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Phone: 212-860-5541 * Fax: 917-677-8247
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Price: $75.00 |
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EXCELLENT CONDITION |
DANIEL MELSA - VIOLINIST |
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Rare autographed half tone and mounted 4.5” x 5.5” photograph of the Polish born, British violinist. Melsa (1892-1952) had a most interesting career. He was born in Warsaw and begun violin study at the age of 7 with a Joachim pupil named Barmas, he made his stage debut in 1901. In 1905, he watched his Father and young sister murdered by Cossacks in front of him and was passed over as the Cossak leader heard him play the violin and took pity on him. He managed to escape to Germany, where a former American Ambassador’s wife heard him play and paid for his tutelage with Carl Flesch and purchased a Bergonzi fiddle for him. Flesch said during his time in Berlin he developed 3 pupils who had the ability for a solo career, Melsa was one. Melsa left Germany for England, which was to become his home for the rest of his life. Melsa initially was a touring virtuoso, playing in Berlin, Paris and London. Artur Nikisch took a shine to him and hired him to play the Brahms Concerto in Paris. Melsa in 1920 wrote a treatise, “The Art of Violin Playing” which can still be found today. In London, Melsa decided to temper his performances and teach, play occasional concerts and also acted as the Concertmaster for the Empire Orchestra, a pops styled ensemble. A young Max Jaffa played in the same orchestra and was amazed at Melsa’s virtuosity when he felt like playing numbers between sets. Apparently he could whip off Paganini’s “Perpetuum Mobile” without an error at will. The playwright Israel Zangwill styled his play “The Melting Pot” after Melsa’s childhood experiences. |
