Váša Příhoda

Váša Příhoda (22 August 1900 – 26 July 1960) was a famous Czech violinist known for the perfection of his technique and the beauty of his tone. He was considered a Paganini specialist, and his recording of the Violin Concerto in A minor by Dvořák is still very highly praised. His artistry was controversial, and tended to polarise listeners. He was also a minor composer.

Váša Příhoda was born in Vodňany in 1900. His father, Alois Příhoda, was his first teacher and remained so for ten years. Váša Příhoda studied privately with Jan Mařák (a student of Otakar Ševčík), making his first public concert at age 13, playing the 4th Violin Concerto by Mozart. At age 19 a tour of Italy proved unsuccessful; poverty-stricken, he joined the orchestra of the Café Grand’Italia in Milan to earn money. There he was heard by chance by Arturo Toscanini, who arranged a benefit concert for him. He then resumed his Italian tour, this time to great success. He was said to have been given Niccolò Paganini's own violin on which to play. He toured Brazil and the United States in 1920, and the USA again in 1921. He once shared the stage of the Royal Albert Hall with Pablo Casals, but the pairing was considered unfortunate. Příhoda concertized extensively all over the world and made a number of recordings when the industry was in its infancy. Unfortunately, some of his recordings were not well-produced so the sound quality is poor. He played in the U.S. many times and was greatly admired for his style, dazzling technique, and finesse. Critics have suggested that Heifetz was jealous of him.

He married the violinist Alma Rosé in 1930, but they divorced in March 1935 in Czechoslovakia. The circumstances of this have been controversial; it has been claimed that he divorced her for opportunistic reasons, she being Jewish in an increasingly anti-semitic environment, and to remain with her would have been detrimental to his career. But this theory is belied by the fact that his second wife was also Jewish.

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