Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1894-01-05

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way. 6wsdrs "a psnnnrk n cAsis
s.Ar.is, a ~ us1ie hoQne - csri war
sns<h. ~ rss<ved ~ ebq~eistsnes
With ths son 81 kiso,d is>sn6 o1s Bah.
Mr.. Aisznnfsx Ball wba fnrnisAed
him nss>riHl sid IN lnlGflins his nisr
zion Lsser il Paris Mr.. Ball con-
ssatad 20 10 O. Of = conmittes %
o6rankss a0me Scandinesinn cone<r<s,
% b eivsn Zoe ths bsn~as Of . fund
fow Ers1ch artists Among thons who
bseSms int>rssnsd In the ent<rpriss
was Mne. Christins Hils.on. Who took
plsssurs IN making frs< contribution
u her services for ~ oeeasios-
One day while aEeAngsunenes we're
b~ine perfected fpg shsss eoncsrts ~
Cornsstsns ssssd Nr. ball ~ what
hoesi ~ sAonld paaes : youpg Belgian
pianist Who hsd hsra sngaged - play
Edward 0g1>g's nnake. III ~ 10 niee
man.. said ~. nnlL '.yoa may
ssnd him % ny ho>si. but Il not yca
had better kssp him IN yoss own gar
t>rs - Fsnbssrg Nout Martrs-- sho<tr
~ sftsr this ths yoang sxslst. who was
noas other thsn Arthur ps<jreef. made
his sppssrsncs. and the con Of Ole
Ball and this interpreter Of the music
81 ole Balls land ss once became fast
friends
The young Belgian made . decided
hit - this. his first public performances
h. PAris. and the following winter he
accepted an invitation % play ~ one
Of the concerts Of the celebrated Co
Tonne. who asks only artists Of the
nrst rank To take part In his pro-
Kramnaes. lie gave also . brilliant
soneert In Pieyers hall. and the NM
sieal critics Of Paris united In award
Ing him unanimous praise In addition
20 Gricg's A minor eoncerts he played
this time . sonata for piano and
violin By Grieg. with the violinist
Johannes Wolf. who h now delight
Ing New York music lovers. He also
played selections from Bach. Schu-
mann. Lisxt. etc. and perhaps in no
other way more thoroughly exempii
fsd his power than In the way he held
his exeifable Paris audience spell
bound during his performance OF Mem
delssohn's variations Scr,euse"
In fsss DeGr~ef represented his eouu-
try at the Bo.ogne exposition. and cre-
ated an immense sensation both with
his performances on the modern piano-
forte and on that exceedingly interest
ing instrument Of the old school. the
el4v~cin. or clavicimbol- On the same
trip he gave a very successful concert
NJ the Milan conservatory. During the
autumn he made . concert tourin Nor
way with his friend Alexander Bull.
accompanied by the Belgian violinist.
Csesar Thomson. pronounced by many
the greatest violin virtuoso Of the day.
50 great frvorite did the young plan
ist become during this trip. that Mr..
Bull felt justified In arranging for q
second one. The two gentlemen were
breakfasting togethsr in Brussels one
morning when Mr.. Bull preached
the subject and proposed trying
the effect OF . series of piano re-
citAls In Norway. do you desire
IL very much?- asked DeGreef. IL do. "
Was the reply. Then there Is my
hand On the bargain" cried the warm
hearted Belgian. Later p cll-lsnown
manager offered DeGreef . large sum
20 travel with him. The Young plan.
ist told him he was engaged and with
whom Cannot buy you off9a asked
the manager. 81 have no contract"
said De(srsef. ''but have given my
word. and this Ia better than . con
tract" This anecdote Is characteristic
OF the man.
The second trip In Norway was q
triumphal march. AZ the last of q
series of historical piano rccitals given
Ia Bergen. DeGreef was presented
with laurel wreath after = magnifi
cent performance of Grieg's "A Minor
Conesrtol" The artist at once stepped
down among the audience. took the
composer. who was present By
the hand. led him 70 the plat
form and placed the wreath or
his head Grieg. of course. resisted
while DeGreef. who Is q giant In physic
al - well rs artistic strength, persist
ed. but finally. amid deafening ap
plause. the Morse tone-poet was per
nitted to take the wreath and crowr
the Belgian interpreter Of his tone
poem with L.
After having played 1t al the prin
eirAi cities of Norway. NJ. Decree
and his friend sailed from Christians
on the steamer Alpha. bound for Ant
werp. AZ Arendal. one Of the port,
where they touched. . gentleman
came on board and proposed . eoncer
at Christiansond. their last stoppins
place In Norway. The idea was favor
ably received. the captains consent ..
delay the vessel was obtained and th'