The New York herald., 1876-11-18
itary science and tactics at the Pennsylvania College,
Centre county, Pennsylvania, 10 sako effect upon the
return OF the Powder River expedition.
AMUSEM ENTS.
srEINwAY HALL--MADAME ANNETTE EssI-
POFF.


Tho most remarkable exhibition Of piano playing
evening that furnished last night at Steinway Hall
by Nine. Essipof, tho Russian pianist IL was
Titanic effort and yet successful Three con-
certos, tho major OF beethoven, the brilliant
work OF Henset and the minor Of Mendelssohn,
all In one evening, and all played by lady
scarcely twcntyfour years of age and suffering from
sore finger which has been pouluccd and bandaged tor
week past, form programme that few pianisis. on
either side OF the Atlantic would caro- TO attempt
Tho fourth concerto OF Beethoven is not grateful
work for pianist, as the orchestra has moro TO do
with IL than the piano There are, how
ever, In IT, for tho pianist, technical difficult
ties OF tho most cxasperatng kind, which only be
overcome by great artist Madame EsslpoG COM
menccd tho first movement, Allegro Aoderato with
far delicate Interpretation than that given II
by Won Bnlow. Tho latter played tho first chordcd
measures II they formed trumpet CALL despite the
dolce mark OF expression assigned 10 them ON the
score. Madame Esspon's fingers dropped
them hessatngly and yet hngcrngly as it were,
with womanly difiidencc After long orchestral
interludc, ana here Mr.. Schhe,z his band did tho
composer and themselves fu justice the piano came
in in boder and decisive form. Certain pecu-
liaritics OF style OF playing betrayed themselves in
Nine. Essipon's Interpretation OF tho first movement
OF the Beethoven concerto Ono was IN striking
chords en- drpeggio, but in manner that gave nm
indcscr.babc charm 10 notes that in other hands
have been colorlcss. Another Characteristic the
constant variety OF tone produced from The piano by
the mobile touch OF the artist thereby presenting the
same thcmc several times in Il different tonic !ignt at
each repetition. is the result oil genius alone when
performer on single instrument can give
Kaleidoscope view OF one meodic figure. some
writer's speak OF Rubinstein as an orchestral player
the piano. BY this expression, We presume,
they alude ony to his massive method OF playing-his
Tondcrous style-in works that call r breadth OF one
rather than expression. But real orchestral piano
playing means the quality OF Initiating tho shades OF
tones that the various instruments OF the orchestra
possess When you hear the oboe. tho violin, the
horn initiated with marvellous skill BY the fingers OF
pianist, then you arc IN 'he presence OF
not give such q talisman Of artistic power. 1t
is the gilt the good fairy that In Oriental literature
rresdcs over tho cradle OF tho young artist Nine.
EsspoT possesses such taisnan, amt IL enabled her
last night to give such insight into tho depths OF
the music OF Beethoven has seldom been vouohsacd
hands. thirds and sixths, which have generally been
regarded simply technical wonders, received
new interest," At ner hands lney mere ,. ns.ins. with
Played to perfection Then came tho brilliant con-
cerio OF Adolph Hcnseit, associated heretofore with
the names OF Mason Pctcrsiica and Won Buow.
Mme EssipoG gave 1t a new reading-so beautiful SO
grand, one might say. representing the union
OF the epic poem and the idyi, that 1t may
IN such light before in an American concert hail. Tho
tremendous difficulties in technique with which 1t Is
that sped the keyboard like Aric In Of her
Prospero missions The tempo rubdto, literally used
Oy Nine ESsipoH, gave an entrely uiHcrcn character
to the Introductory AHegr0 fdfeco to that which
have been accustomed TO associate with It.
The chorale, massive and fiery, with its long drawn
drpegg, caboratey wrought framework, revealed
degree OF digal and wrist power that may bo looked
for in from Other piansts Yet with such strain
upon her powers there was no symptoms
OF weakness in the rendering ol Nine. Essi-
pon. Sempre fortissimo is not idle
mark Of expression for her. 1t may be
said OF her playing, "Vires dcquirit eund,.n Tho
lovely movement. Larghctto, which alone would make
the Henselt concerto tone poem second to none In
the wide domain OF musical literature. was sung by
tho pianist, every note roplee with expression. Tho
finale like tho rush OF white squall,
on tho Mediterranean the passage OF tornado over
a Western prairie The Mcndelssohn concerto
Of those works that will live forever tie memory Of
pianists Coming from man that would imagine
each ivory key word color, flower,
.sthe originator OF those many-voccd ara
besques that sometimes sound indeed like
arabesqucs, and that sometimes look like prismatic
pictures. like flower earlands," the work Is
iractivc Nine Esspolr made another grand triumph
in this concerto. NJ. Alfred virrcn, the vion,st,
played Primes "Fnntasic Pastoralo" and WORK by
himself, with Mr.. Ferdinand Ducken's piano accom-
panimcnL Nine. Essipon gives matinee to-day.