my
associat ion wit h Bronislaw. But Bronislaw did not share t hese
views.
Youre an art ist , an independent woman, and your love is a
privat e affair.
His lack of sympat hy for my mot hers point of view hurt me. I
felt a lit t le humiliat ed, and wondered, unfairly perhaps, if he
didnt have t he respect I believed was due t o a woman,
part icularly t o t he woman he loved, and who loved him. But I
was t orn. I sympat hized wit h him t oo. He knew at first hand t he
t reachery of love, and his belief in fait hfulness was shaky indeed.
Hour aft er hour we t alked, but could resolve not hing. I wired my
mot her t o come immediat ely.
She was almost beyond shock. All t alk seemed in vain. She was
at first complet ely adamant . But gradually Bronislaw won her t o
some kind of a t ruce. During our long separat ion in t he wint er
season we should be looked upon as engaged, t hough secret ly.
Wit h t his small sop t o her conscience she became calmer. Her
quiet , kind manner impressed Bronislaw, and on her part she
came t o est eem him, t o pit y him for his t ragic life, and
event ually t o love him.
Not t hat she underst ood him. Everyt hing t hat was so complicat ed
in his t hinking was t o her simple and st raight forward. She did not
separat e head and heart . Once Bronislaw said t o me I am t he
head, and you are t he heart .
I t would have been more accurat e if he had placed t oo lit t le
words before head and heart . Too much head and t oo much
heart described us at t his t ime.
Gossip of course surrounded us. Bronislaw wouldnt dance wit h
anyone but me, and we became conspicuous. Kind Baron Rosen
t ried t o warn me t hat I might be behaving recklessly. Clever
lit t le one, dont do st upid t hings. I t s easy t o j ump int o
somet hing, not so easy t o get out again. But I was in love, in
love! And not hing else mat t ered.
Back in Vienna we rent ed a t wo- st oried villa on t he out skirt s,
peacefully lonesome behind a forest cemet ery. Bronislaws
secret ary and pianist were wit h him, and t he house reverberat ed
wit h music from morning unt il lat e evening. At int ervals maps
were spread out on t he t able as if in t he bat t le st rat egy of a
general st aff. I had never t hought t hat concert t ours needed such
a complicat ed organizat ion. My life was fairly regular. Every day I
commut ed by t rain t o Vienna for rehearsals and performances,
and quit e oft en it was aft er midnight when I ret urned t o wind my
darkened, eerie way t hrough t he forest along t he cemet ery.
We had t hought lessly assumed t hat we would be quit e unknown
in our secluded ret reat , but one day on t hat st at ion plat form I
met a well - known aut hor and j ournalist , who smiled and asked if
I was living out t here.
Perhaps incognit o?
I clut ched at t he st raw, but of course it was useless. Lit t le not ices
began appearing in t he papers concerning our relat ionship, and
one day a friend in Berlin who had seen one of t he it ems sent
Bronislaw a t elegram warning him t o avoid t ying himself up in
obligat ions t o anyone. The whole mat t er had t o be brought up
again. Bronislaw st ill did not want t he obligat ion of marriage, but
in order t o prot ect my mot her from dist ress and t orment , and us
from unwelcome advisors, we decided t o announce our
engagement publicly. The flood of congrat ulat ory messages from
all over t he world was indescribable. I was blissfully happy in t he
fulfillment of t he great love I had always longed for.
I n t he beginning t he separat ions were only short ones and on
some of his t rips I was able t o accompany him. Each t ime I was
overwhelmed wit h emot ion as he ent ered t he st age and I saw his
eyes searching t he vast audience for t he place he expect ed I
would be. Wit h a fleet ing smile he t ook up his violin, and
everyt hing t hat could not be expressed in words he gave wit h his
glorious music.
The more knowledge I acquired of t he worries, irrit at ions and
dangers of a violinist s life, t he less t hese hours were unalloyed
happiness. I t was somet imes even pain t o be one of t he
audience. To t remble if t he night were warm and humid,
expect ing t he st rings t o go out of t une, or fearing t he hazards a
new st ring present s. Especially t he anguish of indisposit ion
caused by sleeplessness which menaces t he power of an art ist . I
sat like a chained prisoner. I had never had st age fright myself,
and could not help but only remain passive and simply wat ch!
Only an art ist who bat t les for expression, who has complet e
responsibilit y before an audience can underst and. Now I could
realize how much my mot her must have suffered. When applause
for a good performance made me happy, I knew t hat what she
felt was relief, a silent t hanksgiving t hat once again all had gone
well.
One day I was called t o t he Direct ors office where he handed me
t he part of Marguerit e in Dame au Camalia ! Was I chosen t o
t ake t his part which had been t he world success of Sarah
Bernhardt and Eleonre Duse?! Direct or Weisse insist ed, and more
t han t hat , gave me only a short t ime t o st udy it . This was t he
great est success of my whole act ing career!
The most t ouching newspaper crit iques were in t he Vienna Neue
Freie Presse and anot her by Dr. Karl St robel:
Such a delicat e role has many pit falls. Wit h Elza Galafrs,
however, everyt hing remained nat ural and simple. She gave
Marguerit e a German heart ; she gave her more dept h and soul
t han Duse ever imagined. Dumas heroine is pompous. Galafrs
does not behave in t hat way. As represent ed by her, t hrough her
love, Marguerit e becomes a very lovable, simple, uncomplicat ed
girl. I ndeed t he great miracle happens she regains lost
innocence. The past disappears; unbelievable as it may be, a halo
of t he German Gret chen is cast upon t his woman of t he
demimonde. I f she renounces, she feels it is her dut y, and she
does not behave heroically, in t hat she is brave wit hout being
conscious of it , or wit hout being proud of her act ion. One feels
t he beat of a poor and sick heart . Eleonore Duse plays t he
Kamaliendame wit h t emperament and energy, as a prosecut or
of societ y. Sarah Bernhardt plays her as a dame mondaine, but
Elza Galafrs radiat es warmt h in her present at ion. The poor girl is
complet ely at t he mercy of t he brut al forces of dest iny. Her
courage does not serve her t o at t ack or defend, only t o endure.
This is moving, and especially so when she breaks down as she
promises Armands fat her t o renounce her love, and again when
she exclaims in deep grief, dying, as she sees her beloved again.
And t he act of dying indeed t his begins in t he first act , she
plays as if under some oppression, behind a veil maybe. She is
not ever free from t he expect at ion of deat h. She is gay, pleasant
and playful but never wit hout anxiet y in her innermost being. I n
t he act of dying t here is no realist ic pain, only a slow dimming
away, like t he day passing int o night , or like a flower fading. I t is
not illness t hat kills her; it is t he pain of love.
And result ing from reviews like t hat I received many invit at ions
for guest appearances in ot her cit ies.
But life wit h Bronislaw was like living in t he midst of a whirlwind,
nor could I see why t his had t o be. Did he have t o t ake such a
part in all t he t remendous business of administ rat ion? The
endless t elegrams, t elephone calls?
I must , I must , he reit erat ed. Do you know how managers and
owners cont rive t o cheat t he art ist ? This is my affair. You must
let me manage it in my own way.
I t all seemed so wast eful t o me, such needless expense of healt h
and nerves, and especially now while we were young, t o
squander our passions in t hese endless discussions and
argument s. That bat t le would go on night aft er night , in hot el
rooms, wit h t he secret ary and accompanist in rooms on eit her
side of his t o prevent dist urbance from inconsiderat e neighbours.
I could have saved myself from much worried soul - searching had
I had more experience or worldly knowledge. But somehow I was
st ill full of t he absurd belief t hat my love for him had power t o
overcome all difficult ies.
Somet imes I lost courage. Somet imes he did, and somet imes we
bot h did. Spring st orms roared over our new love. No mild,
t ender, whit e- budded blossoms no blue unclouded sky
spreading st reams of golden sunshine. Bronislaw would suddenly
decide t hat he couldnt go on, and as quickly decide t hat he
couldnt give me up. Even at t he point of collapse I never
wavered. I would not let him down. And in bet ween would be
hours of violent ly passionat e love- making which would leave us
bot h shaken.
I was t o become a mot her!
As a t ree can be shaken t o it s root s by a t hunderst orm, so t he
knowledge brought t o my consciousness t he scandal . . ! But only
for a flash, t hen a feeling of inexpressible j oy. Not any more
could we decide our own lives here was t he st rengt h of a
Higher Power. Not t rembling not fearing but happily I t old
him. Now, I t hought , he also would be above all doubt s and
fears. A kind fat e wished t o redeem him.
I was right .
We must marry immediat ely he said, We are going t o London.
Let us do it t here.
So easily was t he mat t er decided.
Just before we left Vienna t he papers were full of an excit ing new
pant omime which had j ust had it s premiere in Dresden wit h
sensat ional success. The libret t o was by Art ur Schnit zler, and t he
music by a composer unknown t o me, Erno Dohnanyi. The piano
score was being print ed and should appear any day. I put in an
order for it , and luckily it arrived j ust before we left . I n t he hast e
of depart ure t here was no t ime t o st udy it but I t ook it wit h me.
What a j oy it proved t o be. I t became my const ant companion
during Bronislaws absences. The more I became accust omed t o
t he music t he more it t hrilled me. This pant omime, I t hought , I
must play, and many of my waking hours were spent in pleasant
ant icipat ion of what t he fut ure held. Our child, and now t his new
role! I hardly realized how lonely I was in t he lit t le boarding
house in London t o which we had gone t o prove residence.
Bronislaw had gone t o a healt h resort at Cromer for his nerves.
Just before he left a t elegram had come from his lawyer in St .
Pet ersburg, in reply t o one which I had not known he had sent .
He read it wit hout speaking and laid it aside. Lat er I picked it up.
Marriage bet ween Russian cit izen of your religion and German
Prot est ant legal only if performed in Prot est ant Church. What
had he asked t he lawyer ? I never did know. I knew t hat t he
bit t er st ruggle which had always been his had made him very
wary of following spont aneously t he desires of his heart . My
sensit ive pride rose up, t hat he should not want t his marriage as
much as I did, but as always my profound pit y overcame my
pride, and I went over t o kiss his downcast face.
Do not worry so much darling. Well live in a kind of financial
separat ion, I dont expect any assist ance for my household, and
as were foreigners in Vienna and not Cat holics, a civil ceremony
will prot ect t he child.
At my words t he burden seemed t o be lift ed. He was t ouched and
want ed t o reciprocat e, so t hat when our lawyer asked what
provision he want ed t o make for me, he replied, I give my
fut ure wife t he right t o choose her home wherever her profession
demands.
Our Civil marriage was performed on July 21, 1910, by a Clerk of
t he Dist rict Court , who handed us t he cert ificat e and wished us
Good luck! We left immediat ely for t he Nort h Sea Resort ,
Cromer, full of gay abandon. Now inst ead of asking for t wo
bedrooms in hot els we would have one. The marriage license we
pinned, a lit t le cynically, above our bed. I t hought , now we can
bot h sleep quiet ly.
How vain t hat t hought was I soon found out . I n celebrat ion we
had gone t o see a t raveling circus in a t ent lit wit h primit ive oil
lamps, so light - heart ed did we feel. But as soon as we got t o our
room it was evident t hat a violent migraine had at t acked
Bronislaw. Pat ient ly I massaged his head as I had learned t o do,
and he appeared t o relax in rest . I lay down beside him very
quiet ly.
Elza dear, a window is rat t ling somewhere. Please look at it . I
found t he window and fast ened it . I t was a dark night and t he
waves were high on t he shore. I shivered involunt arily at t he
bleakness of t he bare place. Then lay down again. But short ly,
Elza dear, a fly is buzzing do you mind?
A fly hunt in t he dark. But I found it .
Darling do you t hink you could open t he window a lit t le? I t s so
st uffy in here. Anot her half hour of rest That window you
opened is making a noise. Maybe youd bet t er close it again.
I massaged his poor aching head and neck again, despit e my
own weariness. And t hen a short blessed int erlude of sleep. But
so short !
Darling you forgot t o darken t he window. A light is shining
direct ly in. I pulled down t he shade and carefully covered t he
chinks wit h a plaid t raveling rug. Surely now but a hand on my
face wakened me inst ant ly.
My dear, please dont be cross, but you breat he so loudly.
I felt awful t hrough all t his, and full of sympat hy for my suffering
husband, so I lay as st ill and rigidly as I could. But t he body
grows t ired in one posit ion and gent le and caut ious as I was
about t urning, he woke again and sighed, Please dont be angry,
but it would be bet t er for bot h of us if you went int o t he ot her
room. Every movement wakens me.
The ot her room was our sit t ing room, but it had a day bed in it . I
t ook my pillow and a blanket . The room seemed damp and cold,
and out side t he sea roared as if t o inundat e t he world. Already it
was dawn, a gray forbidding dawn. I sat on t he edge of t he bed,
while unhindered t ears ran down my cheeks. But t hey were not
of self pit y. They were for Bronislaw, my poor, poor darling. Only
now did I begin t o underst and t he ext ent of his suffering. I was
ent irely exhaust ed wit h t his one night , but he had it night aft er
night . And in t hat condit ion he had t o t ravel, pract ise, look aft er
everyt hing, and on t he plat form summon all t he power of his
being t o burn wit h t he brilliance and radiance of genius.
Aft er t wo mont hs we ret urned t o Vienna and ent ered a
sanat orium before t he heavy wint er t heat rical and concert
season. I was invit ed t o make a guest appearance in Salzburg for
December 22nd and 23rd. Sensible people would no doubt have
spent t his first Christ mas quiet ly at home, but I had been so
condit ioned not t o give up a fee, plus t he fact t hat I want ed t he
money for surprises I had arranged for t he holiday season, t hat I
accept ed. Bronislaw sacrificed part of a concert t our and
accompanied me.
Unfort unat ely I caught a cold on t he way and it t urned int o a
racking cough, which grew rapidly worse despit e t he minist rat ions
of a good doct or. He paint ed my t hroat so severely t hat I was
pract ically speechless for a t ime, and was t errified t hat I wouldnt
be able t o appear. But I did, despit e t he laryngit is. The doct or
was behind t he wings ready wit h a spoonful of glycerine at my
every exit . The whole t hing was t ort ure t o me, and even worse,
perhaps t o t he audience. Before we left for Vienna, t he doct or
had a word of advice for me.
Courage is a fine at t ribut e, but bravado when your childs life
may be at st ake is a crime!
I want ed t o heed his advice, but at home t here was a t elegram
invit ing me t o give a complet e evening of solo recit at ion at
Pozsony in Hungary, which I accept ed. My mot her was
desperat e, but Bronislaws eyes expressed his admirat ion. How
oft en was he forced t o t ravel and play aft er worse at t acks t han
mine? I was st rong and healt hy. I began a violent cure, which
consist ed of keeping complet ely mut e unt il I appeared on t he
st age. Well, our Christ mas was lost , but t he evening was saved.
Not for one moment did my voice falt er, and Bronislaws
admirat ion and pride made me feel I could even have gone
t hrough t he whole hellish ordeal all over again. I had given him
proof t hat I t oo underst ood suffering, and t hat I t oo knew t hat
t he performance must go on.
My gynecologist insist ed t hat in my eight h mont h of pregnancy I
must quit e t he st age. I was unwilling even t hen t o give up,
despit e his warning t hat a fall might be fat al. He even suggest ed
t hat I might give birt h on t he st age. But one night I did st umble
over my dress and fall. That did it . I gave up and st ayed home
during t he day, t hough I haunt ed t he t heat re as a spect at or at
night . I t was painful t o wat ch ot her act resses t aking my part s,
and receiving well - deserved applause, t hough it was all perfect ly
nat ural. I soon had anot her cause for dej ect ion. I was t old t hat it
would be quit e impossible for me t o nurse my child.
I n your profession? Absolut ely no.
So a nurse was engaged.
The last days of Carnival Time were whirling madly t o t heir close
when I had t he first warning birt h pains. Then followed t wo
night s and a day of unint errupt ed pain. When I finally wakened t o
consciousness t he operat ing room, t he chloroform, forceps, were
not hing more t han a bad dream, but t hey had denied me t he
great happiness of hearing t he first cry, t he sign of life, in my
child.
Rose- Monday dawned in radiant sunshine, and t here beside me
lay Johannes, t his miracle which was our son. My happiness was
only equaled by Bronislaws rapt urous delight . He kissed t he lit t le
hands and feet of his beaut iful blonde baby, and t hen t aking out
his violin, bot h out of necessit y t o pract ise and out of a desire t o
share my happiness, began t o play. At first t he baby slept , but he
wakened and added t o t he concert . I t was wit h pain t hat I saw
anot her woman give her breast t o my son, while my own breast s
were bound t ight ly t o prevent physical pain from t he unwant ed
milk.
Someone else was also freed from pain. My mot her now became
Oma , grandmot her. A new life beckoned t o her in it s need. Her
selfless love, which sacrificed all personal desires and asked
not hing in ret urn, would be poured out on her grandchild.
The Doct or, Professor Schaut a, came int o my room in t he
Sanat orium while Bronislaw was playing.
What is t his? The Holy family or a gypsy camp? This will never
do. Be careful my dear children, t omorrow is also a day!
Everyone was chased out , even Johannes.
Silence soft ly spread her wings. Sleep is invit ing
The dream is fulfilled !
The next day a lit t le alt ar was erect ed in my room and a huge,
French Prot est ant Past or spoke heart - warming words as he
christ ened Johannes .
Twelve days lat er we were home. Johannes and t he nurse were
t aken int o Omas suit e and t here I had t o go when I wished t o
see my son. I f I dared lift him from his cradle, I was besieged:
Do be careful, dont let t he child fall!
I f I wished t o kiss his sweet , blond head:
The Doct or st rict ly forbids t hat ! I t s not hygienic.
Of course I eluded t hem occasionally and could t ake t he baby on
my lap. I t was great happiness.
There wasnt much t ime for reflect ions. Fift een days lat er I was
back at t he t heat re. And here I had anot her first . I prepared
and gave a lect ure on t he t heat rical profession which lat er
became my first published work Aus Der Eigenen Werkst at t ,
Verlag Hugo Heller, Vienna.
For t he summer we rent ed a villa near Vienna, which would give
securit y of peace t o Bronislaw, sunshine t o Johannes, and t o me
proximit y t o t he cit y t o which I had t o commut e daily unt il mid-
July. The house was ideally sit uat ed in a fine old park, and
became a paradise which was t he background for all t he
happiness t hat now was ours. On Sundays t he driveway used t o
be filled wit h t he cars of our friends. During t he week t here was
silence as Bronislaw planned t he st rat egy of his fort hcoming
Russian t our, which was t o consist of some 150 concert s. He
suffered also t he hell of const ant pract ice for a virt uoso who
would rat her have been increasing his already powerful
int ellect ual capabilit ies. Nevert heless we grew t oget her in
harmony and in t he happy consciousness t hat we were each
endeavouring t o do everyt hing possible for t he ot her t hat our
nat ures and disposit ions would allow. This does not mean t hat we
didnt have real collisions in our opinions. I n spit e of my newly
awakened mania of fear in financial affairs, I couldnt share
Bronislaws economic viewpoint , especially if it t ouched t he j oy of
giving t o ot hers, or t he st ringent t reat ment of our domest ic st aff.
Bronislaw would say, Elzelein, t hink of t he sleepless night s, t he
exhaust ing t rips which all serve t he purpose of making us free
and independent t o enj oy life in our best years.
And unt il t hen? Surely it s t he daily lit t le j oys which keep t he
elast icit y of life?
He was as unable t o convert on t his point as I .
How we loved t he place! One of Bronislaws best friends was
Baron Albert Profumo. He had never been t o London wit hout
visit ing t he Profumos, and t his summer Baron Profumo was our
guest . As he saw Bronislaws j oy and relaxat ion in t he beaut iful
lit t le est at e, he asked one day, Why dont you buy it and make
it your permanent home?
Bronislaw sighed deeply, and t ook a moment t o frame his reply.
I would love t o own it , but as long as I have t o work for it I
dont want t o
burden my nerves wit h any more obligat ions.
Well said baron Profumo, Let me buy it for you.
No, no. By no means. I t hank you from t he bot t om of my heart ,
but no.
You can reimburse me some day, if you wish.
Bronislaw was deeply t ouched, but he was adamant , and refused.
Young Aust rian poet s and musicians were our frequent guest s.
On mild st arlit evenings or in moonlight wed all wander down t o
t he huge fir t rees, and t here wed lie on t he grass and list en t o a
young writ er improvise on t he beaut y of t he night in t he soft
summer air. From t he music room of t he villa would come
Brahms, Beet hoven, t rios, sonat as. And upst airs would be Oma
and Johannes, sleeping securely and wit h surely peaceful visions.
I t was our most blissful t ime.
I n t he Fall st renuous work in t he t heat re, and t he added shock of
an aut omobile accident brought me t o t he point of exhaust ion. I
became irrit able. All my life my mot her had been my confidant e.
To her I had poured out all my griefs and irrit at ions, and even if
t hese somet imes hurt her she never showed it for a moment . I
was immediat ely pardoned. But life was different now. I became
irrit at ed when Bronislaws let t ers did not arrive when I expect ed
t hem, or when t hey did not let me know where he would be next
so t hat I could reply. I let him know I was irrit at ed and angry
but he was not like my mot her. I know I wounded him deeply
many t imes wit h my impet uous out burst s.
His Russian t our was t o begin in November, and in order t o
short en our separat ion as much as possible, we were t o meet at
t hen end of t he year in Riga t o combine t he agreeable wit h t he
profit able by making a guest appearance t here t o cover my
expenses of t he t rip. Russian rules required a passport . Before
issuing t his document t he Russian Consul in Vienna asked for a
marriage cert ificat e. We had only t he Civil ceremony one. What
t o do? Bronislaw remained silent , and t his roused me violent ly.
Time was passing. I went t o my lawyer who said I t s very
simple. Have t he church service immediat ely, t hen everyt hing will
be all right .
But Bronislaw did not react t o t his simple solut ion, nor did he
offer an explanat ion. He simply remained mut e when quest ioned.
But he went t o t he Russian Consulat e himself, and found t hey
would grant me a passport under my maiden name. I was
appalled. This was of course t he consequence of my hast y
accept ance of t he arrangement in London, but I never dreamt
t hat I would have t o pay t his price. The gap bet ween our views
seemed t o be unbridgeable. My lawyer was t oo good a friend t o
bot h of us and t oo clever not t o see in advance t his act ion could
become a rift , so he t ook mat t ers int o his own hands, and got a
passport . How he refused t o explain! I suppressed my
bit t erness. Once again t here was a t ender reconciliat ion.
Aft er a mad exchange of t elegrams, j uggling wit h dat es, we
finally fixed our meet ing place, in a lit t le Russian t own, a few
days before t he New Year, from which we could t ravel t oget her t o
Riga.
I n Warsaw I had a wait bet ween t rains. I had been advised, in
case of difficult ies t hat I should t urn t o a Jew, if I saw one, as
t hey generally knew German. I st ood quit e lost , wit h all my
luggage, in t he rot unda of t he st at ion. I saw a Jew, in rit ual
dress, looking int erest edly at my American t runk so I asked him
where I could find a checkroom, t he rest room and t he Post
Office. He became quit e voluble, but , in quest ioning me! Was I
married, any children, boy or girl, which language t he boy spoke
besides his mot her t ongue. I explained he was st ill a baby.
Doesnt mat t er he replied good- nat uredly, Precaut ion is always
good! A boy must learn much learn! What is t he price of sugar
and flour where you come from?
As I laughed and t old him I hadnt t he slight est idea of any
prices, he shook his head disapprovingly.
That is nix good! Prices one must know!
We checked t he t runk, t hen as I looked for t he rest room, he
point ed t o it :
Put t he suit cases in t here, give t he woman somet hing, she will
t ake care of t hem and you will come cheaper out as t he
checkroom.
When I ret urned I t old him I wished t o send a t elegram.
Why ? Did somebody die?
Why do you ask t hat ?
Na! You want t o sent a t elegram . . t hat cost s money!
I explained t hat I only wished t o let t hem know at home of my
safe arrival, he shook his head again:
A post card does it also, and is much cheaper.
He gave t he informat ion t o t he t elegraph clerk, who underst ood
German, but who snubbed my helper in a rude, coarse way:
Dont push ahead like t hat ! This lady was here first !
I felt badly t hat in his friendly goodwill he should suffer shame so
I t urned t o t he clerk:
Pardon me t his gent leman is in my company!
Perplexed, he st ared at me, at t ended t o my needs and became
very impat ient as my companion st art ed t o count t he change
very punct iliously. I had t he impression t he lat t er was having
revenge for t he rudeness he had suffered as he spoke in a loud
voice:
One cannot know! We are human beings! One can make a
mist ake!
I n t he lit t le Russian t own I met Bronislaw, who had a concert
t hat evening before we left for Riga. I n a t our of t he magnit ude
of 150 concert s, small and out - of - t he- way places must be visit ed
as well as t he large cit ies, an arrangement which was oft en more
t han nerve- wracking t o t he art ist . And . . in t his village t here was
no st age light ing; silver candelabra st ood on eit her side of t he
grand piano. They shivered and shook at all t he fort e passages,
as if t hey would t opple over at t he next moment . Bronislaws
accompanist , a lit t le, weak and fright ened looking charact er
glanced up at him helplessly during t hese passages. I was very
angry, as well as appalled at t his t reat ment of a great art ist .
The evening closed as disast rously as it had begun. An open
sleigh st ood before t he door immediat ely aft er t he concert t o
t ake us t o t he st at ion which was a good t wo hours ride away,
and gave us only j ust t ime t o cat ch t he only t rain t hat night for
Riga. Bronislaw rushed from t he st age t o t he so- called art ist s
room, an icy- cold dungeon in t he basement . Bat hed in
perspirat ion he packed his St radivarius first , and t hen began t o
change his clot hes. His secret ary was meet ing us only in Riga so
t he work of set t ling up wit h t he local manager was left t o t he
accompanist . There wasnt even a t able in t he basement so t he
t wo men in t heir heavy coat s and big fur hat s shoved back on
t heir heads st ood figuring and count ing on a piece of paper
against t he wall. Their voices grew louder and louder as t hey
count ed and quarreled, count ed and quarreled, becoming more
and more excit ed all t he t ime. I began t o t hink t hey would come
t o blows, and shivered uncont rollably, bot h wit h t he ext reme cold
and ut t er dist ast e for t his wrangling. Someone rushed int o t he
room and roared, as everyone else t here seemed t o roar on any
occasion,
I f you dont get int o t he sleigh immediat ely t he driver wont
guarant ee t o cat ch your t rain.
Everyt hing was t hrown int o a suit case. The manager now had a
sly unpleasant smile on his face. Obviously t his hurried and
forced depart ure was of his planning, and caused him no loss.
But who of any audience could ever imagine a world- renowned
art ist in such a back - st age scene? We got away, and wrapped in
t hick fur robes and huddled closely t oget her we sped t hrough t he
bit t er cold wint er night t o t he bleak lit t le st at ion, and arrived as
t he t rain was pulling in. The next morning we arrived in Riga.
The hot el was t he one in which I had my old suit e, opposit e t he
t heat re. For a moment I was filled wit h nost algia as memories
came flooding back. My t hought s wandered t o Paul and his
family. What had become of t hem all ? Dear Paul, so earnest , so
pale and romant ic! I remembered t he carnival scene. But t here
was Bronislaw in t he room wit h me, and I felt disloyal in having
pleasant memories of a t ime which did not belong t o him, almost
as if I had been guilt y of unfait hfulness. I suppose it was
laughable, but I did not t hink so at t he t ime. That night a huge
bouquet was handed t o Bronislaw, bearing a card wit hout a
name, but inst ead a few bars of Schumanns Traumerei , and
t he word Remembrance . I was furious at his complacent
accept ance of t his t rophy, which t o me, his wife, was in very bad
t ast e indeed. I was absolut ely fanat ical on t he subj ect of
fait hfulness, not only in word and deed, but in t hought also, and
my demand for t ot alit y in love must have appeared unrealist ic.
The secret ary had arrived from St . Pet ersburg wit h a whole
arsenal of newspaper clippings, art icles et c. , which were t o be
t ranslat ed int o German, so t hat our room soon t ook on it s
accust omed look of a chaot ic bat t lefield. As t he newspapers were
being read by Bronislaw and t he secret ary I became aware t hat
t here was somet hing st range or amiss in t he at mosphere. Every
now and again t he secret ary looked at me, as if t o guess how
much I underst ood of Russian. This aroused my int erest and my
dist rust . Somet hing was being concealed from me. Bronislaw was
frowning over one of t he art icles he was correct ing for
t ranslat ing. My worried curiosit y gave me courage t o ask what it
was all about .
Not hing special. Just an art icle from one of t he sensat ional St .
Pet ersburg newspapers.
I knew Bronislaw disliked int ensely what he called my j ealous
out burst s, but t his t ime I insist ed t hat my quest ion be answered.
Wit hout speaking he handed t he paper t o t he secret ary who, in a
flat unconcerned voice, read out :
The palm of vict ory for t he great est success of t he St .
Pet ersburg season must be given t o Bronislaw Huberman. Nine
sold- out t riumphant concert s! Unfort unat ely t he most alluring
offers could not persuade him t o give a t ent h. But what was not
at t ainable by human means is t o be brought about by Cupid. We
hear t hat t he famous art ist is on his way t o Vienna t o divorce t he
great act ress in order t o marry a St . Pet ersburg arist ocrat . This is
a j oyful surprise
But I had heard enough. I t urned t o Bronislaw in violent anger.
The secret ary vanished. Bronislaw was desperat e. I n vain were
all his at t empt s t o explain t o me t hat t he whole st ory was j ust a
publicit y st unt .
Dont you underst and? What are crit iques? Writ t en t oday,
forgot t en t omorrow. But publicit y which has t he t it illat ion of being
personal st ays alive. I t demands a ret ract ion, answers which
dont cost anyt hing, but which are a real advert isement and help
t o sell t he newspapers t o sensat ion hungry readers. Cant you
see t his?
I couldnt . This was t he cheapest kind of publicit y, and moreover
it was all lies. How could he bear t hese t hings being said about
our marriage? No mat t er how many t imes ret ract ed, somet hing
of t he whole dishonest process would remain like an ugly st ain. I
could not bear t he t hought .
Bronislaw was full of cont rit e despair. He assured me again and
again t hat he had never dreamt I would have been so violent ly
upset . Had he known he would have put a st op t o t his kind of
vicious advert ising. But it was all useless. I hardly heard him.
Were we really as far apart in our t hinking, was my hopeless
t hought . I f so, t hen what had we left ? I was aware, far back in
my conscious mind t hat t he first t iny seeds of mist rust had been
sown long ago t hat marriage ceremony in London, so different
from what I had imagined. Then t he passport in my maiden
name. What did it all add up t o? That night inst ead of lying in my
husbands arms I cried myself t o sleep, bit t er t ears t hat brought
no relief. I t was t he last night of t he new year which had begun
so happily.
A desperat e reconciliat ion brought a t ime of renewed passion
mingled wit h t enderness, and like drowning people we clut ched at
t he float ing planks of our desires hoping t hey would bring us
safely t o land. I worked harder t han ever at my profession,
st riving t o reach one aim aft er anot her. Wit h Bronislaw t he
reverse was his desire, and I wat ched wit h pit y his great longing
for quiet st eadiness and peace.
I said pit y . No longer could it be disguised as love, but I knew
t hat pit y and loyalt y were now all I had t o give. The realizat ion
had come slowly and painfully, but wit hout t he heart break which
might have been expect ed. There were many days of weariness,
ennui, when I wondered if all life had t o offer me of passionat e
love was t o be found only behind t he foot light s in t he careful
embrace of a st age lover. Life was almost at a st andst ill. I
seemed t o be only marking t ime unt il somet hing would happen.
My st ory unt il now has been aut obiography. But now it must t urn
int o biography as I t ell t he st ory of Erno von Dohnanyi, t he man
who ent ered my life at t his t ime. I t begins wit h Erno at t he age of
t hree.

pp. 178
When he appeared on t he conduct ors st and t he applause poured
over him in great waves of sound. Then t he hall darkened. He
wait ed unt il t he excit ed murmurs died down. There was a lit t le
pause, an undercurrent of somet hing, which had not hing t o do
wit h t he performance. But in Vienna what love affair, or hint of
one, can remain uncovered? The evening was all t he more
sensat ional for t he whisper t hat t here was somet hing not hing
definit e no one knew anyt hing but Dohnanyi and Galafrs
what a combinat ion! And Huberman was on a concert t our in
Russia.

pp. 182 - 183
Fort unat ely hurt pride came t o my rescue and I began t o speak
of Bronislaw alt hough Dohnanyi had not asked about him.
Hes had a hundred and fift y concert s t his season in Russia
alone. How I wish I could win a new audience every night wit h
my art .
Oh come! , He lit a cigaret t e. You dont really t hink t hat is any
kind of life for you. I t s a wast e of nerves and st rengt h, which
you could put t o bet t er use. To be a wife and mot her is t he first
goal of any woman.
But my art ?
Well, you are wast ing t here t oo. I s it really wort h while t o
devot e all t hat energy t o t hese modern experiment al plays and
shallow boulevard t rifles? I f you must play, play t he classics
which st ill have et ernal values.

pp.185 - 187
Back in Berlin Dohnanyi found it impossible t o st ay at home. His
house was cont inually filled wit h visit ors, but he could not
complain t oo much. He had welcomed t hem at first as a relief
from being alone wit h his wife, but now t hey bored him. As soon
as he could, he escaped t o Madonna di Campaglio in Tyrol for t he
mount ain climbing he loved. But first he decided t o pay t he
promised visit t o Bronislaw Huberman and me in Rekawinkel.
Even as t he t hought came t o him, a feeling unknown t o him up
t o now, possessed him. He recognized it as j ealousy. He was
j ealous of Huberman! What could he do? I t was a great er t ort ure
t o st ay away t han t o come t o me. He had t o see me.
Rekawinkel was t hree- quart ers of an hour from Vienna. Here we
had rent ed a summer place, Quellenhof , and as he drove up
t he long driveway t hrough t he park- like land, he was st ruck wit h
t he grandeur of t he place. What he had t aken at first glance t o be
a kind of wilderness, or at least wildness, on closer scrut iny
became a minor miracle of garden archit ect ure. Bridges beneat h
hanging willow t rees connect ed pat hs, each more pict uresque
t han t he last . I mposing black first st ood like sent inels before t he
house, t owering above t he open t errace off t he second floor. He
could hear t he melodious t inkle of a fount ain somewhere in t he
background. Poussin, Claude or Salvat ore Rosa, he t hought ,
would have liked t o paint a scene like t his. I t had j ust t he t ouch
of myst ery for t hose art ist s. Then suddenly t he whole place
st ruck him as a bit dismal. The house was huge but not an
inhabit ant was visible, t he only sound was t he faint , monot onous
drip of t he fount ain. He soon learned t hat t he solemn quiet was
an absolut e necessit y t o Huberman who suffered appallingly from
hypersensit ive nerves, and who fought a heroic bat t le every night
against chronic insomnia. Dohnanyi knew not hing of t his as he
put his head t hrough t he open window and called out a cheerful
Gruss Got t !
Fort unat ely Bronislaw was not sleeping and t he guest was
greet ed wit h great pleasure. My husband had want ed t o meet
Dohnanyi for many years but t he opport unit y had never been
fort hcoming, since t he lat t er had a habit almost fat al t o
friendship of leaving let t ers and t elegrams unanswered, and,
when anyone complained, of compounding t he offence by saying,
My not answering should be t he answer.
Diamet rically opposed in general views, t he t wo famous musicians
found a mat chless unit y in t heir love of music. Beet hovens
Kreut zer Sonat a! The t wo figures were like phant oms against t he
dark wood walls of t he music room, lit only wit h t he soft light of a
dozen candles. Seldom has such music been heard except by a
rare few.
One aft ernoon when Bronislaw was absent , Dohnanyi played his
lat est composit ion for me. His hands moved soft ly over t he
keyboard as if in improvisat ion, while from his lips came soft ly
t he words of a poem Sonnensehnsucht [ 1] by Wilhelm C.
Gomoll. He finished and I could not move. Wit hout speaking he
began anot her song, Got t , by t he same poet . The songs were
full of his longing; t hey were cries from his heart . I t ried t o hide
my t ears. Dohnanyi lit a cigaret t e and gazed out t he window at a
field of waving wheat on t he opposit e hill.
This Quellenhof is a beaut iful spot . Why doesnt Bronislaw own
it ? He surely is t he best paid of all art ist s.
I n one way he would like t o won such a place, but on t he ot her
hand it s nearly impossible because in wint er I must be near my
work so I have t o live in Vienna. And for more t han six mont hs in
t he year, Bronislaw is on t our wit h a secret ary and an
accompanist .
Can you really believe t hat t wo people who have had such
fanat ically opposed aims can ever reach unanimit y ? We have a
proverb in Hungary, homely but t rut hful, Kut yabol nem lesz
szalonna. You cant get bacon from a dog. You live in your
emot ions, Huberman in his int ellect . Somet imes you can come
close t o each ot her but never in complet e harmony. Ah, my dear,
t he will alone is not enough t o procure happiness for oneself or
for anot her.
How easy it is t o give advice.
Perhaps, but I t ell you t he will is not enough. God knows I
should be aware of t his t oo, but I do no more about it t han you.
He put out his hand t o pull me t o my feet . Let s go t o t he
upst airs t errace and see t he last of t he sunset . Bronislaw must be
up by now and perhaps we can all t ake a walk before dinner.
Bronislaw was busy for t he rest of Dohnanyis st ay. He was eit her
pract icing or planning wit h his secret ary t he st rat egy for t he
coming concert season. Dohnanyi and I st rolled t hrough t he great
beech forest s. I t was love in t he Vienna woods, but love as yet
unacknowledged, love t hat only t rembled on t he brink of
fulfillment . But as always love made Dohnanyi vocal. New
melodies swam almost unbidden int o his mind. Romant ically his
t hought s fled back t o his first love song made, he remembered,
for a lit t le girl, of whom not a t race remained in his memory but
her name, and t hat he commemorat ed, as he now
commemorat ed t he names of his love and himself. The first not es
of t he new composit ion were E- G- H- and E- G- D Three Piano
Pieces Valse, Aria, Scherzo. [ 2] As a farewell gest ure he
present ed t he new composit ion t o me when he left Rekawinkel.
He did go t o Prague for The Veil of Pieret t e . Had he decided on
t he next st ep, or did t he element s decide for him? He never
knew. But a t hunderst orm of proport ions resembling a t ornado
engulfed t he t own. We rushed t hrough t orrent s of rain from t he
carriage t o t he hot el ent rance, our way lit by flashes of light ning
t hat for a moment t urned night int o day. He found t hat he st ill
held in his hand t he now crumpled wreat h which had been on
Pieret t es head. A t errific flash followed inst ant ly by a might crash
sent me headlong int o his arms. He lift ed my head and put t he
bridal veil on my dripping hair, and for t he first t ime kissed me
wit h passion.

p. 191
As soon as Dohnanyi heard t he news he wrot e post hast e
beseeching me t o follow his act ion and ask for a divorce. I t
seemed t o him t hat everyt hing was now in our favour. I n daily
passionat e let t ers he t ried t o show how much bet t er it would be if
I made t he break now. He reminded me of all we had t o gain and
how lit t le t o lose. When I wrot e back I explained about
Bronislaw, how he t rust ed me, how he had now built his life
around me, about Johannes, our adorable lit t le son, and last ,
about my fait hful and devot ed mot her, who had lived for not hing
but me. Could I break all t hese heart s for my own selfish
happiness? I was being romant ic, replied Dohnanyi. Heart s do not
break in t his fashion. Bronislaw was away for at least eight
mont hs a year in any case. My mot her could as easily be part of
our household when I became Madame Dohnanyi as when I was
Madame Huberman, and as for Johannes, of course I would bring
him along, and arrangement s would be made for Bronislaw t o
see him. Aft er all how much did he see of his son at t he present ?
Dohnanyis disappoint ment when I arrived in Berlin and t old him
I had not broken t he news t o my family, was very great . He
could not underst and, and t hen brought up a new difficult y
bet ween us: he disliked my new play.

p. 195 - 197
I ret urned t o Vienna. Very lat e on morning in t he following
Spring, aft er ret urning t o Berlin, Dohnanyi was, as usual, st ill in
bed, when t he urgency of my t ugging t he doorbell t o his bachelor
suit e brought him t o his feet . St ruggling int o his dressing gown
he opened t he door. He was ast onished. I had never come t o his
rooms before. True, he expect ed me t o arrive in Berlin t hat day
but our rendezvous was not unt il t he aft ernoon.
My darling! What is it ? Are you free, at last ? and he t ried t o
t ake me in his arms. I pushed him away:
Oh no. Not yet , but Erno, somet hing awful has happened.
Sit down and be calm.
He lit a cigaret t e, wait ed for t he t ale I t old wit h gaps bet ween
sent ences. He had known t hat I had accept ed an engagement at
t he Deut sches Schauspielhaus for May, but before coming t o
Berlin Bronislaw had accompanied me t o an engagement in t he
provinces. He had been gloomy, but had demanded expression of
my love, as if he feared his hold on me was no longer fast . I
falt ered as I t old Erno t hat I believed Bronislaw could have held
me had he been willing t o bring t o t he marriage t he same
sacrifice I had cont ribut ed.
But you are right Erno. We havent very much in common. Our
ideas of marriage and a home are complet ely opposit e.
Did you t ell him so?
No. I hadnt t he courage. He seemed so sad and was so grat eful
for t he t enderness I showed him.
Dohnanyi compressed his lips but said not hing. I t old him t hat
Bronislaw had left finally, but not in t enderness in anger,
wit hout even a farewell. He had gone t o London t o fulfill an
engagement and I had left wit h t he night t rain for Berlin.
Then he spoke:
Ah, Elza, wouldnt it have been bet t er t o have followed my way
and t old Bronislaw? I m sorry youve had t his fright , but
cowardice brings it s own revenge.
Erno, dont be cruel! I act ed out of pit y. My heart couldnt bear
t o t ell him. But why didnt he come like a good friend t o ask what
was t he mat t er ? I t didnt seem t o occur t o him t hat I might be
suffering t oo. Well, I must end t his at once!
I went t o t he phone very deliberat ely, called Vienna and spoke
wit h my lawyer:
I want you t o announce immediat ely, in t he court , t hat our
marriage is illegal. You know all t he det ails and can put it in
proper form.
But what has happened? I had no idea
I t old him concisely, wit h Dohnanyi list ening. I would prove my
st abilit y and st rengt h of mind. My lawyer was speaking, Dohnanyi
heard only my answer:
I t s t oo lat e now . . yes I know but t he Church ceremony
never did t ake place Very well All I want t o know is if I can
consider myself free from t his moment No, I didnt t ell him I
want ed my freedom I let him know I wouldnt be spending t he
summer wit h him He could have asked about my feelings
couldnt he? He must have known I was dist ressed!
Johannes? My child? Are you mad? My child belongs t o me! I
wouldnt let him go for anyt hing in t he world!
I replaced t he receiver and t urned t o Dohnanyi:
I am free. He says t he rest is only a formalit y.
He t ook me in his arms.
All we need now is courage t o face our life.

p. 228
He was a good psychologist . He had never before asked t hat I
should give up my career for his sake never hint ed at it . He
knew how st rong a habit of mind was my idea of dut y, and he
knew how much I loved him. There was anot her import ant issue
also occupying our at t ent ion at t he t ime. Bronislaw want ed
cust ody of his son Hally. I was equally passionat e in my desire t o
keep t he child. Jurisdict ion as t o t he fat e of t he boy had not yet
been made final. Dohnanyi realised t hat t his mat t er would come
t o a conclusion more quickly if I made myself free t o devot e all
my t ime and care t o him and t he t wo children. Wit hout a
backward glance I became Elza Dohnanyi, housewife.

p. 389
Then all t oo soon came t he second break in t he family circle.
Grief at t he deat h of Nagymama st ill shadowed t he household
when it began t o be evident t hat Oma had changed. She would
sit for hours in her rocking chair, reading old let t ers, and smile
wit h melancholy eyes when she heard plans being made t hat
included her. One day in t he lat e summer she suffered a st roke.
The end was quick. I n t wo days t his life was also over.
The very next morning as she lay in her room before being t aken
t o Vienna for cremat ion, t echnicians from t he B. B. C. were down
in Ernos st udy set t ing up equipment for a program t o London of
Erno and one of Budapest s great opera singers.
The following day t he sorrowful j ourney t o Vienna where Hally
was t o meet us aft er visit ing his fat her. As Erno and I ent ered
t he lit t le Chapel t here by t he casket was a beaut iful wreat h
wit h a t ouching farewell from Bronislaw Huberman! Omas
ashes were t aken t o t he French Cemet ery in Berlin t o be beside
her husband.

p. 413
I f t his were t he st ory only of my life wit h t wo of t he worlds
great est art ist s it would have finished wit h my separat ion from
Dohnanyi. Huberman had died in 1947. When I heard t he news
over t he radio, like count less ot hers who had been enriched by
his music, I mourned for t he deat h of t his great musician. I
mourned also wit h a personal sorrow as I t hought of t he et ernally
st ruggling soul, cut off now wit hout ever having enj oyed t he
peace and independence for which he had bat t led since
childhood. Longing for peace himself, he had fought wit h an even
great er fervour for peace among nat ions. Bot h aims had failed,
t hough he had t hrown all his energies, ment al, spirit ual and
financial int o t he hope of a Unit ed St at es of Europe. Fat e had
anot her mission for him. Giving up finally his lifes heroic fight t o
aid musicians who had been able t o escape from count ries where
t hey had been persecut ed. He and Toscanini were t he founders of
t he Philharmonic Orchest ra of Tel Aviv.
Bronislaw had always loved nat ure, and t rees which in his early
days had been enemies because t hey harboured noisy birds, had
become his friends, in part icular a maj est ic fir in t he garden of
his home in Swit zerland. I t was t o him a symbol of loneliness,
but also of st rengt h and peace. His ashes now rest at it s root s.

