Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-08
A YOUTHFUL PRODIGY.
Nnster Otto Hegner and His Wonderful
Musical Abilities-A Large Audience
surprised-His Marvellous Execution of
lie SnIo

U0ster Ott0 Hegner anu Ills "OnuerIul
Musical Abilities-A Large Audience
surprised-His Marvellous Execution of
Difficult Selections.
Within the past few seasons musical centers
in Europe and America have been aroused to
an extraordinary degree over the piano playing
of two boys possessed of talents so precocious
as to be quite generally compared only with
each other and with Mozart. Jozio Hoffman,.
who came first to this country and created an
unprecedented sensation, was booked for Pitts
burg, but could not get away long enough from
the clamorous crowds on the seaboard. Otto
Hegner who came second and of course could
not make the same popular sensation,
but whom many of the best critics con-
slider the musical superior of his Polish
rival. has at last come here to show us
of what stnf these century-plant prodigies are
made. The goodly audience gathered in Old
City Hall last evening evidently appreciated to
the full the eXemplif1cation of prodigy-playing
given by the little Swiss lad, who presented,
with the assistance of Miss Mamie Reuck, the
following programmes:
Otto Hegner.
2-Niolin-Seventh Concerto. ...........De Berlot
Miss NJ. Reuck
3-Grand Polonaise-Op. -. 22............... Chopin
Otto Hegner.
Miss III. Renck.
(a) Rondo Capriccioso, op. IA. Mendelssohn
r. i(b) Sp1nnerlied (Flylng Dutchman).
(c) Valse Caprice. .Rubinstein
GA theme or air Suggested by anyone present
will, viii be .e,d taken n up aud developed Into beau
Otto Hegner.
In listening to this graceful boys playing you
are quickly led to forget the impression left by
the whole brood of callow fledglings that have
been palmed off hitherto as pianistc prodigies;
presently you have to rub your eyes and pinch
yourself to be assured that it is in sober verify
mere boy clearly not older than the 13 years
admitted, who sits there making that grand
piano eloquent with the voices of the masters.
On the authority of several connoisSeurs
present from the beginning. it can be said that
the Beethoven senate received a smooth and
surprisingly mature Interpretation, one enthu-
siaSt even saying that he really preferred Heg
ner's conception of the work to that of Eugene
D'Albert, who played it here some weeks ago.
In the Chopin polonaise there was a too great
eccentricity of movement and a tendency to
slide all too nimbly over detached phrases here
and there; but op the other hand. there was
remarkable vim and dash in it, combined with
a rare degree of delicacY and tinish The final
passage work was taken at a lightning pace,
and with all the dazzling distinctness Of the
lightning's flash.
The group of three pieces was well nigh
faultless in execution. To search out faults in
them would be like scanning the sun for spots.
the scherzo part of Mendelssohn's rondo; its
reposeful introduction, also. was beautifully
played, the pure, full tone of the melody being
especially notable from such tiny fingers.
Perhaps the most nearly perfect number of
the evening was the familiar Wagner-LisZt
'Spinuerlied." Its normal tempo was breath
lessly rapid, giving fine display of the lads
technique in that direction; and yet there was
an easy, wanton swaying in the movement that
well avoided the music-box style. A better per-
formance of this piece could not be asked. The
Rubinstein waltz was given with electrifying
energy and abandon, without for an instant
losing control of its entire content; the inner
voices are not often SO well brought out.
Mr.. Cuttings then announced that an original
theme just handed up by Mr.. Ad NJ. Forester
would be first taken as The subject for extern
porization. 1t was diabolically knotty theme
of two measures in F minor, q time synco-
pated and ending abruptly on the point of a
rather remote modulation. For any player to
be able at all to retain such theme
through the course of extemporization
implies a large degree of musical
talent While certain stereotyped cadenzas
and passages were freely used, that boys i'm
provsation on that theme was more free and
sustained than one had any right to expect
The air Of the "Suwanee Ribber' was then
taken up and handled by little Hegner with
surprising variety and conference.
*#x
Miss Mamie Reuck quite surpassed herself
on this occasion; her increased freedom and
mastery of style betrayed faithful study. The
andante of the concerto and the lovely cavatina
were simply exquisitely played, arousing the
audience to enthusiasm.
Arrangements have been hastily made where
by little Hegner will be heard at matinee at
Old City Hall this afternoon, playing Beetho-
ven's senate, OPP. 80, a MS. Toccata of his own,
and compositions by Chopin, GODDARD and Liszt.
Mr.. Harry B. Brockett will assist. 9. W. 8.