, 1881-05-22


On Friday evening last Il coacert Of unusual
interest took pllce 1T Hershey Music Hail, OH
which occasion Frederick Archer and Constan-
tin Sgernberg made tneir dehu! before Il Chicago
audience. Though the uudteilec was not large.
it u1t1e up IN enthusiasm what IT lucked III
uumbrrs, being principally composed OF people
who were capable Ut uppreciatius the playing
OF the Two artists. Mr. Archer opened the e1l-
1cs,uInuent with performance nf kossini's
.Wlls.ul Icll' overture upon tho organ. This
ives given with great spirit aud remark Bile tech
,lcAl facility, which showed most prominently
IN the rapid and intricate Passages III which tll!s
wtrk :llt,utlls Tile orchestral effects End cuur-
lg vi tuu original were reproduced with rare
fidelity, and rrodueela profound impression.
HIS second ,uinher was Il Prelude anu fuEue by
H;:ca LII this hl$ registration E;tS quite unusual,
ucin.. very varied, and quite in accordance with
the modern school at Or Eau writing. Both his
manual and pedal work were very clean aud even,
aud characterized by An entire absence Ut any
"G,,vottc,'' by \. Tau:nas. he produced some
charming effects of light and sha,l". sl9ld his
clear. crisp technique added much 10 the gen
er.al effect Da;'ste's - Allegro " il } minor w.s
nsochartnugly ,layeti. and displayed his remark
able abilities To 'tIe. advantage. rs IN encore
e 4.ave Batistes oucrsore i'll &. III which we'll
worn piece he produced SOME quite new ami
characteristic eEect$. HIS fingers IRE b{ uu-
usual length, which enable him to employ tho
thumb npnn ulnuG!, carry!ng Il melody
Will. the fingers Of the same hu1't1 play all ac-
compartment ul,t,u another. with much greater
facility than Is the case with nrG:snists i'll gen
crns, method Of pa; lu- of whlc: he frequently
nvai!S himself. Ills playing is always brilliant
il: the extreme. and sie IS c1M!nc1!tiy though
lc.it.n.te!y1 sensational. He certniny proved
.;is right to rll.lk ulUns the ulOSt eminent Or
EaIiSts nf the present day.
Mr. StevEh"st.'s playing WAS 4 surprise. Nnlis'
not possessed Ut 81, great IL technique us soine
concert lianisss Wit, have visited US he Is eni-
ncn,y musical, and his technique is sutticaelstly
great for ul really musical purposes. He seems
rather IL seek tn gain his audience hy the pure
ly musical worth ut bis interpretations thnl by
the qualities Of musical ucs1>bat. Ill this 1t Is
,ntst fegvcnty to be ho?cd thar be may find
more ilnitnt0rs than seems to bc tic case at
present. Only then eau the piano take tho high
place IN our concert rooms wnIc1 10y right be-
longs To it. Especially easy aud uncoustrasne,l
WIS the action q; bis wrist, which was admir-
,hle III its Freedom ut aGllcn. HE possesses great
power. u1l1 p:s;dlccs II singing tunc Ot almost
peerless beauty III the sustained passnEcs, eS-
pec;nlly III tho dclicl1e phrases of the
cciTed aud twice eneored, responding both
times.
Miss Frost failed to .lo Justice to her selections
and was co!diy received. In the Schubert songs
she showed M exaspcrntinE lack Of underst and
ing both OF ,ho intellectual and musical re-
nuiremen1s of the works, and her other numbers
were not much better. II Is difficult IL con-
cciye Of !: mere co!oricss and Inonotouous rem
GilOn OF that lrnnt!c song. - Margaret ut the
Spinning Wheel" than the one with which she
presented US.
Yesterday afternoon a matinee was given.
Mr. Archer played Mcndclssnhns Sonata No !.
au 4tndante nE1 Concert Eugie Of his own, nlld
one Of Haistc's" St Cecie" Oifcrtoires. instead
OF the tSeinirnnlidr" overture originally un-
nounce!. I'M r,nstcriy manner. and winning the
highest tokens Ut appreciation from his audience.
DIR. Stcrnherg emphasized the excellent itl-
preston which he n,nde the previous evening,
| playing i'll I'LL extremely warm and sympathetic
inanucr. 1t is tn be regretted that these TWO
great artists do not make longer stny, and we
hope for the pleasure Of hearing them next sea-