Search
Palestine Music Association address: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/literature/palestine/palestine_music_association/[02/11/12 06:52:38]
I am very happy t o have t his opport unit y of speaking about a
subj ect which fills me wit h great ent husiasm, t hat is, about
Palest ine and music.
Somebody made an allusion t o my professed polit ical ideas on
Pan- Europe, a Unit ed St at es of Europe. An ardent Jewish
polit ician in Poland asked me, But where does t he Jew come in,
in Pan- Europe? I t old him: I n many respect s. He would be
one of t he passport s t o Pan- Europe and also one of t he
beneficiaries. He asked me: Why a beneficiary ? Because, I
said, one of t he most dangerous element s of ant i - semit ism is
envy, j ealousy. When t here is bread for bot h ant i - Semit e and
Jew t he ant isemit es will lose much of t heir resent ment against
Jews even in Germany.
I have also looked int o t he relat ions of Zionism and t he part
which it would play in Pan- Europe. When t he impression first
st art ed t o work on me, I must confess I was not at all a Zionist .
There were many reasons which prevent ed me from becoming a
Zionist in earlier t imes. To begin wit h, I was always of t he opinion
t hat t here is not hing more European t han t he Jews. As a mat t er
of fact , t he whole st ruct ure of what we call our west ern
civilizat ion is built on t wo main columns; t hey were built by t he
t wo smallest of all t he European nat ions or t ribes: t he Greeks and
t he Jews. No mat t er how great t he share of t he ot her nat ions in
t he upbuilding of European civilizat ion was, t hey had t o build
upon t he basis laid down by t hose t wo peoples. We got our sense
of beaut y, of philosophy from t he Greeks, our concept ion of t he
one and only God from t he Jews. Now, t he Greeks have
vanished; t he Jews st ill exist and t hey are going on wit h t heir
mission wit hin t he west ern, t he European civilizat ion.
As I said before, and as I hardly need say t o anybody, Jew or
Gent ile, we got our monot heism from t he Jews. I t is only one
st ep from t he idea of t he Almight y, t he one and unique and
everpresent God t o t hat ot her idea of t he one one humani t y of
br et hr en. Therefore, it is not a mere chance, it is j ust , I
daresay, a mat hemat ical consequence t hat t he nat ion which
developed t he concept ion of t he one God, has become a leader in
social development , leading in t he st ruggle for social j ust ice
among humanit y. Where t here is only one God, t here can be only
one humanit y; where t here is t he concept ion of one humanit y, in
t he long run social inj ust ice cannot be t olerat ed.
But t his was not t he Jews only mission in former t imes, j ust as it
is not at t he present t ime in Europe. I should like t o hint at an
et hnological proof t hat t he Jews have been most ly responsible for
Palestine Music Association address
Huberman gave t his lect ure t o t he American Palest ine
Music Associat ion in New York on 9t h December 1934,
and published in Hadassah News Let t er , January 1935.
Not ret icent in his support of Zionism, Huberman t hinks
t hat West ern Civilizat ion is based upon only t wo races -
t he Jews and t he Greeks. He also argues t hat t he Jews
are primarily responsible for t he European I ndust rial
Revolut ion, and t hat for cent uries t hey have been t he
deciding fact or in musical affairs.
t he t ransformat ion of t he indust rial and financial st ruct ure of
feudal t imes t o what it is at t he present t ime. Europe and
America owe t his t ransformat ion t o t he discovery of new energies
like st eam and elect ricit y, and t heir applicat ion t o everyday life.
These applicat ions meant expendit ure of such huge amount s t hat
no individual nor even Government would be able t o afford it . For
t hese some sort of a mut ual basin was necessary int o which t he
privat e savings of a nat ion could be poured. Well, I asked myself
one day, what has such an accumulat ing inst rument of money t o
do wit h seat ing accommodat ion? You know, t his accumulat ing
money- pot is called a Bank. Bank, deriving from t he very sense
of seat ing accommodat ion such as a seat or chair, what has t his
t o do wit h money? Well, it has t he following: When t he medieval
t owns of I t aly were growing rich and richer and t heir commerce
becoming more and more int ernat ional, t he foreign money
pouring int o t hese t owns had t o be exchanged. The lit t le poor
Jews did t hat j ob on t he corners of, say, Main St reet , on t heir
lit t le wooden benches, and when t here was somet hing wrong
wit h t he exchange, t hen t his wooden bench was cut t o pieces, in
I t alian La Banca Rot t a. Thus we got t he Bank and t he
Bankrupt cy from t he Jews. I do not pret end t hat t here had not
been bankers before. We know t here had been bankers even in
Roman t imes. But when we see t hat t he great financial
inst it ut ions of t he 19 t h and 20 t h cent ury are called Banks and
not credit or or money exchange, but j ust bank, t hen we cannot
help assuming t hat all t hese financial inst it ut ions of t oday,
managed by Jews or by Gent iles, have developed direct ly from
j ust t hese lit t le Jewish ent erprises.
Now I am not going t o give you here a list of all t he branches of
Finance, Cult ure and Science and so on where Jews have played
and are going t o play prominent roles, because you know it j ust
as well as I do. So, agreeing as we do on t his point of t heir
mission also in t he fut ure, I kept asking myself when t he problem
of Zionism approached me, whet her such a t hing would hamper
or help t he fulfilling of t his mission of t he Jews in t he world. This
Mission, so I argued wit h myself, t hey can fulfil only if, really and
100 percent bona fide, t hey are allowed, while remaining loyal
Jews, t o act in Poland as Polish Jews, in Germany as German
Jews, in America as American Jews and so on. Would not a
successful lit t le Jewish St at e in Palest ine, comprising at t he
ut most only 1/ 10 t h part of World Jewry, help t he ant isemit es t o
st rengt hen t heir argument t hat aft er all t he Jews are st riving,
wit h t heir ancient hope, t o go back t o t heir real old fat herland
and wit h all t heir money and sympat hies already direct ed t owards
Palest ine? These were t he quest ions. I do not pret end t hat I
answered t hem right away in a negat ive sense. But t he mere
exist ence of t hese quest ions in my heart imposed on me a great
reserve t owards Zionism. And t hen I dont want t o conceal t he
fact t hat , while I have been a loyal Jew whenever t he moment of
displaying t his loyalt y arose, I felt also very Polish and, in
addit ion t o t hat , very European. As a mat t er of fact , I was always
a nat ionalist , I mean nat ionalist as a European. This feeling was
so st rong, so imperat ive t hat I could not even help embarking
act ively in what is called t he Pan- European Movement , a polit ical
movement aiming at t he format ion of t he Unit ed St at es of
Europe. I have been writ ing and lect uring about t his subj ect and
devot ing all my spare t ime t o t his ideal of mine. Now you can
t hink for yourselves what must be t he feelings of a man wit h
t hese t hought s and longings when he is for t he first t ime coming
t o Palest ine. I frankly admit , I had t o fight many prej udices
preconceived out of my feelings as a European. But already on
my first visit I was so impressed by t he monument s of idealism,
of t he creat ive energy of t he people t here, t hat I made a vow
never t o say anot her ant agonist ic word about Zionism, because I
felt , in view of t hese wonderful achievement s, t hat it would have
been what t he German calls: Dolchst oss in den Rcken a knife
in t he back. There followed 2 years lat er, in 1931, a second visit ,
and in 1934 a t hird one. This longest soj ourn provoked a
fundament al change in my at t it ude and int erest in Palest ine. All
argument s or t heories are quit e useful t hings as long as t hey are
in accordance wit h life. But as soon as t here is a discrepancy
bet ween life and t heory, t hen I am t oo much of an art ist as not
t o bow first of all t o life. And you have never seen life wit h all it s
impulses, longings, hopes and creat ive energies flow in such an
overwhelming way as you can see in everyday life in Palest ine.
There is such an abundance of miracles t hat it is not easy t o
select a few examples, be it t he Library, or Agricult ure, or a
social problem handled on a collect ive basis by t he t axi - drivers,
and so on.
But t he main source of inspirat ion in t he Holy Land emanat es
from t he at mosphere of myst icism of which everybody t here, Jew
or Gent ile, feels t he breat h. I t is, of course, much more difficult
t o speak of t his j e- ne- sais- quoi of Palest ine myst icism t han t o
speak about a t axi - drivers corporat ion. When I spoke about it t o
t he High Commissioner, who aft er all is an Englishman and a
milit ary man, and t herefore j ust not made for myst icism, he
agreed t hat he t oo was alive t o t his unique myst ic at mosphere
which cast s it s reflect ion upon his whole at t it ude t owards his
official mission. This myst icism is born of t he landscape, of t he
hist ory, of t he ideals in everybodys breast , of t he miracles of t he
t hree religions represent ed t here, of t he hopes nourished and
part ly already realized by t he Jews.
I must t hink of a conversat ion wit h a schoolmast er in En Harod
which perhaps cast s a light upon t he sources and t he effect s of
t his at mosphere of myst icism. I gave a concert in En Harod,
one of t he agricult ural colonies in Erez I srael, and was, t he next
morning, shown all t hat was int erest ing, such as t he school, t he
Kindergart en, t he babies home for different ages and so on. I
saw t here was everyt hing, a piano, a library, sport s- grounds,
bot anical and zoological collect ions, but I missed one t hing:
where is t he Synagogue? I asked. There is no Synagogue! You
carry your children t o anot her one? No, t here is no ot her. But
how do you bring up your children in et hics and morals? Well,
we devot e our special at t ent ion t o t he Bible, in special courses,
much more elaborat e t han in t he usual educat ional scheme.
Then I went on asking, I see t wo ways of t eaching t he Bible,
t eaching it as a sort of hist ory, but t hat would not answer my
quest ion about t he t eaching of morals; or t aking t he Bible as a
collect ion of miracles and divine commandment s and inspirat ions;
but t hen I see again a need for lit urgical forms wit h a Rabbi and
a Synagogue or so. The schoolmast er gave me an answer of
such a high level, t hat I feel I wont be capable of quot ing it in
t he proper way. He said t hat apparent ly I did not know t he Bible
as I ought t o know it , which I confirmed, because ot herwise I
would not have overlooked t hat t here was a t hird possibilit y and
t o him t he most import ant in t eaching it t o children: This t hird
possibilit y, represent ing t he Bible as t he spirit ual t reasury where
are deposit ed t he wisdom, t he goodness of t he most elect men in
our nat ions hist ory, t eaching morals and et hics and human
behaviour up t o t he highest level of t hese highest minds of t he
Jewish people, and such t eaching of morals does not need t he
vest ment s of lit urgy and church, on t he cont rary, eh said, When
I succeed in making t he children underst and et hics and morals as
such and make t hem live up t o it wit hout any allusion t o
miracles, t o obligat ions, t o recompense and t o punishment , t hen
t he highest imaginable aim of educat ion will be fulfilled I had
t o agree wit h t hat man. I have somet imes dreamed of a phrase
of humanit ys evolut ion where t he good would be done and
t aught j ust for t he sake of t he good. And here I met for t he first
t ime a st riving for it . I cannot t ell how deeply I was t ouched by
t hat conversat ion.
Anot her feat ure of Palest ine life is t he cont inuous st at e of alarm
in which everybody is more or less living here. Most people in
Europe and perhaps America, who hear about t he st at e of
permanent emergency, deplore it . I am now alluding t o all t he
provisions made for defence in t he t owns and in t he loneliest
agricult ural colonies. I , for my part , am happy about it . I t hink,
t hese menaces God or Providence has reserved for t he preset
st at e of t he Jews in order t o prevent t hem from becoming t oo
mat erialist ic or even again t oo int ellect ual. The prosperit y in
Palest ine and t he sympat hy of t he whole world which t hey enj oy
and t he inclinat ion t owards int ellect ual life and cult ure would
unavoidably have in t he long run a weakening effect on morals
and physique. But now, on t he cont rary, one can say t hat every
Jew in Palest ine is leading t he life of a hero and t raining for such
a life. That has in a most wonderful way added t o t hat rare sort
of psychological balance which you find amongst t he Jews here, a
balance bet ween et hics and physique, bet ween hard physical
labour and spirit ual recreat ion.
Now let us t urn t o music. I st art wit h my own experiences: One
might advance t he argument t hat t here may have been some
special reasons for t hese huge at t endances, such as perhaps my
special popularit y wit h t he Jews here or t he scarcit y of first - class
concert s; but I can easily refut e such argument s. To begin wit h:
t hey had plent y of first - class concert s in t he last few years, and
secondly, t he following fact t ells t he whole st ory: There is an
orchest ra of a very modest qualit y. When t he Choir leader, Mr.
Jacobsohn, gave a performance of Haendels Judas Maccabaeus
wit h t hat orchest ra, t he work had t o be repeat ed t en t imes in
one season. I n a spell of obj ect ivit y I t ried t o calm down my
ent husiasm about t he love of music in t his count ry, and I said t o
myself: aft er all, t here is no reason for amazement when we
t hink t hat t hese are t he same Jews who have for cent uries been
t he deciding fact ors in musical affairs. So it is not surprising t hat
t hey have now brought wit h t hem t o Palest ine t heir musical
educat ion and knowledge. But t hen I said, No, t hat is Nonsense.
America was for 350 years, in mat t ers of music, cult urally a
desert . And yet t he ancest ors of t he Americans were of I rish,
Scot ch, Brit ish, Dut ch, French origin. They were t he
represent at ives of highly cult ured nat ions, and yet t hey
surrendered t heir cult ural needs and habit s in t he first st ages of
t heir pioneering. The Jews also had hard fight s in t heir
pioneering, but yet t hey could simply not abandon t he cult ural
st andard of life of t heir nat ive count ry. One has t he feeling as if
wit h every new orange t ree plant ed in t he ground a parallel t ree
of spirit ual cult ure was plant ed t oo. One t ime it is a music school,
t hen a t heat re, t hen a museum, or a collect ion, a library or a
hospit al and so on; and all t his in 10 years. I f I had not seen it
wit h my own eyes, I would have never believed it . I t hink it is
really unique in t he whole hist ory of colonizat ion of t he whit e
race. I believe firmly t hat Palest ine will in a very short t ime be
t he first count ry where t he human humiliat ion of a cult ure limit ed
only t o one class or sect ion will disappear, t he first count ry where
we shall wit ness t he miracle of an ent ire communit y cult ure.
Under t he spell of t his new evolut ion one cannot help imagining
t hat t his may be t he proper at mosphere for t he creat ion of a new,
a definit e gospel for t he salvat ion of humanit y. I t is mainly t his
out look of a growing general communit y cult ure which pushes me
t o add my modest share in t he field of music.
So far, I have been t alking only in an ent husiast ic affirmat ive
way. I dont want t o close t his speech under t he impression t hat
t here was not hing t o find fault wit h. There are even a great many
obj ect ionable development s and dangers. There will be bot h
malignant and loyal crit ics for what t he Jews are doing in
Palest ine. All we can do here is develop t hat medium which
carries wit h it self harmony not only in an abst ract way, but very
oft en performs more t han polit ics and ot her human undert akings
for t he miracle of creat ing out of t housands of individual heart s
wit h a t housand opinions and aspirat ions and out looks One Great
Spirit ual Unit y. Let s work for Music in Palest ine.

Search
Reviews: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/reviews/[02/11/12 06:53:44]
Reviews
Vienna 1895 / America 1896 / 1900s / 1920s / 1930s / Australia 1937 / 1940s / Neville Cardus / Alexander Ruppa
While most reviews are fairly posit ive, Huberman was undoubt edly more popular in cent ral Europe
t han America or England. The Viennese 1895 reviews are wildly ecst at ic, while t he London crit ics at
t he t urn of t he cent ury are definit ely more rest rained.
Newspaper: New York Times, 27 Nov 1896

Search
Reviews Vienna 1895: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/reviews/vienna_1895/[02/11/12 06:54:18]
15 ( ?) March 1895 Wiener Allgemeine Zeit ung
To honour t he remembrance of great composers, reverence alone
is not sufficient . Die Gesellschuft der Musikfreunde was capable
of st aging t his event in a dignified and appropriat e manner.
However, t he performance was delayed t oo long due t o many
members of t he Musikfreunde choir being st ricken wit h influenza
and unable t o at t end rehearsals of t he diffiult a' cappela choirs,
hindering t he learning of t hese works.
So a red leaflet was handed on Sunday t o t he concert - goers,
st at ing t he above problem. The ot her part s of t he programme
were not affect ed. The programme was t he first part of Brahms'
Triumphlied , an organ recit al by Josef Labor, a Haydn cello
concert o in a dignified int erpret at ion by Hugo Becker, also a new
composit ion Humperdinck' s Die Wallfahrt nach Kevlaar for
soloist s, choir and orchest ra. We don' t believe t hat t his work is
able t o add t o t he reput at ion which t he composer of Hansel and
Gret el so quickly achieved. The ideas of t he work are quit e
shallow, t he cont ent s rat her convent ional, and t he whole work
rat her a compromise bet ween Schumann' s romant ic sound and
Wagner' s musical - religious myst icism. The soloist s Miss v. St at zer
and Mr Dippel performed wit h great zeal and t o t he best of t heir
abilit y.
The impact of t he recent philharmonic concert had no
comparison. Tschaikovsky' s Symphony pat het ic , a great ,
impressive and original work, showed a mast er in composit ion.
The funeral choir, which concludes t he last movement , could
have been writ t en for t he composer himself. Short ly aft er
finishing t he symphony, Tschaikowsky cont ract ed cholera and
died in Pet ersburg . His name will in musical hist ory be not ed as
one of t he great glit t ering st ars. We are st ill t oo close t o his
composit ions t o fully appreciat e and enj oy t hem. We know t wo of
his operas, Eugene Onegin and Pique- Dame , which are st ill
not given much at t ent ion on t he operat ic st age.
I t is a coincidence t hat j ust now in t he world of Virut osent hums
t hree st ill very young art ist s appear on t he scene: Bronislaw
Huberman, Joseph Hofmann and Mark Hamburg. All t hree are of
Jewish/ Polish descent , which should give t he philosophers of
racial t heories somet hing t o t hink about . Depending on t heir
point of view, t his is eit her a manifest at ion of a divine gift in
favour of t he Chosen People , or, t he accumulat ion of genius and
early development as an impending sign of degenerat ion of t he
On this page:
15 Mar 1895 Wiener
Allgemeine Zeit ung
[ English : German]
16 Mar 1895 Reichspost
[ English : German]
17 Mar 1895 Unknown
paper
[ English : German]
Reviews
Vi enna 1895
The young Huberman creat ed a sensat ion amongst t he
musical Viennese public of t he lat e 19t h Cent ury. Here are
t hree different reviews of Huberman' s fift h concert in t he
Grosser Musikverins- Saal, conduct ed by Albert von Hermann
on 12 March. They are by t he Wiener Allgemeine Zeit ung,
t he Reichspost and an unknown newspaper.
I am indebt ed t o Dr. Erich Hermann of Vienna, grandson of
t he conduct or, for sending me t hese fascinat ing reviews. The
original German is below t he English t ranslat ion.
Jewish race. We, however, can greet wit h great pleasure t he
sunrise on t he horizon of musical art ist ry. The t ree of art does
not change nor dry up, and j ust now as Bulow and Rubinst ein,
who were t he most prest igious branches, are declining, t he t ree
breaks out again in new and vigorous growt h wit h t hese t hree
young people. Mark Hamburg gave in t his concert a most
accomplished rendering of t he Chopin F Minor Concert o, which
was ent husiast ically acclaimed by t he audience. Joseph Hofmann
had also been acclaimed performing t he Rubinst ien D Minor
Concert o. Hans Richt er must be given credit for int roducing t hese
t wo young musicians int o t he Vienna concert scene t hey are a
great honour t o t heir illust rious ment or.
Bronislaw Huberman' s success however has overshadowed all
previous performances in t he living memory of t he music- loving
Viennese public. On Wednesday he gave his farewell concert in
t he capacit y filled Musicvereinssaale. We don' t have t o t ake his
farewell t oo t ragically, as t hree furt her concert s of t he lit t le
Wunderman are not only programmed but already sold out . He
could give farewell concert s int o t he summer, such is t he
enormous demand from t he public. Easily underst andable. We
hear a great art ist and see a divine wonder, which cannot be
explained by physiological or psychological wisdom.
An 11- year - old boy wit h t he abilit y t o perform Beet hoven and
Mendelssohn concert i wit h complet e t echnical mast ery, sufficient
st rengt h, wit h full underst anding of t he spirit ual cont ent , wit h
absorpt ion, humour, and esprit everyt hing in t he right place
wit h a never flagging memory wit h at t ent ion t o det ails and an
ext raordinary variat ion of bowing, t his is a phenomenon where
t he voice of t he divinit y speaks t o us. Only a human who cannot
appreciat e beaut y and noble expression could t ake a pat hological
int erest in such a manifest at ion. The lit t le Huberman will
convince t he worst skept ics. Such miracles as t old in t he Bible
may now readily be accept ed, if in our over - enlight ened t ime,
such an art ist ic miracle can become realit y.
Wiener Allgemeine Zeit ung, Vienna, 15? March 1895
Das let zt e Gesellschaft sconcert ht t e sich programmgem zu
einer Gedenkfeier fr Palest rina und Orlando di Lasso gest alt en
sollen. Vor dreihundert Jahren ( 1594) haben nmlich diese
grt en Meist er der Kirchenmusik das Zeit liche gesegnet . Von
anderer Seit e war bereit s ( noch vor Beginn der Concert = saison)
eine solche musikalische Gedenkseier abgehalt en worden, bei
welcher aber vielfach der Wille fr die That genommen werden
mut e.
Zur Ehrung des Andenkens groer Meist er gengt eben nicht die
Piet t allein. Die Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde mit ihrem
Singverein wre nun allerdings berufen gewesen, die Feier in
wrdiger und knst lerisch vollendet er Weise zu veranst alt en; da
sie aber damit so lange gezgert hat , bracht e Unheil. Die
I nfluenza bt e ihre Tcken an Mit gliedern des Singvereins und
wegen mangelhaft en Besuches der Proben konnt e das St udium
der schwierigen capella- Chre nicht vollendet werden.
So meldet e wenigst ens ein rot her Zet t el, der Sonnt ag an die
Concert besucher vert heilt wurde. Die brigen Nummern des
Programms waren aber nicht influenzirt worden. Wir bekamen den
erst en Theil von Brahms' Triumphlied , einen Orgelvort rag von
Joseph Labor, ein Haydn' sches Violoncell= Concert in der
gediegenen I nt erpret at ion Hugo Becker' s, endlich als Novit t
Humperdinck' s Ballade Die Wallfahrt nach Kevlaar fr Soli, Chor
und Orchest er zu hren. Wir glauben nicht , da dieses Werk
geeignet ist , dem Ruhmeskranze, den sich der Componist von
Hnsel und Gret el so rasch errungen, auch nur das winzigst e
Blt t lein einzuflecht en. Der I deengehalt ist mager, die Mache
ziemlich convent iell, das Ganze seiner Anlage nach ein
Compromi zwischen Schumann' s Romanzent on und Wagner' s
musikalisch- religisem Myst izismus. Frulein v. St at zer und Herr
Dippel haben sich ihrer Soli mit Eifer und best em Gelingen
angenommen.
Unverhlt nimig t iefer wirkt e die Novit t des let zt en
philharmonischen Concert es: Tschaikowsky' s pat het ische
Symphonie, ein gro, khn und originell concipirt es Werk, dessen
Durchfhrung eine vollwicht ige Meist erhand bekundet . Den
Trauerchor, mit welchem der Schlusat z ausklingt , hat der
Componist unbewut sich selbst schreiben sollen: kurze Zeit nach
Vollendung des Werkes erlag er in Pet ersburg der Cholera. Seinen
Namen wird die Musikgeschicht e unt er ihren glnzendst en
verzeichnen; die Gegenwart ist noch weit ent fernt , sein Schaffen
richt ig zu wrdigen und zu genieen. Wir kennen zwei Opern
Tschaikowsky' s Eugen Onegin und Pique- Dame , ber welche
die Opernbhnen wohl nicht immer zur Tagesordnung bergehen
knnen.
Der Zufall will es, da eben j et zt in der Welt des Virt uosent hums
drei noch sehr j ugendliche Knst ler das Haupt int eresse
absorbiren: Bronislaw Hubermann, Joseph Hofmann und Mark
Hamburg. Alle drei polnisch- j discher Abst ammung, was den
Philosophen der Rassen- Theorie allerlei zu denken geben mag. Je
nach ihrem St andpunkt e werden sie ent weder diese Erscheinung
als eine Manifest at ion gt t licher Gnade zu Gunst en des
auserwhlt en Volkes deut en, oder sie werden in solcher
Cumulat ion des Genies und der geist igen Frhreife einen sicheren
Beleg fr die Degenerat ion der Rasse erblicken. Wir aber haben
nur alle Ursache, diese verheiungsvolle Morgenrt he auf dem
Horizont e der reproducirenden Tonkunst freudig zu begren. Der
Baum der Kunst alt ert nicht und verdorrt nicht und set zt gerade
zu der Zeit , wo in Blow und Rubinst ein seine st olzest en Aest e
dahingesunken, neue krft ige Triebe an. Mark Hamburg hat in
dem vorerwhnt en Philharmonischen Concert e durch den
vollendet en Vort rag von Chopin' s F- moll= Concert e das Publicum
ebenso zur Bewunderung hingerissen, wie Joseph Hofmann in
dem vorhergegangenen Concert e der Philharmoniker durch
Rubinst ein' s D- moll= Concert . Hans Richt er hat sich das groe
Verdienst erworben, beide j ungen Knst ler in das Wiener
Concert leben einzufhren; sie macht en der vornehmen
Geleit schaft Ehre.
Bronislaw Hubermann aber verdunkelt mit seinen Erfolgen Alles,
was seit Menschengedenken die Kunst freunde Wien' s
ent husiasmirt hat . Gest ern gab er im gedrngt vollen groen
Musikvereinssaale sein Abschiedsconcert . Der Abschied ist nicht
t ragisch zu nehmen; denn noch drei weit ere Concert e des kleinen
Wundermannes sind bereit s nicht nur angekndigt , sondern auch
schon - ausverkauft . Er knnt e in solcher Weise sich bis in den
Sommer hinein verabschieden , und der Zulauf des Publicums zu
seinen Product ionen wrde sich nicht erschpfen. Leicht
erklrlich. Man hrt einen groen Knst ler und sieht ein
gt t liches Wunder, dessen Ent rt hselung keiner psychologischen
und physiologischen Weisheit gelingen wird.
Ein elfj hriger Knabe, der die Violin= Concert e von Beet hoven und
Mendelssohn mit hchst er t echnischer Vollendung, zureichender
physischer Kraft , mit vollst ndiger Erfassung des geist igen
Gehalt s, mit Gemt hst iefe, Humor und Esprit - Alles an richt iger
St elle - mit nie versagendem Gedcht ni, mit sorgflt igst er
Ausarbeit ung j edes Det ails und mit einer st upenden
Mannigfalt igkeit der St richart en vort rgt : das ist eine
Erscheinung, aus welcher unabweislich die St imme der Got t heit
zu uns spricht . Das ist die einzige Lsung des Rt hsels. Und nur
ein verknchert es, fr das Schne und Edle abgest umpft es
Gemt h kann einer solchen Erscheinung ein pat hologisches
I nt eresse ent gegenbringen. Der kleine Hubermann vermag den
schlimmst en Skept iker glubig zu st immen. Welche Wunder, so in
der Bibel bericht et werden, knnen noch fr unglaublich gelt en,
wenn in unserem beraufgeklrt en Jahrhundert ein solches
Kunst wunder Wahrheit geworden?!
I m gest rigen Hubermann= Concert e hat sich der t reffliche
Musikschrift st eller Albert Rit t er v. Hermann, bereit s bekannt als
musikalischer Leit er der Kralikschen Weihnacht sspiele, erfolgreich
als Orchest er= Dirigent eingefhrt . Er besorgt e nicht nur mit
groer Umsicht und Sorgfalt die Orchest erbegleit ung der
Violin= Concert e, sondern bracht e auch einige symphonische
St cke ( darunt er den 1. Sat z der Schubert schen H-
moll= Symphonie) in gelungener, geist voller Weise zur
Auffhrung. Frau Bert ha Gut mann sang die schwierige Arie der
Agat he aus dem Freischt z . Die gescht zt e Sngerin, welche
sich schon bei so vielen Anlssen glcklich bewhrt hat , war
leider durch merkliche I ndisposit ion an der vollen Ent falt ung ihrer
Kunst behindert ; aber das Publicum anerkannt e gleichwohl die
vornehmen I nt ent ionen der Vort ragenden durch lebhaft en Beifall.
Von den Virt uosen= Concert en der erst en Mrzhlft e sind mit
besonderer Anerkennung die Product ionen des geist vollen
Franchet t i, der ein eigenes Concert und Chopin' s F- moll= Concert
mit feinst em Schliffe vort rug, des berhmt en Cellist en Popper,
der Pianist en Roger= Miclos und Dagmar Valle= Hansen
( Scherwenka' s B- moll= Concert ! ) , endlich des Ehepaares Susanne
und Louis Re zu erwhnen. Die Damen Pylleman= Bricht und
Albert ine Beer, sowie Mat j a v. Nieen und Lillian Sanderson
bracht en ihre Liedergaben dar und recht fert igt en neuerlich das
Lob, das wir schon wiederholt ihrer vollendet en Gesangskunst
gespendet haben. Auch Baronesse St illfried und ein neuer
Snger, Herr August Krner, fanden gebhrenden Anwert h. I n
einem Hubermann= Concert lernt en wir endlich auch in Frulein
Tona v. Hermann eine verheiungsvolle Gesangsnovize kennen.
Die Liedersngerin Therese Gromann verleugnet auch auf dem
Concert podium ihre Zugehrigkeit zur Bhne nicht : ihre
Vort ragskunst ist vollendet , beinahe schon raffinirt . Sie knnt e
ein St ern der Operet t enbhne werden.
Reichspost , Vienna, 16 March 1895
Now t his ext raordinary violin art ist playing wit h t he orchest ra has
also conquered t he Great Musikvereinssaale . The ast onishing
effect of t his concert was t he same as at t he previous Pat t i
concert s, where Hubermann first became known t o t he audience.
A packed concert hall, ent husiast ic and spont aneous ovat ions
well deserved great admirat ion for t he ext raordinary t alent of
t his young man. I t appeared as if wit hin t he frame of a great
orchest ra, his own st rengt h increased; he played t he violin
concert i of Beet hoven and Mendelssohn wit h a wonderful
expression, t rue musical feelings, ext raordinary clear sound,
confident bowing and great bravura. He also gave an encore wit h
Miss Suppont schit chs harp accompanying of Chopins Noct urne in
E; he did not give a furt her encore, which was t he correct answer
t o t he rat her unreasonable demands by some of t he audience.
Mrs. Gut mann also part icipat ed in t his concert ; she sang t he
Agat ha Aria from t he Freischut z. The St rauss orchest ra
conduct ed by Mr. Albert von Hermann, which also played t he first
movement of Schubert H- moll symphony. The orchest ra
performed very well, t o a large degree due t o t he eminent
conduct or, whose overall guidance was felt in t his concert .
Reichspost , Vienna, 16 March 1895
Concert Hubermann.
Nun hat dieser selt ene Violinknst ler in einem Orchest erkonzert e
auch den groen Musikvereinssaal erobert ! Der uere Effekt
dieses Concert es war gleich dem des Pat t i - Concert es, in welchem
Hubermann zum erst enmale mit uns bekannt geworden. Ein zum
Erdrcken voller Saal, ein t osender, rasender Beifall, - gerecht e
Bewunderung auf allen Augen und Lippen; die Leist ung des
Knaben eine bedeut ende. Als ob er im Rahmen eines groen
Orchest ers mit seiner eigenen Kraft gewachsen wre, spielt e er
die beiden Violinconcert e von Beet hoven und Mendelssohn mit
Schnheit des Ausdrucks, echt musikalischer Empfindung,
t adelloser Reinheit , sicherem St riche und hinreiendem Feuer. Er
gab auch mit Harfenbegleit ung von Frl. Suppant schit sch ( vom
St rau- Orchest er) Chopin' s Noct urne in Es zu und da er keine
weit ere Zugabe macht e, war die richt ige Ant wort auf das lst ige
Gebahren einer aufdringlichen Clique. Dem Concert e hat t e auch
Frau Gut mann durch den Vort rag der Agat hen- Arie aus
Freischt z ihre knst lerische Mit wirkung geliehen und die
St rau- Capelle, welche unt er der umsicht igen Leit ung des Herrn
Albert von Hermann die Begleit ung besorgt e und selbst ndig auch
Schubert ' s herrliche H- moll Symphonie, 1. Sat z, spielt e, zeigt e
sich dieser schwierigen Aufgabe knst lerisch vollst ndig
gewachsen- das groe Verdienst ihres eminent en Capellmeist ers,
dessen Geist in diesem Concert e unsicht bar walt et e. G. v. B.
?, 17 March 1895
Concert
That in our heavy concert season a young violin player, playing
five concert s in a row, already sold out , hardly anybody would
have believed t o be possible. The fift een- year old Bronislaw
Hubermann, however, performed t his miracle. The success at his
first appearance in a concert of Adelina Pat t i has not changed and
also cont inues for his next t hree concert s. The fift h concert by
t his ext raordinary t alent ed young man was played wit h t he
orchest ra in t he "Great Musikvereinssalle". I t was very impressive
t hat t he young virt uoso played t he Beet hoven and Mendelssohn
violin concert i. He played bot h wit hout a score, wit h great
confidence and bravura, combined wit h a fine and delicat e feeling
for t he music. During t he first movement of t he Beet hoven
concert o he played t he rat her long and very difficult cadenza by
Joachim, which he performed beaut ifully. There seemed t o be no
end t o t he ovat ion following t he concert . The orchest ra was t he
St rauss ensemble, which played very well considering t heir
normal repert oire - dance music, but were not very confident t o
accompany a soloist . That t he concert was very sat isfact ory was
largely due t o t he conduct or, Albert Rit t er v. Hermann who
rehearsed and conduct ed t he concert . We have already
encount ered Mr. Hermann during his performance of t he
"Weihnacht sspiele". At t he Hubermann concert , t he sound of t he
orchest ra seemed t o be not st rong enough for t he size of t he hall,
which may have been a help for t he young musician, who
obviously has not yet t he st rengt h of an adult person. Except for
t he woodwind in t he "Agat ha Aria" from t he "Freischut z", t he
orchest ra was well t uned. Mrs. Gut mann sang t he ext ra difficult
aria very well, earning a well - deserved applause.
?, 17 March 1895
Concert
Da in unserer concert berflut het en Saison ein j unger
Violinspieler f n f Concert e nach einander geben knne und
j edesmal bei ausverkauft em Hause- das ht t e kaum Jemand fr
mglich gehalt en. Der fnfzehnj hrige Bronislaw Hubermann hat
dieses Wunder bewerkst elligt . Das Glck, das seinem erst en
Auft ret en ( im Concert e der Adelina Pat t i) gelchelt , es ist ihm
t reu geblieben und drft e nach aller Wahrscheinlichkeit auch fr
seine noch ausst ehenden drei Concert e weit er vorhalt en. Das
fnft e Concert des genialen Knaben hat im groen
Musikvereinssaale mit Orchest erbegleit ung st at t gefunden. Es bt e
einen ganz besonderen Reiz dadurch, da der kleine Virt uose das
Beet hoven' sche Violin- Concert und das Mendelssohn' sche spielt e.
Er t rug beide auswendig, mit vollkommener Sicherheit und
ebenso t adelloser Bravour wie feiner, unaffect irt er Empfindung
vor. I n den erst en Sat z des Beet hoven' schen Concert es hat t e er
die lange, beraus schwierige Cadenz von Joachim eingelegt und
bewlt igt e sie merkwrdig leicht und correct . Der Beifall wollt e
kein Ende nehmen. Das Orchest er war das der St rau' schen
Capelle, welche bekannt lich ihr gewhnliches Repert oire,
insbesondere Tanzmusik, vort refflich spielt , aber nicht gebt ist ,
zu accompagnieren. Da es diese ungewohnt e Aufgabe
zufriedenst ellend lst e, ist zumeist Herrn Albert Rit t er v. Hermann
zu danken, welcher die St cke einst udirt hat t e und mit ruhiger
Eleganz dirigirt e. Wir haben Herrn v. Hermann bereit s als
musikalischen Dirigent en der Weihnacht sspiele scht zen
gelernt . I n dem Concert e Hubermann' s klang das Orchest er et was
zu schwach fr den Raum des groen Musikvereinssaales, was
brigens dem j ungen Virt uosen, der noch nicht die physische
Kraft eines Erwachsenen besit zt , zu st at t en kam. Bis auf eine
St elle der Holzblser in der Agat hen- Arie aus dem Freischt z
blieb das Orchest er auch rein gest immt . Die genannt e Arie, fr
den Concert vort rag immer ein Wagst ck, wurde von Frau
Gut mann mit vielem Beifall gesungen. h.

Post er: 12 March 1895, Vienna

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Reviews America 1896: huberman.info
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New York Times, 22 November 1896
BRONI SLAW HUBERMAN
The Boy Violinist Proves t o be an
Art ist of t he First Rank
Overt ure, Carnival de Boheme Dvorak
Orchest ra
Concert o Mendelssohn
Allegro, Andant e, Finale,
Bronislaw Huberman.
Preludes, Die Koenigskinder . . . Humperdink
( New, first t ime in America. )
Act . I I . May Fest ival and Dance.
( Hella Fest und Kinderreigen. )
Act I I I . The Minst rels Last Lay.
( Spielmanns let zt er Gesang Verdorben, Gest orben. )
Orchest ra.
Air and Prelude . . . Bach
Bronislaw Huberman.
Symphonic Poeme Saint - Saens
Ronet dOmphale.
Orchest ra.
( a) Romanza Wagner
( b) Gypsy Airs Sarasat e
Bronislaw Huberman.
I f a musical hearer, unacquaint ed beforehand wit h t he nat ure of
t he occasion, had t urned his back t o t he st age a few minut es
aft er Seidls orchest ra had done playing Dvoraks overt ure at
Carnegie Hall last evening, he would have been great ly int erest ed
and impressed by what he heard. For it was a performance of t he
first movement of Mendelssohns concert o, which not only did
j ust ice t o t he suavit y of t he composit ion, but also impart ed a
willfulness and impet uosit y t o it s rhyt hmic swing such as he could
not oft en have heard before. He could have heard it delivered in
a t one which, if not exquisit e, was full and clear, and wit h a
complet e mast ery of it s difficult ies. His conclusion would have
been t hat some t heret ofore unknown but very individual violinist
was giving his own int erpret at ion, at many point s novel, of t he
familiar classic.
I f he had t hen t urned round and looked, as well as list ened, he
would have been impressed wit h t he not ion of somet hing
uncanny and out of nat ure. I t would have seemed t oo
prepost erous t hat t he slight child of t hirt een, in long hair and a
silken blouse, whom he would have seen, should know and feel
On this page:
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Times
Ot her reviews
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Reviews of t he America t our of 1896/ 97.
and do all t hat . The t echnique is not t he remarkable t hing about
Hubermans playing. I t is what t echnique ought t o be t he
means t o an end. The point is t hat he has a definit e not ion of his
own of how t he music should be played, and he plays it in t hat
way. Nobody who heard him play a single movement last night
could doubt t hat his int erpret at ion was his own. I t is simply
inconceivable t hat he could have been coached t o play as he
plays.
The most remarkable point about his playing is not at all it s
precocit y, but it s mat urit y, t he magist ral and aut horit at ive way in
which he present s you wit h his int erpret at ions t o t ake or t o leave
t he t ot al absence of anyt hing t ent at ive or conj ect ural or
dubious about t hem. His confidence t hat t he way he plays t he
t hing, what ever it may be, is t he way it ought t o go, recalls
Kiplings London clerk, in The Finest St ory in t he World, flinging
out wit h aut horit y his reminiscences of what has happened t o
him t hree t housand years before in a previous st at e of exist ence.
Really, t hat is as likely a supposit ion as any ot her t o account for
Bronislaw Huberman.
Which is t o say t hat he is not a pupil, but a mast er, an art ist
about whom it would be an impert inence t o make allowances and
t o say considering. He is ent it led t o be j udged like t he ot her of
t he leading violinist s of whom he is one. Not by any means t hat
he is impeccable. He has dist inct ly more fire t han finish. I n t he
first t wo movement s of t he Mendelssohn concert o, accordingly,
he was dist inct ly inferior t o Sauret , who played t he concert o here
so exquisit ely last year. I n t he last movement , accordingly, where
vigor, dash, and power are more called for t han finish, Huberman
was as dist inct ly superior t o Sauret . But t he whole concert o was
most int erest ingly given.
Upon t he whole, t he last movement of t he concert o was t he best
t hing he did, except ing possibly t he final Gypsy Airs of
Sarasat e, which make great demands upon execut ion, but which
he gave wit h a delight ful spirit and freedom. For an encore t o t he
concert o he played Schumanns Trauemerei wit h a mut ed violin,
and marred t he performance, as also t hat of t he Bach air, by an
abuse of t he vibrat o which was really out rageous. The Bach air
was furt her inj ured by t he suppression of t he accompaniment ,
which is an int egral part of t he composit ion, almost int o
inaudible- ness. Whet her t his was t he violinist s fault or t he
conduct ors, it was grievous. The prelude from one of t he solo
sonat as, on t he ot her hand was played wit h admirable vigor and
clearness. For a final encore he played an amazingly difficult
rondo by Bazzini wit h a complet e and easy conquest of it s
difficult ies. The young violinst has j ust ified t he European praise
of him and won a genuine and well - deserved success.
New York Times, 27 November 1896
HUBERMAN' S CONCERT
The Young Violinist Pleases a Large
Audience at Carnegie Hall.
Bronislaw Huberman, t he j uvenile violinist , suffers from over -
advert ising and underdressing. There really is no good reason
why Huberman should be advert ised as a mat ure art ist , nor is
t here good ground for dressing him in knee t rousers, loose silk
shirt s, and long hair. He is not a mat ure art ist , and he is not a
j uvenile prodigy. He is simply a boy whom nat ure has blessed
wit h somet hing like a real genius for violin playing, and who has
reached t he age of about sixt een years wit hout mast ering his art .
I t would do Huberman a world of good t o go int o ret irement and
st udy earnest ly under mast ers of opposit e st yles, like Joachim
and Ysaye. He would t hen be a violinist .
That t he boy has a genuine musical organizat ion was proved by
his playing yest erday aft ernoon at Carnegie Hall, where he gave
his first recit al in t he presence of a large and unduly
demonst rat ive audience. The boys most import ant number was
Bruchs first concert o, wit h which he began his aft ernoons work.
He played it not at all like a mat ure art ist , but like a boy wit h
genius in his blood. Huberman has fire, dash, lan at t imes, and
occasionally his cant abile spreads int o t he warm glow of radiant
beaut y. But t hat is not oft en. He pleases most by t he splendid
sonorit y of his t one, a t one rough and impure yet , but very noble
in it s maj est ic breadt h. I t is a grand foundat ion on which t o rear
a bet t er t echnic t han t hat shown in t he last movement of t he
concert o, which was played coldly, deliberat ely, even t ent at ively.
Huberman plays sharp very oft en, and his int onat ion is generally
open t o quest ion. But his bowing, barring an over - fondness for
det ached not es, is admirable, and his phrasing shows a fine
feeling for musical effect s. There is a great amount of
earnest ness in t he young mans work. There is no quest ion t hat
he loves his art , and t hat he put s all t he emot ional experience he
has, t oget her wit h a great deal of musical inst inct , int o his
playing. He has a fine fut ure before him, if he will cont ent himself
wit h being a violinist and drop his present st yle of dress and
advert ising.
I n addit ion t o t he concert o he played a Chopin noct urne and
Wieniawskis Faust fant asia. Adele Lewing, pianist , played some
harmless, unnecessary numbers in a harmless, unnecessary st yle,
and Mr. E Romayne Simmons supplied t he violinist wit h
accompaniment s which were of t he eart h, eart hy.
Ot her American reviews:
The young violinist has j ust ified t he European praise of him and
won a genuine and well - deserved success. TI MES
Huberman is a genius; his movement s and looks indicat e it , and
his playing more surely yet verifies t his idea. SUN
I f t his child does not burn wit h t he t rue fires of genius, t hen
genius never exist ed. PRESS
His performance of t he Mendelssohn Concert o would have been
marvelous had he been t went y years older. EVE. POST
This body will not only make a furor; he will fill t he aching void
which Paderewskis absence has left in so many feminine breast s.
EVE. SUN
His exquisit e t one and puiseant appreciat ion, his buoyant and
delicat e grace of execut ion were all of t he most admirable
descript ion. MAI L AND EXPRESS
There is not , perhaps, t he force of a full grown man in his t ouch
or t one, but no lack is felt , for everyt hing in his playing is
homogeneous and in proport ion.

