Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06
THE MUSIC WORLD.
Otto Hegner Enthusiastically We'll
coined on His Second Visit.
FEATURES OF HIS PERFORMANCE.
The Events That Will Round Out the Pleas
ures Of the Season.
EATURES OF HIS PERFORMANCE.
STRAUSS AND HIS DANCE ORCHESTRA

his mettle In his two recltals here las
month, was welcomed back to Pittsburg OF
Thursday evening by an audience we'll rep
resenting our best citizens and comfortably
filling Old City Hall. An exceptional
success for piano recital was this. An
other proof that our public. while too busy
to keep thoroughly posted in musical mat
tiers merely of general interest, is always
ready to give the most generous patronage
to any musical attraction that comes and
proves its merit to be within speaking dis.
tance Of its advance notes. The programme
1. Piano solo-sonate, op. 10. No. Beethoven
Otto Hegner.
2. Violin solo-Lesende Wieniawski
8. Plano solo-Concerto, z. Moll......--... Chopin
Otto Hegner.
(Second piano. Mr. Gittiugs.)
q Violin solo-(a.) Serensta. Moszkowski
o. Polish Dance. " ieniavski
Miss Mamie Reuck.
6. Piano solo-(s.) Chant Polouaise. .ChopIn-Liszt
(Man Lebt nur Einmal. J. .Strauss-Tausig
Otto Hegner.
Q. Improvisation on theme given by any one
present.. ..................'......Otto heghef
The diminutive Schweitzer completely
captlvated this large audience, as he already
had done the smaller ones. His bonny
bright face and unaffected manners, grace
full yet boyish and impulsive largely enhance
the charm of his work. He really needs no
adventitious aid of this kind, however; one can
fully enjoy his playing with ones eyes shut.
A certain youthful impetuosity in the BOYS
playing can stand pruning down a bit-especi-
ally in such compositions as the Beethoven
Sonata. Experience and growth will inevi-
tably bring about the pruning process; they
could not, however, create the ardent musical
soul that causes the excessive impetuosity. The
would Corresponding deficiency
AS it is. the boy never loses
the upper hand over himself. Take, for in
stance, the breathless, thrilling climax toward
the close of the Strauss-Tauslg waltz, where
the little player compelled forgetfulness of his
size and age and piled effect upon effect until
it seemed tnat the slightest added strain must
make something give way-yet, how deftly and
readily he came back into the graceful, easy
flowing theme, all unflurried by the tempestu-
GUS efforts of the moment previous,
The Chopin concerto was made the vehicle,
not merely for a brilliant technical display. but
for a surprising degree of maturity in concep-
tion, of refinement IN phrasing and of virIlity
in spirit The rich singing tone. and broad free
delivery OF the cantabile passages contrasted
well with the lightness and grace of the pecu-
liarly Chopinesqus ornamentation. and these
in turn with the glowing climaXes of tone and
feeling. This concerto, more than most can
stand the substitution of a second piano for
the orchestra Instrumentation was not among
Chopiu's strong points) and so it was possible
for Mr.. Jos II. Cuttings to render assistance of
exceptional effectiveness, in spite of the ILL
solo part. While there might be serious
question to the art value of the
little lads improvisations-or even as to
their probable commercial value if taken
down and submitted for publication it was,
nevertheless, very interesting to hear him
rhapsodlze upon the theme given by Mr.. Ret
ter and the familiar tune played over by Mr.
Cuttings. improvisation in concert is permissi-
ble to but three classes of players: To the
genius, who is above law; to the prodigy whose
infancy makes him an exception to the law,
and to the organist without a repertoire,
who is an outlaw. Otto Hegner, being
of the second of these classes
is in his extemporlzing capacity not legiti-
mate subject for criticism according to the
laws of musical form. Miss Mamie Reuck re-
peated her tr1umphs of the former Hegner
recitals. Her Interpretation of the two Wein-
iawski compositions lacked no essentials while
II possessed many graces and beauties. She
shows fine artistic sensibilities in all she does
and steadily gains in poise ard power A pro-
test must be made, however, against taking
Mosgkowskfs lovely little serenata at SO slow
pace.
