Famous Violinists of To-day and Yesterday

by Henry Charles Lahee

In 1895, shortly after their return from the South African tour, Sir Charles Hallé died, and Lady Hallé went into retirement. At this time her numerous admirers in England presented her with a valuable testimonial of their appreciation.

Throughout her career she has fulfilled the prophecies made of her in her youth, for her talent and musicianship developed as she grew up, and her genius did not burn itself out as that of many infant prodigies has done. She has never endeavoured to secure public applause at the expense of her real artistic nature. Her performances are and always have been synonymous with all that is good in musical art, and nothing but that which is of the best has ever been allowed to appear upon her programmes.

She is celebrated no less as a quartet player than as a soloist, and was for many years first violin of the Philharmonic Quartet in London.

In 1898, Lady Hallé had the misfortune to lose her son, Mr. Norman Neruda, who, while scaling a difficult place in the Alps, slipped and was killed.

In the following year she emerged from her retirement and visited the United States, where her playing was highly appreciated by unbiassed critics. There was a feeling, however, that she might have made the journey many years before, and allowed the American public to hear her in her prime, when she would have received not only a very warm welcome, but would have been judged rather by her merits than by her history, and she would not have challenged comparison with the violinists of the rising generation.

Camilla Urso has been for many years one of the best known violinists in the United States. She was born at Nantes, in France, in 1842, of Italian parents. Her father was Salvator Urso, a good musician, and son of a good musician, so that the young violinist inherited some of her talent. In 1852 the family crossed the Atlantic and settled in the United States, and almost immediately the little girl began to appear at concerts. Camilla Urso began to study the violin at the age of six years, and her choice of that instrument was determined by her hearing the violin and being fascinated by it during a celebration of the Mass of St. Cecilia. She was taken to Paris for instruction, for which purpose her father abandoned his position at Nantes. She entered the Conservatoire and became a pupil of Massart.

She made a tour through Germany, during which she met with immense success, and then returned to Paris to continue her studies.

She was fresh from Massart's instruction when, in October, 1852, she made her first appearance in Boston, where her playing and her style called forth eulogies from the critics of those days. John S. Dwight wrote to the effect that it was one of the most touching experiences of his life to see and hear the charming little maiden, so natural and childlike, so full of sentiment and thought, so self-possessed and graceful. Her tone was pure, and her intonation faultless, and she played with a "fine and caressing delicacy," and gave out strong passages in chords with thrilling grandeur.

For three years she continued to travel and delight American audiences, and then for a period of about five years she retired into private life, and did not resume her professional career until 1862, from which time she frequently made concert tours in America until she returned to Paris. It was about the period of these tours that her influence upon young women began to be felt, for she was at an age when womanly grace becomes evident, and her manners and character were as fascinating as her playing.

In Paris she so pleased M. Pasdeloup that he begged her not to allow herself to be heard in public until she had played at his concerts. "You may count upon a splendid triumph," he said. "It is I who tell you so. Your star is in the ascendant, and soon it will shine at the zenith of the artistic firmament."