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Reviews 1900s: huberman.info
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The Times, 20 Oct 1904
CONCERTS.
Herr Huberman, a violinist who came out as a prodigy some
years back, gave t he first of t wo recit als yest erday aft ernoon at
St . James' s- hall. He is undoubt edly an accomplished performer,
and, in spit e of cert ain limit at ions, creat ed a favourable
impression. His t echnique, alt hough of an advanced order, cannot
be said t o be perfect ; t here were occasional lapses of int onat ion;
yet his st accat o playing is admirable, and cert ain passages in
t hirds came out as clearly as could be wished, while his t one is
pure and even, but for one or t wo moment s of roughness, as
t hough qualit y was being sacrificed t o volume. His int erpret at ion
of t he Kreut zer sonat a was a mixt ure of breadt h and
sent iment alit y; t he andant e movement was t aken t oo slowly; but
t he finale, during which he had t he ill- luck t o break his E st ring,
went wit h excellent spirit . He also played Raff' s suit e, op. 180,
t he Schubert - Wilhelmj "Ave Maria, " and a mazurka by Kont ski.
Herr Richard Singer was a sympat het ic accompanist , and, besides
playing t he piano part of t he sonat a, which he did in good st yle,
also gave t he Bach- Busoni "Toccat a and Fugue" in D minor, t his
perhaps wit h an over - amount of force.
The Times, 8 May 1905
Herr Huberman' s orchest ral concert in t he Queen' s- hall was a
great success on Sat urday. He is one of t he few violinist s of t he
younger generat ion who are j ust ified in regarding wit h complet e
and genuine indifference t he t ransit ory successes made by t he
crowd of brilliant players, or t he means t hat many of t hem t ake
t o procure not oriet y. Herr Huberman has at t ained t o t he posit ion
of a real art ist , in whom t echnical skill, int ellect ual grasp, and
emot ional t emperament exist side by side and are held in
precisely t he right relat ion t o each ot her. No one could possibly
call him cold on t he one hand or sent iment al on t he ot her; his
playing of t he Beet hoven concert o was such as t o make t he
hearer forget t he individual in t he beaut y of t he work; it was
lit erally an int erpret at ion, and a remarkbly fine one. Saint -
Sens' s concert o in B minor and Tchaikovsky' s "Souvenir d' un lieu
cher" were t he ot her violin solos, and bot h were admirably
played. The Queen' s- hall Orchest ra, under Mr. Wood' s direct ion,
played t he accompaniment s very well, and opened t he concert
wit h t he overt ure t o Hnsel und Gret el . Herr Richard Singer, a
pianist of very considerable abilit y, played Liszt ' s second concert o
On this page:
20 Oct 1904 The Times
8 May 1905 The Times
Reviews
London 1900s
The Times could be crit ical of violinist s. Three days aft er t he
8 May review of Huberman, Kubelik was crit icized for his
phrasing and int erpret at ion.
in A wit h due vigour and brilliance.

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Reviews 1920s: Huberman.info
New York Times, 18 Oct ober 1921
MUSI C
By Richard Aldrich.
Bronislaw Hubermans Recit al.
A large audience full of zealous friendliness, some of it no doubt
pat riot ic in origin, as is apt in t hese days t o be t he case in New
York when foreign art ist s are t o be welcomed, heard t he first
recit al in Carnegie Hall last evening of Mr. Bronislaw Huberman,
Polish violinist . I t was not Mr Hubermans first appearance in New
York, for he played here t went y - five years ago as an infant
prodigy, wit h long hair, clot hes quit e as yout hful as befit t ed his
years, and not a lit t le t alent , manifest ed wit h a good deal of
crudeness.
I n t he int ervening years he has acquired a considerable European
reput at ion as an art ist . Mr Huberman is now a serious person,
approaching middle age; his hair is not longer in t he way; but it
must st ill be said t hat his t alent is manifest ed wit h a cert ain
crudeness. Mr Huberman is an unpret ending player, and makes
no at t empt at personal display. His mind is apparent ly more upon
t he music he is engaged wit h t han upon himself and t he effect he
is making, and t his predisposes in his favor. He is well equipped
wit h t he t echnical proficiency t hat is expect ed of all violinist s of
reput at ion in t hese days. Yet he frequent ly seems t o find it a
severe st rain t o produce his effect s, a laborious operat ion, back -
bending; and t he result is labored. Mr. Hubermans t one is
powerful, but it is not not able for warmt h or appealing qualit y.
His progress was not one t hat would show any art ist t o t he best
advant age in Carnegie Hall. Beet hovens Kreut zer Sonat a,
t hough cast in t he largest mold of any of his violin sonat as, is
chamber music, and loses some of it s charact erist ic qualit y in a
large hall. Tschaikovskys concert o wit h a piano accompaniment
has t he flavor of cold veal even t hough t he accompaniment is
so skillfully played as Mr. Paul Frenkel played it , and t he ot hers
on t he program for t his concert o more t han most needs t he
glowing colors and t he variegat ed st rands of t he orchest ral fabric
enfolding it . Mr. Huberman played t he sonat a wit h t echnical skill
and int elligence, but wit hout a comprehensive underst anding of
it s poet ical beaut y. There were passages t hat seemed labored;
t here were ot hers in which he seemed suddenly smit t en wit h t he
sent iment al possibilit ies of a phrase and lift ed away from t he
t hought of labor. There was much in his playing of t he
Chaconne from Bachs D minor solo sonat a t o inspire respect ,
and even admirat ion, and, not wit hst anding t he frequent evidence
here, t oo, of t oil, some of t he variat ions were played wit h much
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t echnical efficiency, and even made t o disclose t heir musical
import . As for Tschaikovskys concert o, t he effect could hardly be
expect ed t o reach t he highest brilliancy under t he circumst ances
of it s performance, yet Mr. Huberman played it wit h abundant
dext erit y, t hough his t one in cert ain exact ing passages was apt
t o lose somet hing of it s musical qualit y.
His last group included pieces by Mozart , Chopin ( in Wilhelmj s
arrangement ) and Paganini, and aft er t he Chaconne in
response t o demonst rat ive applause, Mr. Huberman added,
appropriat ely, a movement from anot her one of Bachs
unaccompanied sonat as.

New York Times, 8 Dec 1922
Mr St rankys philharmonic societ y given in
Carnegie hall last evening. By Richard Aldrich.
Mr Bronislaw Huberman was t he soloist , playing Brahms
concert o. Mr Huberman has before now showed t he st erling
qualit y of his art , his high seriousness and his power t o cope wit h
great music. Some of his met hods wit h Brahmss concert o
puzzled his admirers. I n t he first movement he at t acked t he
opening phrases, and some lat er ones wit h a t empest uous energy
t hat was t ranslat ed int o roughness of t one and a forcing of t he
same; and wit h a cert ain exaggerat ion of t he rhyt hmic impulse,
which is right ly t o be sure, drast ic, but which seemed overdone.
Then in t he cant ilena passage Mr. Huberman sang most
seduct ively, most beaut ifully on his inst rument ; and t here were
large sect ions of t he work of which he t ruly int erpret ed t he poet ry
and reflect ed t he sunset glow of t he music.

New York Times, 1 Feb 1923
Richard Aldrich
The Friends of Music changed it s habit at for it s concert given
yest erday aft ernoon; left t he Town Hall and invit ed it s support ers
t o Carnegie Hall.
Mr Huberman played t he t wo romances by Beet hoven wit h
admirable musicianship, a full - t hroat ed ut t erance of sincere
sent iment . I t hardly seemed as if t he t wo belonged t oget her in
one number, so closely are t hey relat ed in spirit , however
int erest ing it was for t he analyt ically inclined t o compare t hem
t hus.
The most import ant number of t he program was Taneievs suit e,
which was announced as played for t he first t ime in America, and
very likely was, for comparat ively lit t le of t his Russians music
has penet rat ed t o t his count ry. I t is a long and elaborat e
composit ion, comprising a rhapsodical prelude; a gavot t e in which
a st rong new wine is poured int o t he old- bot t le of t he archaic
dance rhyt hm; a movement called Ghost st ory, fancifully
suggest ing legends of t he Russian count ryside t old at bedt ime,
and a t heme wit h five variat ions in int erest ing and varied forms.
I t is music st rongly t inct ured wit h imaginat ion, robust and
vigorous, and showing lit t le or not hing of t he influence of t he
nat ional folk song. Mr Huberman played it wit h great power and
convict ion, and Mr Bodanzky gave it an excellent performance of
t he highly developed orchest ral part .

New York Times, 27 Oct 1923
Huberman gives novelt y
Violinist plays prize- winning sonat a by Alexander
Tansman
Bronislaw Huberman played a young Polish composers work by
of a prime novelt y at his reappearance in recit al at Carnegie Hall
last night . Wit h Siegfried Schult ze at t he piano, he gave t he violin
sonat a in D maj or by Alexander Tansman. I t was t old t hat t his
was one of t hree manuscript s in a post - war compet it ion of t he
new Polish Government , all t hree anonymously submit t ed by a
yout h hardly out of his t eens, and all winning prizes for his music
and for himself quick fame.
Tansmans sonat a is t ransparent ly yout hful in spirit , young in
heart , and none t he less likeable for t hat . I t seemed a free
improvisat ion in four short movement s, ingrat iat ing in t he playful
t ossing of pret t y t unes bet ween piano wires and fiddle st rings,
t he exploring of kaleidoscopic harmonies. A Slavic melody and a
gay int ermezzo scherzando were applauded.
The sonat a is dedicat ed now t o Huberman, who has present ed in
Paris, Amst erdam and London. Last night s program comprised
also Bachs concert o in E, wit h small chamber orchest ra; Lalos
Symphonie Espagnole and Debussys Minuet , En Bat eau and
Cort ege, piano pieces arranged for violin by Huberman.

New York Times, 25 Nov 1923
Assist s Philharmonic
Bronislaw Huberman, Violinist , Plays in
Tchaikovsky Program
Bronislaw Huberman played Tchaikovskys concert o for violin in D
maj or wit h t he Philharmonic Orchest ra at Carnegie Hall last
evening. The violinst maint ained a broad, sweeping t one, rich in
colours, wit h delicat ely wrought phrasing and much fluency. Mr
Huberman was ably assist ed by Mr Willem von Hoogst rat ens
players in giving a highly int elligent present at ion of t he
composit ion.
The orchest ra alone gave Tchaikovskys Fourt h Symphony and
t he same composers Romeo and Juliet . As usual, t he hall was
filled t o t he last bit of st anding room, and t here was a long line of
applicant s for admission when t he last had been sold.

Bronislaw Hubermans Recit al.
By H. C. Colles
Bronislaw Huberman offered an abundant program of violin music
at Carnegie Hall last night t o an audience which fully appreciat ed
t he abundance of his powers. Beet hovens Kreut zer sonat a wit h
Siegfried Schult ze playing t he piano came first , t hen
Mendelssohns concert o wit h Siegfried Schult ze represent ing an
orchest ra, t hen some Bach wit hout accompaniment and finally
t hat miscellaneous group which is t he reward of t hose of t he
audience who t olerat e t he classics for t he sake of t he virt uoso.
Those who t ake t he opposit e view, who find t he virt uoso
admirable for t he sake of t he music, had much t o be t hankful for
in t he first part of t he program where Mr. Hubermans finished
playing was devot ed t o great music. One might differ from him
about cert ain feat ures in t he Beet hoven sonat a, not ably t he
variat ions of t he middle movement made t oo rest less by his
ingenuit ies of bowing, but it was undoubt edly a performance full
of vigorous life. I n t he Mendelssohn he cert ainly laid t oo much
st ress on mere speed and t hough he rarely if ever had t o
sacrifice clearness t o get it , and his t one always ret ained it s pure
and liquid qualit y, he did sacrifice or at any rat e failed t o discover
some of it s beaut y of feeling.
I t was delight ful t o hear him march st eadily t hrough t o t he end
of t he slow movement wit hout ever giving way t o t he sent iment al
relent ando[ sic] , but t he finale can have j ust as much vit alit y and
considerably more of grace by being t aken at a more moderat e
speed. The modern t endency is t o t reat t empo like t he spinning
of a t op t o set t he t hing going and let it run. The great est
players have always kept it like everyt hing else wit hin t here
cont rol, wit h somet hing t o spare.
Though t he same fet ish of speed rat her limit ed his Bach, which
consist ed of t he Praeludium, Gavot t e and Menuet t from t he
sonat a in E, t his was perhaps t he most enj oyable part of Mr.
Hubermans program, because of t he decisive rhyt hm, t he purit y
of t one and t he firmness of t he chord passages. I t was alt oget her
a most st imulat ing performance.

New York Times, 20 Jan 1924
Huberman, Violinist , Plays Again.
Bronislaw Huberman, t he violinist , gave his t hird recit al last
evening at Carnegie Hall. His program comprised Francks sonat a,
Bachs chaconne, Bruchs concert o No. 2, t he Wagner - Wilhelm
Prize Song, a walt z- caprice of Wieniawski and t wo Spanish
dances by Sarasat e. Siegfried Schult ze assist ed at t he piano and
t here was a large and cordial house. I t was made known t hat Mr.
Huberman, who is booked for an American t our next year, is
leaving soon t o do broadcast ing at t he invit at ion of t he Dut ch
Government . He has been invit ed also by t he present Russian
Government t o make a t our of t hat count ry, which he has not
visit ed since t he revolut ion.

Huberman is applauded.
Heard Wit h St ranskys Players at Opera House
Mat inee.
A mat inee audience at t he Met ropolit an yest erday heard t he last
but one of t he St at e Symphony Orchest ras series t here. I t will
close March 2, when Mme. Jerit za, now st art ing her own concert
t our, ret urns for a local field day wit h Mr. St ranskys players. Two
soloist s assist ed yest erday, Bronislaw Huberman in Mendelssohns
violin concert o and Ant on Bilot t i in t he Dance of Deat h by Liszt .
The orchest ra gave also Schubert s Unfinished symphony,
Smet anas The Moldau and t he Rakocsy march of Berlioz.
Mr. Huberman was long applauded aft er t he concert o, which, wit h
t he brief symphony t hat preceded it , might well share honors
among t he most popular of musical classics. Mr. Bilot t i also made
a graceful appearance, if less fort unat e, in t he noisy piano
declamat ion of t he Dies I rae. I ndeed, Liszt s bombast made t he
brass of Berlioz aft er it shine like gold. Mr St ranskys int erlude
from Smet ana, ant icipat ing t he Czech composers cent enary, was
a j oyful celebrat ion of his nat ive river in melodies of Bohemias
own.

Neue Freie Presse, June 1924
The fift h concert of Bronislaw Huberman was sold out . That
signified a t riumph wit hout equal, an unparalleled vict ory. Art ist s
are not t oo numerous who can at t ract t he public on a warm June
night . Huberman had t he power t o do t his. His violin playing has
a legendary lust er, his t ones a clear beaut y, an infat uat ing
sensuousness; t he noble breadt h and ardent int erpret at ion
bewit ched all. Art ist s like Huberman are t he elect and favored of
fat e, t hey shine like st ars.

Wiener Zeit ung, June 1924
I heard Huberman in five of his concert s. Ent husiast s filled t he
place t o t he last seat when he played Beet hoven and Brahms.
The brilliant t one, t he nobilit y of t he cant ilena, t he aspirat ion and
flight t oward God are unique. Huberman is t he lat est poet ic
int erpret er on t he violin, t he lat est messenger of t he great
mast ers who t urn everyt hing t hey t ouch int o harmony and soul.
Huberman belongs t o t hem, he appert ains t o t heir immort al
st at e.

Bronislaw Hubermans recit al
Four import ant works, each t ypical of a cert ain school and period
and asking of t he performer many qualit ies of t echnic and
int erpret at ion, made t he program of Bronislaw Hubermans violin
recit al yest erday aft ernoon in Carnegie Hall. These were t he
Beet hoven Kreut zer Sonat a, t he unaccompanied prelude and
fugue in G minor of J. S. Bach, from t he sonat a in t hat key; t he
Mendelssohn concert o and t he Wieniawski Faust fant asy. Mr.
Huberman was assist ed by Siegfried Schult ze, pianist . The
composit ions were arranged not in chronological order, but wit h a
view t o cont rast and effect ive succession. They were played wit h
a sincerit y, a fire and a ripe knowledge t hat made t he concert
more t han an agreeable one.
I n Beet hovens Sonat a Mr. Huberman at t imes sacrificed
sensuous beaut y of t one t o dramat ic accent . The list ener felt
sympat het ic when he did t his felt , in fact t hat he would hardly
have been a man and art ist had he done ot herwise. Could
Beet hoven have been fully sat isfied wit h his medium in his
composit ion? Must he not have felt rest rict ed, once he had
elect ed t o employ a violin and piano, t o find his t hought
assuming an unconquerable energy and passion which, in t he first
movement at least , would have required an orchest ra t o do it
j ust ice?
I n t he slow movement Mr. Huberman avoided t he pit fall t hat
oft en ent raps less mat ured art ist s, in not at t empt ing t o make t he
t heme and variat ions t oo emot ional. When t he variat ions t ended
t oward t rivialit y t hey were given dignit y and subst ance by t he
musicianship of t he performer.
The incomparable music of Bach was discoursed in an earnest
and loft y spirit . For years t he surpassing genius of his works for
violin alone was misunderst ood by t hose who preferred t he more
brilliant st yle of cert ain of Bachs I t alian cont emporaries, and who
could only perceive what t hey called t hey unidiomat ic qualit y of
Bachs composit ions in t his form. That day, however, is well past .
The Bach composit ions for unaccompanied violin, not only in t he
richness of t he t hought but t he manner of t he writ ing, are a
whole t echnic and a whole world of beaut y in t hemselves. Mr.
Huberman brought t o his Bach t he same convict ion and
ent husiasm t hat he had given t o t he impassioned ut t erances of
Beet hoven. Yet he never imposed himself upon t he list ener. He
gave voice t o t he composer, and a large audience signified it s
pleasure.

Bronislaw Huberman Plays Again.
Bronislaw Huberman, t he violinist , seized a day from his mid-
season t our t o play again last night at t he Manhat t an Opera
House, where an audience of admirers showed frankly it s
enj oyment of his playing. I n addit ion t o Bachs C- maj or adagio
and fugue for violin alone, his program included bot h t he sonat a
of Franck and t he Symphonie Espagnole of Lalo, assist ed by
Siegfried Schult ze at t he piano, and pieces by Brahms, Wagner,
Wieniawski and Paganini.

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Reviews: 1930s: huberman.info
The Times, 17 March 1932
B. B. C. Symphony Concert
A Beet hoven Programme
An evening of Beet hoven under t he direct ion of Dr. Felix
Weingart ner is an event not t o be missed, and Queens Hall was
crowded last night . I t began wit h t he early Promet heus
overt ure; t he Past oral Symphony and t he Violin Concert o were
t he t wo big symphonic works, and t he overt ure Leonora I I I ,
made an inspiring ending. The salient impression was one of
unfailing right ness; t he right ness which can allow t he long
st ret ches of t he first movement of t he Past oral t o be unevent ful
like t he calm of t he count ryside, which can make t he bird- songs
at t he end of t he slow movement sound relevant inst ead of
quaint , and which, aft er offering resist ance t o all t empt at ions in
t he way of false climaxes, can make t he culminat ing point s of
Leonora I I I , int o t owering mount ain t ops.
Mr. Huberman was t he violinist in t he concert o, and he, t oo,
brought clear j udgment as well as fine musical impulse t o his
int erpret at ion. He is one of t he few violinist s who can give t he G
minor episode in t he first movement it s proper feeling of free
improvisat ion while bearing in mind t he inexorable t read of t he
four crot chet s of t he wind inst rument s; he can decorat e t he
melody of t he slow movement wit h exquisit e fiorit ure wit hout
making t he decorat ion obscure t he out line; he can set a vigorous
rhyt hm for t he rondon t une of t he finale wit hout t earing at his
fourt h st ring.
But t his is t o describe a noble performance by negat ives, and t he
right j udgment in all t hings which cont rolled it was somet hing
very posit ive. These readings of Beet hoven are somet hing wort h
broadcast ing t o t he world; moreover, such a concert as t his gives
t he complet e answer t o t hose who say t hat t he B. B. C. should
confine it self t o st udio work, for only in t he hall and before t he
audience t here present can such delicat e adj ust ment s of musical
values be fully realized.

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Reviews
1930s
Reviews from t he 1930s.
Huberman Heard in Violin Recit al
Highest Plane of His Art ist ry Reached in
Concert o and Sonat a by Bach.
Beet hoven on Program
Szymanowski Suit e and His Own Version of
Chopin Pieces Among Offerings
By Olin Downes
An audience which numbered among it s members many
musicians list ened t o t he recit al given by Bronislav Huberman,
violinist , last night in Carnegie Hall. Mr Huberman had provided
generous and subst ant ial fare for his list eners. He had a small
st ring orchest ra t o supplement his solo in t he performance of
Bachs A minor violin concert o. Aft er t his he played t he same
mast ers unaccompanied sonat a in G minor and a movement
from t he t hird unaccompanied sonat a in A minor as an encore for
t he first part of t he program. The second part comprised t he
Beet hoven Kreut zer sonat a and short er pieces by Szymanowski
and Chopin- Huberman. For such a program t he audience should
have been a larger one, while, on t he ot her hand, it s ent husiasm
must have warmed t he violinist s heart .
Mr. Huberman was at his great est in t he concert o and above all in
t he unaccompanied sonat a of Bach. He played t he concert o wit h
t he square- cut rhyt hm, t he subst ant ial at t ack and t reat ment of
phrase t hat t he music implies. He was not merely a soloist but
t he leader of t he small orchest ra and t he int erpret er of a work
conceived for an ensemble. I n lyrical measures he t ook a
reasonable degree of freedom, but it was Bach form, archit ect ure
and rhyt hm t hat t he performance present ed, and t he audience
was t he gainer by a st ring ensemble t hat seldom is feat ured in a
virt uosos recit al.
But it was in t he unaccompanied sonat a t hat Mr. Huberman
reached his full height . The polyphonic music was performed wit h
a fine clarit y and a t echnical cert aint y t hat enabled t he player t o
devot e himself ent irely t o int erpret ive problems. An eloquence
t hat went deeper t han t hat of musical pat t ern weaving also was
given it .
Bachs unaccompanied composit ions for t he violin will always
profoundly st ir t he init iat ed list ener because of t heir romant ic
spirit and profound meanings. I n t he st rict forms of his day, and
wit h an incredible mast ery, t he mast er packs wit hin t he compass
of four st rings enough t hemat ic mat erial for a symphony. But it is
t he fact of a special and personal expression of his own which
put s t he sonat as apart from everyt hing else in violin lit erat ure.
One looks t o t he Bach chorale- preludes, or t he Chromat ic
Fant asia, for a similar int rospect ion, poignancy of accent , and
concent rat ion of musical means. And so Mr. Huberman played t he
fiery int roduct ion, t he great fugue and t he lesser movement s of
t he G minor sonat a wit h an eloquence t hat revealed t he spirit as
well as t he mind of Bach.
I t would be a pleasure t o say t hat t his level was maint ained
t hroughout t he concert , but t he performance of Beet hovens
sonat a was dist inguished neit her by a well - fused and rounded
ensemble t one nor by a spirit wholly j ust t o t he music. That it
had passion was sufficient ly evident , but t he effect was of
nervous t ensit y [ sic] and exaggerat ion. The t one qualit y of t he
violinist was oft en st rident and his int onat ion inaccurat e. The
essent ially classic proport ion and beaut y of Beet hovens music of
t his period were impaired; nor does t he fact t hat Beet hoven
marked his sonat a in uno st ilo molt o concert ant e imply such
t reat ment .
Mr. Huberman played t he charmingly exot ic and imaginat ive
pieces of Szymanowski Narcisse and La Font aine dAret huse
wit h t he sensuousness and color t hey require, and t his t o t he
delight of his audience. Two Chopin walt zes, gracefully
t ranscribed by him, ended t he print ed program.
I n t hese performances, including t he special t ask of t he
Kreut zer sonat a, Siegfried Schult ze proved himself a musicianly
and accomplished pianist .

Huberman plays Brahms concert o
Violinist appears as soloist wit h Klemperer
Direct ing Philadelphia Orchest ra.
Beet hoven Eroica given
Cherubini Anacreon Overt ure Rounds out
program offered by visit ing musicians
By Olin Downes
Ot t o Klemperer ret urned t o New York as guest conduct or of t he
Philadelphia Orchest ra when t hat organizat ion performed last
night in Carnegie Hall. The assist ing soloist was Bronislaw
Huberman, who played t he Brahms violin concert o. The concert
was an impressive one in several respect s; in none more so t hat
t he cont agious passion, sincerit y and loft iness of spirit wit h which
Mr. Klemperer present ed classic mast erpieces.
He began t he concert wit h t he Cherubini Anacreon overt ure and
concluded wit h Beet hovens Eroica symphony. This was a fine
t hought , for Cherubini, in t he overt ure heard last night , is a
wort hy prelude t o Beet hoven. The t wo works overt ure and
symphony were composed almost at t he same t ime, and first
performed wit hin t wo years of each ot her. Cherubinis score is
t hinner in subst ance and small by t he side of t he t owering
Eroica. But it is st rong and impet uous music, dist inguished in
it s st yle and it s classic mold, and it st rikes fire t oday, a cent ury
and a quart er aft er it was writ t en. I t is t he music of a composer
for whom Beet hoven had a deep respect , and who had for
Beet hoven t he same kind of est eem t hat of t wo st rong men
and t rue art ist s for each ot her. The friendship was ungloved but
enduring. Each man spoke his mind, wit hout precaut ion or
ceremony, and each felt indebt edness t o t he ot her. That is a
hist oric fact , but more st rikingly t han by any ext erior fact is t he
t rut h of it borne out by t he nat ure of Cherubinis music.
Mr. Hubermans performance of t he Brahms concert o was
dist inguished of course by ample t echnic and by t he qualit ies and
spirit of t he born virt uoso. He is an art ist of t he experience and
aut horit y which equip him t o int erpret a work of t he dimensions
of t he D maj or concert o wit h an aut horit at ive grasp of t he
composit ion as a whole, and t o deliver cert ain passages wit h t he
sweep and breadt h of line of a great ly gift ed art ist . I t would be
pleasant t o say t hat t here were no unt oward feat ures t o balance
t hese fine at t ribut es. But t hat is not so. The t one was oft en
st rident , t he st yle feverish. The int erpret er obt ruded himself
overmuch, and delivered all passages wit h so much emphasis
overemphasis elocut ionary emphasis dot t ing all is and
crossing all t s so sedulously t hat det ails were exaggerat e,
while a lat ent t heat ricalism suffused t he concept ion. The
t endency t o play sharp is in all probabilit y a deliberat e one. The
violinist of Mr. Hubermans t emperament doubt less desires t he
maximum of brilliancy when his t one is t o mat ch t hat of t he
orchest ra. This brilliancy, however, is wit h him achieved at cost
of pure int onat ion and t one qualit y. Tone in fact was forced, and
t he inherent repose which is obviously a qualit y of t he great
symphonic composit ion was conspicuous by absence.
The purely crit ical could find point s on which t o differ wit h Mr.
Klemperers t reat ment of t he symphony, but it would be
disproport ionat e t o insist on t hese in t he face of his noble and
dramat ic int erpret at ion. He felt profoundly t he essent ial grandeur
and emot ional int ensit y of t his incommensurable music. He read
it in a fashion which deeply moved his list eners. I t may be said
t hat any adequat e int erpret at ion of t he Eroica would do t hat ,
but what does adequat e mean? An adequat e int erpret at ion of
t he Eroica means in t he first place t he convict ion and t he loft y
comprehension of t he lonely colossus of a symphony which
Klemperer possesses in an except ional degree. He is surcharged
and overwhelmed wit h it . He is ent irely oblivious of t he personal
int erest s of t he bat on- wielder when he conveys it . Part icularly
st irring were t he first and last movement s, grand in line, eloquent
of det ail, profound in meaning. The slow movement should have
had a slower t empo, and one more st eadily maint ained. Even so,
it fell upon t he ears as music of searing int ensit y and grandeur.
The horns in t he t rio of t he scherzo played t heir difficult measures
beaut ifully, but rat her t oo light ly, so t hat t his movement was a
beaut iful sylvan myst ery, but had not all of it s pot ency. But t he
performance of t he finale was one of except ional vividness and
exult ant power.

Sonat a Program St irs Ent husiasm
Schnabel and Huberman Pool Unusual Gift s in
Concert at t he Town Hall
Ensemble a Not able One
Brahms, Beet hoven, Mozart and Schubert
Classics in Weight y List Present ed
That ordinarily sedat e affair, t he sonat a concert , t ook on some of
t he excit ement of a virt uoso recit al when Art ur Schnabel and
Bronislaw Huberman collaborat ed in an aft ernoon of piano and
violin chamber music in t he Town Hall yest erday. Shout s and
st ampings of t he feet were mingled wit h waves of energet ic
hand- clapping in a demonst rat ion at t he close of a long and
arduous program devot ed t o Brahms, Beet hoven, Mozart and
Schubert , wit h t he lat er and weight ier composit ions placed first .
This was an event of progressively eloquent playing, wit h bot h
art ist s at t heir best at t he end of t he list .
Perhaps t he choice of t he Brahms D minor sonat a was not an
alt oget her wise one for t he opening of t his concert . Proj ect ed wit h
much of fire and int ensit y, it was over - dramat ized in a nervous,
feverish manner t hat cost it some of it s breadt h and sweep. The
slow movement part ook of t he sent iment al, and Mr. Hubermans
t one, while of luscious qualit y, was frequent ly sharp as t o pit ch.
Thereaft er, Beet hovens G maj or sonat a, Opus 96, wit h it s
recollect ions of t he Aust rian count ryside, found it s int erpret ers,
t he one a Carint hian by birt h, t he ot her a Viennese by adopt ion,
on hallowed ground. The past oral suggest ions of all save t he final
rondo, which savors of Viennese popular song; t he invocat ion of
nat ure in t he opening allegro, t he happy reverie of t he adagio,
t he peasant j ollit y of t he scherzo, were evoked wit h a mellow and
ret rospect ive charm, as if st ored wit h memories of anot her day.
The ensemble was as not able as t he individual playing.
Mozart s B flat maj or sonat a ( K. 378) , writ t en in Salzburg when
t he composer was 23, is among his more dramat ic vent ures in
t his form, t hough cheerful in t one and possessing one of his most
singing slow movement s. I t was exquisit ely played, wit h Mr.
Schnabels piano t one mat ching t hat of t he violinist in color and
sensit iveness. Even more enchant ing were t he delicacy, t he
warmt h, t he t ouch of t he pat hos of dist ance, t hat enforced
Schubert s infrequent ly played C maj or Fant asie, composed
wit hin a year of his deat h. Mr Huberman communicat ed at t he
opening a vision as of anot her world. On t he purely t echnical
side, Mr. Schnabels scale passages and t rills in t he variat ions of
t he andant ino were of consummat e grace and finish. Here was a
performance t o linger wit h t hose who heard it .
O. T.

New York Times, 26 May 1935
Newly recorded music by Compt on Pakenham
I n Mast erworks Set No. 210 is t he Bach concert No. 1, in A
minor, by Huberman and t he Vienna Philharmonic Orchest ra.
As far as memory serves, Bronislaw Huberman has not appeared
on a domest ic list since Mast erworks Set No. 131. I n t his he gave
a spirit ed if rat her uneven performance of t he Tchaikovsky
concert o wit h t he Berlin St at e Orchest ra. Here, again, vigor is t he
essent ial feat ure of his work, and his approach t o Bach st rikes
one as more deferent ial t han t he spirit in which, five years ago,
he at t acked Tchaikovsky. I n t he int erval, recording t echnique has
developed considerably, and probably t o t his may be at t ribut ed
t he most not iceable difference bet ween t he t wo Huberman set s.
I n t he Bach t he balance in t he orchest ra and wit h t he soloist is
well - nigh perfect .

Not ed Musicians Give Trio Recit al
Schnabel, Pianist ; Huberman, Violinist , and
Feuermann, Cellist , Are Heard.
First Program Toget her
Concert Opens Wit h Brahms Opus Beet hoven
and Schubert Works Also Played.
Three musicians of world- wide reput e, Art ur Schnabel, pianist ;
Bronislaw Huberman, violnist , and Emanuel Feuermann, cellist ,
combined t heir t alent s in a recit al of t rios at t he Town Hall last
night .
For t his sixt h event in t he t own Hall endowment series, t hese
celebrit ies came forward in a program consist ing of t he t rio in B
maj or, Op. 8, of Brahms, in t he revised version; t he t rio in D
maj or, Op. 70, No. 1, by Beet hoven, and t he t rio in B flat maj or,
Op. 99, by Schubert .
The great est art ist s, no mat t er how experienced t hey may be in
ensemble playing, require long pract ice as a group t o reach t heir
real st ride in t he performance of works of t he nat ure of t hose
at t empt ed on t his occasion. I t happens t hat alt hough Mr.
Schnabel and Mr. Huberman had j oined forces in t he past , t his
was t he first t ime anywhere t hat t hey appeared wit h Mr.
Feuermann in an evening of t rio playing.
I t was not st range, under t he circumst ances, t hat t he Brahms
t rio, which opened t he list , was not up t o t he st andard of
excellence expect ed of musicians of t his high caliber. Each of
t heir t emperament s was in conflict t hroughout a large part of t he
int erpret at ion of t his work, wit h t he result t hat if cert ain sect ions
were sat isfact orily played, as a whole t he rendit ion was uneven
and none t oo convincing.
Mr. Feuermann proved himself an ensemble art ist of high
at t ainment s from t he st art of t he evening. His rich, warm t one
was eminent ly suit ed t o t he demands of t he Brahms select ion. He
brought t o t he int erpret at ion t he romant ic element .
There was rhyt hmic charm in t he finale of t he Brahms, but t he
adagio, which moved at a snails pace, said virt ually not hing.
Perhaps t he most remarkable det ail of t his Brahms reading was
Mr. Schnabels miraculous handling of t hat bugbear of all pianist s,
t he swift passage in descending and t hen ascending arpeggio
near t he close of t he scherzo. I n flying pianissimo passages of
t his sort he now and again afforded like t hrills of admirat ion in
t he lat er t rios on t he schedule.
Wit h t he Beet hoven t rio which followed, t he balance of t one
improved, and while t his work has been as ably present ed by
performers of individual gift s of a lower order, it s int erpret at ion
was nearer ant icipat ions t han what had gone before.
This creat ion of Beet hovens, which is known as t he Ghost t rio,
because of t he myst ic nat ure of it s largo movement , found t he
t hree art ist s part icularly at one in t he famous slow division of t he
opus. Mr. Schnabels shadowy t remolos and t he myst erious
phrases arising from Mr. Feuermanns cello produced much of
t he at mosphere of haunt ed melancholy needed here.
But it was t he final offering, by Schubert , which showed off t he
gift s of t he performers as ensemble art ist s t o t he best advant age.
I t was played wit hout any of t he sent iment alit y t hat many of it s
suave melodies easily encourage and was ingrat iat ingly free of
dynamic exaggerat ions.
N. S.

[ This was t he concert where t he St radivarius was st olen. To read
t he New York Times report of t he robbery which was print ed t he
same day as t his review, click here. ]
Huberman Heard in Carnegie Hall
Large Audience Wit nesses t he Violinist in Dual
Role of Soloist and Conduct or.
Bach Concert o Praised
He Present s Number in I nformal St yle,
Relegat ing Display t o t he Background.
The huge audience which packed Carnegie Hall last night t o hear
Bronislaw Huberman, t he Polish violinist , in his first recit al of t he
season, wit nessed t he unusual sight , at such an event , of a
soloist act ing from t ime t o t ime as conduct or of an accompanying
chamber orchest ra. This ensemble, consist ing of some t woscore
musicians from t he Philharmonic- Symphony and t he Nat ional
Orchest ral Associat ion, support ed Mr. Huberman in t he Bach
concert o in E maj or and t wo Mozart numbers.
Wit h nods of t he head and occasional flourishings of t he bow, by
way of signals t o t he st rings and pianofort e employed in t he Bach
accompaniment , Mr. Huberman went t hrough t he Bach concert o
in informal st yle, put t ing all his at t ent ion on bringing out t he
beaut ies of t he music t o t he best of his abilit ies. Here he
relegat ed display t o t he background, wit h especially laudable
result s in t he adagio movement of t he work, which he sang fort h
wit h t hrobbing lyricism and a sensit ive t one of unadult erat ed
purit y and silken qualit y.
His performances t hrough t he evening were not , it is t rue, of
unblemished qualit y. I n t he opening movement of t he concert o
and in t he final t here were inaccuracies of pit ch and imperfect ions
of t imbre. When driven t oo hard his bow evoked a wiry and
st rident t one. This climbing t o pinnacles and t hen clambering
down from t he height s occurred more t han once during t he
evening.
I t was a pleasure t o list en t o t he seldom at t empt ed Mozart
adagio in F maj or ( Koechel, No. 261) , writ t en probably for t he
Salzburg violinist , Brunet t i, for use in t he composers violin
concert o in A maj or. I t is unusually melodious, even for Mozart ,
and Mr. Huberman brought out t he fascinat ing t hemat ic mat erial
wit h much charm of phrasing and delight ful at t ent ion t o det ail.
Even finer was t he playing of t he Mozart rondo in C maj or, in t he
accompaniment of which, as in t he adagio, wind inst rument s
were added t o t he orchest ra. Mr. Huberman best owed upon t he
rondo all t he needed grace and refinement and read it s
ingrat iat ing measures wit h imaginat ion held wit hin t he bounds of
t rue Mozart ean st yle.
As a whole Mr. Hubermans rendit ion of t he Bach chaconne was
in t he grand manner. I t was given wit h t echnical securit y and was
especially impressive in it s climact ic moment s, which were
unusually powerful in t onal volume and int ensit y. The violinist
int errupt ed his performance of t he composit ion t wice, once t o
t ight en his bow and agin t o at t end t o a slipping st ring, but t hese
moment ary halt s did not hing t o int erfere wit h t he aut horit at ive
effect of t he int erpret at ion as an ent it y.
Mr. Huberman, wit h Jakob Gimpel at t he piano, next performed
t he Csar Franck sonat a. The soloist also was heard in a group
comprising Szymanowski, Chopin- Huberman and Brahms-
Joachim numbers.

New York Times, 6 Apr 1936
Sonat a Program at t he Town Hall
Schnabel and Huberman Give Joint Recit al of
Works for Piano and Violin.
Beet hoven I t ems Played
Foreign Art ist s Complet e Their Offering Wit h
Composit ions of Brahms and Mozart .
Considering t he packed houses which greet ed Art ur Schnabel
during t he recent series of Beet hoven recit als here, t he small size
of t he audience gat hered at Town Hall yest erday aft ernoon t o
hear t he Aust rian pianist and Bronislaw Huberman in a program
of violin and piano sonat as seemed rat her surprising. As
unant icipat ed was t he moderat e amount of ent husiasm which t he
performances of t he t wain aroused in t heir chast e and rat her
aust ere program.
Mr. Schnabel and Mr. Huberman, each long looked up t o abroad
as t he leading Beet hoven exponent of his part icular inst rument ,
combined t heir t alent s yest erday in t wo of t hat composers
sonat as, t he import ant example in C minor, Op. 30, No. 2, and
t he sonat a in F maj or, Op. 24, popularly known as t he Spring
sonat a. Bet ween t hese on t he list were placed t he sonat a in G
maj or, Op. 78, by Brahms, and Mozart s sonat a in E flat maj or
( Koechel, 481) .
Except for t he G maj or sonat a, Op. 96, all of Beet hovens sonat as
for violin and piano were early works writ t en about t he t ime of
t he First and Second symphonies. They do not represent
Beet hoven at his full mat urit y as a composer. But t he one in C
minor chosen t o open yest erdays program is one of t he most
serious and effect ive of t he lot .
I n it s int erpret at ion, Mr. Schnabel and Mr. Huberman gave a
mannered account of t he work, in which spont aneit y was
annihilat ed by finicking at t ent ion t o det ail. Much of it was highly
finished t echnically, and t here was a good balance of t one
maint ained, except t hat as t he more dominant personalit y and
t he more t emperment ally[ sic] aggressive, Mr. Schnabel t ended t o
draw more at t ent ion t o t he piano t han should have been t he
case.
There was no at t empt at display or even t o achieve brilliance in
any of t his playing. I t was deadly serious singularly lacking in
charm, in power t o awaken a keen response in t he list ener, or t o
grasp at t ent ion firmly somet imes in t he Beet hoven sonat a in
quest ion, st ret ches of much suavit y of t one would issue from t he
inst rument s. But oft en Mr. Schnabels fort issimo out burst s gave
t he impression of anger and irrit at ion in t heir curt abrupt ness,
where t hese qualit ies were int ruders in t he scheme of t hings, and
st ill more oft en, Mr. Hubermans violin emit t ed sounds not any
t oo sharply defined in pit ch and of scrat chy charact er.
The Brahms sonat a proved somewhat more successful in
at t aining mood and eloquence t han t he Beet hoven. The adagio
was on t he whole a well - sust ained bit of ensemble work,
especially impressive in t he cooring applied in t he concluding
sect ion. I t would have been st ill more effect ive, however, had t he
oct ave figure marked fort e in t he B minor episode not been
augment ed t o a st renuous fort issimo at it s every appearance wit h
coarsening result .
But best of t he playing heard by t his reviewer was t he Mozart
sonat a. I n t his, bot h performers went more direct ly and
unaffect edly t o work, so t hat it had a more sincere and
wholesome at mosphere about it . But even in t his composit ion
more sensit iveness of nuance and of color would not have been
amiss. There was somet hing rat her cut and dried and academic
about it all, for Mozart , t hough least so in t he well delivered
adagio.
N. S.