The usual plethora Of musical events begins
to loom up for the closing months of the sea-
son. Itis genuine pity for us that the supe-
Tior attractions of the great musical centers
hold all the best music-makers there for the
best part of each season and then at its fac end
let them all troop forth with a rush to enguIf
the less favored towns. 1t is either
feast or famine with us. We can't know the
comfortsland benefits of having good. square
meals of music in regular constant succession.
However most people prefer gorging to starv-
ing. If compelled to choose. Our feast begins
one may say with DR.. Hans Won Bulow's
recital on the 18th of this month. That
and the Mozart Clubs pair of concerts with
the Boston symphony Orchestra, form the
pieces de resistance from the muslcIan's point
of view. Excellent entrees on this bill of fare
viii be the two concerts of the Allegheny Musi-
cal Association and the proposed concert of Mr.
Amos Writings Handel Society," Both of these
will enlist thesaid of prominent soloists vocal
and instrumental, besides the choral features
Lastly come the sweet-meats in the shape of
EloUard Strauss with his famous Niennese
danCe-orchestra, and our own Patrick SarsfieId
Gilmore with his deservedly popular brassband
Is I not a varied feast? He who cannot find
something to his taste on that menu must be
other than the oft-named man that hath
no music in his sour'-which by the wav, is
not the way Shakespeare named him.
~
Those sordid musical tradesmeu in New
York have again within the past few days flung
out their "know-nothing'' banner and raised
an outcry against the coming of Strauss and
and his orchestra. 1t will be violation of the
alien contract labor law, they righteously de.
clare.
Taey did not discover this putative infra ction
of that most ludicrously abortive law until the
Strauss Orchestra got the engagement to omen
the new Amphitheater in New York and two
or three other plums they sighed for. Now
however, for the sake of the few paltrv dollars
ahead of their noses, these short-sighted
players set themselves against one of
the essential elements to the musical
progress upon which their own interests di-
rectly depend The free and frequent com
ing to our shores of good singers and PLAYERS
IN all lines of musical work is still-desnite our
artistic growth. Of all people who should well
come such tour as that contemplated by
Strauss, those who are engaged in the same
lines Of work are the very ones
a hpuirar ri rNla 4oS rhoA @1,o
of that orchestra are not artists in
the truest meaning of the word If
the whole band performs an art-work
in an artistic manner (Which bevond Question
1t does). then every person in it is entitled
0r1nlG fdcte to be termed an artist. He GER
taInly is an artist. If he be fully competent to
form component part of that artistic whole;
and il is folly to suppose that inconpetent men
would be brought several thousand miles to
run the gauntlet of the American critics and
Custom House to boot.
An artist" does not mean only soloist. As
a matter OF fact many soloist of Some note
has iuartistic habits to which the ac
may accommodate himself. but
which would be absolutely ruipous to
effective ensemble work. He who can do the
latter is very often better artist than he who
can get up and play solo where the composer
as well as the audience. is at his mercy
You might as well say that Marshall P
Wilder, who entertains a roomful all by him.
self, is a greater artist than Edwin Booth. wbo
takes pride in bringing himself as a single
factor, into perfect harmony with all the
others that 90 to make up a great dramatic
scene.
IS
1t is regretted that lack of space this morn.
ng prevents the printing of the numerous
Easter church programmes sent in to The
DISPATCH for publication.
1t is certainly very pretty custom that
brings the richest and brightest sacred music
he gladdest festival of the church wear and
he most buoyant of the seasons all in together.
The recent awakening in the line of organ
music in our town already is bearing fruit in
he general betterment of church music. |
Not that the Easter programmes them
selves show much if any, improve
nent They always did look well-on |
PAPER. But the increased salaries lately con- |
racted for and a variety of other signs evidence
he fact more and more attention is being paid |
oy the church authorities and congregations to |