Pantechnicon; Eugene Fodor

In July of 174 Eugene fold or tied for the top honors in the Tchaikovsky violin competition. It was the first American to ever do so. Since then his life has been a whirlwind of concert performances and recording sessions. During one visit to Washington he was invited to play at the White House. The first artist so honored by President and Mrs. Ford in Washington again for a subsequent concert appearance photo it was lionized by the local press when Fred Callan talked with the young virtuoso. He wondered if all this publicity had had any effect on Fodor's image of himself as a serious musician or as Fred put it. Do you have any techniques for evaluating yourself and your performances. I can usually tell by the way I feel after I finish a piece. I don't go by the audience reaction. I do some somewhat. In other words I I always want to please an audience. But if they if they come back and tell me you know they're the greatest thing ever heard and and the ovation was

unparalleled and I didn't feel that that it was my best. I'll just say no you're wrong. No I didn't play my best and whereas now I would rather it be the opposite whether the response isn't so great but I felt that I was really offering something with while that I was doing my best. Can you really do want to praise yourself.

Or what's not a matter of pleasing myself it's a matter of knowing that I have given something that is my best. That's where the gratitude and gratification lies. And you can't. You can't be thinking about the facts. I've said it in the Times in say before I don't walk out on stage to impress people including the critics. I walk out on stage because I feel that what I'm doing is done with conviction and I believe in it and no other reason and if people like it that's just fine if they don't then they don't have to come. I've been fortunate so far and people either like it or they make a very good imitation of it. It.

Tell us your reaction to. The American. Fiddle music. And that sound.

And that quickly. Well that's not really a literature I don't think you're referring I believe to the Nashville so-called. Type of playing the violin you know all of the fingerboard and smiling Jack so-and-so and all those kinds of well that's just fine you know I I don't condemn that music or look down on on it it hasn't affected my career or my studies whatsoever. I was amused to read in a in a newspaper article after some violin this one that I don't know what you would call him and what he chooses to call himself one of anational fiddlin. Khan. And he was so nice out of the blue he said well I can't play the violin compared to that Eugene Botha I just heard. And you know I thought that was very generous of him I. Know these these people don't study the instrument in any institution. They just make sounds and they're very much alike. I mean the sound they make is you know

is practically devoid of a dynamic level. And I don't think they're ashamed to admit that at all. I mean they're they're creating a different effect there. They're contributing to a group effort which main proponent is rhythm and rhythmic drive. Well you mentioned that you brought it up but I'm going to ask you to elaborate on. You say that they get this certain sound unique sound which they love. Gary Carr reminded us recently that of Leontyne prices remarked that she just love the sound of her own voice. And he said he felt that exactly the same way about his double bass. Do you feel that way about the sound of your playing. Well I'm I'm excited by the character of the violin and I always have been and I enjoy experimenting with it and. Perhaps that's the whole meaning of style is to set down certain principles for yourself and by way of a mechanism of playing the violin a certain amount of talent. You come up with an individuality and a

form of expression that's either pleasing to yourself or hopefully others maybe better. But you know the dumbest question that can be asked is how does it feel to be you. But however someone asked me this very question how must it feel to be me. And his rich Russian Jewish accent he replied in complete honesty. He said Sometimes I think I must be dreaming. Well how does it feel to be Eugene photo are. Well you know it's funny dreaming you know I was dreaming about reviews last night. I guess I guess I'm not I'm not really as aloof as as I'd like to feel you know because I am sensitive to other people's criticism. And I think this is good in a way because if if I feel the criticism is valid you can help me. But I feel very much an individual and that I'm worthy of

appearing with major symphony orchestras and major recycle series and that's what really counts is that you believe in yourself and that you like yourself. Eugene photo or interviewed in Washington D.C. by Fred calland this does and our National Public Radio.