New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-02-12
Mr.. Gottschalk's Concert.

The history OF 4 country Is more marked oy
the salient points OF individuals than the genius and
action of masses Not that the last the est inn
porsnt and ths. the CHEST hero is only tsle above
the universal plain that surrounds him, in the sans
way ths; the loftes, mountain peak is hardly line
above the level OF the whole earth but as history in
It's Little palm, only deal with such peaks the
highest points which irss catch the rays OF the SUM-
about to iumine the plain of the Masses the work OF
the rhetoricau, equally with the sculsior or painter
y with the individual man The subject Of our notice
Is one Of the peaks He is little above the plain OF
panotorte playing and yet that little IS the Alps Mr.
Gotschslk is empha,ically gres, artist We must
deal with him az an American IF We take him 70
Europe there is Listz and ThAberg and De Meyer and
other Lyrical nights, that compete with him in a,s,ude
But In a national point of view he stands above Who
compares with himl No one
Mr. Gotschslk ia a young man he has barely passed
his majority. He has figure OF moderate height;
face OF exgusitey marked senstiveness-of genius in
fact. You would never take him Tor Bull or Bear.
lie seems TO be made for bis art and his art for him
Nationally Waved he is new type. Neither the ideal
nor the actual neither Leatherstocking ror Franklin
Loag Tom Codin Davy Crockett appears to belong
to the hemisphere as the American Gottschalk.
who sits down to a grand Pdrisiss panoforte. and
nail pianoorte playing down to the developments of
Beethovens Sonatas. To go beyond that Is grand and
lofty tumblng and pyrotechnics But every thing is
comparative. The musical literature of the fifteenth
century execrstes such innovations bopeep and Sir
John Hawkins Is acrid - the last degree such profan
tiles as Haydns now innocent pisno-forte sonstas.
The world is divided into two classes those who
by the past in religion, politics. socialism and
art aud those that wish to widen the dominion. Mr..
Gottschslks playing by the Beethoven standard of
pianisa 1--WE speaking Of isms, not Of ideas) will
no, pass muster it Will be found TOO new.fashioned in
the same way, by Inversion, that Beethoven found No
zartis playing old fashioned But that is not the way
to look 81 Mr. Gotschslk Ii he can play more he can
play less. II he play the modern quartetcr four
distinct movements-he certainly can play the ultima
thule of old Sonstas the two classic treble and bass.
We had anticipated different style of performance
in young Gott5chSk we looked for peary srlls daz
zling rapidly but did not expect such massive
left hand such facility Tor hurng chords Of separ
ate octaves in one, and thus 0rcAesratiag the piano
This instrument is defcientunlike the violin, it has
neither continuity grsdaOn OF tone. As the note
first struck so ress IT, and II eyanescence Is the qun
tessence Of sorrow It's sounds all jeremiads tor
they are 10 sooner struck than gone But then the
other hand while the violin gives ouy single notes or
a few bald chords the piano mimcs the orchestra in
harmonic combinations Now here occurs the question
What evolves tie most needful ism of the instru
ment Surely thatwhich supplies by the compromising
principle the want of continuity OF sound in rendering
the phenomena Of seven octsves one by rapid per.
Torrance, and producing quasi system OF harmonics
by such means.
The philosophy Of modern pianoplaying ia therefore
based the deficiency of the instrument and not the
mere desire Of display-eyen assuming that word to
have fixed and not relative meaning.
We deem these somewhat abstract remarks more
important IN introducing Mr. Gottschalk 20 our readers
than special tributes TO his pieces HIS apparaion Is
matter Of history. may touch tangible interests
vulgary viewed but still 10 is potential Il shows
young American. seconded by the ordinary advantages
OF competence and social position, who has gone out
Of the dry stereoypism OF law, medicine, theology,
trade or politics and entered into lyrical art-into
lanoForte plnyIng-and public pian0-iorte playing
for the love and yeneraon which he bears the Eternal
Spirit Of the Beautiful.
We trust we are not transcendetal. We simply
mean 20 be matter oifact We wish 10 hold up Mr..
GotEchalk splendid artistic model of originality
enthusiasm, devotion, triumph As for the catalogue
Of the pieces which he played-that is Of small
He has rendered bis rank indsputably great in thte
opinion Of every one who heard him and in the lyh
csl history Of the country he Is one Of the medals
placed in the corner stone.
If we must signalize any one his peces-his Gre
ole melodies are admirably beautiful. The duet $50
ably seconded by Mr. Richard hoffman, was excessively
brilliant and loudly redemanded.
Madame De Vres sang with due applause and our
quondam English tenor, Frazer again appeared after
& long absence and gave agreeable taste of that
native quality Of tone