Olga Rudge

              1916
REPRESENTED BY
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T. ARTHUR RUSSELL CONCERT DIRECTION,
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THE LONDON PRESS ON THE ART OF


OLGA RUDGE
AT HER VIOLIN RECITALS,
AEOLIAN HALL, LONDON, NOV. 7th & 28th, 1916.



The Daily Telegraph.
Miss Olga Rudge's programme of the first of two violin recitals was decidedly out of the ordinary run of such things, and, moreover, she promises us a brand-new sonata by Paul Paray, a young French master, prix de Rome as recently as 1911.  So let her be encouraged to proceed; there is plenty of room for interesting players of interesting unhackneyed music.  In yesterday's scheme Lalo's Norwegian Fantasy was the only thoroughly familiar composition, and even that has not been heard for a long time.  Nor has Rimsky-Korsakov's Fantasy on Russian themes, or Vitali's beautiful Chaconne, now excellently played with pianoforte and organ accompaniment.  Miss Rudge's playing is not of the purely virtuoso order, and its intimacy gives a charm of its own.


The Times.
Miss Rudge played at her violin recital Vitali, Lotti, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Lalo.  It was a programme expressly chosen to give opportunity to her really strong point, a flowing cantabile; not to the exclusion of other matters that usually interest expert violinists, but no stress was laid on these.
The reading of the music, especially of Vitali's Chaconne was individual and fresh, and that of Mozart's Minuet in D most graceful.



The Morning Post.
The excellent impression Miss Olga Rudge made when she appeared earlier in the year was amply confirmed.  She is one of the very few violinists before the publio who have a definite gift for the work they undertake.  Miss Rudge is emphatically a musiclan, and one with a special mission as a violinist.  Her tone alone reveals that it is the most suitable medium for the expression of her instincts.  If she were not a violinist she would most certainly make an excellent singer—other things being equal.  As it is, she sings on her violin and thus her playing is always agreeable and pleasant to listen to—for it is musical in the best sense.  Yesterday she played solos in varied contrast, among them being the Fantasia on Russian themes by Rimsky-Korsakov and the Chaconne of Vitali, given with much breadth and dignity of style.  Numbers of smaller dimensions were found in an arrangement of Lotti's well-known song Pur dicesti, and a Mozart Minuet, excellent means for the display of her capabilities.


The Referee.
The re-appearance of Miss Olga Rudge was a distinctly welcome event, for she is a violinist of exceptional ability.  Moreover, at her recital she included Rimsky-Korsakov's little known Concert Fantasia on Russian Themes.  The form of this work is after the familiar pattern of the Hungarian rhapsody, with which, in spirit, the work has much in common.  The themes have been well chosen, and their treatment has that tinge of Oriental suggestion that stirs the imagination.  Miss Rudge entered thoroughly into the character of the work, and, moreover, played with individual significance and great brilliancy.  In her programme were also Vitali's Chaconne and Lalo's Norwegian Fantasia.


The Sunday Times.
In a scheme that included Lalo's Norwegian Rhapsody, Vitali's Chaconne, and an arrangement of Pur dicesti, Miss Olga Rudge displayed a tone of singing quality and an attractive lyricism of style.  In slow movements especially, her playing is very sensitive, and her phrasing is admirable in its feeling and grace.


The Globe.
An excellent programme was presented by Miss Olga Rudge, a young violinist of marked promise.  Miss Rudge played Rimsky-Korsakow's Concert Fantasie on Russian Themes, and Vitali's Chaconne in a very clear incisive manner.


The Musical News.
Miss Olga Rudge, is a violinist of very decided ability.  Her playing is marked by a delicate refinement in tone, phrasing and intonation, and an elegant style is not the least of her many natural artistic gifts.  Her programme, which leaned to the side of severity, included a Fantaisie on Russian themes by Rimsky-Korsakov, Chaconne by Vitali, given with additional organ accompaniment, and Lalo's Fantaisie Norwegienne.  In all these works the player's equipment served her perfectly, and three little pieces in lighter mood, Pur Dicesti (Lotti), Menuett (Mozart), and Guitare (Lalo), were played delightfully.