New York Times, 19 Jul 1936
by Compt on Pakenham
[ aft er discussing Heifezs Sibelius recording wit h Sir Thomas
Beecham and t he London Philharmonic ]
Simult aneously, Columbia t akes us back more t han a cent ury and
a quart er t o Mozart s violin concert o No. 3 in G ( K. 216) , played
by Bronislaw Huberman and t he Vienna Philharmonic Orchest ra
under I ssai Dobrowen ( Mast erworks Album No. 258) . As t o t he
number of violin concert os composed by Mozart , and even t he
aut hent icit y of one or t wo at t ribut ed t o him, t here seems t o be
some quest ion, but in t his part icular case t here can be no
possible doubt what ever.
Wit h four ot hers, it dat es from t he prolific Salzburg year of 177,
and in t he t ale of his development t oward mast ery of t he form it
marks an import ant st ep. For it s st ruct ure, t he freedom wit h
which he handles t he solo inst rument and his orchest ra, t he
Mozart ian flow wit h which t he alt erat ions dovet ail and t he concise
direct ness of t he whole, t his t hird concert o might be in an ent irely
different genre t o t he t wo preceding it .
Of Hubermans recording and his gramophone work wit h t he
Vienna Philharmonic t here is but lit t le t o add t o t he comment s
made here in connect ion wit h t he t wo Bach concert os of some
mont hs back. Here t he same underst anding bet ween soloist and
orchest ra and a well - nigh perfect relat ionship in t he mat t er of
recording are in evidence. A couple of flaws in t he upper regist er
may be t he fault of our reproducing inst rument , but Hubermans
lower t ones are st ronger t han ever. I f t here has been a recording
of t his concert o since t hat by Jelly dAranyi in, gramophonically,
t he ancient days, it has escaped our not ice which is peculiar,
for of Mozart s violin concert os t his remains our preference.

New York Times, 28 Mar 1937
SCHNABEL HEARD WI TH HUBERMAN; Pianist and
Violinist Offer Their First Sonat a Evening of
Season at Town Hall
Art ur Schnabel, pianist , and Bronislaw Huberman, violinist ,
offered one of t heir occasional sonat a evenings at Town Hall last
night . The t wo celebrat ed art ist s had not been heard here in a
program of t he kind since last season, and in t he int erim t heir
playing had not t aken on any new aspect s.
[ Unfort unat ely t he rest of t he review is missing. The pieces
played were Beet hoven Sonat a in G, Op. 30, No. 3, Schumann
Sonat a in D minor, Op. 121, Mozart Sonat a in B flat , ( K. 454) ,
and Beet hoven Sonat a in A, Op. 47, Kreut zer ]

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Reviews Australia 1937: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/reviews/australia_1937/[02/11/12 06:55:47]
The Sydney Morning Herald, 21 June 1937 ( reviewing
Sat urday 19t h)
HUBERMAN
A Great Violinist
First Recit al
Bronislaw Huberman fulfilled all expect at ions at t he Town Hall on
Sat urday night .
He did more. One had been confident of dignit y and force and
int ellect ual grasp. But t his was violin- playing which soared
beyond such qualit ies, and t ouched great ness. For it held wit hin
it t hat aspiring flame of personalit y, which, while it does not eat
int o t he int egrit y of t he composers ideas, illumines t hose ideas
wit h a passionat e convict ion. I n a word, Huberman is not a mere
t echnician. He is a brilliant art ist .
The pianist of t he evening, Mr. Jacob Gimpel, must be associat ed
wit h t his ent husiast ic praise. For t he concert did not consist of
violin- playing wit h a piano accompaniment . I t was a collaborat ion
on equal t erms bet ween t wo dist inguished musicians. For sheer
brilliance and colour and for t he weaving of luxuriant det ail int o a
unified impression, Sydney audiences have seldom heard
anyt hing t o approach Mr. Gimpels part in t he Mendelssohn
concert o. This music ceased t o seem a makeshift as it oft en
does. I t shone fort h in inspiring complet eness.
The audience responded t o all t his in a part icularly warm- heart ed
way. I t must have been specially grat ifying t o Mr. Huberman t o
hear t he roar of applause which broke out aft er his playing of t he
unaccompanied Bach t he adagio and fugue in G minor. He
might easily have feared beforehand t hat t his aust ere music
would be caviare t o t he general public. But , wit h such an
int erpret at ion t o t hrow light on t he const ruct ion of t he work, on
it s essent ial maj est y and beaut y, even t he philist ines must have
been convert ed.
Nowhere else in t he programme was Hubermans t echnical
mast ery more superbly illust rat ed. He brought t o Bach t hat grand
simplicit y, t hat j ust ness and solidit y of archit ect ure, which make
such works seem inevit able and inspired. The voices in t he fugue
were perfect ly separat e; yet t his effect was achieved by t he most
st raight forward of means. The full, st rong t one was in it self a
delight . The great range of dynamics appeared in it s full glory in
one might y double fort issimo near t he end. This vivid climax
surmount ed, t he player passed on t o a flawless decrescendo
which was almost st art ling in it s suddenness and it s dramat ic
int ensit y.
Mr. Hubermans lovely pianissimo playing was admirably
On this page:
21 June 1937 Sydney
Morning Herald
23 June 1937 SMH
25 June 1937 SMH
28 June 1937 SMH
5 July 1937 SMH
7 July 1937 SMH
9 July 1937 SMH
12 July 1937 The Argus
14 July 1937 Argus
16 July 1937 Argus
19 July 1937 Argus
21 July 1937 Argus
23 July 1937 Argus
26 July 1937 Argus
Reviews
Aust r al i a 1937
Reviews of t he Aust ralian t our of 1937.
demonst rat ed in Beet hovens Kreut zer sonat a. I n t he Variat ions
t here are passages for t he violin laconic comment s, while t he
piano dispenses t he principal t heme which seldom really came
t o life in performance. On Sat urday t hey seemed packed wit h
significance. I n t hese and ot her of Hubermans less emphat ic
passages, one remained conscious of much more t han a mere
absence of loudness, of posit ive emot ion and st ress. Such
moment s had a curious int ensit y, as of communion wit h inward
forces.
Mr. Gimpel, so brilliant in t he Mendelssohn, here subdued his
st yle perfect ly t o Beet hovens more int imat e requirement s.
Subdued, t hough, scarcely seems t he precise word, so much
life and movement did t he piano cont ribut e t o a perfect ly
proport ioned reading of t he work.
The violinist s t reat ment of t he Mendelssohn concert o showed up
st ill anot her aspect of his st yle; namely, t he degree of melodic
eloquence he can achieve while remaining wit h a hairs breadt h of
st rict met ronomic exact ness. The Andant e offers every player a
t empt at ion t o romant icize by giving t he flowing t hemes a more
elast ic t reat ment , and, in t he finale, a slight exaggerat ion of
st ress can impart more more[ sic] out ward bust le and vivacit y.
But Huberman achieved bot h t he romant icism and t he liveliness
by simpler and great er means.
Aft er t he Mendelssohn, t he audience heard t wo pieces by Karol
Szymanowski. Narcisse, a t one- pict ure wit h a delicat e Debussy -
ish piano part , which Mr. Gimpel played enchant ingly, proved t o
be a t rifle long for t he import ance of it s subj ect - mat t er. Perhaps
t he use of t he mut e in cert ain passages would have saved t he
sit uat ion by giving more variet y of colour. But when Mr.
Huberman put out his hand t o t ake t he lit t le at t achment from
where it lay on t he piano, it fell t o t he floor, and rolled away,
and, aft er a moment or t wo of pause and search, t he players had
t o proceed wit hout it .
Szymanowskis The Fount ain of Aret husa was int roduced t o
Sydney by Josef Sziget i. That violinist used t o give it a more
miniat ure int erpret at ion t han was t he case on Sat urday, but t here
is room for more t han one view of t he music, and, once again, it
sounded splendid. Mr. Huberman t hen played his own
t ranscript ion of t he Chopin walt z, opus 64, No. 2. Every virt uoso
seems t o have some of t hese lit t le self- made arrangement s t o
offer. I n t his inst ance, it must be said t hat t he walt z st ill sounds
more effect ive as a piano solo. I n t he Brahms Hungarian dance in
G minor, t he violinist let himself go in a highly effect ive st orm of
excit ement .
The encores at t he end were t he Romanza Andaluza of
Sarasat e, and a Moment Musical, of Schubert . Aft er t he Bach,
Mr. Huberman played t he Andant e from Bachs sonat a in A minor.
The next concert by Huberman will t ake place t o- morrow night ,
when he will play Handel Sonat a in D Maj or, Bach Chaconne,
Cesar Frank Sonat a, Not t urno e Tarant ella ( Szymanowski) ,
Chopin- Huberman Mazurka, and Chopin- Huberman Walt z in E
Minor. On Thursday night he will be soloist wit h t he Sydney
Symphony Orchest ra.

The Sydney Morning Herald, 23 June 1937
Huberman
More Brilliant Playing
Second Recit al
At his second recit al in t he Town Hall, Bronislaw Huberman last
night deepened and enriched t hat impression of great ness which
he had creat ed on t he previous Sat urday.
The audience responded wit h warmt h t o t he t hree maj or works
on t he programme t he Handel Sonat a in D, t he Bach Chaconne,
and t he Sonat a by Cesar Franck. Aft er t he last of t hese t he
applause reached t he proport ions of an ovat ion. Mr. Huberman
and his pianist , Mr. Jacob Gimpel, had t o ret urn many t imes t o
t he plat form, and an encore seemed inevit able. But t he players
wisely resist ed. By reserving t heir ext ra numbers unt il t he end of
t he programme t hey were able t o leave t he Cesar Franck as an
isolat ed and unspoiled achievement .
I t was an int erpret at ion which will remain memorable. Alt hough
t he sonat a began in a st yle more subdued t han is oft en t he case,
every phrase and every not e held wit hin it a singular nervous
int ensit y. That is one of Hubermans most remarkable qualit ies
he can fill his soft er passages wit h j ust as direct and forceful a
t hrust of drama as he does t he most surging fort issimo.
Present ly t he mood became more agit at ed. There were some
glorious flourishes of melody as t he violinist s bow, always
ext raordinarily vit al and bit ing in it s at t ack, leapt at t he salient
phrases, rounded t hem out swift ly, and left t hem est ablished as
climaxes in t he general cont our of t he music. The second
movement was enunciat ed wit h grace and t enderness, and wit h a
grave medit at ive serenit y. Then in t he lat t er part of t he Allegret t o
t he pent - up emot ional forces burst fort h in a verit able explosion
of excit ement . Mr. Gimpel played his part wit h fine aut horit y
t hroughout t his highly romant ic yet beaut ifully considered
present at ion.
The Bach Chaconne
I n t he Bach Chaconne, Mr. Huberman achieved a t ranscendent
brilliance of dramat ic colouring. Ot her great readings of t he work
have been heard in Sydney not ably t hat of Yehudi Menuhin
and some have differed considerably from t hat of last night . But
Bachs unaccompanied mast erpiece is a work of such scope and
richness t hat it can be looked at from many angles, and it seems
imposing from all.
I t must be recorded t hat Mr. Hubermans t one had it s moment s
of roughness. But such t ouches passed for not hing amid t he
imperious ruggedness, t he urgent swirl and flight , of t he whole
concept ion of t he work. I ndeed, t hey were so uncompromisingly
insist ed upon t hat one imagined t he player might have
deliberat ely calculat ed t hem as an element in his gigant ic
scheme. Tit ans can break t he rules which men of lesser gust o
must perforce observe.
The dynamic range in t his Chaconne t he sudden swoops from
fort issimo t o pianissimo and back again were somet hing t o
marvel at . The surprising t hing was t hat , in t he midst of all t he
excit ement , Huberman maint ained perfect smoot hness and
proport ion among t he int erweaving voices.
To begin t he programme, t he players had at t acked t he Handel
Sonat a wit h fort hright ness and eloquence. They ended wit h a
Szymanowski Noct urne and t wo of Hubermans arrangement s of
Chopin.

The Sydney Morning Herald, 25 June 1937
Huberman Appears Wit h Orchest ra
Ext raordinarily Vivid Playing
Bronislaw Huberman gave an ext raordinarily vivid performance of
t he Brahms D Maj or Concert o last night at t he Town Hall.
One had known beforehand t hat his exposit ion of t he music
would be more t han usually aut horit at ive. For, many years ago,
when he was 13 years old, he played t he concert o t o t he ent ire
sat isfact ion of t he composer himself. What reached t he
audiences ears last night , t hen, was t hat j uvenile int erpret at ion
ripened and enriched by a whole lifet ime of st udy and of keen
int ellect ual and emot ional development .
A crowded audience had gat hered t o hear t he work; and at it s
close t he violinist was greet ed wit h a st orm of applause. Aft er
ret urning t wice t o t he plat form, he responded wit h a brilliant
performance of Bachs unaccompanied Fugue in G Minor.
Under t he bat on of Dr. Edgar Baint on, t he orchest ral players
launched, wit h st urdily dramat ic effect , int o t he opening subj ect
of Brahmss first movement . But t he spacious sweep of t he
st rings seemed suddenly dwarfed when Huberman made his
ent rance at t he place Brahms has skillfully prepared for t he
soloist . From t hat point onwards t here was no relaxat ion in t he
powerful lunge and t hrust of t he t hemes. Wit h his singular
breadt h and concent rat ion of st yle; his commanding rhyt hm; and
his radiant , singing t one, t he violinist caused his part posit ively t o
t ower above t he orchest ra st ruct ure. Energised by his example,
t he general body of players gave of t heir best : and t his
movement est ablished an inspiring art ist ic st andard.
Special ment ion must be made of t he cadenza by Heermann. This
displayed not only Mr. Hubermans rugged st rengt h, but also t he
amazing rapidit y wit h which he can change t he colouring of a
phrase, and t hus weave many gracious det ails int o a rich and
persist ent ly developing pat t ern.
I n t he Adagio, t here was a sincere and delicat e st at ement of t he
mood warm- heart ed, but always clear in line. I n t hese
passages, which called for quiet yet fervent poet ic feeling, t he
orchest ra players found t heir t ask more difficult t han in t he
opening Allegro. St ill, t hey sust ained t he general impression; and,
wit h Mr. Huberman t o bring act ivit ies t o a focus, t his sect ion of
t he concert o was also ext remely st riking. The Allegro Giocoso
brought t he work t o a brilliant close.
Earlier in t he evening, Dr. Baint on had conduct ed t he Elgar
t ranscript ion of Bachs Fant asy and Fugue in C Minor, and t he
Beet hoven Symphony N. 7, in A.

The Sydney Morning Herald, 28 June 1937 ( reviewing
Sat urday 16t h)
Huberman
A Mast er Of St yle
Brahms, Beet hoven, Lalo
At no t ime during his Sydney season has Bronislaw Huberman
illust rat ed more remarkably or more convincingly his superb
mast ery of st yle t han he did on Sat urday night in present ing t he
t hree maj or works in his programme at t he Town Hall.
These t hree works were t he Brahms Sonat a in D Minor, t he
Beet hoven in G Maj or, and Vict or Lalos brilliant ly coloured
Symphonie Espagnole. To each of t hese, t he t wo players, Mr.
Huberman and Mr. Jacob Gimpel, made a complet ely different
approach. The Brahms was imbued from end t o end wit h a
singular violence of passion. I n t he Beet hoven, form was t he
principal considerat ion, t hough here, t oo, Mr. Hubermans
nat urally impet uous t emperament prevent ed any suspicion of
coldness. As for t he Lalo, t hat was a rich and complex st udy in
nat ional rhyt hm.
Not cont ent wit h t he mast erpieces on t he print ed programme, t he
players added t o t he Brahms as an encore t he Adagio from
Mozart s Sonat a in E Flat Maj or ( K. 481) . This was in it self an
ent erprise of some magnit ude. I t might have been t hought t hat
t he audience would show a t ouch of rest lessness on being
confront ed wit h so spacious and ambit ious a performance as an
ext ra number, j ust before t he int erval. Not a bit of it . The whole
movement was followed wit h breat hless at t ent ion; and a roar of
applause broke out at it s close.
This Mozart , in fact , was one of t he great est delight s of t he
evening. The opening passages, feat her - light , but wit h every
det ail in surpassingly clear focus, set t he st andard for what was
t o follow. The emphasis was always admirably and exact ly right .
The piano part , gracious, delicat e, and pearly, mat ched t he
melodic st at ement s of t he violin t o a hairs breadt h. The whole
concept ion danced and sang wit h life, while it remained always
wit hin t he miniat ure frame of Mozart s st yle.
The Mozart was a t riumph of fragile grace, but it was t he Brahms
which really dominat ed t he evenings music. I f anyone else had
dramat ized t his work wit h t he same degree of passionat e
abandon, had t hus oscillat ed from moment t o moment bet ween
t he ext remes of t empest uous declamat ion and wist ful
murmuring, t he whole reading would have seemed hopelessly
exaggerat ed. But Huberman somehow or ot her cont rived t o draw
all t hese disparat e det ails int o a unified set of ideas. However,
perilous t he advent ure may seem in ret rospect , at t he moment of
list ening one had no t hought but for t he emot ional splendour of it
all, t he aut horit at ive ut t erance of every individual t heme. Mr.
Gimpel rose brilliant ly t o t he occasion. His periodic out burst s
made maj est ic point s of emphasis in a noble musical st ruct ure.
I n t he Symphonie Espagnole, t he pianist made his part seem
part icularly import ant and varied. I f t here was a fault , it was t hat
he somet imes under- emphasised, so t hat one had t o st rain t o
cat ch t he finer det ails. This undue smallness of scale and it
assert ed it self only occasionally result ed obviously from a slight
misj udgment of t he acoust ics in t he Town Hall, and not from any
lapse of t ast e.
I n t he Beet hoven, t he Adagio was specially persuasive, wit h it s
amply rounded melodies. I n t he variat ions of t he last movement ,
Mr. Huberman succeeded t riumphant ly in ret aining t he original
cont our, t he original rhyt hmic urgency, of t he genial t heme
t hrough all it s remot e t ransformat ions.
The programme had begun wit h a moving performance of t he
Bach organ prelude, Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, in Mr.
Hubermans own t ranscript ion.
The next concert will t ake place on Sat urday night . On Thursday,
July 8, Mr. Gimpel will give a solo recit al at t he Conservat orium.

The Sydney Morning Herald, 5t h July 1937 ( reviewing
Sat urday 3rd)
Huberman
Anot her Triumph
Beet hovens Spring Sonat a
Bronislaw Huberman will appear wit h chamber orchest ra t o-
morrow night ; and on Thursday Mr. Jacob Gimpel will give a
piano recit al at t he Conservat orium. But Sat urday evenings
concert at t he Town Hall was t he final j oint appearance of t hese
t wo musicians during t heir present Sydney season.
I t has been a dist inguished collaborat ion. I n concert aft er concert
Mr. Gimpel has succeeded in mat ching t he singularly st ormy and
dramat ic playing of t he violinist wit h a correspondingly vivid
piano part . Where delicacy has been called for, he has
encompassed t hat , t oo; and wit h enchant ing effect . As an
illust rat ion, one need look no furt her t han Sat urday night s
Spring Sonat a of Beet hoven.
Mr. Huberman seemed part icularly in t he vein, and he and t he
pianist made t his F Maj or Sonat a int o a musical fabric of singular
grace and fineness. There was, indeed, t he freshness of spring,
wit h it s t ender aspirat ions, it s mingling of fragrance and sweet
melancholy, in t he whole enunciat ion of t he work. Each phrase
glowed and shimmered beneat h t he bow. Not hing broke t he spell
of delicat e yearning wit h a reference t o t he dust and heat of
everyday t hought .
Even so, by t he most subt le means, t he players obt ained
abundant cont rast of t one. As far as Mr. Huberman was
concerned, one would readily have ascribed t his int erpret at ion t o
an ardent , sensit ive yout h, st anding on t he t hreshold of life and
looking forward int o it s imagined j oys and rewards, rat her t han
t o t he frail, t ired- looking man in his middle fift ies who was
act ually visible on t he plat form. To have preserved t hat freshness
of out look is Hubermans great est t riumph.
The unaccompanied Bach, t he Sonat a in B Minor, was similarly
filled wit h life and warmt h. No mat t er how fleet t he bowing and
in places Mr. Huberman provided quit e a dazzling display of
t echnical facilit y t he t hemes were j ust as richly rounded, t he
t one as even and opulent , as t hough all t his had been t he merest
element ary exercise. Hubermans is Bach- playing of supreme
accomplishment . Sydney will not hear it s like again; for t hough
lat er visit ors may carry Bach once more t o t he height s, t hey will
do it by different means.
New Work By Hindemit h
The beginning of t he Bach sonat a had sounded almost heavenly
in it s melodic warmt h because t hese phrases followed hard on a
somewhat j oyless work by Paul Hindemit h.
This composers Sonat a in D may have been played before in
Sydney; but t here is no immediat e record of it , and it was
complet ely new t o t he great maj orit y of Sat urdays audience. I t is
an early work, opus 11, No. 2. One accept ed it as t he music of a
young man seeking for a st yle of his own, making t ent at ive
experiment s; yet keeping everyt hing wit hin t he frame of simple.
St raight forward expression. As such, it proved t o be wort h
hearing. Looked at , however, from t he higher ground of
comparison wit h t he great mast ers, it offered no excit ing
prospect . I t may be t hat a fourt h hearing, or even a t ent h, might
reveal beaut ies which were obscure on Sat urday night . I f so, t hey
would be beaut ies of int ellect ual form and proport ion, rat her t han
qualit ies which appeal t o t he emot ions. For Hindemit hs melodies
are dry and unpersuasive; his musical sent ences dist urbingly
abrupt .
As t he last group on t he programme, Mr. Huberman played
Smet anas Aus der Heimat , a gay conglomerat ion of nat ional
t unes, and a Mazurka by Zarzycki, t o which he impart ed an
impassioned elegance. There was also his own arrangement of
t he Chopin Walt z, opus 70, No. 1. The charact er of t he music was
considerably changed by t ranscript ion t o t he new inst rument , and
not for t he bet t er, but t he audience seemed t o enj oy t he
performance, for it clapped wit h might and main.
Final Concert Programme
At Bronislaw Hubermans final concert at t he Town Hall t o-
morrow night , when he will play wit h and conduct t he A. B. C.
Chamber Orchest ra, t he programme will include Bach Violin
Concert o in A minor; Mozart s Adagio in E minor; and Rondo in C
maj or; Beet hovens Romanze G; Bachs Adagio and Fugue in C
maj or, from t he 5t h Solo Sonat a; and Mozart s Violin Concert o in
D maj or.

The Sydney Morning Herald, 7t h July 1937
Huberman
Plays Wit h Chamber Orchest ra
Eight eent h Cent ury Charm
At his final concert in Sydney, Bronislaw Huberman played
yest erday evening at t he Town Hall wit h chamber orchest ra
inst ead of wit h piano. He himself was t he conduct or.
The last occasion on which local audiences had an opport unit y of
hearing any performances of a similar kind occurred in August ,
1934, when Leff Pouishnoff present ed t hree piano concert os. But
Hubermans choice of music was much more j udicious t han t hat
of t he earlier soloist - conduct or had been, for t he violinist
confined himself t o works by Bach, Mozart , and Beet hoven,
whose light scoring and whose careful separat ion of t he solo part
from t he orchest ral mass dat ed from t he hist orical period when
t he solo player was also t he direct or. Pouishnoffs choice was less
j udicious, for his t hree concert os t he Mendelssohn, t he Liszt E
Flat , and t he Rachmaninoff C Minor were each decidedly a t ask
for specialized at t ent ion by t he pianist .
Last night s int erpret at ions, t hen, afforded a delight ful excursion
int o t he eight eent h cent ury st yle. There is no need t o st ress Mr.
Hubermans art ist ic accomplishment s, aft er so many admirable
demonst rat ions of t hem at his various recit als. I n each reading he
adapt ed his out look perfect ly t o t he work in hand. Aft er a group,
which comprised an Adagio in E Maj or and a Rondo in C Maj or of
Mozart , and t he Beet hoven Romance in G, Opus 40, t he audience
responded wit h part icularly warm applause. The leader of t he
orchest ra, Mr. Lionel Lawson, leaned over t o Mr. Huberman and
was obviously urging him t o give an encore. So t he violinist
announced t hat , at Mr. Lawsons suggest ion, t he Rondo would be
repeat ed.
This delight ful short piece gave t he orchest ral players a chance t o
do some of t heir best work during t he evening. They succeeded
here in providing a gaily delicat e melodic out line t o mat ch t he
superb enunciat ion of t he soloist . But in t he Bach A Minor
Concert o ( for st rings and piano alone) and in t he Mozart D Maj or
t hey had also done some gracious work. The cont rast bet ween
t he gladsome, st rongly- accent ed first Allegro in t he Bach and t he
soberly reflect ive Andant e of t he same work was, for inst ance,
complet e and apparent ly easy of accomplishment . Throughout all
t his music Mr. Huberman gave t he beat definit ely and crisply
where necessary, but ent irely wit hout demonst rat ive effect s. I t
was int erest ing t o not ice wit h what an int imat e, quiet air he
t reat ed his own part . This was somet hing complet ely different
from t he cust omary brilliance of t he virt uoso somet hing more
homely and friendly; and not t he less welcome for t hat .
The evening brought forward also t he Adagio and Fugue from
Bachs unaccompanied Sonat a No. 5 in C Maj or. I t was a t hrilling
performance, mesmeric in it s fiery concent rat ion.

The Sydney Morning Herald, 9t h July 1937
Jacob Gimpel
Brilliant Pianist
Conservat orium Recit al
The large audience which assembled at t he Conservat orium last
night , t o hear Mr. Jacob Gimpel, was rewarded by piano playing
of except ional accomplishment . I t was playing which offered
int ellect as well as fire; massiveness as well as elegance. I n fact ,
all t he expect at ions which Mr. Gimpel had raised during his
season wit h Mr. Huberman were fulfilled; and t hat is saying a
good deal.
I n an int erview, t hree or four weeks ago, when he first arrived in
Sydney, t he pianist expressed a hope t hat he might play groups
of pieces by Szymanowsky, and ot her modern composers, who
int erest ed him. But last night s programme comprised such
st andard works as t he Bach Toccat a and Fugue in C Maj or;
Beet hovens Sonat a, Opus 10, No. 3, in D Maj or, and t he Chopin
Sonat a in B Minor. I t s nearest approach t o an advent urous
excursion was a group which included t wo Scriabine Et udes and
Debussys LI sle Joyeuse.
St ill, one could not wish a more handsome experience t han t o
hear t he Bach Toccat a and Fugue wort hily int erpret ed; and Mr.
Gimpels reading made a noble int roduct ion t o t he concert . Here,
t he list ener could admire in t heir perfect ion t he pianist s
enormous range of dynamic effect s; his sparing but art ful use of
t he pedal t o give st rokes of colour, his cryst al- clear separat ion of
t he t hemes; his unfailing vit alit y; and his commanding dramat ic
sense, t empered always by a nat ural feeling for what was suit able
in a work of t his charact er. Once or t wice in t he quiet er moment s
of t he Toccat a, a somewhat dry mode of enunciat ion obt ruded
it self, but t hese were mere t ouches, past almost as soon as
not iced.
They were significant more as port ent s t han as posit ive
blemishes. For, in t he slow movement s of t he next t wo works
t he Beet hoven and t he Chopin one perceived t he Achilles heel
in Mr. Gimpels ot herwise t riumphant equipment . That is, he
showed some difficult y in sust aining effect ively a mood of quiet
and simple lyricism. The Chopin made a t remendous impression
precisely t hrough t he qualit y which so much Chopin- playing
lacks; namely, an emphasis on t he fort hright masculine side of
t he composers art . The first and last movement s were a t riumph
of force and excit ement ; and t he t ender passages so flexibly
int erwoven held a singular pot ency by reason of t he
complet eness of t heir cont rast .
The D Maj or Sonat a is not one of Beet hovens most inspired
works, t hough it has cert ain lovely embroideries of det ail. Of
t hese, Mr. Gimpel made a very great deal. I t is open t o argument
t hat he over - dramat ised t he first movement ; but t he Menuet t o
and t he Rondo were sheer j oy.
I n t he last group, t he Scriabine Et udes ( D Flat Maj or and D Sharp
Minor, Opus 8) provided a dazzling, almost breat h- t aking display
of t echnical bravura. This was virt uoso playing of t he first order.
Albenizs Triana had t he clear vivacit y of sunlit wat er, and
LI sle Joyeuse, t hough unexpect edly lust y in expression,
preserved Debussys essent ially prismat ic, fine- spun mode of
t hought .

The Argus, Melbourne, 12 July 1937 ( reviewing Sat urday
10t h)
Huberman Concert
Endowed Musician
Ent husiast ic Recept ion
A violinist of int ernat ional reput at ion, t he founder and organizer
of t he Palest ine Nat ional Symphony Orchest ra, a keen st udent of
European hist ory, and a musical educat ionist whose aims are
bot h farsight ed and liberal, Bronislaw Huberman received an
ovat ion from t he large audience at t he opening concert of his
Melbourne season on Sat urday night .
This fine art ist unit es rare t echnical accomplishment wit h alert
and penet rat ing musical j udgment . His int erpret at ions are t he
product s of well - ordered t hought . Bot h in t he execut ive and in
t he emot ional spheres he bet rays an inst inct ive dislike of loose
t hreads. His st yle is essent ially compact , coherent , and carefully
balanced. Animat ion is supplied by means of a great ly developed
gift of rhyt hmical ant icipat ion and by a profusion of sparkling and
admirably t imed accent s. I n his choice of t empi Mr. Huberman
reveals equal sensibilit y and sense. The t hird movement of
Beet hovens Kreut zer sonat a and t he finale t o t he Mendelssohn
concert o provide many a celebrat ed violinist wit h occasion for
riot ous and irrelevant speed. As present ed on Sat urday night ,
t hese sect ions ret ained formalit y and grace. Of legit imat e
brilliance, t here was abundant evidence, but virt uosit y at no st age
out paced reason.
The effect of purposeful vit alit y conveyed by Mr. Huberman is t he
more remarkable as, unlike most great st ring players, he places
lit t le reliance upon resonance and variet y of colour. Defined by
st rict ly aural st andards, his t one lacks aut horit y, and in t he most
dramat ic musical ut t erance remains agreeable, cult ivat ed, and
well bred. Even in t he adagio and fugue in G minor from Bachs
first sonat a for unaccompanied violin which produced a superb
demonst rat ion of rhyt hmical int repidit y and premedit at ion t he
soloist made only occasional recourse t o t he alt o qualit y of t one
which is generally accept ed as inevit able and indispensable. I n
like manner Mr. Huberman piled phrase upon phrase wit h such
incisive t hrust s of met rical accent as, wit hout any corresponding
vivacit y of colour, gave t o t he first movement of t he Kreut zer
an overwhelming at mosphere of nervous t ension and of
emot ional force. I n t he andant e sect ion of t he Mendelssohn
concert o t he violinist s essent ially soprano t imbre found ideal
expression. Heart ily recalled aft er t he Bach sonat a, Mr. Huberman
added an equally impressive version of t he unaccompanied
andant e from t he similar work in C maj or.
By t he present at ion of t wo charact erist ic works of t he lat e Karol
Szymanowski, Mr. Huberman paid a fit t ing t ribut e t o a
dist inguished compat riot , whose recent deat h in a Swiss
sanat orium robbed Poland of her most not able composer since
Frederic Chopin. For modernist s in t he audience, t hese it ems,
Narcisse and La Font aine dAret huse, provided t he most
int erest ing experiences of t he evening, and t he inherent charm
and subt let y of t he music were height ened by t he polished and
impeccable craft smanship of Mr. Huberman.
Cleverly played accompaniment s were supplied by Mr. Jacob
Gimpel, who est ablished friendly relat ions wit h Aust ralian music-
lovers during his previous t our wit h Erica Morini.

13t h Tonight
Handel Sonat a in D maj or, Bach Chaconne, Franck Sonat a,
Szymanowski Noct urne and Tarant elle, Chopin- Huberman
Mazurka Op. 7/ 3, Walt z in E minor.

The Argus, Melbourne, 14 July 1937
14t h t alking of 10t h
Sir. I was amazed at t he ext raordinary habit s displayed by
Melbourne concert goers at t he Town Hall on Sat urday evening.
Not wit hst anding t hat at t he conclusion t he art ist willingly gave
t wo encores in reply t o an ent husiast ic demand, a large sect ion of
t he audience t ook t he first opport unit y of leaving as t he last
chord of t he Hungarian dance st ill hung on t he air. I dislike t he
habit of at t aching labels t o cit ies, but feel t hat Adelaides
sobriquet of Cit y of Cult ure is almost deserved, as t here such
beahviour is unknown. Also, Adelaide does not need point ed hint s
t o ensure silence bet ween t he movement s of a sonat a or a
closely knit concert o as had t o be given on Sat urday evening.
Yours, &c. ,
Adelaide Concert Subsriber
Kew, July 12.

15 July
Bach- Huberman Organ Prelude Nun Komm, der Heiden Heiland
Brahms Sonat a in D minor, Op. 108
Beet hoven Sonat a in G Maj or, Op. 96
Lalo Symphonie Espagnole

Great Sonat a Playing
Bronislaw Huberman
Fine music, int erpret ed wit h a charact erist ic mingling of sobriet y
and ardour, was heard last night at t he Town Hall when
Bronislaw Huberman present ed his t hird recit al programme.
Unlike many famous concert art ist s, Huberman is a great musical
all - rounder who, whet her as soloist or in t he highly specialized
role of ensemble player, reveals irreproachable cont rol and t ast e.
As exhibit ed last night , in conj unct ion wit h his accomplished
pianist , Mr. Joseph Gimpel, t he violinist possesses an impeccable
sense of t eam work. The balance bet ween t he t wo inst rument s
was invariably correct . Bot h t echnically and int ellect ually t he
Sonat a in D minor of Brahms and t he Beet hoven example, Opus
96, provided impressive demonst rat ions of inst rument al give and
t ake. Bot h t hese works and t he Lalo Symphonie Espanole [ sic]
gave Mr. Huberman abundant scope for execut ive display, but in
t he most brilliant sect ions t his high- minded musician exhibit ed a
noble disdain of showmanship. Wholly absorbed in his honourable
t ask of int erpret at ion, he present ed such aust ere and finely
modelled[ sic] readings of t he t wo classical sonat as as demanded
from his audience a corresponding at t it ude of reverent
concent rat ion. The sincere and aut horit at ive musicianship of
Huberman was furt her displayed in his own t ranscript ion of t he
Bach organ prelude Come, Thou Saviour of t he Gent iles, which
preserved in every det ail t he grand solemnit y of t he original.
Presumably t o comply wit h broadcast ing arrangement s t he
int ervals bet ween t he it ems were much t oo long, and a sect ion of
t he audience exhibit ed j ust ifiable impat ience.

17t h)
[ The large audience for t his concert t ook so long t o be seat ed
t hat even t hough t he concert st art ed 15 minut es lat e, many
people list ened t o t he first and second numbers st anding j ust
inside t he doors. Aft er t he int erval, Huberman j oined t he official
part y in t he gallery t o list en t o t he rest of t he concert . ]
Hubermans Triumph
Sold out not ices were displayed at t he Town Hall on Sat urday
night , and some ent husiast s st ood t hroughout t he programme
when Bronislaw Huberman present ed t he Beet hoven concert o in
collaborat ion wit h Professor Bernard Heinze and t he Melbourne
Symphony Orchest ra.
For an art ist of Hubermans caliber concert o playing provides
unrivalled scope for personal brilliance. Figurat ively and act ually
t he soloist occupies t he cent er of t he st age wit h an obedient
orchest ra as background. Virt uosit y can in such circumst ances
achieve an easy t riumph. The st orms of applause by which
audience and orchest ra acclaimed Huberman at t he conclusion of
t he Beet hoven example were excit ed by no such facile display of
t alent . For t his deeply serious Polish musician individual success
is bot h t oo easily accomplished and t oo undignified an obj ect ive.
I n his handling of t he concert o he made no concessions t o
popular t ast e, but followed t he dict at es of a rigorous art ist ic
conscience wit hout hesit at ion, evasion, or subt erfuge. I t was a
great and memorable performance, and bot h conduct or and
orchest ra part icipat ed wort hily.
The purely orchest ral sect ion of t he programme for which Mr.
Huberman remained as a member of t he audience included an
int erest ing performance of t he Elgar I nt roduct ion and Allegro for
St rings. Charact erist ically adroit in it s int erweaving of
inst rument al t imbres, t his well - const ruct ed work made obviously
st rong appeal t o t he Vict orian St ring Quart et ( Hyman Lenzer,
Franz Schleblich, Mischa Kogan, and Don Howley) and t o t heir
collaborat ors, and t he music received sound and pleasurable
int erpret at ion. The lyrical port ions of Beet hovens Coriolan
overt ure were efficient ly handled, and t he pianissimo playing in
t he same composers Fift h Symphony was of excellent qualit y.
I rregular gradat ions of t one in crescendos and a t oo frequent
hiat us bet ween t he degrees of mezzo- frort e and fort e prevent ed,
however, art ist ic cont inuit y in t he first and fourt h movement s.

20t h
Respighi Sonat a in B minor
Bach Adagio and Fugue in C from 5t h Solo Sonat a
Beet hoven Sonat a in F Maj or, Op. 24
Smet ana Aus der Heimat
Chopin- Huberman Walt z, Op. 70
Zarzycki Mazurka

Huberman Plays Beet hoven
Beet hovens Spring sonat a made t he deepest impression at t he
concert given last night at t he Town Hall by Bronislaw Huberman.
The mood in each of t he four movement s was conveyed wit h
enchant ing ease and spont aneit y. Each phrase was illuminat ed by
deft t urns of expression which t hrew fresh and unsuspect ed light
upon familiar det ails wit hout dist urbing t he symmet rical balance
of t he whole. As associat e pianist , Mr. Jacob Gimpel shared t he
honours of a fine performance.
The Sonat a in B Minor by t he lat e Ot t orino Respighi came as a
novelt y t o many music- lovers. As a medium for t he st renuous
int ellect ual act ivit y of Huberman, t his buoyant and colourful work
was inadequat e. The inst rument al effect iveness of t he writ ing
made, however, an immediat e impression, alt hough t he piani[ sic]
port ions were occasionally over - assert ive. Wit h t he Bach
unaccompanied Adagio and Fugue in C maj or Huberman
ret urned t o his t rue art ist ic level. The elucidat ion of t he complex
rhyt hmical design in t he fugal sect ion represent ed an obj ect
lesson in musical draught smanship.

22nd
Hindemit h Sonat a in D Op. 11
Mozart Sonat a in B Flat K 378
Brahms Sonat a in G Op. 78
Schubert Fant asia Op. 159 in C

Fift h Recit al
Bronislaw Huberman
The programme present ed last night at t he Town Hall by
Bronislaw Huberman was not able for t he inclusion of a sonat a by
Paul Hindemit h, whose ult ra- modern t endencies have received so
lit t le official encouragement in Germany t hat t he composer has
accept ed t he post of resident musical adviser t o t he Government
of Turkey.
An early work, t he sonat a in D reveals no iconoclast ic feat ures.
Frank and unaffect ed romant icism pervades each of t he t hree
movement s. Old- fashioned t unes and healt hy rhyt hms provide
agreeable ent ert ainment . The int erpret at ion supplied by Mr.
Huberman and Mr. Jacob Gimpel was appropriat ely simple, good-
humoured, and direct .
More exalt ed musical virt ues found expression in t he classical
sect ion of t he programme. Vit alit y and repose were combined
wit h superb effect in t he Brahms Sonat a in G, and Hubermans
finely developed sense of rhyt hmical design was displayed t o full
advant age in t he slow movement of t he Mozart example in B flat .
A beaut ifully poised rendering of t he Schubert Fant asia in C
maj or brought t he programme t o a happy conclusion.

24t h Sat urday
Brahms Op. 40
Delius
Tchaikovsky Op. 32
Wit h t he A. B. C. ( Melb. ) Symphony Orchest ra, conduct ed by Prof.
Bernard Heinze

24t h)
Huberman Wit h Orchest ra
Season Ends
Laden wit h laurel wreat hs and surrounded by a cheering
orchest ra, Bronislaw Huberman brought his concert season t o a
t riumphant conclusion on Sat urday night . The violinist has given
many fine performances in Melbourne, but on t his occasion he
surpassed his previous achievement s. A programme devot ed
exclusively t o violin concert os ent ailed for t he soloist a heavy
weight of responsibilit y, but t hroughout an onerous t est of
endurance Huberman maint ained unflagging vit alit y of mind and
body. I nt erpret at ions of such int ellect ual mat urit y as represent ed
a lifet ime of art ist ic endeavour and self- discipline were received
wit h great ent husiasm by an audience composed largely of
professional musicians.
To cooperat e wit h so profound and exact ing a musical scholar
was no easy t ask for t he A. B. C. ( Melbourne) Symphony
Orchest ra. An inspired and inspiring t eacher, Huberman spared
no pains t o ensure a well - balanced performance, however. His
encyclopaedic knowledge of orchest ral scores was placed
unreservedly at t he service of his less experienced colleagues.
Each int erpret at ive det ail was subj ect ed t o such det ailed analysis
t hat t he final rehearsal on Sat urday morning last ed for more t han
four hours.
The popular concept ion of Delius as an enfeebled visionary found
no echo in Hubermans dynamic reading of t he composers only
violin concert o. Not alone a great musical performance, but a
psychological st udy of significance and power, t his int erpret at ion
revealed t he aut hent ic Delius, whose proud, secret ive, and
indomit able t emperament rose superior t o paralysis and loss of
sight . I n t he rapid sect ions t he orchest ra experienced some
uncomfort able moment s, but in t he exquisit e slow movement
Huberman displayed such flawless beaut y of t one as inspired his
colleagues t o effect s of genuine eloquence. By a brilliant ly
conceived st roke of programme- building, t he fast idious art of
Delius was cont rast ed wit h t he facile romant icism of t he
Tchaikovsky concert o. No t wo works in similar genre reveal more
dissimilar qualit ies or demand more st rongly opposed met hods of
int erpret at ion. I n his handling of t he good- humoured, garrulous
Russian composit ion Huberman displayed superb versat ilit y. The
careful t iming, which made his performance of t he Delius
concert o an obj ect lesion in musical punct uat ion was exchanged
for such spect acular breadt h of rhyt hm as wit h few except ions
swept t he orchest ra from one exhilarat ing climax t o anot her.
The last movement provided Melbourne music- lovers wit h t heir
first glimpse of Huberman, t he care- free virt uoso, who, in
t echnical ent erprise, finds relief from more serious advent ure.
A magnificent ly equipped int erpret er of Brahms, Huberman
invest ed t he D maj or concert o wit h such ardent vit alit y of phrase
as brought new life int o t he most hackneyed sect ions. This
memorable concert ended in a sensat ional out burst of applause,
and t he cheers were redoubled when t he violinist at t empt ed t o
share his laurel wreat hs wit h t he conduct or, Professor Bernard
Heinze.

