Club. So
much pleased was he with her simple manners and her wonderful playing
that he opened his elegant warerooms and invited a select company of
musical people to hear her play. This private concert first brought
Camilla before us. She had, as it were, come before us. Hitherto, it had
been a strange story that had been told to us. We could now see and hear
for ourselves.
The Boston Transcript and Dwight's Journal of Music, then our best
authorities upon art matters thus spoke of this occasion:--
"Her violin playing is not that of a child,--even a remarkable
child--but that of an _artiste_ cultivated and accomplished. Her
bowing is extremely graceful and free, her execution neat and
clear, her intonation perfect."
Dwight's Journal of Oct. 9th says:--
"Little Camilla Urso, the violinist, but eleven years old,
announced a concert at the Masonic Temple for last evening, just
too late for notice in this paper. But we had the pleasure,--and
a choice one it was--of hearing her the other evening in a
company of some forty invited guests, in Mr. Chickering's
saloon. Her playing is not only truly wonderful, but wonderfully
true;--true in style, expression, feeling, as it is true in
intonation and all mechanical respects. She played Artot's
_Souvenirs de Bellini_, and never have we listened to a long
fantasia of several themes, worked up in all manner of
variations, with a purer pleasure. It was masterly; the firm and
graceful bowing, the rich, pure, refined tone, the light and
shade, the easy control of _arpeggio_, _staccato_, _double
stops_, etc., were all such as we could only have expected from
the maturest masters we have heard. We could scarcely credit our
own eyes and ears.
The little maiden is plain, with strong arms and hands enlarged
by practice of her instrument; yet her appearance is most
interesting; a face full of intellectual and sedate expression,
a large forehead wearing the 'pale cast of thought' etc. Pity
only that such fine life must be lived out so fast, and always
in the blaze of too much sun for plants so young and tender!"
Then followed two concerts at the Masonic Temple. Concerning her playing
at these concerts we may quote from Dwight's Journal of October 16th.
CAMILLA URSO. "Two concerts have confirmed all we have said of
this wonderful girl violinist. Two concerts, attended
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