The Lady.
An unconventional programme is rarest of all from a violinist, and Miss Olga Rudge is to be congratulated on her departure from the beaten track.  She is a talented and accomplished violinist, her tone is very pure, and her style refined and finished, the distinguishing mark of her playing being its dainty charm.


Musical Opinion.
Miss Olga Rudge included the seldom heard Concert Fantasia on Russian Themes of Rimsky-Korsakoff.  She imparted much vitality to her interpretation of this work, and in Lalo's Norwegian Fantasia displayed a commendable control in phrasing and intonation.  Vitali's Chaconne afforded technical opportunities to this very capable performer.


The Daily Telegraph.
It is a pleasant task to endorse the extremely favourable opinions already uttered in these columns on the violin playing of Miss Olga Rudge.  Her tone was warm and full, her style at once easy and accurate, and her interpretations entirely free from forced or laborious effects.


The Morning Post.
A NEW FRENCH COMPOSER.
At her second recital Miss Olga Rudge gave the first performance in this country of a sonata for violin and pianoforte by M. Paul Paray, a French musician and winner of the Prix de Rome five years ago.  He is at present a prisoner of war in Germany.  M. Paray's music is at present unknown in this country.  The work by which he was represented indicates uncommon promise.  It is modern in design, but is free from the special tonality which marks so much French music to-day.  M. Paray derives much of his colour from the use of phrases to be found in French folk-song, particularly of the South.  He shows good resource, conciseness, freedom without exaggeration, and much freshness in his tonal and rhythmic treatment.  Much should be heard in the future of this composer, for he represents a new and worthy phase of musical expression.  The sonata was well played with the assistance of Mr. Percy Kahn at the pianoforte.



The Observer.
Fine qualities.  An interpretative and executive violinist.


The Referee.
Played with firmness and brilliancy.


The Westminster Gazette.
COMPOSER AND PRISONER OF WAR.
A pleasant sonata for violin and piano by Paul Paray was a novelty of some little interest of Miss Olga Rudge's programme at her second violin recital.  The composer, a young Frenchman, who took the Prix de Rome in 1911, is at the present time a prisoner of war in Germany, where his musical gifts may or may not avail to soften the hearts of his Teutonic gaolers.  In any case he is evidently a young musician of considerable gifts.  Without being anything out of the common, his sonata heard yesterday contains some very interesting music, which is none the less attractive in these days on account of the abundant flow of melody which is one of its characteristics and which, in conjunction with its unforced but quite effective treatment, keeps the ear very pleasantly engaged all the time.  The work was excellently interpretated by Miss Rudge, with the co-operation of Mr. Percy Kahn at the piano, who afterwards accompanied her in a number of things more familiar, in which her sound execution and tasteful playing were further in evidence,



The Globe.
In her second recital Miss Olga Rudge more than maintained the high level reached at her former appearance.  Her reading of Beethoven's Romance in F, was genuinely beautiful in its smoothness of tone and warmth of expression.  And in her subsequent solos she was crisp, accurate and—above all—sensitive.


The Queen.
Miss Rudge is a player well worth hearing, her tone and technique both being excellent.


The Musical News.
Miss Olga Rudge's second violin recital was chiefly memorable for the introduction of a duet Sonata by Paul Paray, which, besides its artistic interest, has a sentimental appeal owing to the composer (who gained the Prix de Rome in 1911) being at the present time a prisoner of war in Germany.  Mr. Percy Kahn was far more than merely at the piano, for the Sonata is difficult for both performers.  It is also placid, graceful, and most interestingly developed.  The rest of the programme consisted (with the exception of a Fantasia on Russian Airs by Rimsky-Korsakov) of a rather hackneyed selection, which, however, charmed by the fine musicianship and beautiful tone of the performer.


The Lady.
Easy technique and full, warm tone.


Musical Times.
She has excellent technique and fine taste.