Search
Concert given at Royal Opera House in Cairo by
Palest ine Orchest ra under pat ronage of King
Farouk for benefit of t he Red Crescent Societ y of
Egypt . Proceeds donat ed t o war sufferers of t he
Turkish eart hquake. Huberman played
Mendelssohn. Fourt h annual visit t o Egypt .
Ninet y musicians. I gnaz Neumark conduct .
Jewish Orchest ra in Moslem Benefit
Palest ine Musicians Donat e Services t o Aid
Egypt s Red Crescent Societ y
Huberman is t he Soloist
Balance of Ensemble Receives High Praise From
Crit ics
King Farouk is Sponsor
By Joseph M. Levy
Special Cable t o The New York Times.
CAI RO, Egypt , Feb. 20 One of t he most significant event s of t he
past t hree and a half years in t he Near East was a concert given
t onight at t he Royal Opera House in Cairo by t he Palest ine
Orchest ra, under t he pat ronage of King Farouk, for t he benefit of
t he Red Cresent Societ y of Egypt , which corresponds t o t he
European Red Cross. The proceeds were donat ed t o war sufferers
and t o vict ims of t he Turkish eart hquake.
An ent husiast ic recept ion was accorded t o t his orchest ra,
composed ent irely of Jewish refugees from Cent ral and East ern
Europe, by t onight s dist inguished audience, which included
On this page:
20 Feb 1940 New York
Times
2 May 1940 The Cape
Argus
22 Dec 1941 New York
Times
18 Jan 1942 NYT
14 Jul 1942 NYT
19 Oct 1942 NYT
17 Jan 1943 NYT
11 Jul 1943 NYT
17 Oct 1943 NYT
21 Jan 1944 NYT
14 Mar 1944 NYT
5 May 1944 NYT
4 Jul 1944 NYT
31 Oct 1944 NYT
3 Dec 1945 NYT
Reviews
1940s
Reviews from t he 1940s.
Egypt ian royalt y and almost t he ent ire diplomat ic corps.
This was more t han a mere appreciat ion of t he excellent
performance of t his first - class orchest ra, however. I t was
indicat ive of a change of heart on t he part of Egypt . Less t han six
mont hs ago a concert under t hese circumst ances would have
been t hought impossible, for Egypt t oday is t he leading Moslem
count ry of t he world and played one of t he most import ant roles
in support of t he Palest ine Arabs in t heir nat ionalist rebellion.
Many fact ors cont ribut ed t o t he huge success of t he evenings
concert . Bronislaw Huberman, eminent violinist and founder of
t he Palest ine Orchest ra, canceled a concert t our in Turkey t o play
wit h t he orchest ra t onight .
From a musical point of view t onight s performance left not hing
t o be desired. From his recent concert s here Egypt ian audiences
already knew Mr. Hubermans playing and were prepared for his
splendid performance of Mendelssohns concert o in E minor.
The orchest ra likewise won high praise. On t his, t heir fourt h
annual visit t o Egypt , t hey convinced even t he severest crit ics
t hat t hey had reached t he full mat urit y of perfect ion. The ninet y
musicians are now an impressive unit t hat can t ake a place
among first - rank orchest ras.
Under t he bat on of I gnaz Neumark, celebrat ed Polish conduct or,
t he orchest ra gave t wo concert s in Alexandria and t wo in Cairo
besides t onight s performance.
From t he orchest ras very incept ion it was generally conceded
t hat t he st ring sect ion was superb, but it was felt t hat t he
brasses and woodwinds were not equally st rong. Each year has
shown improvement , and t onight t he balance of t he orchest ra
was unimpeachable.
Bot h Mr. Huberman and t he orchest ra donat ed t heir services
t onight .

The Cape Argus, 2 May 1940
The Huberman Recit al
A Violinist wit h a sense of Nobilit y and Power
Cape Town audiences have list ened t o many dist inguished
musicians during t he last t en years most of t he great
cont emporary violinist s, save Kreisler, have been here during
t hat period and each one has cont ribut ed somet hing of his own
individualit y t o t he st ock of musical memories.
But few, if any, of t hese dist inguished men have left behind t hem
such a vivd sense of nobilit y and power as last night s audience
at t he Cit y Hall carried away at t he conclusion of t he Huberman
recit al. I t was as if t hey t hemselves had t aken part in a work of
creat ion, so deep was t he sense of fulfilment left by t he music.
SOMEHI NG NEW
For Huberman is not only a superb int erpret er of ot her mens
music; he is able t o t ake t hat music and, by t he complet ely non-
dist ort ing imposit ion of his own personalit y, t o creat e somet hing
over it which is int ensely individual t o himself. I nt erpret at ion and
creat ion become fused int o somet hing new and personal t o
himself.
Take his playing of t he Cesar Franck sonat a, for inst ance, which
followed his broad and spacious performance of t he Handel
sonat a in D maj or. The Cesar Franck is one of t he loveliest t hings
in all music, and few who heard Huberman last night will every
forget t he manner in which he played it .
To begin wih he played it in cooperat ion wit h t he piano, rat her
t han as a work for violin wit h piano accompaniment , and wit h
such a brilliant and sensit ive pianist as Boris Roubakine t he effect
was precisely, one imagines, as Franck wished it t o be. There
was, t oo, a sense of religious awe and wonder in t he music which
was built up, not e by not e, phrase by phrase, int o a cat hedral of
int ellect ual sound.
DEEP UNDERSTANDI NG
Hubermans profound and creat ive underst anding of t his deeply
religious French composer was one of t he most moving episodes
in t he whole evening.
Aft er t he int erval came a performance of t he Mendelssohn violin
concert o in which all t he Mendelssohn charm and delicacy were
given t heir fullest value. This is one of t he most popular of all t he
concert os and last night s audience was grat eful t o hear it again,
played in such a manner.
And here again Mr. Roubakine dist inguished himself by his
sensit ive accompanying, providing at t imes almost t he illusion of
an orchest ral accompaniment .
Finally came a group of t hree short er composit ions, beginning
wit h t he lovely, at mospheric and fiendishly difficult La Font aine
dAret huse of Szymanowski, t he Polish composer. Full of a
delicat e modernit y, t he music calls for infinit ely subt le
graduat ions of feeling and phrase, t he cumulat ive effect of which
is one of myst erious beaut y wit hdrawn from t his world.
Huberman played it magnificent ly and followed it wit h his own
t ranscript ion of t he Chopin walt z in C sharp minor and a Brahms
Hungarian dance, arranged by Joachim. The Chopin was full of
charm and delicacy, while t he Brahms had all t he fire and colour
associat ed wit h Hungarian music in general and wit h t he Brahms
present at ion of it in part icular.
THE ENCORES
The ent husiasm of t he large audience demanded encores and in
his choice of t hese Huberman showed t he same unerring t ast e as
he showed in t he main programme it self. He played t he slow
movement of a Bach unaccompanied sonat a, a Sarasat e Spanish
dance and t he Moment Musical of Schubert .
Huberman is a great art ist , a great charact er, and it is good t o
know t hat we shall have anot her opport unit y of hearing him on
Monday evening next . He and Boris Roubakine gave us music last
night which will be long remembered.

Huberman Soloist at Carnegie Hall
Polish Violinist Plays Joachim Cadenza in t he
Beet hoven Concert o at Concert
Bruno Walt er Conduct s
Leads Philharmonic Musicians in Brahms First
Event Aids Ambulance Corps
By Noel St rauss
Ninet y musicians of t he Philharmonic- Symphony Orchest ra, wit h
Bruno Walt er conduct ing and Bronislaw Huberman, eminent
Polish violinist , as soloist , were heard in a not able concert given
last night in Carnegie Hall under t he sponsorship of t he Aust rian-
American League and for t he benefit of t he Brit ish- American
Ambulance Corps. The event at t ract ed a large audience, which
was aroused t o fervent ent husiasm by t he superlat ive
performances t he evening brought fort h.
The event marked Mr. Hubermans ret urn t o t he local concert
plat form aft er an absence of five years. He was in superb form,
giving an int erpret at ion of t he Beet hoven violin concert o of
except ional merit s. I t was a reading reverent , loft in spirit and of
remarkable finesse.
Slower Pacing Adopt ed
I f t he t empi adopt ed were more deliberat e t han t hose usually
favored by art ist s who at t empt t he concert o, t he somewhat
slower pacing was purposely adopt ed in a reading which put
unusual emphasis on t he meaning of t he cont ent of each
movement and avoided t urning t he work int o a display piece.
The result was one of t he most musicianly and impressive
rendit ions of t he opus imaginable. Especially remarkable were t he
soulful perusal of t he larghet t o and t he opening pages of t he final
rondo, where a fascinat ing cont rast was made bet ween t he
lyricism of t he chief t heme and t he bright er charact er of t he first
episode. But t here was not a measure anywhere t hat was not
sensit ively t reat ed and carefully fit t ed int o it s place in t he scheme
as a whole.
Tone Pure and Fine- Grained
Mr. Hubermans t one was invariably pure and fine- grained, his
left hand absolut ely sure in t he most complicat ed passage work,
and his bow arm ext remely st eady and flexible. He used t he
inordinat ely difficult Joachim cadenza in t he first movement ,
which he performed wit h ease and flawless accuracy, whet her in
it s exact ing chains of t rils, it s double- st opping, or t he speedy
scales which were most evenly negot iat ed.
Mr. Walt er, who, like Mr. Huberman, donat ed his services for t he
concert , had chosen t he Brahms First symphony as his chief
offering. I t was accorded a noble, int ense present at ion. Under t he
conduct ors mast erly leadership t he orchest ra sounded unusually
rich and supple t onally, and it performed wit h a t echnical
perfect ion, blemished solely by a freaky spot in t he ot herwise
excellent solo flut e passage in t he finales int roduct ion, which like
one blat ant not e from t he horns lat er in t he movement result ed
from overblowing.
Some of Mr. Walt ers most memorable effect s were made in t he
development of t he first t heme of t he finale at it s rest at ement
and in t he coda of t hat movement , which was elect rical in it s
emot ional surge. An equally maj est erial unfoldment of
Beet hovens Egmont overt ure complet ed t he offerings.

Huberman in Solo Recit al
Bronislaw Huberman, Polish violinist , who has devot ed most of
his t ime t o t he founding and direct ing of t he Palest ine Symphony
Orchest ra in t he last few years, ret urned t o Carnegie Hall
yest erday aft ernoon t o give his first solo recit al t here since t he
event ful night of Feb. 28, 1936, when his St radivarius violin was
st olen from his dressing room. The inst rument was never
recovered.
I t was Mr. Hubermans second appearance of t he season, for last
mont h he was t he soloist wit h Bruno Walt er and ninet y members
of t he New York Philharmonic- Symphony Orchest ra in a benefit
for t he Aust rian- American League.
The first part of his program was devot ed t o t wo concert os.
I nst ead of ut ilizing t hem as display pieces wit h a pianist
st ruggling valiant ly wit h t he orchest ral part , he engaged members
of t he New Friends of Music t o appear wit h him and present ed
t hem as chamber music works.
The first was Bachs Violin Concert o in E maj or, t he ot her was
Mozart s in D maj or. I n each of t hem, following t he eight eent h-
cent ury pract ice a pract ice he has revived in appearances wit h
t he Palesine orchest ra he served as bot h t he soloist and t he
conduct or.
As was apparent at his first appearance t his season, t he hand and
wrist inj uries he suffered in a plane crash in 1937 have not
affect ed his playing. I t was as expert and sure as ever, and he
played t hese works wit h devot ion and underst anding, always
adj ust ing his part wit h t hat of t he orchest ra t o give a balanced
result .
Aft er t he int ermission he int roduced Medt ners Sonat a Epica,
which had not been performed previously in t his count ry. Boris
Roubakine, pianist , served as his part ner. The work last ed fort y-
t hree minut es longer t han bot h t he concert os combined and
for all t he excellence of t he playing it did not sust ain t he int erest .
The final group consist ed of Szymanowskis La Font aine
dAret huse, and t he violinist s own t ranscript ions of a mazurka
and a walt z by Chopin.
The audience applauded warmly, many st anding and cheering.
Mr. Huberman responded wit h t wo encores and t ook four bows
before t he applause died down.
R. P.

Huberman Soloist in Violin Concert o
He Plays Mendelssohn Work at Lewisohn
St adium Before Audience of 7, 000
Smallens is Conduct or
Leads Philharmonic in Brahms Second and t he
Rosamunde Overt ure of Schubert
By Howard Taubman
There was dist inguished violin playing at Lewisohn St adium last
night when Bronislaw Huberman appeared as soloist wit h t he
New York Philharmonic- Symphony Orchest ra, Alexander Smallens
conduct ing. Mr. Huberman played t he Mendelssohn concert o, not
as if it were a scarred warhorse of count less campaigns, but as if
it were fresh from t he composers pen. The 7, 000 at t he St adium
rewarded t he violinist s profound musicianship wit h t hunderous
applause.
This was Mr. Hubermans first visit t o t he St adium as a
performer. Possibly t he acoust ical problems of t he amphit heat re
were difficult for him, but he did not let t hem worry him. His
performance was set up on proport ions t hat would have been
suit able for a more int imat e audit orium and t he public address
syst em did t he rest . Mr. Hubermans t one is delicat e and refined,
wit hout crudit y or coarseness and amplificat ion did not harm it .
His st yle as a musician is inward and searching and here again
t he condit ions of t he evening did not violat e his int ent ions.
Mr. Hubermans pacing of t he music had right ness and dignit y. I n
his hands t he Mendelssohn concert o was not a showpiece for a
virt uoso, but music of sweet and gent le radiance. I t was like
hearing t he concert o anew aft er many years of fast and furious
int erpret at ions. The slow movement was a model of heart felt
comprehension.
Mr. Smallens and t he orchest ra companioned Mr. Huberman wit h
insight . The evening began wit h Schubert s Rosamunde
overt ure, followed by an expansive performance of Brahmss
Second symphony and a spirit ed reading of t he Weber - Berlioz
I nvit at ion t o t he Dance.
As encores Mr. Huberman played Beet hovens Romance in G, wit h
t he orchest ra, and works by Brahms, Sarasat e and Chopin wit h
Boris Roubakine at t he piano.

Huberman Plays Before a Throng
Art of Violinist Evokes t he Ent husiasm of
Audience Packing Carnegie Hall
He I nt erpret s Mast ers
Beet hovens Kreut zer Sonat a and t he
Chaconne of Bach Are Feat ures of Program
By Olin Downes
The audience which packed Carnegie Hall and overflowed upon
t he st age when Bronislav [ sic] Huberman played last night in t hat
audit orium welcomed t he violinist wit h an ent husiasm t hat left no
doubt of it s regard and appreciat ion of his art .
There were t he best of reasons for t his. Mr. Huberman
int erpret ed t he Beet hoven of t he Kreut zer sonat a and t he Bach
of t he Chaconne as a great musician absorbed in his message
and on fire wit h it s meaning. I t was not by means of merely
sensuous beaut y of t one, in which qualit y moment s of his
performances were meager, or t hrough impeccable virt uosit y as
such, t hat he revealed his aut horit y, his profound underst anding,
feeling and sense of st yle. He seized and impressed t he list ener
by t he classic proport ion and beaut y of his concept ions, and t he
vit alit y of his spirit in present ing familiar mast erpieces, in a way
not soon t o be forgot t en.
Perhaps t his st at ement should be qualified, because t hese
remarks are only concerned wit h Mr. Hubermans playing of t he
Beet hoven sonat a, in which he was ably and warmly assist ed by
Boris Roubakine, pianist , and in t he unaccompanied Chaconne
and t he unaccompanied air from t he A minor sonat a which he
played as an encore before t he int ermission. What Mr. Huberman
did wit h t he Lalo Symphonie Espagnole or t he lat er works
announced on t he program may not be narrat ed here. But in t he
noble music t hat he int erpret ed wit h such communicat iveness
and underst anding his fervor and idealism t ook his list eners wit h
him far from t he world of ext erior event s and int o t he realm of
t rue art , in such a way t hat t heir comprehension of t he music
was renewed and increased, and t hey, wit h him, conversed face
t o face wit h mast ers.
This was Mr. Hubermans cont ribut ion t o t he occasion and t o t he
t roubled period in which he act s as an art ist . The effect of t his
cont ribut ion was evident .

Huberman Gives Recit al
Bronislaw Huberman, Polish violinist , who at a recit al last season
engaged a small chamber orchest ra and appeared wit h it as
soloist - conduct or in t wo concert os, last night at his second
Carnegie Hall recit al of t he season ext ended t he pract ice. He
engaged virt ually t he ent ire New York Philharmonic- Symphony
Orchest ra and appeared wit h it in t hree concert os.
This t ime, however, he engaged a conduct or t o assist him in t he
t ask, Gregor Fit elberg. But , even so, it was an enormous
undert aking, for he chose t he t wo biggest works writ t en for violin
and orchest ra, t he Beet hoven Concert o and t he Brahms
Concert o. The ot her one, which opened t he program, was t he
Bach Concert o in A minor.
An audience of 3, 000 j ammed t he hall and greet ed him like a
well - known friend on his first appearance. The ent husiasm
mount ed t hroughout t he evening, and at t he end he received a
four - minut e ovat ion, which necessit at ed him ret urning t o t he
st age seven t imes t o acknowledge t he applause.
The ovat ion was cert ainly not undeserved. I t was an evening of
except ional musicianship. There were somet imes lapses in qualit y
of t one, but t he vigor, t he int ensit y and t he rare comprehension
and grasp of t he music swept everyt hing before it . Each work got
progressively bet t er. Seldom has t he st at ure of t he great Brahms
work been revealed in such magnit ude and in t his concert o t he
conduct or played a large part in t he j oint achievement .
R. P.

Huberman is Soloist at St adium Concert
Tchaikovsky Work I s Heard by 10, 000
Smallens Direct s
Bronislaw Huberman, Polish violinist , played t he Tchaikovsky
concert in D maj or before an audience of 10, 000 persons last
night at t he Lewisohn St adium, wit h t he Philharmonic- Symphony
Orchest ra, Alexander Smallens conduct ing. I t is probably safe t o
say t hat t he Tchaikovsky concert o has never had a finer or
great er performance in t his cit y.
The opening movement , Allegro moderat o, displayed a dazzling
exhibit ion of pyrot echnics, wit h a virt uosit y unexcelled in t he
world t oday. The ravishing t one result ing from consummat e
mast ery of bowing, t he perfect ion of phrasing and t he left - hand
t echnic made up a combinat ion rarely heard. The second
movement , Canzonet t a, andant e, was sung wit h a remarkable
purit y of design, and t he Finale, Allegro vivacissimo, seemed even
t o surpass t he first movement in t echnical prowess, wit h an
added charm of ext raordinary rhyt hm. The whole reading was
richly and deeply felt .
I n response t o t he ent husiasm of t he audience, Mr. Huberman
played t hree encores. The first was Tchaikovskys Serenade
Melancholique, Opus 26, where again t he bowing especially
st ood out ; t he second, Smet anas Aus der Heimat , wit h piano,
and t he t hird, Hungarian Dance, by Brahms, also wit h piano.
Mr. Smallens opened t he program wit h t he Brahms Academic
Fest ival Overt ure, which was excellent ly performed. The final
number was t he Second Symphony of Sibelius, in D maj or.
R. L.

Huberman heard in Violin Recit al
Polish Art ist Receives Ovat ion for Bach
I nt erpret at ion in Carnegie Hall Program
By Noel St raus
Bronislaw Huberman, t he Polish violinist , gave a recit al last night
in Carnegie Hall which at t ract ed an unusually ent husiast ic
audience of good size. Despit e t he unfavorable weat her for
st rings, Mr. Huberman, who was in t op form, produced a t one of
marked beaut y, power and sensit iveness in performances
remarkable alike for t echnical mast ery and dept h of insight .
Wit h Boris Roubakine at t he keyboard, Mr. Huberman opened his
ext ensive program wit h a most ingrat iat ing unfoldment of t he
Handel sonat a in D maj or. The init ial movement of t his work,
designat ed as Largo maest oso on t he print ed list , was originally
inscribed Affet t uoso by t he composer, and it was in t his mood
of t enderness t hat t he violinist negot iat ed it s impressive cont ent .
There was a nobilit y of ut t erance, a perfect ion of phrasing and a
complet e capt uring of t he Handelian st yle in t his part of t he
sonat a, which made it not able.
The ensuing allegro was brilliant ly set fort h, and t he larghet t o
given wit h a wealt h of poet ic eloquence was an out st anding
example of soulful cant ilena. I n t he Grave and Fugue from t he
unaccompanied sonat a in A minor of Bach, fascinat ing det ails,
especially in t he several episodes of t he fugue, held t he int erest
t o such an ext ent t hat t he excerpt s brought on an ovat ion
necessit at ing an encore. Mr. Huberman responded wit h t he
Andant e from t he same sonat a, played in such magist erial
manner t hat it proved one of t he high light s of t he recit al. I t was
not only superb in t reat ment of melodic out line, but in it s skill in
management of t he repeat ed t ones in t he lowest voice as well as
in t he ease wit h which all of t he difficult ies were surmount ed.
The Gallic refinement of Francks sonat a in A maj or was as surely
capt ured as t he cont rast ed st yle of t he preceding classics. The
first movement and t he Recit at ivo- Fant asia called for special
ment ion in t his offering. Bot her were imaginat ively int erpret ed
wit h profound underst anding of t heir movement s t onally and in
regard t o t he poet ry of t he music. The second division of t he
opus, however, where t he accompanist had his t roubles, and t he
finale were less complet ely sat isfying. But at all t imes, here, as
elsewhere, Mr. Hubermans subt let y of nuances and molding of
phrase made every moment of his playing grip t he at t ent ion.
The rest of t he program was given over t o Carl Goldmarks once
popular but now neglect ed Suit e in E maj or, Op. 11; t wo pieces
by Nin, and Mr. Hubermans own t ranscript ions for
unaccompanied violin of t he Chopin mazurkas Op. 67, No. 2 in G
minor; Op. 68, No. 1, in C maj or, and Op. 68, No. 2, in A minor,
which because of t he lat eness of t he hour could not be heard by
t his reviewer.

Roszinski Offers Hindemit h Music
Hubermann Heard in Brahms Concert o Nies-
Berger at Organ in Handel Piece
By Olin Downes
The program and t he performances given by Dr. Rodzinski and
t he Philharmonic- Symphony Orchest ra last night in Carnegie Hall
were uncommonly int erest ing and provocat ive.
There was a novelt y, a Symphonic Met amorphosis on Themes
of Carl Maria von Weber, by Paul Hindemit h, and it was one of
t he most ent ert aining scores t hat he has t hus far given us, a real
j eu despirt by a great mast er of his medium in a singularly
happy mood.
There was a performance of t he Brahms violin concert o wit h
Bronislaw Huberman as soloist , and Mr. Huberman, wit h some
st ridency of t one and roughness of st yle, played in a great spirit ,
wit h a splendid grasp of t he musics essence and a virile spirit
t hat inspired his audience.
The orchest ra, if we except t he effect of t he Handel organ
concert o, wit h Mr. Neis- berger as organist , a performance which,
in t he sense of inst rument al balances and well - mat ched t one
colors, did not come off so well ( t hrough no fault of t he
performers) , was in excellent form. Wit ness t he playing of t he
oboe solo of t he slow movement of he concert o; t he virt uoso
brilliancy and glow of t he performance of Hindemit hs music; t he
noble and mellow t one of t he t rombones in t he music from
Wagners Meist ersinger which concluded t he occasion!
Composer I s Present
As for what Mr. Hindemit h, who was present , has done wit h t he
t hemes of von Weber, he must t ake t he full responsibilit y. He has
remarked t hat since t hese are by no means t he best of Webers
t hemes, he has felt t he freer t o t reat t hem as he pleases! Not hing
like frankness bet ween friends, and t he wonderful Carl Maria is
safe in his grave! We confess t hat we have no knowledge of t he
t hemes used for homage t o Weber in t he peculiar manner of
Hindemit h.
But we must also confess t o finding t he music divert ing and
delight ful. I t s wit and it s mast ery alike int rigue us, and suggest a
fresh if not a new depart ure by t his composer.
Somet imes t he Hindemit h count erpoint has been as busy and
energet ic as t he works of an aut omobile and as meaningless.
Somet imes it has been t hick and overst uffed in it s st yle. This
met amorphosis employs count erpoint as a mat t er only incident al
t o t he gay development of t he ideas, and t here is sunshine in
every nook and cranny of t he t ransparent , debonair score.
I t is music, one would say, t hat has gained by human cont act s. I t
is wit hout pompousness or dead weight . The Chinoiserie of t he
second movement , based upon orient al mot ives t hat Weber
shaped for incident al music t o Schillers Turandot , is pat ent and
int ent ional absurdit y, wit h waggish nonsense of percussion
inst rument s, from summoning bells t o t huds of drums and clucks
of xylophones.
Divert ing Fugue
For quit e a while t here is no fugue, but of course Hindemit h ahs
t o come t o a fugue before he has gone t oo far wit hout one and
t he fugal business in t his movement does not cease t o be
divert ing. His andant e is in singing st yle, wit h broad
development s and proper cont rast t o t he ot her movement s. His
final march has ah umor and gust o which does not come as an
ant iclimax aft er all t he capit al fooling and perspicacious music-
making which has preceded. How delight fully is learning carried
in t hese pages!
An inspiring concert . Vigorous music, full - bloodedly played. Some
might prefer more polish, maybe more of Olympian balance and
suavit y in t he playing of t he noble, rugged music of Brahms. We
would rat her hear t he dramat ic fire of Mr. Huberman, feel t he
exalt at ion of his sent iment , hear him scrat ch in his excit ement ,
or ask more t han one st ringed inst rument can readily give in t he
course of some grand pronouncement . Here, t oo, was superb
coordinat ion of t he orchest ral and solo part s, when soloist and
conduct or complet ed each ot hers ideas, unit ed in t he service of
t he composer. Mr. Rodzinskis t empi in t he Mesit ersinger
excerpt s were brisk, but his reading was st ruct ural as well as
vivid in color, and suggest ive of Wagners t heat re.

New York Times, 14 Mar 1944
St udent s Hear Huberman
Violinist Plays Wit h Group From Philharmonic
Becket t Conduct s
Bronislaw Huberman, violinist , was guest art ist yest erday
aft ernoon at t he concert for high school st udent s given by
sevent y members of t he Philharmonic- Symphony Orchest ra,
Wheeler Becket t conduct ing, at t he Hut ner College Audit orium.
He played t he Tchaikovsky D maj or concert o, Opus 35, and
received an ovat ion from t he young audience at t he end of t he
first movement and again at t he end of t he whole work. The
violinist played an encore, giving t he first public performance of
his t ranscript ion of a Chopin mazurka for t he piano, G minor,
wit hout accompaniment .
The rest of t he program, t he fourt h of t he series, consist ed of
Handels Wat er Music, Becket t s Reverie and Prokofieffs
Classical symphony in D maj or. The next concert will be given
on Monday aft ernoon, April 17.

Polish Music Fest ival
A Fest ival of Polish Music was present ed at Carnegie Hall last
night by t he Polish I nst it ut e of Art s and Sciences in America. The
concert , which commemorat ed t he Polish Const it ut ion of May,
1791, feat ured eight y members of t he New York Philharmonic
Symphony under t he direct ion of Gregor Fit t elberg. Bronislaw
Huberman, violinist , and Wit old Malcuzynski, pianist , were
soloist s.
The maj or works were Chopins F minor piano concert o, which
was played by Mr. Malcuzynski, and t he rarely heard
Szymanowski violin concert o No. 1, Op. 35, which served as Mr.
Hubermans vehicle. The program also included t he first New
York performance of a suit e for st ring orchest ra by Felix R.
Labunski, who was present t o acknowledge t he ent husiast ic
applause. St oj owskis suit e in E- flat maj or, Op. 9, and
Szymanowskis Harnasie ballet music, Op. 55, complet ed t he
list . Bot h t he American and Polish nat ional ant hems were played
before t he concert .
The fest ival was arranged by a commit t ee under t he honorary
chairmanship of High Gibson, first Unit ed St at es Ambassador t o
Poland. Mrs. Vernon Kellogg and Mrs. Sylwin St rakacz served as
chairmen, and t here was a lengt hy list of pat rons and
pat ronesses, headed by t he Polish Ambassador and Mrs. Jan
Ciechanowski.

Golschmann Leads St adium Concert
Conduct s Weber and Brahms Works Huberman
I s Soloist
Plays Beet hoven Concert o
Vladimir Golschmann, French conduct or, last night made his first
appearance at t he Lewisohn St adium since 1937, and an audience
est imat ed at 9, 000 was on hand t o greet him. Mr. Golschmann
devot ed t he first half of t he program t o Webers Oberon
Overt ure and Brahms First symphony, while t he second half
list ed Beet hovens Violin Concert o wit h Bronislaw Huberman as
soloist .
Mr. Golschmanns conduct ing is t hat of a skillful, int elligent
musician, t hough last night s program did not seem part icularly
well suit ed t o his t alent s. He direct s wit h vigor and st yle, and his
beat is clear and energet ic. The Brahms Symphony, however,
demands a grander, more impassioned int erpret at ion t han Mr.
Golschmann gave it , so t hat , despit e t he nicet ies of det ail, t he
performance was not wholly convincing. The accelerando leading
t o t he final coda, for example, seemed, under Mr. Golschmanns
direct ion, t o be an impet uous hast ening rat her t han a gat hering
of musical force for t he final pages of t he symphony.
The Beet hoven Concert o did not find Mr. Huberman at his best .
Though t he broad lines of t he work were as usual clearly
proj ect ed, t he violinist played wit h a t one which was oft en hard
and unpleasant , and his int onat ion was not above reproach. Mr.
Golschmann provided him wit h forceful t hough uneven
accompaniment .
M. A. S.

Huberman Present s An Arduous Program
Bronislaw Huberman, t he vet eran violinist , made his first local
appearance of t he season in recit al at Carnegie Hall last night .
Despit e some uneven playing, t he concert found Mr. Huberman in
excellent form, t ackling an arduous program wit h zest and
vit alit y.
Beet hovens C Minor Sonat a Op. 30, No. 2, which opened t he
program, proved an engaging vehicle for Mr. Hubermans t alent s.
The Adagio sect ion part icularly received expert t reat ment , wit h
t he violinist s playing dist inguished by a fine legat o and an
unfailing knack for proj ect ing t he long lines of t he music. This
qualit y, as a mat t er of fact , charact erized much of Mr.
Hubermans playing, as it was obvious t hat t he violinist has a
mat ure and knowing grasp of t he over - all st ruct ure of t he music
and of it s cont ent . The opening Allegro and t he Scherzo of t he
sonat a were deft ly handled, while t he finale was given suit able
brilliance.
The remainder of t he first half of Mr. Hubermans program was
devot ed t o Bachs lengt hy and difficult Adagio and Fugue in C
Maj or for violin alone, which did not prove Mr. Hubermans best
offering. I t is a somewhat unrewarding work at best , and t hough
Mr. Huberman read passages wit h considerable grandeur, t he
performance as a whole seemed unsat isfying. Brahms G Maj or
Sonat a, Op. 78, which followed t he int ermission, fared much
bet t er, as Mr. Hubermans st yle is admirably suit ed t o t he
romant ic sweep of t he work, part icularly in t he opening
movement .
Three short er works brought Mr. Hubermans program t o a close:
Schubert s Rondeau Brilliant in B Minor, Op. 70, Marche
Caract erist ique, of t he same composer, and Brahms Hungarian
Dances. The last t wo works were played in arrangement s by t he
violinist . A large audience, which obviously included many ardent
Huberman devot ees, applauded t he art ist s effort s, and was
rewarded wit h numerous encores.
M. A. S.

New York Times, 3 dec 1945
New Friends Hear A Superb Concert
Saidenberg Symphony, Wit h 3 Assist ing Art ist s,
Present an All - Bach program
By Noel St raus
The all - Bach concert present ed lat e yest erday aft ernoon in Town
Hall by t he New Friends of Music was a red- let t er event in t he
organizat ions annals. Each of t he t hree mast erpieces put fort h
received a not ewort hy performance, remarkable for rhyt hmic
incisiveness, balance and blending of t one, t echnical perfect ion
and int erpret ive insight . The program was given by t he
Saidenberg Lit t le Symphony, under Daniel Saidenberg, wit h
Bronislaw Huberman, violin; Ralph Kirkpat rick, harpsichord, and
John Wummer, flut e, as assist ing art ist s.
First on t he list came t he splendid concert o for harpsichord,
violin, flut e and orchest ra, in A minor, accorded an unfoldment
deserving t he ut most praise. This seldom- heard mast erpiece
consist s of a magnificent elaborat ion of t he independent Prelude
and Fugue in A minor for clavier and t he cent ral adagio
movement of t he sonat a for t wo manuals and pedal - board in D
minor. I t is one of t he most ingenious, melodious and effect ive of
Bachs concert os, deserving far more frequent present at ion.
Finely Adj ust ed Solos
All t hree movement s represent Bach at t he height of inspirat ion,
and remain on an equal plane of excellence. The opening allegro
and t he final alla breve have a special charact er of t heir own, due
t o t he const ant employment in t hem of complicat ed and difficult
rapid passagework for t he harpsichord, which on t his occasion
was superbly handled by Mr. Kirkpat rick, who overcame all it s
exact ions wit h ease and admirable precision. Mr. Huberman and
Mr. Wummer, in t heir respect ive cont ribut ions in t his work, kept
t heir playing in admirable relat ion t o t he rest of t he ensemble,
and were especially t o be lauded for t heir sensit ive and finely
adj ust ed solos in t he adagio, a t rio wit hout orchest ral support , in
which t he harpsichord again was deft ly managed.
I n t his concert o t he orchest ra, direct ed by t he keenly
comprehending and richly gift ed Mr. Saidenberg, played wit h
dist inct ion in t he corner movement s, which were proj ect ed wit h
brilliance, clarit y and decided go by all concerned.
Sixt h Brandenburg Concert o
The performance of t he Sixt h Brandenburg concert o, which
followed, was not ewort hy not only for t he polished and deeply
impressive nat ure of it s present at ion, but also because it was
given in t he way Bach undoubt edly int ended, as a st ring sext et
wit h harpsichord cont inuo. The performance, which proved how
much more elast ic and subt le t his music sounds when gambas
are employed and t here are no doublings of t he inst rument s, was
ent rust ed t o William Lincer and Joseph vieland, violas; Janos
Scholz and Ot t o van Kopenhagen, violas da gamba; Mr.
Saidenberg, cello; Anselm Fort ier, double bass, and Mr.
Kirkpat rick, cont inuo.
The concert concluded wit h t he violin concert o in E maj or, wit h
Mr. Huberman as soloist . Mr. Huberman gave a mast erly account
of t he music, which reached it s climax in t he soulful slow
movement , t he crown of t he work, where his playing was
memorable for it s t onal warmt h, soulfulness and int ensit y.
Throughout t he concert o t he art ist moved wit h his accust omed
scholarliness and musicianship and received highly efficient and
knowing orchest ral support .

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Reviews Neville Cardus: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/reviews/neville_cardus/[02/11/12 06:56:26]
Neville Cardus reviews t he Brahms violin concert o ( 1)
Mars and Jupit er were in conj unct ion at Queens Hall; and I leave
it t o Sir Thomas Beecham and Huberman t o set t le which of t hem
was Mars and which Jupit er. The performance of t he Brahms
concert o given on t his occasion by t hese t wo art ist s and t he
London Philharmonic Orchest ra was one of t he most balanced and
comprehensive I have heard. Great ness of st yle and fineness of
st yle; energy concent rat ed int o eloquent lines, each alive wit h t he
current of Hubermans t emperament , and each cont rolled by Sir
Thomass musical inst inct ; t he whole concept ion set against a
warm realised orchest ral background. I t was a definit ive
performance.
The playing of t he orchest ra calls for immediat e at t ent ion in t his
not ice, because for t he first t ime for many years it enabled me t o
appreciat e t he beaut ies of Brahmss scoring, part icularly at t hat
awkward beginning of t he slow movement , where t he harmonies
in t he wind inst rument s implore t he most delicat e adj ust ment and
so seldom receive it . Sir Thomas and his orchest ra seemed t o
solve t he problems nat urally, so t hat t he music affect ed t he
imaginat ion wit h a sort of aut umn brownness, t hrough which t he
oboe sang it s solit ary t une ( it was wort h a long j ourney t o hear
Leon Goossens play it . )
The warmt h and delicacy of t his int roduct ion t o t he slow
movement made me almost t remble t hat Hubermans t one, which
can cut like a sword, would ent er abrupt ly and rip t he t ext ure.
But his t one did not ent er it descended upon t he nest of
singing- birds light as air; I have never before heard Hubermans
t one as felicit ous as t his. Then, as t he violin part wove it s
ornament at ion, Huberman gave t o t he movement a qualit y it
seldom possesses in a performance by any ot her violinist known
t o me. Wit h Kreisler, even t his movement remains on t he plane
of t he miniat ure and t he pensive, an int ermezzo aft er t he big
st ride of t he first movement . So easily, t oo, can t he
ornament at ion of t he violin seem j ust so many dext erous figures
added t o t he general inst rument al t issue from t he out side, so t o
say. Huberman t ransformed int ricacy int o a free- float ing melody,
growing and expanding all t he t ime. But , more remarkable, he
infused int o t he general mazefulness which is always Brahmss
most obvious cont ribut ion t o t he movement he infused a
deeper not e, a keener int ellect ualit y, t han is usually t here. This
was done by means of a firm grasp of t he pat t erns or periods of
ornament s, and by a t one which, t hough t horoughly musical and
expressive in shading, never became sensuous, let alone
sent iment al. As a consequence, we felt t hroughout t he adagio a
cert ain st rengt h and aust erit y; t his was t he proper Brahms of t he
adagio. The lovely enchant ed wood is t here, of course, and t he
nest of singing- birds. But a composer wit h a mind medit at es in
t he wood, and medit at es gravely, beaut ifully and not merely
comfort ably. The crescendo in t he adagio is st rongly writ t en as
well as poet ically writ t en: Huberman made it sound t hat way. He
On this page:
Brahms concert o ( 1)
Reviews
Nevi l l e Car dus
The famous English crit ic Neville Cardus reviews t hree
performances of t he Brahms violin concert o.
was in far bet t er mood spirit ually and t echnically even t han at
Manchest er a week or t wo ago in t he same work; he was blessed
now by t he perfect orchest ral set t ing.
The t empi of t he first movement were finely est ablished and
cont rolled by Sir Thomas; t he music suffered no changes of gear.
The rondo finale was more t han a dance t his t ime; at any rat e
not only limbs danced but also mind and t he senses. And how
delight ful was t he change int o t he flowing happy t une of t he
middle sect ion; t he movement t ranscended a formal rondo; it
became almost a t one- pict ure of a gipsy scene wit h t he gipsies
all above life- size, and drunk. Two fault s only could be found in
Hubermans performance an occasional acid high not e and his
habit , when t he first movement begins orchest rally, of t uning his
fiddle quiet ly and emulat ing for a few bars t he act ions of a
violinist who is act ually playing and t aking part wit h t he ot hers in
t he int roduct ion. This habit spoils t he illusion we should get when
t he soloist ent ers wit h his upward flick of t he noose of not es.
When we see Huberman bowing and fingering during t he
int roduct ion, it is as t hough we were cat ching a glimpse of some
act or in t he wings wait ing for his cue discovered t hrough a gap
or misfit in t he scenery.

The Hall Concert was t he great est for many years; it received
inspirat ion from Huberman, whose performance of t he Brahms
Violin Concert o has seldom if ever been mat ched in t his cit y for
int ensit y. To call it a performance is banal; it was a spirit ual
experience, a purificat ion, vouchsafed t o us by a noble art ist who
has come t o wisdom t hrough suffering by finding in beaut y not
merely an anodyne but a new and abiding principle of life.
Hubermans playing was possessed; it t ranscended ordinary violin
values. Somebody was head t o remark t hat t he t one here and
t here became t hin. And somebody will get t o heaven one day and
remark t hat an angels halo is not on st raight . The int ensit y of
t he adagio elevat ed t o t he profoundest poet ry a movement which
most players, including Kreisler, make int o not hing but a lovely
cradle song. The audience knew t hat a musical experience of no
ordinary kind was occurring; seldom have I seen a great crowd
so moved and int ent . Huberman put his heart and soul int o t he
slow movement ; t he playing t old us of t he t horn in t he rose, t he
disillusionment t hat wait s for all of us somewhere and of t he
consolat ion t hat t ime and reflect ion will bring. And t hen, in t he
gust o of t he last movement , t he playing became gloriously sane,
as t hough t o t ell us: The world goes on, friends; t here is work t o
do, and simple t hings for you. Such an art ist as Huberman
makes a concert a t hird of life, a Prosperos t erm; we must hear
him again and oft en.
The evening also proved t hat Sir Landon Ronald is st ill one of t he
few conduct ors of our day who can compel an orchest ra t o sing;
for him music is first and last a concourse of lovely sounds. He
lends t o t he inst rument alist s his own lyrical warmt h and
soot hness; his phrasing is spacious rat her t han int ense, and he
has t he art of mingling sensuous sound wit h elegance of form. Sir
Landon is at t he ext reme of Huberman. Huberman is a violinist
only because t he inst rument happens t o be his means of self-
expression. Hubermans spirit must always be searching behind
t he show of sensuous t one t o some elusive ult imat e t rut h. And
because t hey are different in aest het ic out look and feeling Sir
Landon and Huberman make a sat isfact ory pair; it is in
cont rariet ies t hat , as t he forgot t en Hegel point ed out , we find
unit y and ident it y. Sir Landon and Huberman bet ween t hem solve
t he problem of t hat dualism in Brahms which is t he composers
most arrest ing point . Brahms was a romant ic, a comfort able man
of feeling, who oft en wore t he gown and robes of classicism. I n
t he Violin Concert o we have alluring gemt lich melodies
frequent ly dressed in aust erit y unt il we reach t he finale, where
t he assimilat ed Hungarian rhyt hms are j ust t he t hing t o st ir t he
essent ial t emper of Huberman, a t emper t hat is only disciplined,
not expelled, by cult ure and t hought fulness.
Sir Landon at t ended t o t he beaut y of Brahms, t o t he sensit ively
blended woodwind writ ing, t o t he gorgeous bravery of t he
st rings, and, t o t he brown t int s of brass and t he lower st rings.
Against a romant ic t ext ure, woven wit h skill and sympat hy by t he
Hall Orchest ra, Huberman played in his own revelat ory way. His
t one was not of t he rich, yielding kind which goes wit h t he
superficial cont emporary view of Brahms, as a composer of a
middle- aged, uncle- ish soft ness of disposit ion; Huberman
t ight ened up, so t o say, t he t hinking part s of t he work; his t one
had a rare keenness and penet rat ion. Not t hat he was at all cold
or aloof; far from it . He did not give us t he embracing girt h and
genialit y of Brahms his concept ion of t he work clearly had no
room for t hese amiable qualit ies; but he endowed t he music wit h
a st riking significance in places where many t imes ot her violinist s
discover only convent ional working- out devices. His t reat ment of
figurat ion was beyond praise. Seldom have I heard Brahmss
knot t y broken- passage sequences played wit h so much meaning
as Huberman got out of t hem now. There was no mere marking
t ime in t hese passages unt il t he next st ret ch of lyrical song. The
figurat ion was vit al in every not e, and it s freedom gave wings t o
t he musical imaginat ion, so t hat t he ret urn t o melody seemed
almost a curb t o imaginat ion, because of melodys need for a
st eady and logical order of not es.
I n t he adagio Sir Landon did what few conduct ors seem able t o
do; he blended most t ast efully t he opening part s of t he woodwind
and horns wit h t he oboe. A finer piece of concert o conduct ing
could not easily be imagined. The concert o indeed was heard at
it s biggest and great est ; maybe it will never be heard again in
our lifet ime so fully present ed. Huberman was given a t ribut e of
rare eloquence by an audience which was obviously st irred t o
deep feelings. He is t he first of violinist s for int ensit y of vision, for
t he insight int o music t hat comes of experience of life, for t he
reconciling power t hat art gives t o a man who has found beaut y
t hrough great st ress of soul.

