“The Touch of the Master’s Hand”

On April 8, members of The Morris Federation enjoyed a program presented by Bronwen Kirby of Waco.

Bronwen said she remembers being attracted to the violin (or violin music) from the time she was a year old. Her first complete sentence, uttered before she was two, was not as you might imagine her saying, “I love you, mommy (or daddy),” but rather it was, “I want to play violin.” As a child, she remembers making her own violins out of cardboard, using rubber bands for the strings. By age five, she was beginning to play the violin. Amazingly, at twelve, under the instruction of Timothy Johnson, she was learning how to make real violins. She graduated from Central Texas Strings Academy last year. She also plays piano and organ, but the violin is her favorite instrument. She has been home schooled and will graduate this spring. Then she plans to enroll at Baylor University, where her father is a math professor.

She entertained the Morris Federation audience with a variety of violin pieces, played on a violin she made for herself. Her first number was a classical arrangement by Johannes Sebastian Bach. It was representative of the 1700s, a combination of classical and church music.

Another selection was entitled “Si Bheag, Si Mhor,” a beautiful 17th century Irish air, usually played simply and leisurely, somewhat like a waltz. It is attributed to Turbough O’Carolan, a blind harpist and singer, considered by many to be one of Ireland’s greatest composers. The title means “So Big, So Small,” and seems to have some relationship to legends about the hills that were home to mythical fairies. Having spent three months in England at age eleven, Bronwen was inspired by folk tunes from English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and Celtic origins.

Bronwen added what she called a “fun selection” (a dance) from Spanish origin. It was lively, and she said she often played it at parties or when friends get together.

“The Orange Blossom Special” was her next piece, a classic American tune. The Orange Blossom Special was a deluxe passenger train on Seaboard Air Lines Railways. It ran from New York City to Miami, Florida, but only during the winter months.  It was a standard bluegrass song, written in 1935 by Ervin Rouse. It was first recorded by Chubby Wise, then by Bill Monroe in 1942 and Johnny Cash in 1965. It was often referred to as “the fiddle player’s national anthem.” Bronwen’s version took some elements from each of these versions and then added some of her own elements.

The final number Bronwen played was “Love’s Sorrow,” written by Austrian American composer, Fritz Kreisler. Entitled Liebesleid, it is a set of three short pieces: “Love’s Joy,” “Love’s Sorrow,” and “Lovely Rosemary.” “Love’s Sorrow” is an emotional and remorseful piece in the waltz genre.

The title of Bronwen’s program came from a poem by Myra Brooks Welch. The poem tells of a battered, dusty old violin that is about to be sold as the last item at an auction for a pittance, until a violinist steps out of the audience and plays the instrument, demonstrating its beauty and true value. The violin then sells for $3,000 instead of a mere $3. What made the difference was the touch of the master’s hand. (The poem goes on to compare the violin to the life of a sinner that is touched by the hand of God). In this case, it is indeed Bronwen’s hand that makes the violin come alive.