New-York tribune., 1876-11-22
MUSIC.
NINE. EssIPOFFs SECOND MATINEE.

There is strange charm about Nine. Essi-
pofs playing which it is impossible to define, even to
grasp 1t does lie much in the perfection OF her
technique although there keen enjoyment TO be de-
rived Of absolute security which one has
with such playing hers the feeling that, no matter
what demands the music may make on her fingers,
everything will go with the smoothness of a perfectly
constructed machine Nor is It, either, tho animal
pleasure which derives from hearing thing done,
whether by voice instrument with absolute perfec-
ton IT is not great nellectuatty-the taent that Ike
Won BiilOws deliberately studies out the character OF
each work, makes its rendering wholly symmetrical,
with each part depending closely each other and nd
heres strictly this all occasions, with slight varia-
tion making work wholly satisfactory to the head yet
which to the heart may leave something wanting. Nor
ia the overwhelming genius Of Rubinsten, who in the
effort produce great Effects too often careless OF
the that he employed who through careessness
committed faults that all the power OF his genius was
needed to palate 1t is Of these, yet 1t comes In
part from all OF them. There is much of the intellect OF
Won Biilow much OF the inspiration of Rubinsten. and
technique wholly her own. Yet besides all this there
is some vague intangible charm, which, when
we try TO il and transfer it to paper fairly escapes
us; charm coming perhaps from her very womanness
or some lovely hidden quality of her nature always dim
and underlined yet always present and felt
At the matinee yesterday afternoon Nine Essipof In
terpreted the following programme:
Sonata (Op 53) 3)....-............-.-....Bee Beethoven
snci5SSmnnen. ..-......-...............schuman
Gavotte.
aS' SS,.si &S.s@Es'' -,.--,.-,,,,..~cAopin Chopin
RhapsOdie, No. List
We had yesterday for the first time opportunity OF
iudgng of Mime. Esspofrs powers interpreter of
Beethoven the concerto Friday evening she had
so much contend against IN the orchestra that accom-
panied her that would have been extremely unfair to
form an opinion on that performance. Yesterday the
case was different she had nothing TO interfere with
herr she could select work with which she felt herself
wholly in sympathy She certainly did select one to
which her peculiar style of playing was admirably
suited And the result on the whole. satisfactory
1t did show the scholarly habits OF thought OF Won
Bow; she did not like him sink herself completely IN
the work. that she made feel that 1t was not she
who was playing Beethoven who playing through
her, as Won Biow had the gift Of doing Nor did she,
like Rubinstein. seize the work and make 1t
part Of herself forcing all her individuality upon IT,
another thing from these There were tender sent
ment and elegant fancy life and warmth correctness OF
intention, and it Is needless to faultess rendering
1t was not perhaps startlingly great Interpretation,
but it wholly and entirely satisfactory one-one
which gave so much and promised so much more for
what we shall hear il she plays others OF Beethovens
works. that there was for disappointment And
more, it stimulated curiosity and has made US only
more anxious hear her further in the works OF the
great master Quite different affair was her PLAYING OF
at her in still different There Is an Ihnity
OF grace and poetry in them TO which she gave the f
est expression. and the Raft Gavote" was no less
good There is about 1t strong flavor OF the OLD schoo
Of piano compositions, of Bach and Haydn and Scarlat
and with this school Nine. EsspOf is in sympathy
strangely complete II consider the perfectness OF
her renderngs of Chopin, who is the very opposite OF IL
in every way, both in form and feeling she gave the
Chopin selections yesterday in manner that was be-
yond all praise, and secured number OF recalls so
warm and enthusiastic that she finally Acknowledged
them by playing as an encore the "Aouettes" OF NJ
Leschetizky. The brilliant RhapsOdie Bongroise, NO B.
with its semi barbarc themes its mdness and richness
of cooring gave opportunity for superb exhibition
of power and briancy utterly in contrast with oil that
had gone before.
Nine Essipof had the assistance OF Mile. Reber
young lady with fairly agreeable mezzosoprano voice.
which she seems unwisey endeavoring 10 make into
soprano, who sang Meyerbeer's "Ah! mon fills" and
"she wandered down the mountain-sde" by Clay. The
latter seemed especially out OF place in such concert
NJ. Vyien played Vieutemps's Fantasie Caprice" ana
Wieniawskis Polonaise. He continues steadily 10 i'm
prove the excellent Impression which he first created