Overt ure Coriolan, Op. 62 ( Beet hoven)
Symphony in G minor ( E. J. Moeran)
Concert o in D maj or, Op. 77, for Violin and Orchest ra ( Brahms)
The large but not crowded audience were so det ermined t o hear
Huberman t hat not even t he presence of a new symphony in t he
programme kept t hem away. Here is a Machiavellian idea for t he
considerat ion of t he commit t ee; music not by Beet hoven or
Brahms, music even composed wit hin living memory, could easily
be disseminat ed amongst t he Hall audiences under cover of a
celebrat ed soloist . The int erloper at t his concert , E. J. Moreans
symphony, is not out rageously modern: it is act ually react ionary
enough t o go in for melodies.
Aft er t he int erval again Huberman played t he main prot agonist s
part in t he Brahms Concert o. That is exact ly what he does wit h
t he work, t ransforms it int o a drama, an advent ure of t he spirit .
The first part of t he evening and t he int erval scarcely kindled t he
at mosphere, and t hough t he int erpret at ion was one t hat nobody
but Huberman could have given us, t he wonderful experience of a
year or t wo ago in t he same work was not repeat ed. To say t his
much is perhaps a compliment ; for Huberman does not allow his
art t o become rout ined or st andardised. The older an art ist grows
t he less pat ience he has wit h t he easy, sensuous effect s of his
medium. From t he point of view of int ellect ual penet rat ion, of a
comprehensive survey of t he concert os abounding musical life,
t his performance surpassed any I can remember at t he moment .
Maybe t he ordinary ear craved now and again for a more
palpable romant icism of expression and a richer t one. Wit h
Huberman t one is t emperament and charact er; it is not a fixed
qualit y which he applies from t he out side. I t hink t hat no
experienced list ener would deny t hat t his was a Brahms of
except ional st rengt h of fibre and largeness of mind. There was
none of t he usual gemt lich soft ness; even t he slow movement
left t he familiar cradle and seemed t o grow in subt let y of
reflect ion. The t one of t he violin had rare int ensit y in t he soft ,
winding figurat ion; and t he rising melodic crescendo at t he end,
t hen t he sighing, broken cadences, were done wit hout t he
slight est exaggerat ion. This was playing of a man who has no
need any longer t o assert himself. The playing summed up t he
virt uosos ent ire range, but not once were we conscious of t he
virt uosos appeal t o us; t he t echnique was placed at t he disposal
of Brahms; indeed, t he uncommon merit of Hubermans
int erpret at ion was t hat it kept t horoughly t o t he st yle of t he
concert o form he played wit h t he orchest ra and not against it .
The first movement is one of t he composers most powerful
pieces of work, fit t o rank in concent rat ed musical t hought wit h
t he first movement s of t he C minor Symphony and t he D minor
Piano Concert o. Also it nearly exhaust s t he violins t echnical
scope. Dr Sargent cont rolled t he orchest ra j udiciously in all t he
t hree movement s t hough possibly t he opening of t he adagio
dragged a lit t le. But in t he allegro he was especially good,
because he achieved a driving energy which gave t he soloist
room for ext raordinary variet y and flexibilit y of phrase and
at t ack. Huberman never emphasises individual part s at t he
expense of t he whole; no ot her violinist of t he present day shares
his musical inst inct , his feeling for t he logic of a great composers
argument s. His ent rance int o t he allegro was vehement ; it was a
sort of passionat e scaling of t he rock. Aft erwards t he int ricat e
figurat ion ran as t hough keen fire was being generat ed along t he
swirling lines, unt il a magnificent broadening of st yle brought us
t o t he second subj ect . Now followed t he upward leaps, shoot ing
sparks of t one, brave and reckless, wit h t he subsequent t rills and
sequences and st abbing st accat o chords. Has anybody ever heard
a Brahms of more exult ant energy t han t his? As I list ened t o
Huberman in t his movement , a line of Hazlit t s ret urned t o mind
phrases like sparkles t hrown off from an imaginat ion fired by
t he rapidit y of it s own mot ion. The finale rat her missed t he gipsy
genialit y of dance Huberman brings t o it most t imes which was
a pit y, for t he performance as a whole had t aken place on a level
of imaginat ion so loft y t hat it deserved more t han brilliance and
agilit y as it s end.
The Hall Orchest ra know t heir Brahms, and t hough t he playing
in t he slow movement did not unfailingly mat ch Hubermans
incredible soft int ensit y of t one and where is t he orchest ra t hat
could have mat ched it ? t here were many lovely inst ances of
blended colour. The difficult problems of balance of t he
inst rument s at t he opening of t he slow movement were solved
admirably much t o Dr Sargent s credit .

Search
Reviews Alexander Ruppa: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/reviews/alexander_ruppa/[02/11/12 06:56:55]
A. S. Ruppa, St rad, Feb, 1934
HUBERMAN I N EGYPT THE ARTI ST AND THE
MAN
BRONI SLAW HUBERMAN, t he world- famous violinist , is again
among us in Egypt and played t wice t o t he Alexandria and Cairo
public wit h conspicuous success. I t is somewhat hard t o find
among our int ernat ional celebrit ies a violinst whose musicianship
and dynamic personalit y are so st riking. To speak in absolut e
t erms, it is a fact t hat Huberman is more of a musician t han a
violinst . I f you are a violinist yourself, you will be surely amazed
at t he t ranscendent al t echnique of Kubelik, Heifet z, and Prihoda,
which is in a class by it self and forget all about it t he next
morning. While t he t echnical at t ainment s of Huberman cannot
cert ainly bear comparison t o t hose of t hese t hree giant s, his
compelling art ist ic personalit y grips your soul from t he very
moment he set s his bow across t he st rings and keeps you
ent hralled right t o t he last not e and for a long t ime aft er.
I heard Huberman, for t he first t ime on February 17t h, 1910,
here, in Alexandria, and it was t he very first t ime he was playing
in Egypt . He was accompanied by a very t alent ed pianist , Leopold
Spielmann, t he lat t er cont ribut ing also solos. The programme
included such divergent pieces as t he Mendelssohn Concert o,
Sarasat es Carmen Fant asy, and Paganinis Le St reghe.
Huberman appealed t o me t hen, as he appeals t o me now, aft er
t he lapse of nearly a quart er of a cent ury, by his warm
earnest ness and t he pat hos of his emot ional dept h which radiat e
from him. I t has oft en been repeat ed t hat t he t wo violinist s
whose playing of t he Finale of t he Mendelssohn Concert o was
unapproachable by it s dazzling brilliancy were Wieniawski and
Sarasat e, but I feel sure t hat Huberman could be unhesit at ingly
added t o t hat famous pair.
I t must however, be reluct ant ly admit t ed t hat Hubermans
t echnique is no longer what it was in 1910. The violinist s
t emperament , which has always been a passionat e one, has now
grown somewhat nervy, and t his is adversely reflect ed in his
playing. I n t he present inst ance he was playing on t he well -
known Joseph Guarnerius de Ges, ex Alfred Gibson, dat ed 1734.
This inst rument has a lovely one- piece back of beaut ifully figured
maple, t he side mat ching t he back. I t s t one is aggressively
Guarnerian, very powerful and incisive, wit h a met allic shade,
which was furt her st ressed by Hubermans virile and unrest rained
playing. I n fact , t hat dist inct ly met allic t inge was, in my opinion,
anyt hing but pleasant t o a refined ear, and clearly recalled t o my
mind a similarit y in t he t one of t he E st ring of Mart eaus famous
Maggini, which formerly belonged t o t he Empress Maria- Theresa
On this page:
Feb 1934 St rad
Mar 1934 St rad
Feb 1936 St rad
Reviews
Al ex ander Ruppa
Egypt ian correspondent for The St rad Magazine t hrough t he
1930s, Ruppa report s on Hubermans Egypt ian t ours, and
format ion of t he Palest ine Symphony Orchest ra.
of Aust ria. An aggravat ing circumst ance in t his case was t hat t he
G st ring of t he Guarnerius was t oo low and invariably clat t ered
against t he fingerboard whenever it was subj ect ed t o a slashing
st roke of t he bow. I t seems t o me t hat such t rivial defect s could
be easily remedied in good t ime inst ead of giving rise t o crit icism
and marring t he playing of a great art ist . When all is said and
done, it is obvious t hat Hubermans present st yle of playing
would have improved had he used a less pungent and assert ive
inst rument t han a Guarnerius de Ges.
I t is well - known t hat Huberman invariably draws up his
programmes wit h t ast e. The first recit al included Handels Sonat a
in D, Bachs Adagio and Fugue of t he Sonat a in C for violin only,
Brahmss Sonat a in G, Op. 78, and t hree short pieces. For t he
second recit al he played his own t ranscript ion of Bachs Prelude
for t he organ, Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, Beet hovens
Sonat a in C minor, Op. 30, No. 2, and t he Delius Concert o, which
Huberman admires great ly, and which he played in Vienna wit h
conspicuous success. Regarding t his Concert o, Huberman
expressed himself t hus:
This most poet ical work of Delius will probably cause
even more emot ion among t he Brit ish list eners t han
among ot hers, because, while ot her nat ionalit ies will
t ake some t ime t o discover t he golden line of t he
melody, t he English will immediat ely feel at home
wit h it . I t indirect ly embodies reminiscent ly I rish and
Scot t ish folk songs: not so much t he dancing
rhyt hmic part of folk song, but t hat element al
dreaming, lingering, and longing part of t he folk- lore
which t rails around t he work, woven int o it as a
cloud. I t is charact erist ic of Delius t hat t his Concert o
present s no definit e point s of culminat ion. I t can be
likened t o Nat ure rat her t han t o human experience:
t he fragrance of flowers, t he glory of sunset , beaut y
for beaut ys sake, and yet leaving when finished
some vibrat ion of longing in t he soul and, t herefore,
showing t hat it is linked wit h human emot ion.
Perhaps t his apparent lack of form in t he
composit ions of Delius, speaking in t he sense of t he
more grammat ic form, is, in realit y, a far higher
degree of from in music, t ranscending t hat which,
aft er all, was but man- made.

A. S. Ruppa, St rad, March, 1934
HUBERMAN I N EGYPT THE ARTI ST AND THE
MAN
I n my preceding cont ribut ion, I gave an account of Huberman,
t he art ist . I now propose t o writ e about Huberman, t he man. I t is
not perhaps sufficient ly known, even by many violinist s, t hat
Huberman is not , as are many musicians, an art ist who t hinks
exclusively in t erms of his art . On t he cont rary, he is ext remely
int erest ed in what is going on in t he world t o- day. Nor is he
cont ent t o sit down and reflect passively on t he dest inies of
mankind. His medit at ions are a first impet us, a driving force
which urges him t o act ion. He is deeply impressed by t he vision
of a great unit ed family of mankind and he has endeavoured for
years t o give expression t o t hat vision. I t is his firm convict ion
t hat t he first st ep t o t ake in t he right direct ion would be t o
visualise and bring int o being a Unit ed St at es of Europe. He has
devot ed for many long years t he maj or part of his leisure t ime
t owards furt hering t he cause of a Pan European Union and he
cert ainly is one of t he leading propagandist s of Pan- Europa. He
published last year a book t he suggest ive t it le of which: Europa,
Vat erland speaks for it self. This book had a very wide circulat ion
in German speaking count ries and was very favourable discussed
by Europes most import ant papers which devot ed t o it leading
art icles, a dist inct ion, which, according t o Huberman, t hey did not
confer as yet upon his violinist ic capabilit ies.
Huberman sincerely deplored t he present day chauvinism which is
cast ing it s dismal clouds on t he polit ical horizon. I n spit e of t he
grandiloquent verbosit y of t he worlds leading polit icians, it is a
hard fact t hat nat ions are far from being t he peace devot ees t hey
would like t he world t o believe t hem t o be. But it is equally
cert ain t hat t his high st rung sit uat ion will prove int olerable and, in
accordance wit h t he laws of Hist ory, cannot go on indefinit ely. A
react ion is bound t o happen sooner or lat er and, according t o
Huberman, t here are signs t hat t his react ion has already set in.
A very well known French proverb says t hat La musique adoucit
les moeurs which would read in English Music t empers
manners, but , in t he case of Huberman, it goes much fart her
t han t hat . I t is, in fact , a marvellous medium for welding t oget her
t he different nat ions which are perforce separat ed from one
anot her by polit ical front iers. I t is t he universal language par
excellence which, far bet t er t han Esperant o, appeals t o t he
Londoner or t he Pat agonial alike. I n t his connect ion, Huberman
gives an example in t he following words. His subj ect is Sergei
Taneievs Suit e which he has recent ly played:
This composit ion, is, in my opinion, t ruly significant music:
powerful, original, romant ic. I t is quit e a different sort of
romant icism from t hat of Tchaikovsky, t hough a cert ain Russian
romant icism is present bot h here and in t he Tchaikovsky Violin
Concert o. The Taneiev Suit e is built upon t he might y up beat
chord wit h which t he work begins. The marvellous t hing is t hat
each movement is emot ionally an independent composit ion and
yet fit s int o t he whole wit h wondrous consonance. I t is as if t he
powerful, reconciling, t ranscendent al spirit of music, in t his case,
t he spirit of Taneiev, hovered over t he emot ional connect ion of
t he individual part s. I t is as if a loft y, reconciling spirit were
seeking t o unit e all t he list eners. The work is, t herefore, like Pan-
Europa.
As regards int erpret at ion, Huberman is a firm believer in t he
powers of inspirat ion. When st udying a new piece for his
repert oire, it would oft en happen t hat he would play it
indifferent ly because inspirat ion was not t here. This might t ake
days, weeks, mont hs or even years t o make it self felt , but if
Huberman became convinced t hat it would never come, he would
definit ely set t he piece aside.
Huberman holds t he view t hat sublimit y in music is not a mere
accident but bears a direct relat ion t o t he musician as a man.
That is t he reason of t he grandeur of Beet hovens music. I t
follows t hat in order t o int erpret t hat music sat isfact orily, an
art ist ought t o t ry and at t ain in his privat e life some of t he
loft iness which charact erised t hat of Beet hovens.
I n Hubermans opinion, t he gramophone and t he radio are t he
t wo enemies of art . People are inclined t o- day t o give up t rying
t o mast er a given inst rument and prefer going t o a recit al or
hearing a celebrit y on t he gramophone or over t he radio. Furt her,
music is going t hrough a crisis owing t o t he fact t hat pat rons of
art are t o- day pract ically non- exist ent owing eit her t o t he
prevailing economic bad t imes or t o ot her causes, a mat t er which
is great ly t o be deplored.
Bronislaw Huberman was recent ly invit ed by t he Prussian
Government t o play in Germany, but t he great violinist
cat egorically refused t o do so, at least , as long as present polit ical
condit ions cont inue t o prevail in t he Reich. I t is well known t hat
on June 29t h last , t he Prussian Minist er of Science, Art and
Educat ion, announced t he appoint ment of a Commission
composed of Wilhelm Furt wangler, Max Von Schillings, Wilhelm
Backhaus and Georg Kulenkampf t he obj ect of which was t he
examinat ion of t he programmes of all public concert societ ies
and, where necessary, t o advise t he societ ies on t he following
principles:
[ Ruppa goes on t o quot e t he decree, Furt wngler' s let t er t o
Huberman, and Huberman' s reply. Please see Huberman and Nazi
Germany t o read t his correspondence in full]
I t is wort hy of not e t hat several non- Jewish violin celebrit ies,
among whom is Jacques Thibaud, have likewise refused
Furt wangler' s invit at ion t o play in t he Reich.

The St rad, Feb, 1936
MUSI C I N ALEXANDRI A by Alexander Ruppa
I n one of my previous cont ribut ions t o THE STRAD, under t he
heading Huberman in Egypt , t he Art ist and t he Man. I have
comment ed at lengt h on t his violinist who was again lat ely in
Egypt and played t o full houses on December 7t h and 28t h last .
I n my art icle above I had somewhat adversely crit icised
Hubermans playing, but t his t ime I am happy t o say t hat I have
not hing but praise t o best ow.
The programmes included Bachs Chaconne, Brahmss Sonat a in
D minor, Op. 108, Bachs Adagio and Fugue in G minor,
Beeet hovens Sonat a in F, Op. 24 ( Fruhlingssonat e) , Respighis
Sonat a in B minor, Lalos Symphonie Espagnole as well as ot her
it ems of less import ance.
There is not t he slight est doubt but t hat t his t ime Huberman is
himself again, wit h all his pat hos, his t emperament al fervour and
his mast erful st yle of playing. He is endowed wit h t he rare power
of port raying t he whole gamut of human emot ions from t he most
exquisit e t enderness t o t he most brut al violence. I n his handling
of t hat gigant ic fresco which is one of t he peaks of t he lit erat ure
of t he violin, t he Bach Chaconne, he has given ample proof of t he
t remendous driving power and t he nobilit y of his int erpret at ion.
Wit hout wishing t o be in t he least dit hyrambic, I a may safely say
t hat he has risen t o t hose height s where only t he privileged few
of t he muses may ever hope t o gain admit t ance. Like cert ain
ot her mast erpieces, such as t he Beet hoven and Brahms
Concert os, t he Bach Chaconne is a supreme t est of mount ainous
difficult y and only art ist s endowed wit h t ranscendent al powers
will enj oy t he privilege of going t hrough t he ordeal wit h flying
colours.
Bachs Adagio and Fugue in G minor and Beet hovens Spring
Sonat a gave a furt her proof of Hubermans int erpret at ive genius.
He was playing again on his Guarneri del Ges, ex - Alfred Gibson,
dat ed 1734, t he t one of which, t hough ot herwise sat isfying in
every respect , is, in my opinion, met allic t o a degree and t his is
most not iceable on t he E st ring. I t has always st ruck me t hat a
very assert ive violinist like Huberman should avoid using t he
most pungent of all violins, namely, t he de Ges and use as his
medium of expression t he mellowness of a St radavari.
As regards Hubermans fut ure plans, a t elegram from Belgrade
published in t he papers last mont h announces t hat he has
decided t o form t he Philharmonic Orchest ra of Palest ine wit h t he
help of world- famous musicians who have been compelled t o
leave Germany following racial or religious persecut ion. I t is also
announced t hat Huberman will himself set t le definit ely in
Palest ine and conduct t he orchest ra, which will broadcast
regularly t hrough t he Jerusalem st at ion.
Wit h reference t o Hubermans first performance of t he Brahms
Concert o, it is int erest ing t o recall t hat t his t ook place in Vienna
on January 29t h, 1896, in t he presence of Brahms himself. Max
Kalbeck in his Biographie de Brahms recalls t he fact as
follows: Huberman, who was t hen t hirt een years old, was
phenomenally successful in his performance of t he Brahms
Concert o. He began t he first of his recit als wit h it and played it
again on March 6t h in t he course of his t hird recit al.
On t he first occasion, Brahms was present wit h Fuchs, Richt er
and de Koch, sit t ing in t he management s box, and was expect ing
from t he lad a pupils mediocre performance. His surprise was
great from t he first st roke of t he bow, and when t he Adagio was
reached his eyes moist ened. At t he end of t he Finale he
embraced t he young boy whose musical genius had found t he
exact mode of int erpret at ion of t he Concert o. Huberman
expressed t o Brahms his regret t hat t he reappearance of t he first
t heme aft er t he cadenza had been spoiled, but Brahms replied,
You ought not t o have played it so well.
I n deference t o t he request of t he young art ist , Brahms brought
him his phot o at t he hot el wit h t he following lines: I n cordial
remembrance from an enrapt ured and grat eful hearer.

Search
Criticism: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/criticism/[02/11/12 06:57:35]
Paul Frenkel
Paul Frenkel was Hubermans pianist bet ween
1917 and 1924. I n t his short art icle from The
List ener Speaks, he gives an excellent
descript ion of Hubermans int erpret at ive st yle.
Henri Temianka
Temianka was a pupil of
Huberman, and alt hough his st yle
of playing was complet ely and
ut t erly different t o Hubermans,
he had a lot of respect for his
t eacher. His descript ion of
Huberman t uning up reminds me of my own
t eacher who saw Huberman play in t he 1930s,
and described it as rough as gut s!
Carl Flesch
Flesch is not kind t o Huberman in
t hese excerpt s from his Memoirs.
Huberman for his part had no
animosit y t o Flesch, and sent him
many st udent s including Josef
Hassid, who Flesch considered his
great est st udent .
Hans Keller
The Aust rian/ English music crit ic
Hans Keller is t he most int erest ing
writ er on music t hat I have ever
come across. Several of his
art icles on changing at t it udes t o
musical performance are included
here, as well as a let t er t o
Huberman t hat Keller wrot e at t he age of 16.
Criticism
Huberman was a very individual and unique player, and
while t o some he represent ed music making at it s most
profound, ot hers saw in his individualit y an ext ravagant
egoism. The obj ect ive Carl Flesch disliked Huberman so
much, t hat when he found Huberman and Schnabel had
formed a quart et t oget her, he broke off relat ions wit h
Schnabel. As Hans Keller said, any st rong personalit y
t hat we don' t ident ify wit h, will seem t o us egot ist ical.
Several of Keller' s essays on Huberman and musical
int erpret at ion are included here.
Et ching c. 1910 by Emil Orlik

Search
Paul Frenkel: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/criticism/frenkel/[02/11/12 06:57:55]
Br oni sl aw Huber man
by Paul Fr enk el
On Monday morning, t he 16t h of June, Bronislaw Huberman,
aft er a rest less life, has ent ered int o et ernal rest .
A short t ime before his deat h, he played in t he presence of a few
friends t he Violin Concert o in E of Bach. When he had ended, he
said t o t hose present : Only now do I underst and t his Concert o
well; if only I could play it once t his way in a public concert !
These words charact erise clearly t his unique figure amongst t he
virt uosos as a great reproducing art ist . I am laying st ress upon
t he word reproducing , but not in t he meaning of a plain t ext ual
and t echnically most perfect rendit ion, because t his would not do
j ust ice t o him: I emphasise here t he ideal way of reproducing,
t hat is recreat ing.
Here lay t he t rue great ness of Huberman: what ever t he work,
whoever t he composer he was playing, - in t hat very moment he
was t he creat or of a work of art . To be able t o do t hat , he had
first t o be able t o comprehend, t o be absorbed int o a work, t o
familiarise himself wit h t he spirit and inner life of t he composer.
Only so is it explainable t hat on t he podium he always played
wit h inspirat ion, even if he had t o play t he same work on several
evenings running: again and again he himself underwent t he
process of creat ing- recreat ing, inspired he himself t hrough t he
work, inspired t hereby his co- workers pianist s, conduct ors,
orchest ra- members inspired his list eners.
Played he Bach t hen he was in t hat moment Bach, t he
monument al mast er - builder, played he Beet hoven t hen he was
not any longer Huberman, t hen st ood before us Beet hoven
himself, t he heart - rending, t he grim in his Allegros, t he
uneart hly- absorbed in his Adagios; played he Brahms, t he rough,
or Tschaikowsky, t he wild- slavonic, et c. et c. always arose
before our ears t he manifold creat ions of art and t heir great
creat ors.
Huberman ident ified himself wit h every composer and t hereby
familiarised us wit h him. Playing, he experienced all what t he
composer himself must have experienced while creat ing and he
let us part ake in experiencing. Therein lay his great ness! There
are, even amongst t he great est , not many who are able t o
present us wit h t his int ense t aking part in experiencing.
Huberman could do it and in t he highest degree
back t o crit icism >
Paul Frenkel
Paul Frenkel was Hubermans pianist bet ween 1917 and
1924. I n t his short art icle from The List ener Speaks, he
gives an excellent descript ion of Hubermans
int erpret at ive st yle.
Paul Frenkel: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/criticism/frenkel/[02/11/12 06:57:55]

Search
Henri Temianka: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/criticism/temianka/[02/11/12 06:58:16]
Br oni sl aw Huber man
THE TRI UMPH OF A GREAT PERSONALI TY
by Henr i Temi ank a
The ot her night , as so oft en before, t he conversat ion t urned t o
t he subj ect of personalit y. Everyone t ried t o define it and no one
succeeded. What is personalit y? I s it t hat elusive qualit y t hat
compels t he worlds at t ent ion regardless of ones short comings?
I s it t he enviable secret of commanding t he respect and love of
t hose around you t hrough what you are rat her t han t hrough what
you do? Was it perhaps t he out ward radiat ion of a mans hidden
st rengt h and convict ions, unconsciously sensed by ot hers?
As t he debat e waxed in int ensit y, my t hought s t urned t o t he
violinist Bronislaw Huberman. Alt hough lit t le known in Nort h
America, Huberman had been one of t he most revered art ist s of
t he European concert st age for almost t wo generat ions. Like
Paganini before him, he had only t o announce: Huberman will
make his violin sing, and concert halls were sold out in a mat t er
of hours. The devot ion of European audiences t o t his
ext raordinary art ist was unique. Women carried his phot ograph
wit h t hem wherever t hey went . Princes and princesses, dukes
and duchesses, st at esmen and capt ains of indust ry could be
found in t he ant erooms of t he idolized violin virt uoso.
Huberman was born in 1882, near Warsaw in Poland, t he son of a
Jewish lawyer. At t he age of t welve he played t he Brahms
Concert o in Vienna, in t he presence of Johannes Brahms himself,
and t he mast er embraced him aft er t he performance. From t his
moment on, Huberman went from t riumph t o t riumph, and his
career as a prodigy was comparable t o t hat of Yehudi Menuhin
some t hirt y years lat er. When I heard Huberman for t he first
t ime, I was a mere boy, a budding violin prodigy myself. My
excit ement while wait ing for t he great man t o appear on t he
st age was uncont rollable. Finally an invisible hand opened a door
and Huberman st epped out on t he st age. He did not walk; his flat
feet shuffled along t he floor. As he came closer I saw a small,
balding man, wit h a bony head, a grot esquely prot ruding lower
lip, and a big, impressively curved nose. He was flat - chest ed and
had sloping shoulders. But t he out st anding charact erist ic t hat
st ruck everyone t he moment t hey saw him, were his eyes. He
was as wall - eyed as any man I have ever seen. One eye looked
in one direct ion and t he ot her looked complet ely in t he opposit e
direct ion. When he appeared t o be looking at one person, he
invariably was looking at someone else, as I was t o discover lat er
Henri Temianka
As a child Temianka used t o pray each night Dear God,
let me be a second Huberman or, should t his not be
possible, a second Flesch. I have never underst ood
why, since Huberman and Flesch had such ut t erly
different aest het ic ideals. Temianka makes some very
int erest ing observat ions in t his art icle, and also some
very misleading ones. I m surprised at his harsh
evaluat ion of Hubermans recordings, and also his
st at ement t hat during t he war - t ime years in America,
Huberman was a man condemned t o inact ivit y.
This art icle is from t he American Et ude magazine,
February 1957.
on when I met him.
Huberman hardly smiled as he acknowledged t he audiences
init ial applause wit h a bow. He was int ensely nervous and went
t hrough a number of agonizing mot ions before he could bring
himself t o set t le down t o t he business of playing. First he
produced a piece of rosin from his hind pocket and proceeded t o
draw t he hair of t he bow across it several t imes wit h unnecessary
vehemence, surely a j ob t hat he could have done j ust as well
backst age before t he concert . Then he began t o t une his violin,
t urning each peg. Aft er he had t uned his violin t horoughly and
loudly, he went back t o put t ing on some more rosin, evident ly
oblivious t o t he fact t hat he had already done so. Then he
repeat ed t he t uning formula, producing sounds no member of t he
feline family could have improved upon.
Finally he appeared t o be ready; he drew his violin up t o his chin,
at t he same t ime st riking out wit h his bowing arm. And in t his
selfsame inst ant an incredible t ransformat ion t ook place. He had
closed his eyes and he was no longer wall - eyed. He had raised
his violin Heavenwards, and his whole body seemed t o part icipat e
in t his Heavenward upsurge. There was no longer a flat - chest ed
lit t le man wit h sloping shoulders. Huberman had become all
spirit , a divine messenger of t he worlds great est music. A wave
of exalt at ion seemed t o engulf him and his list eners alike.
At t he end of t he concert Huberman received a delirious ovat ion.
No Clark Gable, no Frank Sinat ra ever aroused great er
ent husiasm among t he bobby- soxers of our t ime, t han did
Huberman among adult s and adolescent s alike. I n fact , t o t he
people of t hat day, only t hirt y years ago, Huberman was Clark
Gable. He achieved t he incredible paradox of being grot esquely
homely in repose and superbly beaut iful in act ion.
From whence did t his ext raordinary power over his audience
st em? Did it st em from t he perfect ion of his playing? Recent ly I
list ened t o some recordings t hat Huberman made at t he height of
his career. I received a cruel shock. Judged by obj ect ive
st andards, Hubermans playing was so full of flaws t hat t hese
recordings of his should never have been allowed t o reach t he
public. No violinist revealing such imperfect ions could hope t o run
t he cruel gaunt let of t he crit ics of our day. Yet Hubermans
success had not been creat ed by t he ignorant . From Brahms
onwards, all t he great est musicians and int ellect s of t he age had
acclaimed him as one of t he great est art ist s of t heir t ime. What
account ed for it ?
Much of t he convict ion t hat Hubermans playing carried, I
concluded years lat er, resided not in his playing but in t he
convict ions he carried as a human being. The int egrit y of his
playing was simply an ext ension of his int egrit y as a person. I n
his t hirt ies, at t he height of his career, he had become int ensely
int erest ed in t he Pan- Europe ideas of Count Coudenhove
kalerghi. He prompt ly st opped playing t he violin and enrolled for
courses in t he social and polit ical sciences at t he Sorbonne in
Paris. Here he st ayed for t wo years wit hout playing a single
concert .
Such an act of renunciat ion at t he height of a great career would
have been a sacrifice for any person. I n t he case of Huberman it
was a double sacrifice, for by nat ure he was endowed wit h an
excessive regard for money. How many of us would willingly part
wit h a fabulous income rolling in at a st eady pace year in, year
out ? To Huberman every dollar lost was like a hundred dollars.
Yet he had t he st rengt h t o give up t his money, plus t he adulat ion
of his public, in order t o devot e himself single- mindedly t o a new
ideal.
Aft er finishing his st udies at t he Sorbonne, Huberman t raveled all
across Europe, making speeches in favor of a great Pan-
European movement t hat would unit e t hat unhappy and t orn
cont inent int o one great unit . Had men like Huberman t hen
succeeded, a second world war might never have t aken place.
But Europe was not ready for it .
Huberman was not a nat ural orat or. He had a pronounced lisp,
and t his, in addit ion t o his appearance, would have discouraged a
lesser man. But Huberman seemed oblivious t o his own
handicaps; he spoke wit h such t remendous convict ion t hat he
made his list eners as oblivious t o his handicaps as he was.
He must have been about fift y when his plane crashed while on a
t our of I ndonesia, somet ime around 1930. The plane crashed int o
a t ree, and among t hose who survived was Huberman. Every
bone in every finger in bot h hands had been broken. For t wo
years he suffered grievously bot h physically and ment ally.
Hubermans career as a concert violinist seemed ended forever.
Wit h t he mad obst inacy of a man incapable of realizing t hat he is
defeat ed, Huberman underwent t reat ment s of every imaginable
kind. He had daily massages. He devised painful exercises for his
fingers and his hands, which he carried out for hours on end, day
in, day out .
Two years lat er I heard him again, when he resumed his career
in Holland. He played more beaut ifully t han ever. During t he t wo
years of his enforced idleness he had gone t hrough a purifying
process, bot h t echnically and emot ionally. The concert s which he
gave during t he following years were among t he most memorable
of his ent ire career.
One of t he most remarkable aspect s of Hubermans myst erious
hold on people was t he fact t hat t his hold could be sharply
divided along geographical and racial lines. His success in
Germanic count ries, such as Germany, Aust ria and Holland, was
fabulous. So was his recept ion in Slavic count ries, such as
Russia, Poland, and Czechoslovakia. On t he ot her hand, he was
consist ent ly unsuccessful in almost every Lat in and Anglo- Saxon
count ry he ever visit ed. Time and again he visit ed t he Unit ed
St at es, but always as a st ranger. I n t he Brit ish I sles t he success
of his appearances was equally unpredict able, as was also t he
case in Paris and ot her Lat in cent ers. I could never explain t his
phenomenon t o my own sat isfact ion, except t hat Huberman had
a myst ic qualit y t hat was perhaps in harmony wit h t he Slavic
spirit . As t o t he Germanic peoples, bot h his myst icism and his
solemn dedicat ion t o his art must have had a profound appeal for
t hem. On t he ot her hand, t he cynical, elegant , est het ic- minded
French did not find in Huberman t he qualit ies t hey sought . To t he
Slavic and Germanic psyche, what mat t ered were Hubermans
unforget t able moment s of exalt at ion and ecst asy. Huberman t ook
t hem int o a different world t hat had not hing t o do wit h violin
playing. I f t here were imperfect ions in his playing, t hey were
oblivious t o t hem. But t o t he Anglo- Saxon mind, ecst asy was
immoderat ion, exalt at ion a lack of underst at ement .
I n 1933 Hit ler came t o power, and t hroughout Germany t he
right s of human beings were t rampled underfoot . Huberman
immediat ely cancelled all his engagement s in Germany and
declined t o make any furt her appearances in t hat count ry. Very
few men indeed, in t hose early days of Hit lerism, had eit her t he
int egrit y or clarit y of vision t o make so clearcut a decision. Art ist s
who cherished t heir careers want ed t o believe t hat Hit lers bark
might be worse t han his bit e, and t hat business would cont inue
as usual. Huberman st ood t o lose more t han almost anyone else.
Russia and Germany had been t he t wo great scenes of his
t riumph ever since childhood. The first of t hese he had lost since
t he advent of Bolshevism. The second he now volunt arily
renounced. Huberman reigned so supreme in t he world of art t hat
it was t o him t hat Furt wangler, t he conduct or of t he Berlin
Philharmonic orchest ra, t urned t o address an impassioned plea
t hat Huberman be t he first t o break down t he wall t hat keeps us
apart , and t o ret urn t o Germany t o play for t he German people.
Hubermans reply, in t he form of an open let t er t o Furt wangler
t hat was published on t he front pages of t he worlds leading
newspapers, remains an enduring t est imonial t o t he noble dignit y
of one human being. I n t his let t er he resolut ely refused t o accept
for himself alone privileges which, for racial, religious or polit ical
reasons, were now denied t o his fellow art ist s of lesser
prominence.
He went on t o define t he int erpret at ion of great music as t he
art ist ic proj ect ion of t hat which is highest in man, and
exclaimed: Can you expect t his process of sublimat ion, which
demands complet e abandon t o ones art , from t he musician
whose human dignit y is t rodden upon and who is officially
degraded t o t he rank of a pariah? Can you expect it of t he
musician t o whom t he guardians of German cult ure deny,
because of his race, t he abilit y t o underst and pure German
music ?
And Huberman cont inued: I n realit y it is not a quest ion of violin
concert os nor even of t he Jews; t he issue is t he ret ent ion of
t hose t hings t hat our fat hers achieved by blood and sacrifice, of
t he foundat ion of our European cult ure, t he freedom of t he
individual and his uncondit ional dignit y unhampered by fet t ers of
cast e or race.
So saying, Huberman renounced t he Germany of Hit ler, and wit h
it t he largest part of his career, forever.
I n 1938 Aust ria and Czechoslovakia also came under t he Nazi
heel and t he great art ist ic empire over which Huberman had once
reigned supreme lay in ruins around him. I t was near Vienna t hat
Huberman had resided for many years, in t he hist oric cast le of
Schoenbrunn, t he Aust rian Versailles, where before him Aust rias
princes and emperors had held t heir sway. Now t hese princes of
t he blood only t raveled t o Schoenbrunn t o pay homage t o
Huberman. Wit h t he invasion of Aust ria, all t his came t o an end,
and Huberman became a wanderer for t he remainder of his days.
But alt hough Hubermans career as a concert art ist was almost
finished, his great est t ask in life st ill lay before him. The
persecut ed Jews were fleeing before t he hordes of Hit ler, first in
Germany, t hen in Aust ria, Czechoslovakia and when t he war
broke out , in Poland and elsewhere. For many of t hem t he only
haven of refuge left was Palest ine. Huberman conceived t he t hen
fant ast ic idea of creat ing a nat ional Jewish orchest ra in Palest ine.
From t his moment on, t here was no rest for him. He t raveled
back and fort h bet ween Europe, Palest ine and t he Unit ed St at es,
collect ing money for t he orchest ra wherever he went , speaking at
gat herings and giving benefit concert s. He audit ioned t housands
of orchest ra players. The t ask of raising a complet e symphony
orchest ra from among t housands of dest it ut e refugees scat t ered
all across t he globe, many of t hem wit hout passport s, t hen
t ransport ing t hem one and all t o a small and t urbulent t errit ory in
t he Near East , est ablishing permanent homes for all of t hem, and
organizing a concert schedule t hat would keep t he new orchest ra
going t hroughout t he year all t his would seem a mad proj ect
for one single human being t o carry out , or even at t empt .
Huberman carried it out . He est ablished one of t he worlds t op
not ch symphony orchest ras in a part of t he world t hat had never
before known what it was like t o have any symphony orchest ra
at all. The violin sect ion of t he orchest ra was so ext raordinary
t hat t he baffling problem arose of choosing a concert mast er.
Every single violinist in t he sect ion was a former concert mast er.
I n a final spirit of compromise five concert mast ers were
appoint ed, each t o serve alt ernat ely in t hat capacit y.
As a crowning achievement , Huberman brought Toscanini t o
Palest ine t o conduct t he miraculous new symphony. Maest ro,
t hen already in his sevent ies, flew all t he way from New York,
refused t o accept any fee, and insist ed on paying his own
expenses. For mont hs on end, t he whole Jewish populat ion of
what is now t he St at e of I srael lived in a delirium of excit ement .
One woman who gave birt h t o t win girls during Toscaninis
unforget t able visit , named t hem Tosca and Nini. I n 1938
Huberman himself appeared as soloist wit h t he orchest ra, before
an audience of t hirt y t housand.
During t he years of t he second world war Huberman lived very
quiet ly in a suburb of New York Cit y, playing only a very
occasional concert , an almost forgot t en man in t he mad hust le
and excit ement of t he indust rial New World. But while he was
himself condemned t o inact ivit y, he st ill found t ime t o encourage
ot hers as he had always done in t he past . Ever since my
childhood, I had occasionally played for him and benefit ed by his
advice and wisdom. Now, for my first appearance in New York,
Huberman had specially come t o t he cit y t o be present , and at
t he end of t he concert , wit h his cust omary generosit y t o a
younger colleague, he st ood up and shout ed Bravo. Aft erwards
he wrot e me a warm, encouraging let t er.
Despit e t he disparit y in our ages, our warmly personal relat ions
cont inued, and I visit ed Huberman in his suburban ret reat
whenever I was in New York. At t he conclusion of t he war
Huberman ret urned t o Europe and est ablished his residence in
Swit zerland, near Vevey. I t was here t hat he died in 1947 of
cancer, at t he age of 64. I t was almost incredible t hat he was
only 64, for Hubermans name had been known t o millions ever
since 1894. He had been a legend for over half a cent ury. He had
been a symbol of anot her age. And old Europeans wept when
t hey t hought of t he lit t le boy who had played for Brahms more
t han fift y years ago.

