New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-27
OTTO HEGNERS FIRST CONCERT.

Another time will be filter than the present for an
attempt TO discuss in detail the gifts and requirements
Of Otto Hegner, the lad whose precocity As piano
forte player is to be exploited this season In series
of concerts under the management OF Messrs. Henry
Z. Abbey and Maurice Grau. The first concert of
this series took place at Metropolitan Opera House
last night under circumstances which, as such things
go, may be down suspicious for the success Oh
the enterprise. There. good deal that was per
functory in the music of the evening, some, TOO that
was meretricous and unworthy OF the standard which
for the good OF art and the advance
ment of popular taste ought 20 be maintained
in musical entertainments employing so d'gnihed an
apparatus as Mr. Abbey called into play on this oc-
cason but the fact that the boys playing can be
deemed worthy Of serious consideration may be
taken as an earnest of its extraordinary character
1t was certainly in all respects the most notable
achievement of the evening Notwithstanding that
Mrs Pemberton Hincks sang number of songs and
a CAPABLE orchestra under Mr. Walter DamTosch played
two ovcrtures of universally conceded beauty ana
artistic value We omit in this marShalling of the
concerts features the playing OF movement rom
a quintet by Mayseder by the Mcndelssohn Quintet
Club of Boston for the sufficient reason that
neither the concertroom nor the occasion were cal
culaed to make such performance appear judiciouS
This must be read without prejudice TO the club for
there was much that was commendable In It's playing
But chamber music its name implies, Is for the
few and not for the many, for tho small room, not
for the mammoth hall.
A splendid audience gaced the occasion and re
varded the features of the entertainment in which
the elements Of individual interest might enter with
much applause. 1t seemed indscrminate at first 50
far as the prodgy's playing was con
cerned but grew In sincerity, heartiness and 1u-
diciousness 40 the evening wore on. II
remained indiscriminae and neXplicable artistic
grounds so far the singing Of Mrs. Hincks Is
concerned. The lady has introduced specially
into our concert rooms-popuar songs Of the French,
Spanish and Creole types Ii is not large style,
and its ultimate popularity in our cOEcert-rooms
NAV be questioned, but such "a It Is, Mrs. Hincks
evidently has high appreciation of 1t. and devotes
herself to it with cOmmendable carncstncss. Her
voice is not pleasing, but It is flexible, and though
she sings as If her objective point in each case was
the last note of tho song and exhibits but modcum
of sentiment, she yet displays rcpose-
fulIness and case that are agreeable
As for the desiccated Accomplishments TO which she
sings the less said the better
Young Hegner played first ChOpin's concerto IN y
minor. and later three solo pieces. Mendelssohn'
" Rondo CapricciOsO,r LisZt's transcription OF the
Spinning Song from Wagner's " FLYING Duchman,' and
Rubnstein's NalSc Caprice. The list will serve 10
indicate the tendency of the lads talent lie Is
incipent virto>o. and his playing of the Nalse caprice
in particular astounding in its mechanical feat lures
II aroused the most spontaneous and hearty applause
of the evening and deserved ii. Young Hegncrs
second will take place next Tuesday afternoon
in the Broadway Theatre