The New York herald., 1875-11-18
ADJUSTMENTS.
cHIcKERTNG HALL.-sEcoND APPEARANCE OF
HANS Won BUIow

! HANS Won BULow.
Dr' Hans Guido Won Bllow appeared for the second
time ast night before a New York audience in very
oinerent programme from that with which he In
auguTated the new hall on Monday even
ing. henselt, Chopin and List are so widely
uinorene IN their styles that selections
rom she'r works o. the evening must
prove severe test for versatility Of virtuoso
Inc orchestra body Of instrumenasts over forty in
number and conducted by DR. pamrosch onened .be
concert with Gucks overture "Iphgenia in Aulis"
tho same work given by Theodore Thomas
on Saturday night The short opening andaaLs
and the sturdy, Baoh-like aHegro showed
the strength Of the vioins the weakness OF
the ce and basses and the wayward nature Of the
horns and the reeds The concerto OF Henset was
looked forward TO with interest as ii Is work pre- en-
nently adapted to bring out the strong points Of
pianist OF such surprising digita power as
Bdow. The orchestra began the Introductory
"Ategro Patclco," the most emphatic and
brilliant number OF tho three movements
Two themes, apparently irreconcilable in character
and vet woven together with infinite art we're
brought forward Then the piano entered. going
the long orchestral introduction embellishing IL with
abundance of fantastic adornment, presenting the
two subjects in richer dress dainty little passages Of
thirds and sxhs embroiderng the motives and here the
pianist seemed TO revei in the fancilu imaginngs
Of the composer. few pages further, and amid the
storm of trpets for both hands the piano which
the orchestra Is supposed to carry itself with firm
ness and dignity, there were evident symptoms
of trepidation and \ want OF obedience to
the conductors baton The succeeding chorae,
"Rehgoso" which is thrown such
rich drapery Of piano passages, was charming per
formance The notes for the piano seemed TO fairly
sparkle beneath the inspired fingers OF Bulow and they
shone all the to advantage against the sombrc
background of the orchestra The second movement
tdrgheuo brought a very different style or playing
1
poetry began TO dawn in the breast fJf the
pianist for the first time since his arrival IN New
York. He dwelt caressingly every note OF the
beautiful theme and the whispers of fairies could
be delicate than his rendering OF those etheria
like passages that enveop the opening motive. Ex-
| ception might be taken to the tempo in which the
second part of this movement was taken.
| in accord with the metronomic marks in the score
However work of this kind calls for poetic
than o metronomic rendering. The last movement,
allegro Ggitato, wonderfully performed by the
pianist The orchestra failed here 60 give the
requisite expression and emphasis TO the glowing
measures OF the movement one could tell, without
reference to the score from the impatient manner of
the pianist and tho emphatic style in which he brought
down has hands on the keys, even in the passages
where the piano is supposed to DO SILENT that Of
the nstrumentlists not prompt enough for him.
The horns the reeds and the string basses were not
always responsive to Dr. Damroschs baton and they
spoiled somo Of the best effects in the brllllanat
finale OF the Henset concerto But the pianist
failed in the difficulties in technique and
| preston with which this movement abounds. The
heavily chorded runs sprang from the piano as clear
and ineligible il they portions a choral
| Each note and chord stood forth in bold relief,
the phrases glowing with artistic fire. the individuality
OF the artist regard to impetuosy being constantly
developed.
The orchestra then played the overture to "Mid
| summer Nights Dream, - by Mendessohn. the vions
doing their work admirably especially Messrs Mollen-
hauer chef dattdque, Reitf and Bernstein. Hans Won
| Bdow next played four works by Chopin, without
orchestra They we're, Nocturne In G. opus 81, Chant
Polonais Transcription by Liszt Berceuse and waltz
opus d. Won Bdow Is not TO be admired in his inter-
prctation OF Chopin. There is too much positivsm
about the man, too little Of the dreamer Rubin
stcin with all his faults as an interpreter
of classical works, and those faults consisted OF
the intrusion OF his individuality in his playing,
showed more real tenderness and accord with the deli
cacy Of Chopin than Won B1low hope TO attain
The ''Nocturne" played without law, far
technique and attention to the marks of expression
gwen in the concerned but destitute OF
tho spark Of poetry The "Chant Poonais" is
not particularly interesting as Chopin work.
even with the clever Transcription OF the
irrepressible Liszt 1t is the first OF a of SIX
works under the same title. The lovely 'Berceuse, =
which would think had been rst gwen to the world
by angelic chors the cradle OF Beth
lehem, did from the pianist the
tender, childlike treatment it deserved Few
piansts have lived who could interpret this
most delicate OF tone poems satlsiactorlys In the
waltz opus ~ the pianist was more successful but yet
pondcrous in style for the work Chopin IS a dan
gerous author for piano illustration unless the player IS
entirely 1led with the spirit OF poetry. yon BGow Is
not in accord with this spirit as far as Chopin rs con-
cerned.
But in the last work the bill Bdlow achieved a
decided triumph II was the ''Fantasie Hungroise''
of Lszt, orchestrated by B1low. Tho themes
of this work, believe, form tho ''Rhap-
sodio Hungroise' No H. which played
last summer ut Central Park Garden BY
Thomas orchestra There peculiar Hungarian
melodies, II call such eccentric measures melo-
dies and there is every opportunity given pianist
TO make sensational effect From Boston ex.
perence at the Blow concerts, and judging from the
magnificent manner which LsZt Interpreted
last night say with all confidence
that such player OF Liszt's piano compositions
appeared in America this artist, his pupil and SON
n-law The terrible difficulties which the plan
fingers at every phrase as childs play with
Bdlow. The fantastic measures mned with
the power Of musical Dore, electric sparks
seemed TO dance over tho keyboard OF the
piano. and above tho orfiSsmo Of the orchestra rang
those grand massive chords for the piano, the
player evidently feeling at home IN the work than
in the ethereal realms of Chopin II would be well
little Liszt introduced in the Buow
He is not poet but he is great virtuoso