Search
Carl Flesch: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/criticism/flesch/[02/11/12 06:58:40]
Carl Flesch writ es . . .
I t was in Bucharest , t oo, t hat I first met and heard Bronislaw
Huberman about whose st at ure t here is sharp disagreement .
While most of t he violinist s of his generat ion have adopt ed a
negat ive at t it ude t owards him, he is highly est eemed by a
number of his younger colleagues as well as by t he general
public. I f one want s t o underst and his st yle, one has t o bear in
mind above all t hat he is basically self- t rained, for he only t ook
lessons unt il he was t en, and irregular ones at t hat . Originally a
pupil of Michalowicz and also, occasionally, of Marsick and
Joachim, he soon followed his own int uit ion, sharply defined as
his personalit y was at an early st age. Aft er his sensat ional
success at Adelina Pat t is farewell concert in Vienna on January
12, 1895, he ent ered a period of t riumphs which last ed,
approximat ely, unt il t he age of pubert y. His development t hen
seems t o have gone t hrough a crisis which was only resolved
aft er a decade, t o give way t o a renewed ascent . Ever since, he
has been playing unint errupt edly all over t he world.
Two fact ors are decisive if we wish t o j udge a violinist
obj ect ively: his t echnical grounding and his part icular personalit y.
Hubermans t echnique, t hough sound, has always bet rayed t he
fact t hat he left school t oo early. [ His playing represent s a
cat alogue of violinist ic, st ylist ic and general- musical bad
manners] His t echnical basis is t hat of t he 1890s. He holds t he
bow in t he old manner, employs a pure finger vibrat o wit hout
part icipat ion of t he wrist , and int ones semit ones pianofort e- like,
according t o equal t emperament a circumst ance which becomes
part icularly unpleasant ly st riking in his unaccompanied Bach. I n
t onal respect s, t oo, he follows t he t radit ion of his childhood in as
much as he sacrifices smoot hness and evenness of t one
product ion, which in our t ime is an absolut e necessit y, t o
ext ravagant charact erizat ion; [ I nexact int onat ion [ , . . . ] glassy
t one qualit y, disregard of beaut y of t one when displaying t he
rhyt hmic element ] in ot her words, he eit her scrapes or
whispers. His bowings again, excellent as t hey may be in
t hemselves, leave much t o be desired from t he t onal point of
view. Unreserved praise, on t he ot her hand, is due t o his runs
and passage work, t he precision and verve of which meet t he
most fast idious requirement s.
Musically, t oo, his st yle gives occasion for serious crit icism. The
Carl Flesch
The not ed violinist and pedagogue Carl Flesch wrot e
about Huberman in his Memoirs. Here he hoped t o give
honest and obj ect ive account s of t he cont emporary
violinist s he had personally known, so he gave st rict
inst ruct ions for t he book t o be published only aft er his
deat h. I n 1990 Fleschs son published And do you also
play t he violin ( Toccat a Press) in which he print ed some
of his Fat hers privat e musings on Huberman t hat were
not published in t he Memoirs.
I n t he following excerpt , t he highlight ed t ext is Fleschs
privat e diary ent ries, t he blue is t he wat ered down
version t hat ended up published. My comment s on t his
are at t he bot t om of t he page.
fact t hat he was left t o his own devices at an all t oo early st age
shows in his frequent neglect of element ary rules of art iculat ion,
especially in t he form of wrong accent s. Above all, however, it is
t he over - emphasis he lays upon his own personalit y as dist inct
from t he work of art , t hat charact erizes bot h his good and his
bad performances. His personalit y is self- willed, sensit ive,
nervous and excit able, passionat e and self- assured. [ Musically -
st rict ly speaking beyond t he pale [ eigent lich indiskut abel] , wrong
accent uat ion, unscrupulous alt erat ion of t he t ext , arbit rary, not
originat ing from a spont aneous original int uit ion, but from t he
waywardness of a pat hological condit ion [ Veranlagung] ; foot ling
sent iment , art ist ically overst rained, over - heat ed] I t does not
t olerat e cont radict ion and demands subordinat ion, even of t he
music. I n t his way, ext raordinary result s can be achieved if
composit ion and int erpret er are in nat ural harmony wit h each
ot her, whereas ot herwise Huberman always t ries t o adj ust t he
t one of t he work t o t he pit ch of his own ego. Agreement or
disagreement wit h his int erpret at ion depends chiefly on t he
degree of sympat hy or ant ipat hy which t he individual list ener
feels for a personalit y so full of cont radict ions. Side by side wit h
his serious art ist ic int ent ions, his ext reme drive for perfect ion, his
acut e int elligence and his iron will, t here is t his, at t imes,
downright amusing over - est imat ion of his own self which, in
favourable circumst ances, may yet again result in an
ext raordinary power of art ist ic convict ion, t o whose hypnot ic
suggest ion t he recept ive list ener submit s unresist ing. The
st rengt h of his personalit y, t hen, is undeniable, like it or not . I t s
influence on t he younger generat ion, however, would seem t o be
unfavourable; young people t end t owards self- glorificat ion at t he
expense of t he music, and Hubermans successes are likely t o
confirm t hem in t heir at t it udes.
Huberman cannot be placed in any school or line of development .
I n t he hist ory of violin- playing he will survive as t he most
remarkable represent at ive of unbridled individualism, a
fascinat ing out sider.
Looked at purely obj ect ively, however - and even in spit e of t he
possible absence of personal sympat hy - t he suggest ive power of
his personalit y, his serious art ist ic st riving and finally his solid
albeit old- fashioned t echnical equipment are beyond quest ion. [ I n
spit e of it all, in it s way a very considerable individualit y, albeit
one which I great ly dislike]
Hans Kel l er , t he t r ansl at or and edi t or of t he Memoi r s vi ol ent l y di sagr eed w i t h
Fl esch s opi ni on of Huber man, and gave hi s cont r ast i ng vi ew s i n an appendi x
t o t he book .
Hans Keller writ es . . .
Flesch and Huberman were opposit e musical charact ers, and
Huberman is t he one figure in t his narrat ive t owards whom Flesch
is unable t o maint ain his uniquely obj ect ive at t it ude, shown, for
inst ance, in his charact erizat ions of such opposit es as Ros and
Heifet z, or in his descript ion of Joachims playing, of which I
happen t o have some idea from a very old record, and wit h
which, paradoxically enough, Hubermans st yle seems t o have
had much in common.
I t seems moreover likely t o me t hat Flesch had last heard
Huberman long before I heard him first , for not even his purely
t echnical observat ions apply t o t he Huberman I knew: since
Hubermans was a st rongly developing personalit y, Flesch and I
may at t imes be t alking, as it were, about different art ist s. At t he
risk of moment arily ext ending my edit orial funct ion, t hen, I feel
t hat I might profit ably offer a rej oinder and some complement ary
comment t o Fleschs observat ions.
Huberman was one of t he great est musicians I have ever come
across. Right or wrong, mine is not alt oget her an eccent ric
impression: a long line of art ist s has t est ified t o his t owering
st at ure as an art ist , violinist and man, including such vast ly
different musical charact er t ypes as Brahms, Toscanini, Bruno
Walt er and Furt wngler.
I n general, Hubermans t echnique seems t o have undergone
various changes in t he course of his development . I t cert ainly
was always individual, and t o some ext ent it depended on his
mood, and his on- and off - days. When he was on form, bot h
hands evinced a virt uoso t echnique of t he ut most brilliance and
an almost uncanny verve.
More in part icular, when I heard him, he did no longer hold t he
bow in t he old manner, nor did he whisper at a low dynamic
level. Typical of his ever - changing int erpret at ions was a t endency
t owards t he sharpest possible charact erizat ion and, consequent ly,
an occasional ext reme pianissimo of t he great est int ensit y. I have
never again heard t he ent ry of t he second subj ect aft er t he
cadenza in t he first movement of t he Beet hoven Concert o played
so soft ly and int ensely, yet rest rainedly and wit hout incident al
noise ( Unluckily, I never heard a Flesch concert . )
He no longer used a pure finger vibrat o when I heard him, nor
indeed was his finger vibrat o like ot her peoples. I t was
det ermined, on t he one hand, by his very original sound- ideals,
and on t he ot her hand, by t he peculiarit ies of his left hand which,
so far as t rembling movement s were concerned, seemed t o
funct ion in a highly individual manner. For inst ance, he would
execut e t he fast est and clearest possible shake wit h a st iff and
st ret ched fourt h finger, by way of a vibrat o- like mot ion. His
records show t hat his vibrat o, far from being inadequat e, was
capable of t he subt lest different iat ions.
I n view of his records, t he reader will be puzzled by Fleschs
remarks on Hubermans int onat ion. I t was t he very opposit e of a
well - t empered int onat ion; in fact , I do not know of anot her
violinist who adj ust ed his int onat ion so consist ent ly t o harmonic
and melodic requirement s.
Nat urally, wit h a violinist whose t echnique can be errat ic, crit ical
appraisal will easily be one- sided if his development is not closely
followed. While Flesch prefers Hubermans left hand t o his right ,
Grove I V speaks of his excellent t echnique, especially of t he right
hand: evident ly, it all depended on when you heard him. Nor did
I find any neglect of element ary rules of art iculat ion, and as for
t he overemphasis Huberman lays upon his own personalit y, a
powerful personalit y we do not t ake t o will always seem t o us
egocent ric. Hubermans musical charact er had affinit ies wit h t hat
of Furt wngler, one of his profoundest admirers, whose own
int ense personalit y likewise aroused t he impression of self-
cent redness amongst t hose who react ed against it .
As a man, finally, Huberman showed his passionat e int ellect and
int egrit y for a Unit ed St at es of Europe, in his famous Jaccuse
( 1933) in reply t o Furt wnglers invit at ion t o play in Germany
aft er t he Nazis had assumed power and, most import ant , in his
founding, in 1936, ( aft er about a years st renuous effort s
ent ailing innumerable audit ions) , what has meanwhile become
t he I srael Philharmonic Orchest ra an achievement which
Toscanini helped bring t o fruit ion.
I m gl ad I m not t he onl y per son w ho t hi nk s Fl esch s opi ni on of Huber man
ex t r emel y i naccur at e. Al t hough Fl esch cr i t i ci zes Huber man f or f i ni shi ng st udy
t oo ear l y , Fl esch st at es i n an Et ude Magzi ne ar t i cl e of Apr i l 1926 t hat he
f i ni shed hi s ow n st udy at t he age of t w el ve, and w r i t es t hat i n gener al , t he
r eal vi ol i n t al ent w ho i s under t he best t eacher s w i l l hav e a f i ni shed t echni c
at t he age of t w el ve, and w i l l usual l y have st ar t ed at t he age of si x .
Car l Fl esch s son, Car l Fl esch j uni or , w as Huber man s account ant f or many
y ear s, and t ol d me t hat he had no i dea w hat caused hi s f at her s ant i pat hy t o
Huber man. I n my opi ni on, t he f act t hat Fl esch gav e such a bi ased and
i nnacur at e account of Huber man show s t hat no mat t er how har d one t r i es, i t
i s not possi bl e t o be obj ect ve, as no such t hi ng ex i st s. Al l peopl e can do i n t he
end i s t r y and j ust i f y t hei r ow n i nt ui t i ve f eel i ngs of t hi ngs.

Search
Hans Keller: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/criticism/keller/[02/11/12 06:59:00]
Today' s Tomorrow ( 1965)
Arrangement for or against ? ( 1969)
I s t here performing genius? ( 1972)
Live BBC discussion on Huberman ( 1972)
Performer of genius ( 1983)
The Gramophone Record ( 1985)
Technique and musicianship ( 1985)
Performing great ness ( 1985)
Keller' s let t er t o Huberman ( 1936)

Today ' s Tomor r ow ( Musi c Revi ew , vol 26,
1965)
The t imeless art ist is a concept t hat ought t o be accept ed by all
art ist ic minds or at any rat e t hose not afflict ed by art s common
cold, which is Hist ory. I t is only t he hist orian who, his art ist ic
vit alit y sapped, t hinks t hat t he proposit ion, Art reflect s it s t ime ,
is meaningful. True, t he works of Mozart and Johann Wenzel
Ant on St amit z, bless what ever he had inst ead of a soul, reflect
t heir t ime. But in t he case of Mozart , who cares? I t is where he
doesnt reflect his t ime t hat he becomes int erest ing, inspiring,
whereas St amit z st ands or falls as a hist ory book. And when we
come t o such creat ors as Haydn, Beet hoven, or Schnberg, we
have t o put t he cart before a dead horse and flog t he lat t er if we
want t o remain hist orical: what t heir mat ure st yles reflect is
circumst ances which t hey t hemselves creat ed in t he first place.
But if great art is t imeless, is not t he performer in a t ragic
sit uat ion, since he does not survive his t ime? The ot her day, one
of my best musical friends played me a gramophone record of a
violinist he admired, describing him as a modern t ranslat ion of
Huberman, whom he knew I admired. But who want s a modern
i. e. modish performer anyway ? I f, on his gramophone records,
Hubermans st yle now sounds old- fashioned, t hat is an illusion.
He was an individualist , st rikingly independent of any fashion. By
moving him int o hist orical perspect ive, we get him out of art ist ic
perspect ive, hearing his individualit y as his t ime . One only has
t o read Carl Fleschs Memoirs in order t o realize what a lonely
figure he was lonely, t hat is t o say, wit hin t he convent ions of
his profession, not in front of his audiences. And his gramophone
records are splendidly successful wit h our own audiences t hus
Hans Keller
Hans Keller ( 1919- 1985) was almost cert ainly t he
great est comment at or on music of his day. Born in
Vienna in 1919, he moved t o England as a refugee in
1938. He became a well known writ er and broadcast er
working for t he BBC bet ween 1959 and 1979, and was
aut hor of Funct ional Analysis, a met hod of analysis of
music using purely musical t erms wit hout comment ary or
explanat ion.
Part icularly ferocious in his at t ack on phoney
professions, Keller felt t hat people should be t rue t o
t heir own inst inct s, and t hat t he lover underst ands
bet t er t han t he hat er. I n t he following art icles, he
discusses Huberman and musical int erpret at ion.
disproving t he assumpt ion t hat one has t o express oneself
t hrough t he idiom t o which ones audiences are used if one want s
t o be underst ood. This, indeed, is one of t he few respect s in
which t he ant i - musical invent ion of t he gramophone record may
prove of musical ant i - hist orical value: t he performers
t ragedy, if not solved is mit igat ed, and our ears are broadened
and sharpened by such experiences as t he Huberman records,
which incit e us t o discover t imelessness in our own t ime.
Nevert heless, one has t o admit t hat t here has t o be cont inuit y of
t radit ion including t radit ion suppressed but st ill alive if t he
past is t o be comprehensible t o us; whereas what t he Huberman
records reint roduce t o our musical minds are nat ural expressive
means st ill pot ent ially, and guilt ily, alive in all of us, but uneasily
resist ed by our cont emporary playing convent ions.
Who t hen, in our own t ime, are t he performers least affect ed by
st ylist ic convent ional minds, t hough at t he same t ime as always
well - loved by t he mass ( yes, t here is such a t hing) of nat urally
art ist ic minds? They are not amongst t he giant s of musico-
t echnical achievement ( I use t he compound because I obj ect t o
t he implicat ion, it self a convent ional one, of t he mere virt uosit y
of a Heifet z or Horowit z: mere virt uosit y doesnt happen because
t here is somet hing inside one t hat moves t he fingers and which
makes virt uosit y a special kind of musicalit y) . On t he cont rary,
t heir uncompromising individualit y seems t o prevent t hem from
submit t ing fully t o t heir t echnical t alent , whose t ot al exploit at ion,
one feels, would make life t oo easy for t hem and t heir list eners,
would t empt t hem at any hist orical st age t oo close t o t he
field of convent ional expression.

Ar r angement f or or agai nst ?
( Musi cal Ti mes, 23 Januar y 1969)
The European Broadcast ing Union concert at t he Elizabet h Hall on
January 20 comprises Weberns arrangement of Schoenbergs
First Chamber Symphony, Schoenbergs Pierrot lunaire wit hout
( and wit h) t he recit er, and Bergs own reduct ion of t he Adagio of
his Chamber Concert o. Hans Keller discusses t he philosophy of
arrangement in t he light of t his programme.
Hugo Riemann ( Musiklexikon) in 1882 and Willi Apel ( Harvard
Dict ionary of Music) in 1946 used virt ually t he same words t o
define an arrangement : t he adapt at ion of a composit ion for
inst rument s ot her t han t hose for which it was originally writ t en
. But t he difference bet ween t he 19t h and 20t h cent uries
makes it self felt at t he end of t heir respect ive sent ences.
Riemann appends an immediat e example: t he piano reduct ion of
an orchest ral work, as opposed t o t he original composit ion .
Apel, on t he ot her hand, is anxious t o underst and t he nat ure of
an arrangement : t hus, in a way, t he musical count erpart of a
lit erary t ranslat ion.
Riemann, t hat is t o say, draws at t ent ion t o what was t hen,
before t he advent of t he gramophone record, t he most nat ural
example of an arrangement one wit h which he expect ed every
musical reader t o be familiar. Apel is no longer st ruck by any
nat ural examples; inst ead, he shows t he int ellect s inevit able
response t o what is not alt oget her nat ural: he feels obliged t o
explain it . The at t empt is perhaps only moderat ely successful: his
in a way admit s as much. The underlying assumpt ion is t hat
inst rument at ion is a language. The urge t o liken somet hing in
music, or music it self, t o language, in order t o come t o
concept ual grips wit h it , is profound and chronic: t he most
successful result is Deryck Cookes Language of music, t he most
met aphorical Donald Mit chells Language of modern music. But
inst rument at ion a language? I s The art of fugue, t hen
languageless? Are Haydns own different versions of t he Seven
last words t he same piece in different languages? And what do
we do wit h t he concept of t ranslat ion when we come t o such
undeniable improvement s in t erms of musical subst ance as Bachs
Vivaldi arrangement s or, for t hat mat t er, such debasement s as
t he Modern Jazz Quart et s or t he Swingle Singers Bach, or
indeed t he 50s and 60s Gershwin arrangement s, simplified
almost beyond recognit ion in harmony and rhyt hm alike? Where,
come t o t hink of it , is t he borderline bet ween arrangement and
variat ion? Brit t en calls sect ions B, C, D, E and F in The young
persons guide t he t heme, but might we not j ust as well call
t hem variat ions? Are not t he ensuing, official variat ions second-
degree depart ures from t he original ?
I have chosen my examples t endent iously. The purpose is t o
discredit our nave, over - simple belief t hat ours is t he age of
aut hent icit y, whereas t he 19t h cent ury was t he age of
irresponsibilit y, excusable only on t he level of genius or supreme
t alent and even t here not invariably: see, for inst ance, Liszt s
concert arrangement s.
The belief is not alt oget her groundless; few illusions are. We do
indeed show an overriding need for aut hent icit y, so much, so
unt hinkingly so t hat it looks a lit t le like a collect ive compulsion,
an obsessional neurosis. I recent ly played some old records of
Bronislaw Huberman ( 1882- 1947) t o a composer friend, an ex -
violinist whom I knew t o be int erest ed in unconvent ional,
unst reamlined int erpret at ions. He was delight ed as long as he
heard original violin pieces. But when I proposed t o play him one
of Hubermans Chopin arrangement s ( in which, t o my mind, he
shows more underst anding of Chopins st ruct ures t han many a
Chopin specialist at t he keyboard) , he was horrified. I n spit e
( because?) of his own light musical past , he was unwilling t o give
Huberman t he benefit of t hat minimum of a priori confidence
which is a great art ist s due. I did not pursue t he mat t er; I was
convinced t hat a few words would be powerless in t he face of our
t imes aut hent icit y compulsion. Worse, I t hought t hat even if I let
t he sound of t he record hit him wit hout any furt her discussion,
not hing would happen: t he very shock of hearing a violin
arrangement of t he great est and most exclusive piano composer
in t he hist ory of music would deafen him t o t he musically
aut hent ic expressiveness of t he performance.
St rict ly speaking, our aut hent icit y cult is really a mid- cent ury
affair: even in t he lat e 30s, when Huberman might play t hese
Chopin arrangement s as encores, nobody, not even
musicologist s, not iced anyt hing amiss. I t is, I t hink, t he
progressive art ist ic insecurit y of our age t hat has gradually t urned
our search for aut hent icit y int o a compulsion: t he less you know
inst inct ively what s good, bot h in creat ion and in int erpret at ion,
t he more frant ically you depend on ext raneous, hist orical,
scient ific evidence.
Yet t he science of it all is oft en no more t han skin- deep. To
revert t o Huberman for a moment . His ( t o me) overwhelming
int erpret at ion of Bachs A minor Concert o is ext ant . By way of
aest het ic experiment , I played it t o a number of aut hent ically -
minded colleagues, who endured Hubermans port ament i
( glissandi in common, but wrong, parliance) only wit h t he
great est difficult y: t hey felt t hat Huberman had arranged Bach.
But had he? Bach himself played wit hout a chin- rest : t hat device
was int roduced by Spohr, who had a long neck. Wit hout a chin-
rest , it is absolut ely impossible t o change posit ion wit hout
making oneself heard wit hout sliding gradually t hrough t he
int ermediat e pit ches: it is only when t he left hand does not have
t o hold t he violin, when it is ut t erly free, t hat it can proceed t o
change posit ion quickly and unobt rusively enough for t he slide t o
be concealed, if it has t o t ake place at all. But if t he t echnical
port ament o was inevit able for Bach, he must have meaningfully
incorporat ed it in his playing st yle t he invariable fat e of audible
t echnique. I t follows t hat t he expressive port ament o must have
played an import ant part in his violin playing, and t hat t he
int erpret at ive arrangement s by a Huberman or Joachim were in
fact nearer t he aut hent ic t rut h t han is our own, st yle- conscious
Bach playing all t he more so since Joachim and Huberman, like
Bach, did not play sempre vibrat o, whereas our own violinist s
st art vibrat ing as soon as t hey ascend t he plat form.
There is no compulsion wit hout a violent react ion against it :
animals have no compulsions, and t hey have no orgies eit her.
The 19t h cent ury, t he age of Bach- Busoni, would have been
aghast at t he Swingle Singers, at t he regression of creat ive
rhyt hm t o mechanical met re which, at t he same t ime, is regarded
as a rhyt hmical spicing up Bachs complex rhyt hms having, in
realit y, been replaced by a simple beat accessible t o all, wit h t he
creat ive subst ance proport ionat ely reduced t o a t olerable
minimum.
But are we ourselves aghast ? Highly respect able musicologist s
have professed amusement at t his ent ert ainment . Whet her t hey
are genuinely amused or t hink t hey ought t o t ake part in t he
orgy in order t o be acquit t ed of excessive purit anism, does not
really mat t er: t hey sympt om is t here, and would have been
unimaginable in a less insecure age.
As for t he 19t h and early 20t h cent uries having been t he age of
irresponsible arrangement s t he earliest arrangement s of which
we seem t o have det ailed knowledge, ie t he int avolat uras
( I nt abuliernugen) of t he 16t h cent ury, t ended t o be a great deal
more unaut hent ic t hen, say, even t he less conscient ious piano
reduct ions of symphonies wit h which 19t h- cent ury lit erat ure
abounds, and of which t hey are t he 16t h- cent ry count erpart .
Perhaps t hey are more irresponsible, also, t han t he more
st yleless and flashy romant ic orchest ral arrangement s of Bach
which nowadays are out of aest het ic bounds. Far be it from me
t o submit t hat t he romant ic era, it s musical world- view, was
blameless; which age is? I t merely seems t o me t hat we
ourselves are suspect j udges of an era against which we have
react ed wit h pious, purit an, and anxiet y - ridden zest : perhaps we
should leave it t o a much lat er age t o j udge us bot h.
Meanwhile, we may allow ourselves t o react t hought fully rat her
t han fearfully ( or, conversely, orgiast ically) t o any part icular
arrangement t hat may come our way. The very concept of an
arrangement , which we readily find disquiet ing, means not hing,
so long as we dont know what has been arranged, what t he
purpose of t he recreat ive act is, and how t he j ob has been done.
One does not envy Willi Apel his self- chosen t ask of having t o
explain what , in principle, an arrangement is: not hing short of a
musical t heory of cognit ion would yield a philosophy of
arrangement s and such a t heory is not very likely t o emerge at
a st age in [ missing end - sorry! ]

I s t her e per f or mi ng geni us? ( The Li st ener , 9
Mar ch, 1972)
The role of t he musical performer is at once overrat ed and
underrat ed. Overest imat ion first : it ' s t he at t it ude which has
always enraged composers - unt ill and excluding t he present day
when, paradoxically, performers wit h an aleat oric proclivit y are
venerat ed by composers who have en- t rust ed t hem wit h special
( or, more oft en, not so special) creat ive t asks. The paradox is
t hat very oft en it ' s a venerat ion of next t o not hing, of any old
bashing about , of imaginat ion' in invert ed commas, such as we
get in psychiat rist s' report s on psychot ic pat ient s, or parent s' or
t eachers' report s on st upid children: aft er all, God must have
given t hem somet hing. I f t hose inart ist ic observers who look at
art as a remot e cult ure - a developing count ry, as it were - only
knew t hat no art has ever come out of anybody who lacked
int elligence: for all we know, it may have been in him, but it
never got out .
So t he paradox means t hat whereas performers who have
reached t he summit of t heir art , or at t he very least t heir craft ,
t end t o be despised by composers, performers who haven' t
reached anyt hing, who show infant ile musicalit y when t hey play a
Chopin walt z inanely, met rically, or even less t han met rically, but
evince ' imaginat ive freedom' when it doesn' t part icularly mat t er
what t hey' re doing, are held in high and advanced est eem. At t he
same t ime, t here is no meaningful paradox wit hout an
unparadoxical side t o it : t he venerat ed bashers are receiving t he
composers' deep- felt , realist ic grat it ude - for act ing as t heir
surrogat es. ' Who get s t he royalt ies? ' as William Walt on once
asked me, wit h t hat charact erist ically fact ual int erest in
experiment al art which makes our discussions so sat isfying.
But even t hough composers t end t o despise any conceit ed st ar
performer as soon as he has t he slight est right t o be conceit ed
or, st ill worse, can play a Paganini concert o, t he public loves him:
st ardom would be difficult on a desert island. Yet it is t his very
desert island which makes t he public love him out of proport ion:
it ' s t housands of lit t le desert islands in t he list eners' lit t le souls.
They can' t ident ify wit h t he great composer, wit h t he composing
process: t heir musicalit y isn' t up t o t hat . They can' t imagine
t hemselves composing Beet hoven' s Nint h Symphony, or his fiddle
concert o. What t hey can empat hise wit h, or t hink t hey can, is
conduct ing t he one and playing t he ot her - and all t heir self-
admirat ion, condemned t o et ernal, infernal lat ency, is proj ect ed
ont o t he performer who can act ually do it .
His glorificat ion is frict ionlessly int ensified by his playing bot h t he
fiddle concert o and indeed t heir game. Let ' s face it : he can' t all
t hat easily t hink himself int o t he composing process eit her, and
since t he music doesn' t exist before he plays it anyway, he has
lit t le difficult y in discovering t hat it ' s all coming out of him - t hat ,
t o put it simply and beaut ifully, playing is composing. This is
where he and t he aleat oric basher j oin hands across t he abyss
t hat is t he t hin dividing line bet ween art and mere aut o-
suggest ive or het ero- suggest ive st imulat ion.
Poor, clean reader, you t hink I am exaggerat ing. You haven' t
lived. Years ago, Erwin St ein t old me of a t raumat ic experience
he' d had - and he had lived. He' d at t ended an Eroica performance
under a conduct or of world reput e, now dead - which is why he
can' t hit back and I won' t name him. St ein went int o t he
conduct or' s room aft er t he performance and congrat ulat ed him,
t hree- quart er - heart edly. ' Yes, my friend, ' said t he conduct or,
only hearing t he t hree- quart ers, ' aft er all, it isn' t all t hat difficult
t o compose such a symphony: what is difficult is t o perform it , t o
bring it off. ' Nor did he mean it as a bad j oke.
And yet t he performer is underest imat ed at t he same t ime. I n
fact , his very overest imat ion cont ribut es t o his underest imat ion,
because t here' s not much realist ic est imat ion in t hat
overest imat ion anyhow: he' s largely admired for what t he
admirer can' t do, which is of lit t le int erest t o him or t he
composer, t hough it may int erest fellow admirers. Besides, when
all' s said and played, however conceit edly, t he fact remains t hat
any musical performance of subst ance is necessarily t he most
concent rat ed performance, perhaps t he most concent rat ed
act ivit y on eart h, wit h t he possible except ion of prayer, of which I
have no adult experience out side music, and which, in any case,
doesn' t involve any responsibilit y t owards a list ener, God apart ,
who can always be depended upon t o forgive t he odd slip and
overlook any failure of communicat ion: he probably wouldn' t
not ice it if he t ried.
Even t he great act or has great er lat it ude, a wider margin of
error, in t imbre, in pit ch, and of course in t ime: not for him t he
all - import ant differences bet ween a t riplet rhyt hm and a dot t ed
rhyt hm, or a dot t ed and a double- dot t ed rhyt hm, bet ween a
calculat ed rit ardando or meno mosso and t he spont aneous breat h
of living agogics as Hugo Riemann called all fract ional, un-
premedit at ed, inspired rubat os. ( I t is amusing, really, t hat t he
dist inguished, t ruly awe- inspiring pedant should have been t he
only one t o find a word, however inelegant , for t he most
import ant single element in musical int erpret at ion: perhaps he in
his t urn conj ured up magically what he couldn' t do. ) Where t here
is no st rict met re in t he list ener' s mind, t he performer can' t
deviat e infinit esimally from it .
As for t he racing driver and t he surgeon - well, t he former has
only himself t o kill, whereas t he lat t er has his aut omat ic minut es,
none t he less fruit ful for not depending on spont aneous
inspirat ion, t hough admit t edly he can never de- cent rat e quit e as
much as t he anaest het ist , who, according t o a medical definit ion,
is a chap half - asleep wat ching over a chap who' s half - awake. The
good performer can never drop off, never submit t o rout ine: a
single phrase int o which he doesn' t put his whole life- and it ' s all
over.
I n fact , t hat megalomaniac conduct or was and is right in one
respect , which makes such megalomania all t he more effect ive:
Beet hoven could sket ch and t ry again when he creat ed t he
Eroica, but t here' s no t rying, no crossing out , in it s recreat ion:
t he conduct or and performer simply have t o succeed here and
now, even more cont inuously so t han t he racing driver and t he
surgeon.
Cont inuous spont aneous inspirat ion, inseparable from any great
performance, does in fact depend on genuine creat ivit y of a t ype
which t hose advanced boys who t hink t hat past great music
imprisons t he performer have never yet as much as not iced. And
where t his creat ivit y is so int ense, so uninfluenced by t eachers,
models or ant i - models, t hat it reaches t he narrow st ret ch of
psychological no- man' s- land bet ween composit ion and
int erpret at ion, creat ing t he illusion t hat t he work of art is
evolving right now for t he first t ime, one is, I t hink, ent it led t o
call t he per - former a genius. Schoenberg' s different ial diagnosis
applies: a t alent learns from ot hers, a genius from himself. Of
necessit y, performing geniuses are, t herefore, t he rarest of
geniuses: t heir development seems t o depend on t he
psychological accident of t heir not having grown int o full - fledged
composers, despit e t heir st rong and clear creat ivit y, as well as on
supreme t echnical t alent , which depends in it s t urn on t hat very
creat ivit y- on incisively clear ideas of what t hey want t he music t o
sound like. For my own part , I have only come across t hree such
minds. One was not widely known- Oskar Adler, t he great est
quart et leader I have encount ered, who spent most of his
musical life in privat e. The second was Furt wngler, who st ill
speaks for himself. And t he t hird was t he violin virt uoso
Bronislaw Huberman ( 1882- 1947) . All t hree, significant ly, had
much in common; Furt wngler and Huberman, overwhelming in
t heir j oint , j oint ly improvised performances, bot h hat ed t he
gramophone - for obvious reasons: t o t hem, a musical
performance st ood or fell by it s unrepeat abilit y. Yet , fort unat ely,
bot h submit t ed t o t he recording machine upon occasion - hence
next Friday night ' s broadcast of Huberman playing t he Bach A
minor and E maj or.
Not surprisingly, Huberman was largely self- t aught : Joseph
Joachim, wit h whom he st udied as a boy, soon t old him t hat he
couldn' t t each him any more. At t he age of 14 he played t he
Brahms concert o in t he composer' s presence. Brahms was deeply
moved and promised t he boy a Fant asy ' if I ' ve got any fant asy
left ' , but died before he could writ e it . Huberman was half - gypsy,
half - saint , combining ut t er spirit ualit y wit h an element al full -
bloodednes - wit hout t he slight est sign of frict ion. I f, aft er Friday
night , you don' t feel t hat t he world of Bach has disclosed nat ural
newness t o you, so nat ural t hat you can' t underst and why it
should feel so new, I ' ll t ake t hat back about your not having lived
- for in t hat case, you simply are incapable of life.
Huberman' s rhyt hmic freedom and light rhyt hms; his range of
sharply different iat ed expression; t he int rinsic st ruct ural
significance of his dynamics, ( crescendo, diminuendo, subit o
piano) ; t he re- invent ive variet y of his bowings ( his dist ribut ion of
legat o and, so far as subt ly defined groups of det ached not es are
concerned, his t ot al cont empt for t he ' aut hent ic' cont empt for
spiccat o, mart el and salt ando) ; t he different kinds of his
glissandos ( which include, funct ionally, what is known as t he
' gypsy glissando' in Cent ral Europe) ; t he cont rast s of his t one-
product ion, which ranges from t he most int ensely cont ained,
vibrat o less sound t o passionat e explosions; his invariably
creat ive int onat ion, which is never sat isfied wit h being ' in t une' ,
but varies according t o t he harmonic implicat ions of t he t une;
and his refusal ever t o repeat a repeat ed phrase, t o ape his own
phrasings at any point - all t hese int erpret at ive char - act er t rait s
leave Bach up t here breat hless. At a playback of t he t wo records,
I marked my scores for t he present art icle - but I find t hat my
first not e, over t he first solo ent ry in t he A minor, is not readily
t ranslat able int o musical t erminology. I t says: ' God! '
Nevert heless, you' ll hear what I mean.
Also in t he episodes t hat prove t he main mat t er of t he E maj or' s
rondo, wit h t he principal sect ion, t ut t i, assuming ever more
episodical significance: you needed a Bach t o t hus cont radict
expect at ion, and you need a Huberman t o develop t he ensuing
double cont rast s - bet ween episode and t ut t i, and bet ween
episode and episode.

Li ve t al k on BBC ( 9 Mar ch 1972)
[ This discussion was given before t he Huberman broadcast on 9
March, 1972. Luckily it was t aped by Chenist on Roland a violin
hist orian, who kindly sent me a copy. ]
The borderline bet ween recreat ion and creat ion isnt always easy
t o find. We t alk a great deal nowadays about obj ect ive
performance but t he fact remains t hat t he great est performers,
t hose which make us feel t hat we are wit nessing t he creat ive act
it self, invariably and inevit ably show a composers imaginat ion
even a composers invent ion in t heir int erpret at ions. When we feel
t hat t he piece is being composed here and now it s because it
seems as if t he performer himself improvises. I n t he ent ire
hist ory of musical performance t here has only been very few
figures who unreservedly believed in composing while playing. I n
spont aneit y, improvisat ion, in fact t o use an old fashioned t erm,
in t he need for cont inuous inspirat ion. I n our own age Wilhelm
Furt wngler was one of t hem and a violinist whom he admired
perhaps above all ot hers was anot her, Bronislaw Huberman who
lived from 1882 t o 1947. Charact erist ically enough Huberman
was virt ually self t aught . Joseph Joachim wit h whom he st udied
as a boy soon t old him t hat he couldnt t each him any more. At
t he age of 14 he played t he Brahms fiddle concert o in t he
composers presence. Brahms was deeply moved, wept , and
promised t he boy a fant asy specially writ t en for him, but died
before he could writ e it . Huberman was not bet t er t han ot her
violinist s Heifet z is, but Huberman lived in a different world
from all ot her violinist s, Heifet z included, or t wo different worlds
t o be exact , t he one pret t y near heaven, t he ot her pret t y close t o
hell, t he more int erest ing and fruit ful part of it .
I said in t he current radio t imes t hat he was half gypsy, half
saint . The way he combined ut t er spirit ualit y wit h element al full
bloodedness wit hout t he slight est sign of frict ion bet ween t he t wo
worlds can rarely been found in import ant composers let alone
performers. His very t echnique which was of t he highest virt uoso
calibre and at t he same t ime uniquely individualist ic depended
alt oget her on his inspirat ion. Schnberg once said t hat wit hout
inspirat ion he couldnt even do an exercise in which a mere
st udent might be adept . Mut at es mut andis much t he same was
t rue of Huberman. He described t he need for t echnical st udy as
t he curse of t he inst rument alist and had t his t o say about
t echnique it self; it s got t o serve it s mast er t he spirit and it s
mist ress t he soul . Heaven help us when t he slave breaks his
chains. Hubermans met aphors, t he mast er t he spirit , t he
mist ress t he soul, are aut obiographically significant . Ext reme
cont rast s bet ween masculine rhyt hm and feminine lyricism
charact erised his playing as much as t hey charact erised
Beet hovens music, from which point of view he was act ually a
lit t le weird t o look at . People t ended t o say t hat he looked like a
Jewish Beet hoven, and t oget her wit h t he Brahms concert o, t he
Beet hoven ( quit e different every t ime he played it , every t ime he
improvised it as it were) was perhaps his profoundest
achievement .
I have before me a facsimile of a phot o of Brahms which t he
composer sent t o Huberman aft er t he boys performance of t he
concert o and which bears t his inscript ion: To Bronislaw
Huberman so t hat he may kindly remember Vienna February
1896, and his grat eful list ener J. Brahms . But what is int erest ing
about t his card is t he music quot at ion which Brahms put s on t op
of it . I t s t he opening of t he slow movement of t he concert o.
Even at t hat early st age t hen, Huberman must have played t he
slow movement wit h a lyrical int ensit y which made Brahms select
t his passage for a quot at ion. I n fact years older Joseph Joachim
had writ t en Huberman a cert ificat e as follows. I t gives me
pleasure t o say t hat t he 9 year old Huberman from Warsaw
[ act ually he wasnt from Warsaw he was from Chen] possess a
quit e out st anding musical t alent . As for his violin playing, hardly
ever in my life have I come across such early highly promising
development . But by t he mid 30s when Hubermans t alent had
given way t o his genius, when his int erpret ing originalit y if t hat s
not t o cont radict ory a concept , had left all convent ionalit y far
behind, he t o so much on t he nerves of Carl Flesh, t he great est
violin t eacher of our t ime whose Memoirs ot herwise a model of
Cat holic obj ect ivit y, t hat he summed up t he art ist wit h t hese
irrit at ed words. Huberman cannot be placed in any school or line
of development . I n t he hist ory of violin playing he will survive as
t he most remarkable represent at ive of unbridled individualism, a
fascinat ing out sider.
And so one can go on t alking but t he proof of Hubermans ot her -
worldliness lies in his performances. Before we act ually hear t he
Beet hoven and t he Lalo however, I want t o illust rat e, not from
Hubermans own performances, but from a dist inguished virt uoso
performance of our own t ime which I shall keep anonymous. For
what I want t o do is simply t his. Before we act ually hear
Huberman I want t o remind list eners of a few passages of t he
way we have come t o remember t hem, t he way t hey are played
by one of t he great est fiddlers of our own day. Theres no need t o
play of Huberman against him, t his would be unnecessary as well
as undignified and t hat s why I am keeping his name secret . Well
j ust play t he Huberman records aft erwards when it will be
realised, I t hink, t hat and how a genius lives in a different world
from t hat inhabit ed by t he int ensist t alent s.
First t he Beet hoven concert o, t he problem of t he soloist s
opening, it s phrasing
< excerpt >
The way from t he first movement s cadenza t o t he end
< excerpt >
I n t he Rondo t he soloist s ent ry as he opens t he bridge passage
< excerpt >
And t he cent ral episode
< excerpt >
And now for Hubermans int erpret at ion recorded in t he early
30s.
< Hubermans Beet hoven concert o follows>
The Beet hoven concert o t hen shows perhaps more of t he saint
t han of t he gypsy. When we come t o t he Symphonie Espagnole
it s t he ot her way around, t he gypsy predominat es. The
Beet hoven was a work of genius, t he Lalo isnt . The fact t hat it
does seem one when Huberman plays it wit h t he freedom of
musical necessit y ent it les one perhaps t o call him a genius
despit e t he fact t hat he was a mere performer. But t hen, was he
mere?

Per f or mer of geni us ( The Li st ener , 3 Mar ch,
1983)
The virt uosit y and t he int erpret at ive insight of Bronislaw
Huberman ( 1882- 1947) can be heard on Radio 3 on Sunday at
10. 55pm.
What is t he hist ory of music, wit hout t he hist ory of performance?
And what is performance, what is art it self, wit hout t he art ist
who is unlike any ot her art ist ? I t ' s no more t han craft put t ing one
over - respect able charlat anism in our own, insecure age, which
suspect s t he I ndividualist ic performer, and for which t he hist ory
of performance simply means t hree st ories: how t hey used t o
play, how we play, and how it ought t o be played, t he last t wo
being t oo ident ical for comfort . Now, while informed answers t o
t hese t hree quest ions can t ell us a great deal about t he craft ' s
hist ory, t he art of performance, like t he art of composit ion it self,
st ands or falls by t he individual art ist .
Owing t o t he gramophone and, generally, music' s ever - widening
mass communicat ion, a vast proport ion of our performing
civilisat ion suffers from arrest ed development - from an
adolescent , pre- individualist ic dependence on a t eaching agency,
on how I t ought t o be played, on' ideal' , ' definit ive' performances
( which, if on post - 78 disc, probably never exist ed in t he first
place) , on broadly accept ed st andards of performance' : in t he
most dist inguished performing circles, art ist ic st andards are on
everybody' s lips, and ' good' performance has become
st andardised - even t hough in art as opposed t o craft : in t he
concert hall as opposed t o t he music- schoolroom, st andards and
t heir measurement s simply do not apply.
I n t he st ring- playing world, st andards of proficiency, and hence
of mediocrit y, have risen impressively, but t he leading violin
virt uoso of t oday is not likely t o inhabit t he ot her - worldly world of
a Bronislaw Huberman who, half gipsy and half saint , brought
Brahms t o t ears when, at t he age of 12, he played t he composer
his concert o; impulsively, Brahms promised him a ' Rhapsody for
violin and orchest ra' , but died before he could writ e' it .
Nowadays, we don' t hear of such creat ive incident s. But t hen,
Hubermans sheer range of expression was immeasurably wider
t han is, cont rary t o what official violin pedagogy t ells us, t he
cont emporary virt uosos: he has t o rely on his left hands all -
concealing, st andardised sempre vibrat o, whereas t he variet ies of
t one product ion and t one modulat ion of which Hubermans right
hand was capable enabled him, when t he spirit t ook him, t o ent er
wit h a vibrat o- less, ut t erly demat erialised second subj ect at t he
end of t he Beet hoven Concert os first - movement cadenza, which
( damn t he met aphor, for it act ually happened) t ook your breat h
away.
Wit h t his passionat e ant i - rout ineer, t here was no phrasing
wit hout t he most incisive charact erisat ion. I t will t ake you at least
16- 20 bars t o ident ify your favourit e violin virt uoso; whereas a
bar or t wo of Huberman suffices for t he purpose: it j ust couldnt
be anybody else. He was at his happiest , his most possessed
( yes, by t he devil, t oo) , when he made music wit h an equally
weight y, invent ive, int ense, clear, out spoken mind: wit h
Furt wngler, he gave unforget t ably different performances of t he
same work each int erpret er consist ent ly improvising, and
smiling at t he ot her as one spont aneous inspirat ion aft er anot her
result ed in harmonious j oint improvisat ion. I t was, on more t han
one occasion, as if Beet hoven himself simult aneously played and
conduct ed his own concert o.
Needless t o add, it wasnt always like t hat . Wit h Schnabel in
Vienna in t he early Thirt ies, Huberman gave a complet e
Beet hoven cycle which, as a collaborat ion, did not survive it s first
rehearsal, whereaft er t hese great art ist s ceased t o be on
speaking t erms. They proceeded t o present t heir recit als un-
rehearsed, and I seem t o remember t he mort al st ruggle ending
in a last - minut e draw, wit h one of t hem equalising in t he finale of
t he Kreut zer.
The st andardisat ion of performance has reached it s t echnical
apex, and it s musical nadir, in t he virt uoso dimension, where one
neo- Paganinis ricochet is indist inguishable from anot hers. I n
fact , owing t o t he modern separat ion bet ween music and
t echnique, even bet ween st udy and exercise, which has t urned
all - consuming pract ice int o a necessary evil ( Carl Flesch) ,
individual virt uosit y is virt ually ext inct . Hubermans concert ant e
brilliance, on t he ot her hand, was dominat ed, indeed creat ed, by
his invent iveness: it would be a grave mist ake t o t reat Sundays
programme as an ent ert aining collect ion of t it bit s, a roll- call of
encores.
These pieces cert ainly were among his encores, but t he slight er
t he music, t he more creat ivit y Huberman put int o it s
performance, which t hus became t he crucial t ail - end of
composit ion, wit h t he result t hat a Mazurka by Zarzycki
produced, for t he durat ion of it s int erpret at ion, a recept ive
react ion normally reserved for, say, a dance movement by t he
lat e Beet hoven. As for Chopins not so slight C sharp minor Walt z
when, in my early t eens, I first heard Huberman play his
arrangement of it , I could not resist t he paradoxical impression
t hat t his was by far t he most aut hent ic int erpret at ion of t he work
I d ever come across: every libert y he t ook made st rict ,
unprecedent ed sense, and t he violin was used t o define and
clarify pianist ic int ent ions.
Brahmss A flat Walt z I heard at t he t ime t oo, and t he composers
response t o t he 12- year - old Hubermans Brahms produced my
confident fant asy about what his react ion t o t he 50- year - old
Hubermans Brahms would have been. The self- t aught violinist s
event ual t eacher was Brahmss close friend Joseph Joachim,
who t old Huberman one clear - eared day: That s it . I cant t each
you any more. Joachim had encount ered a synt hesis of insight
and inspirat ion of which genius seems a sober, realist ic
descript ion.

