New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-08
MUSIC.
ARTHUR FRIEDHEIM's RECTAL,

Herr Friedheim's second appearance bebre yev
York audience at recital In the smaller Dom Of tAs
new Music Hall yesterday afternoon adnnccd him
very considerably in the good opinion OF the mnSc
lovers Of the metropolis. That he has nov taken
place fully commensurate with the exalted .eputatou
which had preceded him cannot honestly be san
1t is no longer an easy matter to startle the New
York public with planoforte performance Mer,
feats OF mechanical dexterity will not do l. for /,
the technical department Of the art our pubic baya
had ample opportunities to study the most brilliant
achievements that modern virtuosi have exploded
In the Of those executive artists who haze won
the greatest OF admiration, moreover IL has
been observable that the element which was accepted
as conclusive intellectual or emotional rather
than mechanical. The fact Is interesting az cydsocs
OF the present status Of musical culture in the CON-
muDity. Had Herr Frledheim displayed The hghes. Al
tributes Of an executive musician ON tie occasion of
his concert In the Metropolitan opera House he woun
have introduced himself to public ,ndcr circum
stances that would have guaranteed him a most
brilliant triumph. As IL was, he disclosed first OF
all the limitations OF his abilities, ard when the on
portunity came for him 10 shine, his hearers vers
forced to observe that his talents have q trend
which can satisfy the demands Of a Neg-York audi
ence only In part.
That he was not at his best when le played Tho
Beethoven concerto last week obvious enough al
the time and IL emphasized by the superior manner
in which he played the same composers ad sonata yes
YESTERDAY Yet this sonata the fifteen variations the
theme which Beethoven loved well that ,fter invent
ing IL for his Promethels' ballet he twice REQUIRED to
IL lin the panofore piece In Eat played yesterday and
the finale OF the Heroic" symphony and IN the Chopin
numbers (preludes, studies and the B-miior sonata,
again forced the hearers to the conclusion that Herr
Friedhem is brilliant vlruosO rather than grea,
interpreter. From technical point OF view merely
one would have to be hypercTitcal to ma fault with
such splendid work as he put 10 his credit n these
COMPOSITIONS The sureness agility and strength u
finger which he displayed were stupendous and the
absence of all evidences Of physical exertlon was .
feature in which II must be said that Herr Fredhelns
eoua has net been seen here, at least not within hs
memory of those whose experience is bounded by the
last twenty years. If there had gone with this thos
other elements Of reposefuness which rest in period
exposition of the spiritual contents OF the eomposoi
there could have been disappointment In his plaf
ing. But for this the tone produced, though mag
ni6cenflv sOnorous was too cold and ursympathetic
the evidences OF Intellectual dissection Of striving ioi
architectural symmetry, were TOO OBVIOUS Ihe ae'
sence of cantabile style was 700 ma snsS !.
the phrasing too mechanical. frequehtiy
he would bewilder with a magnificent rusn, anu IN
music like his own transcription OF the overture 70
{" Tannhaeuser,S he would compel wonder that sucI
complexty OF tones could be produced by only Yea
fingers At such times he was in the element when IS
Lisztan virtuoso To appreciate what wonders can Dc
performed upon the pianoforte when sclntlahl sounus
harmonious thunderings and tOnal corrscatlons are
the aim at once Of the composer and performer one
must hear Friedheim. 49, - ,,,.... .s.o-