The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-03-01
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
Paderewski.

old Polish family whose homeis in Podo-
lin, province of Russian Poland where
he was born in 1860 He inherited his
musical talent from his mother. ! At
three years of age he, stole to the piano
to touch the keys and listen Says Fanny
Morris Smith in her sketch of his life); at
six, he began to study music taught by
travelling fiddler who gave lessons on
the piano. The boy knew the pitch of
every sound he heard. When twelve
years old he studied at the Warsaw Con-
servatory. At sixteen he made tour
through Russia and played his own COM
positions. At nineteen he married and
was a widower at twenty. Then, with
hope crushed out of him, Paderewski
threw himself into music with all his
soul. He studied composition with
Kiel. AT twenty-three he was professor
at Strasburg Conservatory. In 1886,
resolving to become virtuoso, he sought
Leschetitzky to whom he ascribes ''his
finish, security and virtuosity.'' In 1890
he appeared in Paris and electrified the
musical public, and in 1891 London was
at his feet. Such is brief sketch of this
wonderful man.
1t was a magnificent audience that
gathered in City Hall last evening to
greet this Polish pianist. As soon as he
made his appearance upon the stage, the
audience broke into wave of applause,
which the pianist gracefully acknowl-
edged and then seated himself at the in
strument. From the beginning to the
end of the programme that great as
semblage sat almost spell-bound.
So much has been written about Pad
erewski that every one, probably, OF his
auditors last evening was familiar with
his methods and his Interpretation of the
composers who graced the programme,
"a programme that included Beethoven,
Schumann, Schubert, List, Chopin, and
two compositions by the performer. All
expected to find in Paderewski the quail
ties which have been attributed to him,
strength and beauty, manliness and grace,
the taste of a poet, the phrasing of a
composer. But when to all there were
added fire, brilliancy, grandeur, a mar
vellous use of the pedals, a series of
mechanical effects that were constant
surprises, then one felt he was in the
presence of genius, and was swayed at
will by the artist as if under hypnotic
influences. In the grand Beethoven So
nata, opus So, the artists Interpretation,
while it might be open to criticism from
the critics who have been brought up to
the belief that there is but one way
in which the great masters works should
be played, was instinct with the poetry,
the beauty of tone, the gentleness, gran
deur and tenderness of the composer.
These sonatas are replete with profound
significance; they represent Beethoven's
entire artistic development They por-.
tray the loftier emotions and expert
ences, mental conflict and triumph in
we'll defined forms and present to the
listener imagination not only particular
moods and phases of feeling, but an en-
tire psychological development and pro-
gress.
But it was in the Schumann and
Chopin selections that the artist was
heard to the best advantage. He is es-
sentially aromantic player and his poetic
personality is most at home in their COM
positions. 1t is especially in Chopins
works that his melancholy pathos finds
admirable expression. In the ualse last
night he played with SO much delicacy
and expression, with such velvety
touch that the audience begged for an
encore, which they got, and when he had
finished his own charming little minuet,
the assemblage demanded its repetition
and got it. In Schumann's "Papillons''
what delicious tones, what delightful
melody, and what airy grace he evoked
from his instrument, and with what
spirit and fire he interpreted the Liszt
Hungarian rhapsody.
This afternoon the hall will again be
crowded by the visitors from all over the
state to listen to Paderewski's last con-
cert.
Dixey.
1t seems superfuous to call attention
to the merits of so well known and
popular comedian as Henry E. Dixey.
He won international comment by his
performance of Adonis, and since then
in 1.-The Man with Hundred Heads,'
''Seven Ages and 'The Solicitor has
drawn packed houses all over the United
States 1t is in the curtain raiser "a
Tangled Skein." and "The Solicitor
supported by Charles Froham's great
New York company, Mr.. Dixey will be
seen at Portland Theatre tomorrow eve
ming. There will be only this occasion
upon which Mr.. Dixey will be seen here
this season.
Money Mad.
''Money Mad" Steele Mackaye's great
sensational drama, with it's novel bridge