The Gr amophone Recor d
The unprecedent ed advant ages of t he gramophone record need
not be list ed. Every musician and music lover is aware t hat wit h
it s help, he can hear t hings he couldn' t hear ot herwise, eit her
because t he performers in quest ion are dead, or because of t he
difficult ies in t he way of performing a part icular work, not t o
speak of t he difficult ies which are oft en in t he way of list ening t o
a performance.
The ant i - musical influence and effect of t his revolut ionary
invent ion, however, have never yet been assessed wit h t he
necessary precision. To begin wit h, a gramophone record is, as
such, a means t owards unmusical list ening, for t he musical t rut h
is t hat a subst ant ial performance is unrepeat able; as soon as
repeat abilit y arises, t he communicat ion which a performance is
supposed t o be is, at least part ly, t ransmut ed t o t he hypnot ic
effect which music t ends t o have on unmusical people.
Performance, especially great performance, is t he improvisat ory
t ail - end of composit ion, and improvisat ion can' t be repeat ed,
however hard quit e a few performers of our age may t ry.
I f t his were not t he case, t here simply would be no such t hing as
a great performance; an adequat e performance would be t he best
performance we could possibly hear. I nvariably, we are
conscious, in a great performance, of t he performer' s own
creat ivit y, which follows t he score' s inst ruct ions and yet produces
meaningful cont radict ions of our own expect at ions. The cent ral
t rut h about all creat ivit y is indeed t he meaningful cont radict ion of
t he recipient ' s expect at ions, which t he creat or arouses before he
cont radict s t hem. The gramophone record' s repeat abilit y has had
a disast rous and well - definable effect not only on t he sheer act of
list ening, but also on musical educat ion and, t hence, on
performance it self.
Let me explain. Years ago, when it was my dut y t o at t end BBC
audit ions, I used t o have bet s wit h my fellow audit ioners - bet s
about t he gramophone records which, I said, t he performer we
heard possessed. You cannot imagine how oft en I won my bet s -
but t o my mind, my t ask was easy: on count less occasions, one
heard, not individual performances, but imit at ions, oft en sheer
copies, of well - known performances by j ust ly or unj ust ly leading
art ist s. I t was only when we heard an imit at ion of an imit at ion
t hat I occasionally lost my bet .
Toget her wit h our syst ems of musical educat ion, t he gramophone
record has been responsible, not merely for t he st andardisat ion
of musical performance which replaces meaningful cont radict ions
of our expect at ions wit h t heir t ot al fulfillment and, t hus, wit h
pure boredom, but for t he yet more universal arrest ed
development of our musical yout h: young performers cont inue t o
find models amongst t he recorded performances of t heir heroes,
inst ead of developing an individual, independent musical
conscience and, t hus, t heir own individualist ic int erpret at ions.
The t rut h of what I am saying can, as it were, be proved
experiment ally. Readers old enough t o remember performances
of half a cent ury ago, or even earlier int erpret at ions, will
undoubt edly recall t hat so far as leading art ist s were concerned,
and leading ensembles such as st ring quart et s t oo, t here was not
t he remot est difficult y in ident ifying t hem aft er a bar or t wo;
younger readers can t est t he validit y of my st at ement wit h t he
help of gramophone records. Nowadays, however, in t his age of
t he st andard ( "good") performance, t here are very few leading
art ist s who can be recognised any earlier t han aft er t hey have
played at least half a movement - and more likely t han not , our
means of ident ificat ion will be t echnical or, more rarely, musical
mannerisms of t he ( mis) leading art ist s concerned.
I f we t hink of t oday' s leading violin virt uosos and conduct ors, for
inst ance, t he only t wo who are, lit erally, ident ifiable immediat ely
are I da Haendel and Celibidache - and where t hey appear
t oget her, as in a gramophone record of Brahms' fiddle Concert o,
t he maximal period of recognit ion can be reduced t o a half - bar.
Let us not forget t hat t hese t wo grown- up, t ruly leading art ist s
grew up at a cult ural st age when t he noxious influence of t he
gramophone record wasn' t anywhere near it s current climax.
A t ot al aest het ic illusion which t he gramophone record has
produced is t he concept of a "definit ive performance": in view of
it s dist ance from art ist ic realit y, one might j ust ly describe it as a
delusion. At t he present st age of my demonst rat ion, it is hardly
necessary t o prove it s t aint less idiocy. At t he same t ime, it
should not be t hought t hat we are anywhere near t he end of our
descript ion of t he gramophone record' s ant i - musicalit y. At least
t wo maj or gramophonic disast ers have t o be t hrown int o relief if
t hese reflect ions are not t o be considered gravely incomplet e.
One of t hem ret urns us t o t he area of educat ion - t hough t his
t ime, it is self- educat ion which is primarily involved. Our t ime' s
young person get s t o know his music ( if at all) by list ening t o
gramophone records. I n t he past , however, a musical yout h
played his Beet hoven symphonies in versions for piano duet or
t wo pianos: t here is, of course, no comparison bet ween t he
enriching experience of playing somet hing oneself and one' s
passive submission t o t he, admit t edly, real t ext ure of a work.
Though I did have a gramophone as a child, I was sane enough
t o get t o know my Mat t hew and John Passions, or my Mozart
operas, by way of inst ant violin- and- piano arrangement s which
my fat her and I improvised for t he purpose. The delay in hearing
orchest rat ions proved a downright advant age: t he child' s curiosit y
made him all t he more recept ive.
Disast er number t wo is t he const ant assault on our ears, whet her
in t he form of background or foreground music, which
gramophone record and t ape have made possible, and which has
had a devast at ing effect on bot h t he qualit y of our list ening and
our powers of musical concent rat ion. I n my t eaching capacit ies, I
am in a posit ion t o compare t he t wo as t hey manifest t hemselves
t oday wit h t heir manifest at ions in my childhood - even amongst
out st anding musicalit ies and equally pronounced inst rument al
t alent s. The result s of t hese comparisons make one fear for t he
fut ure of music as an experience which is as overpowering as it is
exclusive: few are t he individuals nowadays who, when t hey play,
or list en t o music, are incapable of any ext ra- musical happening
in t heir minds.

Techni que and musi ci anshi p
( ' Musi c & Musi ci ans' magazi ne, May , 1985)
I have devot ed a lifet ime t o coaching st ring quart et s at t he
highest level, which meant helping t hem t o be born and t o grow
up. Since my ret irement from t he BBC, however, my inst it ut ional
t eaching has meant t hat I had t o coach t hem at a slight ly lower
level, t oo, at any rat e in t erms of mat urit y. Thus, it is only in t he
last few years t hat I have become aware of t he musically
murderous isolat ion of t echnique, t he educat ional separat ion of
t echnique from musicalit y which has t he most disast rous effect on
our growing inst rument alist s.
The present essay will confine it self t o a single t echnical element
fingering. So far as fingerings on t he piano are concerned, I am
profoundly obliged t o my pianist ic colleague at t he Yehudi
Menuhin School, Simon Nicholls, himself an out st anding musician,
for t he informat ion about t he great composers piano- t eaching
wit h which he has provided me. Yes, t he great composers t aught
t he piano, alt hough in classical t imes, when t hey played t he violin
and viola equally well, t hey did not t each t he violin.
Why not ? On t he one hand, t he piano it self is capable of
producing t ext urally complet e works, while on t he ot her, t he
keyboard seems t o t hrow up fingering problems which do not
exist for t he st ring player. Every st ring player feels secret ly t hat
t he piano is an unmusical inst rument , at best a precussion
inst rument , which has t o be t urned musical in order t o serve
musical purposes. Beet hoven, for inst ance, a t eacher in t he
C. P. E. Bach t radit ion, t aught Czerny legat o, which he
commanded himself in such an incomparable way and which at
t hat t ime all ot her pianist s t hought was impossible on t he piano
( Czerny) . He also t aught him a t hen unknown posit ion of t he
hands and fingers and t he use of t he t humb.
On a st ring inst rument , a newcomer can produce Beet hovens
keyboard legat o, alt hough fingering will have an influence on it ,
as well as, at t he most primit ive level, on t he inclusion or
exclusion of a glissando. What horrified me when I st art ed my
inst it ut ional quart et - coaching was many a st udent s request for a
fingering: I had spent decades in t he nave belief t hat every
musical st udent t hought up his own fingering, since he alone
would know which fingering best served his phrasing int ent ions.
On t he st ring inst rument , however, t he fingers are virt ually
t reat ed alike t hough one would, of course, avoid a t rill wit h t he
weakest fourt h finger. But even t o t his rule t here are except ions.
Bronislaw Huberman, for example, used t o go out of his way t o
enable himself t o t rill wit h his fourt h finger, which he held
absolut ely st iff, producing t he fast est t rill I have ever heard in my
life. Chopin t reat ed his hands like Hubermans: Unlike his
cont emporaries, he believed t hat every finger had different
at t ribut es and t hat t hese must be developed t o t he full
( Zamoyski) . The aut hor derived t hese observat ions from Chopins
not es for a piano met hod, which were published in Cort ot s
Aspect s de Chopin.
Blow, on t he ot her hand, a pupil of Liszt and a disciple of
Brahms, submit s: That fingering is t he best which allows t he
player, wit hout mechanical preparat ion or previous ment al effort ,
t o t ranspose t he same piece int o any desired key: Beet hovens
Op. 57, for example, must be playable as comfort ably in F sharp
minor as in F minor by a modern virt uoso of genuine calibre
( int roduct ion t o t he Cramer st udies) . Simon Nicholls vent ures t he
assumpt ion t hat Blow was t hinking of Brahms legendary
inst ant t ransposit ion of Beet hovens Op 30, No. 3 int o C sharp
minor in 1853 a guess which, t o me, seems j olly realist ic,
since wit hout it , we are left t o wonder why Blow didnt
recommend t he musically most suit able fingering as t he best .
A useful st age t o swit ch t o st ring fingering, t his, since it would be
virt ually impossible t o implement Blows inst ruct ion on a fiddle,
even t hough fingerings of t ransposit ions can, on t he violin,
parallel t he original fingering far more closely t han t hey would, I
imagine, on t he piano, if t he most musical fingerings were chosen
for a t ransposit ion. Alt oget her, however, t he musicalit y or
unmusicalit y of a given fingering is far more evident on t he violin
t han on t he piano, since in cert ain circumst ances, ones fingering
on t he violin will affect t he colour of t he line: one has t o t hink
whet her one wishes t wo successive not es t o have t he same
colour or cont rast ing colours before one decides whet her one
want s t o play t hem on t he same st ring or not .
I have even come across st udent s who will play a harmonic for
purely pract ical reasons of convenience, because it is ready t o
hand, wit hout being st ruck by t he except ional colour of t he
harmonic in it s environment , and wit hout , of course, having
musically int ended t his colourific cont rast . Likewise, t he
glissandos which are produced by changes of posit ion on one and
t he same st ring are t reat ed by many a st udent as an unalt erable
fact , once has decided, for what ever reason, t o play t he line in
quest ion on one and t he same st ring.
I t has t aken me quit e some t ime t o convince a given st udent of
t he fundament al musical import ance of fingering, t hough t here is
an area where pract icalit y and musicalit y overlap: a quick run, for
inst ance, cannot be played wit h a fingering t hat produces
t echnical obst acles one reason, t his, why Blows demand lacks
musical weight .
I f t he yout hful reader, aft er having perused t he present art icle,
remembers not hing but t he all - pervasive musical import at t he
root of his choice of fingering, I shall be unreservedly happy. So
far as harmonics chosen for t he purpose of convenience are
concerned, I have even heard out st anding virt uosos fall int o t his
t rap, especially ( t o chose j ust one example) in t he t heme of t he
slow movement from t he Tchaikovsky Violin Concert o, where, in
t he furt her course of t he movement , repet it ion of t he selfsame,
illogical fingering produces predict able unmusicalit y: t he worst
experience a musical list ener can have. For t here is a pseudo-
overlap of t he areas of pract icalit y and musicalit y t oo where t he
player in quest ion t alks himself int o t he musicalit y of t he
fingering he has chosen for conveniences sake: t he harmonic in
t he t heme of t he aforement ioned slow movement is a blat ant
example.

Per f or mi ng Gr eat ness ( i )
( ' Musi c & Musi ci ans' magazi ne, November ,
1985)
FROM our recent discussion about comparisons, t he need for a
well - subst ant iat ed definit ion of great ness amongst performers
would seem nat urally t o emerge. I f we carefully go int o each of
it s crit eria, t he t ask cant be t oo difficult , despit e t he fact t hat
t here probably is more unanimit y of opinion about great
composers t han about great performers. The reader will kindly
select a great performer, and see whet her our crit eria apply t o
him. I f t hey do, all will be well; if t hey dont , I invit e him t o
consider whet her he has chosen wisely, or, perhaps, rashly.
A searching underst anding of t he music t he great performer is
playing, is of course, a condit io sine qua non, but t he t rouble has
already st art ed: what , precisely, do we mean by a searching
underst anding? I n t he first place, we mean comprehension of t he
way t he composer wishes his music t o be heard. This condit ion
includes not only consist ent phrasings, but also an abilit y t o
chact erize logically in ot her words, t o find t he right t empo, or
perhaps we should say, a right t empo, since t here isnt a single
piece of music in our West ern t radit ion which requires a single
right t empo.
Tempo is a funct ion of st ruct ure and hence, in performance, a
funct ion of phrasing. This considerat ion leads us t o t he next
crit erion. Performance being t he t ail - end of composit ion, a great
performer will have t o have a rich fund of invent ion, so t hat his
or her phrasings are immediat ely recognizable as his or hers;
t here is no great performer whose creat ivit y does not powerfully
cont ribut e t o his int erpret at ions. I t will at once be realized t hat a
right t empo will be his or hers and nobody elses, for a
recognizable int erpret ers personalit y will always depend on his or
her met hod of charact erizat ion not only of t he music he or she
is playing, but also of his or her mode of expression, in which,
amongst t he t ruly great , invent ion will play an int ensive part .
There is no great performer, moreover, whose t echnique is not
t ot ally musical so much so t hat one has t he feeling of
discomfort if one describes it as mere t echnique: even in t he
most fant ast ic virt uoso achievement , t he predominant experience
on t he part of t he list ener will always be t he music in t he first
place, again so much so t hat one remembers many a great
performer playing a piece of virt uosic rubbish which, in his hands,
sounded like lat e Beet hoven, from which it follows t hat t he
shallower t he music, t he more t he great performers creat ivit y
has t o int ervene.
The t ot al musicalizait on of t echnique will perhaps be bet t er
underst ood if t he reader will kindly remember t he t ypical small
performance wit h which he is all t oo oft en confront ed. None of us
is wit hout t he experience of an int errupt ion of phrasing for t he
purpose of a bit of virt uoso exhibit ionism. We all remember, say,
one of t hose small - minded st ring virt uosos who, when, for
inst ance, an impressive spiccat o passage is in sight , perform it
like a spiccat o exercise, and resume t heir phrasings t hereaft er; a
part icularly painful experience, t his, if t he spiccat o passage in
quest ion happens t o be a great composers whereas all t hat s
happened is t he player saying t o us, list en t o my spiccat o! , and
t he ensuing spiccat o st udy on t op of it ( t hough it must be
remembered t hat if a great performer had played a genuine
spiccat o st udy, he would have made it sound, for t he durat ion of
t he experience, like lat e Beet hoven t oo) .
Everybody will agree wit h my next crit erion: a great performer
invariably discloses hidden meanings, even in music which we
t hink we know inside out . Aft er a great performance, t hat is t o
say, we inevit ably find t hat what we t hought we knew inside out
sounded like a new work. I n ot her words, t he great performers
underst anding of t he work he or she is playing goes so deep t hat
it discovers meanings which had not , unt il t hat performance,
been discovered by anybody. I f t hose meanings are part ly t he
result of his own invent ion, so much t he bet t er, so long as t hey
dont remot ely cont radict t he composers creat ive int ent ions: t he
great performers creat ivit y does not cont radict , but complement s
even in t he case of a piece of virt uoso rubbish, except t hat in
such a piece, t he main composit orial cont ribut ion will not be t he
composers, but t he players or singers.
A great performance is one t o whose persuasion we submit
wit hout t he slight est resist ance: t he great performer has t he
power t o convince us wit hout our feeling in doubt about anyt hing
he does, however unconvent ional it may be. Let us not forget
t hat any sign of convent ionalit y reduces t he st at ure of a
performance; again we underst and t his point bet t er if we
remember it s negat ive count erpart t he st andardized
performance which proport ionat ely, is ut t erly predict able, so t hat
we neednt really hear it all great art is a meaningful
cont radict ion of our expect at ions. I n ot her words, when we hear
a great performance, t here is no import ant j unct ure at which a
performer lives down t o our expect at ions: it should readily follow
from t he foregoing t hat at every such j unct ure, we hear
somet hing which, t hough it does not meet our expect at ions,
immediat ely supplies t he answer t o our quest ion, Why not ?
From our list of crit eria of great performances of great
performers, it will easily be seen t hat we have not yet formulat ed
t he most import ant crit erion an all - pervassive originalit y of
mind on t he part of t he performer. Hardly any of our crit eria
would survive wit hout it , but t he fact t hat it is needed has t o be
expressly st at ed. I ndividualit y is impossible wit hout originalit y,
t hough mere individualit y does not , of course, produce a great
performer. I t cert ainly produces one wort h list ening t o, if, t hat is,
his or her musicalit y and musicianship are as int ense as t hat
mere individualit y.
A performance whose insight lives up t o it s int ense originalit y is
ineluct ably great . But wit hout our list of crit eria, we would not
know what , precisely, we mean by insight and originalit y.

Let t er t o Huber man ( 12 December 1936)
The evening of your London Concert , 12. 12. 1936
I have j ust arrived home aft er your concert and I have t o writ e
t o you. I am only 16 years old. I am writ ing t his only so t hat you
dont regard t his let t er as t oo import ant ; but I expect you wont
do t hat anyway. I j ust want t o t ell you how great ly I revere you
and admire your musical powers. You probably receive many
let t ers such as t his, perhaps t his one will never get int o your
hands, but no mat t er I shall feel much easier in my mind once
I have writ t en t his let t er. I have been in London for only a short
t ime, complet ely st arved of music, and t oday I was at your
concert . I am sure you were not in t he same frame of mind as in
t he Vienna Musikvereinsaal ( I believe it is a fright ful presumpt ion
on my part t o say t his) , but you were The Huberman and t his is
somet hing so enormous t hat somehow one cant really express it
in words. One is conscious of t he whole of your soul being put
int o your playing your ant agonist s dont hear t his. you are
someone so inconceivably eminent , I am very happy t o be alive
at t he same t ime as you and t o be able t o list en t o you. I n my
Viennese home I possess your recording of t he Bach A minor
concert o, and whenever I hear t he following passages in which
your playing is out of t his world, a shiver runs down my spine:
I n t he first movement

and so on
I n t he t hird movement :
and so on
I n t onight s programme, t here were t wo works which I did not
part icularly like, perhaps I am st ill t oo young for t hem; 1. The
Szymanowski, 2. One of your encores which st art s as if you were
t uning your inst rument . But t he remainder of t he programme!
Many, many t hanks for all t he past evenings and equally for
t hose st ill t o come! ! !
Wit h my deepest admirat ion,
Hans Keller, Vienna.

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Discography Compact discs Radio broadcast Columbias Brunswicks
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Here you can download and list en t o many of Huberman' s
commercial recordings made for t he Brunswick [ click here] and
Columbia [ click here] record companies, as well as a live radio
broadcast t hat has not yet been commercially published.
The Huberman discography includes all known live broadcast s. Many
compact discs are current ly available, alt hough t hey do vary in t he
qualit y of remast ering.
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Top phot o: London, c. 1935

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Aft er making a few short Berliner records in 1900,
Huberman wait ed unt il t he early 1920s before signing a
new recording cont ract wit h t he American Brunswick
Record Company. These acoust ic recordings do have t heir
limit at ions, but t hey can also be remarkably vivid
sounding; t hey were "direct t o disc" recordings - t he
sound of t he inst rument direct ly moved t he wax cut t er.
Elect rical recording in t he lat e 1920s revolut ionised t he
indust ry, and Huberman' s Columbia recordings do have
much bet t er sound t han t hese Brunswicks. However,
some of t hese pieces were never re- recorded for
Columbia.

Mazur k a i n D by Wi eni aw sk i [ r ec. 1922 486k ]
Huberman' s t eacher Gregorowicz learnt from
Wieniawski, t hough I t hink t hat Huberman would
have played t his kind of repert oire well no mat t er
who he was t aught by.
This record is a German Polydor pressing.
Pol onai se by Vi eux t emps [ r ec. 1922 689k ]
A wonderful performance. Virt uosic left hand
passage work ( which even Carl Flesch admired) is
used t o great effect , part icularly at t he end. The
final not e of t he piece is played in a very relaxed
and unforced way, t ypical of 19t h cent ury
int erpret at ion.
Mel odi e i n E f l at by Tchai k ovsk y [ r ec. 1922 660k ]
The acoust ic recording process suit ed t he voice
more t han t he violin. I n a slow and melodic piece
such as t his one, it can somet imes be a st ruggle
list ening t hrough t he surface noise.
Mazur k a i n G by Zar zy ck i [ r ec. 1922 491k ]
I find t his Brunswick recording more free and
expressive t han t he lat er Columbia recording
from 1929.
Kol Ni dr ei by Br uch [ r ec. 1922 668k ]
I f you have only heard boring modern
int erpret at ions of t his piece, prepare t o be
ent ert ained.
Brunswick recordings: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/recordings/brunswicks/[02/11/12 07:01:35]
Capr i cci o Val se by Wi eni aw sk i [ r ec. 1923 633k ]
This is one of my favourit e recordings. Most ot her
violinist s play t his as j ust a t echnical showpiece
. . . here we are aware of a powerful melancholy
bit t er - sweet qualit y.
La Campanel l a by Pagani ni [ r ec. 1923 708k ]
The fairly high surface noise on t his record wasn' t
reduced, as doing so affect ed t he violin sound
quit e markedly. Huberman brings out t he vocal
charact er as well as t he humorous element in t he
music.
Jot a Navar r a by Sar asat e [ r ec. 1924 680k ]
Powerful at t acks and inflexions wit h a cert ain
coarseness of sound highlight t he prominence of
rhyt hm, rat her t han melody, in t his piece.

Search
Columbia recordings: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/recordings/columbias/[02/11/12 07:01:54]
Columbia records
login, or regist er
These elect rical Columbia recordings were made in
England bet ween 1929 and 1935.
Some people t hink t hat Huberman was in bet t er t echnical
shape in t he 1920s, and t hat his Brunswick records
capt ure him in bet t er form; I don' t agree wit h t his . . . I
t hink t hat Huberman was j ust an errat ic art ist .

Ai r on t he G st r i ng by Bach [ r ec. 1929 640k ]
Scaled on epic proport ions. .
Sar abande and Doubl e f r om Par t i t a No. 1 by Bach [ r ec. 1934 612k ]
I find t his int erpret at ion far more profound t han
any aut hent ic performance I have come across.
Av e Mar i a by Schuber t ( ar r . Wi l hel mj ) [ r ec. 1931 663k ]
A huge dynamic ( and emot ional) range.
Noct ur ne i n E f l at by Chopi n [ r ec. 1935 724k ]
Huberman must have liked t his piece as he
recorded it t hree t imes; once for Berliner in 1900,
again as his first Brunswick recording in 1921,
and finally for Columbia in 1935.
The int erpret at ion is very vocal in charact er, and
a good demonst rat ion of t he influence of Caruso.
Huberman admired Caruso' s nat ural reservoir of
power and expression which he used t o build up
an aria t o it s nat ural climax.
Mazur k a i n G by Zar zy ck i [ r ec. 1929 658k ]
The earlier Brunswick recording of t his piece is
possibly a lit t le more light heart ed.
Romanza Andal uza by Sar asat e [ r ec. 1929 701k ]
As Robert Cowan said, t his performance rises t o
levels of int ensit y t hat even a Spanish Gypsy
would have found alarming. There are a huge
variet y of sound effect s ( list en out for t he sect ion
in t hirds) .
Alt hough t here is an absence of Lat in charm ,
remember t hat t he modern ideal of beaut y of
sound would undermine t he dept h of
int erpret at ion.
Hungar i an Dance no. 1 i n G mi nor by Br ahms [ r ec. 1932 447k ]
My least favourit e of t he short pieces here, I ' m
afraid. I much prefer Joachim' s recording ( or even
young Menuhin) .
Kol Ni dr ei by Br uch [ r ec. 1931 755k ]
St ory t elling in t he grand fashion. List en out for
t he many slashing at t acks, t he forced t one at
3: 14, and t he sobbing charact er at 4: 08.
Andant e by Bach [ r ec. 1934 569k ]
My favourit e Bach performance of all t ime.
Nun Komm' der Hei den Hei l and by Bach [ r ec. 1935 742k ]
I find it hard t o enj oy any modern Bach
int erpret at ion aft er hearing playing like t his.
Mel ody by Tchai k ovsk y [ r ec. 1928 509k ]
The pit ch inst abilit y is a fault in t he original
recording.
Wal t z i n C shar p mi nor by Chopi n [ r ec. 1928 485k ]
I t hink t hese Chopin arrangement s by Huberman
are very successful - I ' m surprised t hey are not
st ill in t he repert oire t hese days.
Wal t z i n C shar p mi nor by Chopi n [ r ec. 1932 468k ]
The piece was recorded again t hree years lat er.
La Capr i ci euse by El gar [ r ec. 1931 652k ]
When I first heard t his recording I t hought it
quit e st range. A very t hought ful ( as opposed t o
purely t echnical) int erpret at ion, wit h some violent
mood swings.
Wal t z i n A maj or by Br ahms [ r ec. 1930 444k ]
Cont emplat ive.
Top phot o: An Aust ralian laminat ed Columbia label.

Search
Radio broadcast: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/recordings/radio_broadcast/[02/11/12 07:02:19]
Radio broadcast
login, or regist er
I had t he good fort une t o acquire a previously
undiscovered 16 inch radio t ranscript ion disc dat ing from
1943. Huberman plays a movement from a Beet hoven
sonat a in t ribut e t o t he Polish Prime Minist er General
Sikorski who had recent ly died in a plane crash.
The vinyl record was digit ally t ransferred and remast ered
t o t ake away a lit t le of t he surface noise. I t was t hen
convert ed t o a wma file.

Adagi o f r om Sonat a no. 6 i n A by Beet hoven [ 903k ]
( r ecor ded 1943, Bor i s Roubak i ne pf , New Yor k )
This int erpret at ion shows Huberman at his most
serious. I n order t o express t he profound nat ure
of t he music, his t one is quit e aust ere. Wit hin t his
framework t hough, he varies his sound a lot .
List en out for his amazing variet y of at t acks at
t he begining of not es.
While not exact ly easy list ening, once you have
heard t his int erpret at ion a few t imes, any ot her
may begin t o seem t rit e in comparison.

Search
Compact Discs: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/recordings/compact_discs/[02/11/12 07:03:17]
Compact discs
The qualit y of t ransfers does vary t remendously bet ween
different record companies. Biddulph remove a lot of
surface noise, but lose some immediacy of sound. Pearl
have very noisy surfaces but a full and nat ural sound.
The EMI 1928 Tchaikovsky and t he APR 1934 Beet hoven
and Lalo are part icularly excellent ; t he fine t ransfers
have presumably been t aken from t he original met al
mast ers.
Opus Kura OPK7019 [ 2006]
Mozart Concerto No. 4 in D, K. 218
Philharmonic Symph. Orch., Bruno Walter, New York, 16? Dec 1945
Bach Partita in D minor, BWV 1004, 6 Dec 1942
Beethoven Adagio from Sonata No. 6 (previously unpublished)
Siegfried Schultze piano
Bach Sarabande/Double (from Partita No. 1 in B minor), 26 June 1934
Bach Andante (from Sonata No. 2 in A minor), 26 June 1934
Bach Air on the G String (arr. Wilhelmj), 1929
Chopin Waltz in C sharp minor, Op. 64, No. 2 (arr. Huberman), 1929
Chopin Nocturne in E flat (arr. Sarasate), 5 Feb 1935
Schubert Ave Maria (arr. Wilhelmj), 1930
Brahms Waltz in A flat (arr. Hochstein), 1929
Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 1 in G minor, 1932
Zarzycki Mazurka in G, 1929
Bruch Kol Nidrei, Op. 47, 1930
Tchaikovsky Melodie in E flat, 1929
Sarasate Romanza Andaluza, Op. 22, No. 1, 1929
Beethoven Concerto in D, Op. 61
Vienna Philharmonic, George Szell, 18-20 June 1934
Beethoven Sonata No. 9 in A, Op. 47, "Kreutzer"
Ignaz Friedman pf, 11 & 12 Sep 1930
Lalo Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21
Tchaikovky Concerto in D, Op. 35
Staatskapelle Berlin, William Steinberg, 28 & 30 Dec 1928
Paul Frenkel pf
Tchaikovsky Canzonetta, 1 Jan 1923
Lalo Symphonie Espagnole (IV Andante, V Rondo ), 26 Feb 1923
Mozart Concerto No. 3 in G, K. 216
Bach Concerto No. 1 in A minor and No. 2 in E
Vienna Philharmonic, Issay Dobrowen, 13 & 14 June 1934
Bach Nun Komm'der Heiden Heiland (arr. Huberman), Siegfried Schultze pf, 14 May 1935
Elgar La Capricieuse, Siegfried Schultze pf, 1930
Biddulph LAB 077- 78 [ 1993]
The complete Brunswick recordings, 1921 - 1924
Chopin Nocturne in E flat (arr. Sarasate), 18 Oct 1921
Elgar La Capricieuse, 18 Oct 1921, 18 Oct 1921
Bach Air on the G string (arr. Wilhelmj), 30 Nov 1921
Tchaikovsky Melodie in E flat, 28 Jan 1922
Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 1 (arr. Joachim), 28 Jan 1922
Bazzini La Ronde des Lutins, 28 Jan 1922
Wieniawski Mazurka in D "Dudziarz", 31 Jan 1922
Vieuxtemps Ballade and Polonaise, 10 Nov, 1922
Bruch Kol Nidre, 23 Nov, 1922
Zarzycki Mazurka in G, 23 Nov, 1922
Tchaikovsky Canzonetta, 1 Jan 1923
Paganini La Campanella, 11 Jan 1923
Wieniawski Capriccio Valse, 11 Jan 1923
Wieniawski Romance (mvt. II, Violin Concerto No. 2), 21 Feb 1923
Lalo Symphonie Espagnole (IV Andante, V Rondo ), 26 Feb 1923
Gluck Melodie (arr. Wilhelmj), 5 March 1923
Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 7 in A (arr. Joachim), 5 March 1923
Sarasate Jota Navarra, 1924
Mendelssohn Concerto in E minor (II Andante, III Allegro), 1924
Sarasate Jota Navarra, 1924
Sarasate Carmen Fantasy, Op. 25 (Bizet), 1925
Beethoven Sonata No. 9 in A, Op. 47, "Kreutzer", 1925
Biddulph LAB 081- 082 [ 1993]
The complete 1900 Berliner records
Chopin Nocturne in E flat (arr. Sarasate), Berliner 1900
Schubert Moment Musical No. 3 (arr. Auer), Berliner 1900
The complete Columbia recordings with piano, 1929 - 1935
Bach Air on the G String (arr. Wilhelmj), 1929
Brahms Waltz in A flat (arr. Hochstein), 1929
Tchaikovsky Melodie in E flat, 1929
Zarzycki Mazurka in G, 1929
Ignaz Friedman pf, 11-12 Sep, 1930
Schubert Ave Maria (arr. Wilhelmj), 1930
Bruch Kol Nidrei, Op. 47, 1930
Elgar La Capricieuse, 1930
Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 1 in G minor, 1932
Schubert Moment musical No. 3 (arr. Auer), 5 Feb 1935
Chopin Nocturne in E flat (arr. Sarasate), 5 Feb 1935
Chopin Waltz in G flat (arr. Huberman), 5 Feb 1935
Bach Nun Komm'der Heiden Heiland (arr. Huberman), 14 May 1935
EMI 7 64855 2
EMI 7 63194 2 [ 1989]
Ignaz Friedman pf, 11 & 12 Sep 1930
PEARL GEMM 9332 [ 1988]
Vienna Philharmonic, George Szell, 20 & 22 June 1934
Vieuxtemps Polonaise, Paul Frenkel pf, 1924
Mendelssohn Concerto in E minor (mvt. II & III), Siegfried Schultze pf, 1924
Bruch Kol Nidrei, Op. 47, Siegfried Schultze pf, 1930
PEARL GEMM 9341 [ 1989]
Arlecchino 153- 154
Vieuxtemps Polonaise, Paul Frenkel pf, 1924
Magic Talent
The Classical Collect or FDC 2003 [ 1990]
Vienna Philharmonic, George Szell, 20 & 22 June 1934
Sarasate Carmen Fantasy, Op. 25, Siegfried Schultze pf, 1925
Sarasate Romanza Andaluza, Op. 22/1, Siegfried Schultze pf, 1929
Bruch Kol Nidrei, Op. 47, Siegfried Schultze pf, 1930
Chopin Waltz in C sharp min. Op. 64/2, Siegfried Schultze pf, 1933
Naxos 8. 110903 [ 1999]
Preiser 90118 [ 1992]
APR 5506 [ 1996]
Part it a PC 9207- 8
Wave MFCC 85921
Dukport FCC 88601
Seven Seas KI CC 2189 [ 1991]
Brahms Violin Concerto in D, Op. 77
New York Philharmonic, Arthur Rodzinski, 23 Jan 1944
Schubert Fantasia in C, Op. 159, D. 934
Boris Roubakine pf, New York, 16 Jan? 1944
Music and Art s 299 [ 1989]
Tchaikovsky Concerto in D
Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy, New York, March 1946
Arbit er 138 [ 2003]
[This recording is the same performance as on Music and Arts, though the booklet erroneously
describes it as 26 May 1946 (the date of its broadcast)]
EMI Shinseido SGR- 8240
EMI Shinseido SGR- 8241
Bach Concerto No. 2 in E
Music and Art s 1122
Brahms Concerto in D, Op. 77
New York Philharmonic, Arthur Rodzinski, 23 Jan 1944
Tchaikovsky Concerto in D
Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy, New York, March 1946
Arbit er 105 [ 1997]
Schubert Fantasia in C, Op. 159, D. 934
Boris Roubakine pf, New York, 16 Jan 1944
Brahms Sonata in G, Op. 78
Boris Roubakine pf, New York, 25 Apr 1943
Sarasate Romanza Andaluza, 1936
Unknown pianist: possibly Jakob Gimpel
Arbit er 115 [ 1998]
Beethoven Concerto in D, Op. 61 (Cadenzas: Joachim)
National Orchestral association, Leon Barzin, 17 Dec 1944
Bach Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland
Boris Roubakine pf, 18 Oct 1942
Smetana From my homeland, excerpt
Boris Roubakine pf, 18 Oct 1942
20t h Cent ury Maest ros 204567- 308
20t h Cent ury Maest ros 204565- 308
St rings
Bach Concerto No. 2 in E

Search
Discography: huberman.info
http://www.huberman.info/recordings/discography/[02/11/12 07:03:55]
Discography
Berliner recordings, May 1900
with piano, May 1900, Recording engineer: William Sinkler Darby
Chopin Noct ur ne i n E f l at ( arr. Sarasat e) Berliner 47903, 47901,
47902 ( 1509A, 1512A,
1513A)
Schubert Moment Musi cal No. 3 ( arr. Auer) Berliner 47904 ( 1510A)
unknown unknown t it le 47900 ( 1511A)
Brunswick recordings, 1921 - 1925
Paul Frenkel pf, Brunswicks, 18 Oct, 30* Nov, 1921
Chopin Noct ur ne i n E f l at ( arr. Sarasat e) Brn. 30023 ( X6586)
Elgar La Capr i ci euse Brn. 30024 ( X6589)
Bach Ai r on t he G st r i ng ( arr. Wilhelmj ) * Brn. 30027 ( X6847)
Paul Frenkel pf, Brunswicks, 28, 31* Jan, 1922
Tchaikovsky Mel odi e i n E f l at Brn. 15002 ( 7200)
Brahms Hungar i an Dance No. 1 ( arr. Joachim) Brn. 15022 ( 7205)
Bazzini La Ronde des Lut i ns Brn. 15022 ( 7208)
Wieniawski Mazur k a i n D Dudzi ar z * Brn. 15022 ( 7219)
Paul Frenkel pf, Brunswicks, 10, 23* November, 1922
Vieuxt emps Bal l ade and Pol onai se Brn. 50019 ( X9138/ 40)
Bruch Kol Ni dr e* Brn. 50022 ( X9244)
Zarzycki Mazur k a i n G* Brn. 50022 ( X9244)
Paul Frenkel pf, Brunswicks, 1, 11* January, 1923
Tchaikovsky Canzonet t a Brn. 50026 ( X9564)
Paganini La Campanel l a* Brn. 50026 ( X9643)
Wieniawski Capr i cci o Val se* Brn. 50031 ( X9641)
Paul Frenkel pf, Brunswicks, 21, 26* February, 1923
Wieniawski Romance ( mvt . I I , Vln. Concert o No. 2) Brn. 50031 ( X9965)
Lalo Symphonie Espagnole*
I V. Andant e
V. Rondo: Al l egr o
Brn. 50041 ( X9993/ 94)
Paul Frenkel pf, Brunswicks, 5 March, 1923
Gluck Mel odi e ( arr. Wilhelmj ) Brn. 15063 ( 10049)
Brahms Hungar i an Dance No. 7 i n A
( arr. Joachim)
Brn. 15063 ( 10048)
Siegfried Schultze pf, Brunswicks, 1924
Mendelssohn Concert o in E minor Brn. 50049 ( 12287 &
I I . Andant e
I I I . Al l egr o mol t o vi vace
12366 or 12365/ 66)
Sarasat e Romanza Andal uza , Op. 22, No. 1 Brn. 50051 ( mat rix
unknown)
Sarasat e Jot a Navar r a Brn. 50051 ( mat rix
unknown)
Siegfried Schultze pf, Brunswicks, 1925
Sarasat e Car men Fant asy , Op. 25 ( Bizet )
Brn. 10220 ( mat rices
unknown)
Beet hoven Sonat a No. 9 i n A, Op. 47, Kreut zer Brn. 50051 or Brn.
50062/ 64 ( mat rices
unknown)
Columbia recordings, 1928 - 1935
Staatskapelle Berlin, William Steinberg, 28, 30 Dec, 1928, Berlin
Tchaikovsky Concer t o i n D, Op. 35 Col. LX2335/ 8
( WAX4509/ 15)
Siegfried Schultze pf, Columbia, 22 Nov 1928
Chopin Wal t z i n C shar p mi nor
( No. 7, Op. 64, No. 2, arr. Huberman)
Col. LX137 ( WAX4672)
Tchaikovsky Mel odi e i n E f l at Col. L2338 ( WAX4671)
Siegfried Schultze pf, Columbia, 10, 11* June 1929
Sarasat e Romanza Andal uza , Op. 22, No. 1 Col. L2332 ( WAX5006)
Zarzycki Mazur k a i n G* Col. L2332 ( WAX5011)
Siegfried Schultze pf, Columbia, 16 Sep 1930
Bach Ai r on t he G St r i ng ( arr. Wilhelmj ) Col. LX107 ( WAX5007)
Brahms Wal t z i n A ( arr. Hochst ein) Col. LX107 ( WAX5012)
Ignaz Friedman pf, Large Studio, Petty France, London, 11-12 Sep, 1930
Beet hoven Sonat a i n No. 9 i n A, Op. 47, Kreut zer Col. LX 72/ 5
( WAX5730/ 33, 5736/ 39)
Siegfried Schultze pf, Columbia, 27, 28*, 29 Jan 1931
Bruch Kol Ni dr ei , Op. 47 Col. LX155 ( WAX5949)
Schubert Ave Mar i a ( arr. Wilhelmj ) * Col. LX155 ( WAX5950)
Elgar La Capr i ci euse Col. LX137 ( WAX5951)
Siegfried Schultze pf, Columbia, 9 Jan 1932
Brahms Hungar i an Dance No. 1 i n G mi nor Columbia LB8 ( WA9155)
Chopin
Wal t z i n C shar p mi nor
( No. 7, Op. 64, No. 2, arr. Huberman)
Columbia LB8 ( CA11131)
Vienna Philharmonic, Issay Dobrowen, Vienna 13 & 14* June, 1934
Bach Concer t o No. 1 i n A mi n , BWV 1041 Col. LX329- 30 ( WHAX
20- 22 t o 23- 1)
Bach Concer t o No. 2 i n E, BWV 1042 Col. LX 408- 10 ( WHAX
15- 5 t o 19- 4)
Mozart Concer t o No. 3 i n G, K. 216* Col. LX 494- 6 ( WHAX 24-
5 t o 29- 3)
Vienna Phil., Goerge Szell, Mittlerer Konzerthaussaal, Vienna, 18-20, 20 & 22* June, 1934
Beet hoven Concer t o i n D maj or , Op. 61
( Cadenza: Joachim)
Col. LX 509/ 13 ( WHAX 30-
4, 31- 4, 32- 2, 33- 2, 34- 1,
35- 2, 36- 3, 37- 3, 38- 3)
Lalo Sy mphoni e Espagnol e, Op. 21*
( Omit t ing I nt ermezzo)
Columbia LX 347/ 9 ( WHAX
39- 3, 40- 2, 41- 2, 42- 1,
43- 3, & 44- 1)
Columbia, 26 June, 1934
Bach Sar abande/ Doubl e ( from Part it a No. 1 in B
minor)
Col. LX 513 ( WHAX 45)
Bach Andant e ( from Sonat a No. 2 in A minor) Col. LX510 ( WHAX 46)
Siegfried Schultze pf, Columbia, 5 February, & 14 May* 1935
Schubert Moment musi cal No. 3 ( arr. Auer) Col. LB25 ( CA14914)
Chopin Noct ur ne i n E f l at ( arr. Sarasat e) Col. LX531 ( CAX7427)
Chopin Wal t z i n G f l at ( arr. Huberman) Col. LB25 ( CA14912)
Bach Nun Komm' der Hei den Hei l and ( arr.
Huberman) *
Col. LX531 ( CAX7428)
Live recordings, 1936- 1946
Sarasat e Romanza Andal uza , Op. 22, No. 1
( Possibly Jakob Gimpel pf. The Nazis
had ordered Schulze back t o Germany)
Live, 19 April, 1936
Smet ana Fr om my homel and
( excerpt . Boris Roubakine pf)
Live, 18 Oct , 1942?
Bach Nun Komm der Hei den Hei l and
( Boris Roubakine pf)
Live, 18 Oct , 1942?
Bach Par t i t a i n D mi nor , BWV 1004 Live, 6 Dec, 1942
Brahms Sonat a i n G, Op. 78
( Boris Roubakine pf, New York)
Live, 25 April, 1943
Beet hoven Adagi o, I I nd movt . f r om Sonat a No. 6 i n
A, Op. 30/ 1
Live, Jul ?, 1943
Schubert Fant asi a i n C, Op. 159, D. 934
Live, 16 Jan?, 1944
Brahms Concer t o i n D, Op. 77
( Cadenza: Hugo Heerman,
New York Philharmonic, Art hur Rodzinski)
Live, 23 Jan, 1944
Beet hoven Concer t o i n D, Op. 61 ( Cadenzas: Joachim)
( Nat ional Orchest ral ascn. , Leon Barzin)
Live, 17 Dec, 1944
Mozart Concer t o No. 4 i n D, K. 218
( Philharmonic Symph. Orch. ,
Bruno Walt er, New York)
Live, 16? Dec, 1945
Tchaikovsky Concer t o i n D, Op. 35
( Philharmonic Symph. Orch. ,
Eugene Ormandy, New York)
Live, March, 1946

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http://www.huberman.info/patrick_harris/[02/11/12 07:11:17]
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HARRIS, Patrick - Bronislaw Huberman (Huberman - Info, 2005) (A Biography and Bibliography of The Great Violinist)

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HARRIS, Patrick - Bronislaw Huberman (Huberman - Info, 2005) (A Biography and Bibliography of The Great Violinist)

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admirers included Brahms, Dvorak, Joachim,

Funtwa1nglt:r, and Toscanini. Today, in an age ot standardization,

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