The San Francisco call., 1896-02-13
MUSIC AND MUSICIANS.

yarri Stefanski, young New York pianist,
has made great success in Paris. Stefanskl
is nom de guerre, suggested by Nikita. the
| young pianist's real name being Ward Ste
phens. His success was surprise, us for the
last few years he has modestly avoided all
drawing-room popularity and has passed his
time in quietly preparing himself for his debut.
The Musical Courier says: 'On Monday even
ing he mounted the stage an untried
and unknown pianist. Tuesdays Figaro,
Gaulois, Monde Musical and New York Herald
| announce the immense success of an American
| pianist, whose appearance had already placed
him high on the road to fame. One hears much
nowadays OF temperament and sympathetic
personality. Perhaps not little of Stefanskfs s
| success is due to- these attributes. Poetry OF
sentiment, refinement and delicacy Of concep-
| ton are salient characteristics of the young
mans playing, No one seems to know whether
he anticipates an American debut in the near
| future. l hope.so, and it surely viii not be
case of the prophet in his own land"
Varri Stefanski was discovered" SO 10
speak, by William Sherwood some years ago.
The boy, who was passionately fond OF music,
had no idea of making it his career. but ne
went by chance into Chickering Hall one day
and heard Sherwood was in the building. FOL
lowing q sudden impulse he ascended TO the
artists studio and ingeniously introduced
himself, saying, Some one told me you were
you to play for me.' Sherwood laughed In
open amusement, and suggested that his VS.
itor set the ball rolling. 81 studied the piano
for time but have given it up entirely
said Stephens. After some dernurrlng ne
seated himself at the piano and began CHOPIN
nocturne. "Young man, you are making tne
mistake of your life in not devoting yourself
to an artistic career; with your talent IL Is
wrong" said Sherwood after hearing his Wis
itor play 1t was this advice which caused
Stephens to study seriously, and the result
has justified Sherwood's prediction.
A feeling of profound horror tinged with
pity has been aroused in Wagnerian circles,
by the conduct of the dilettanti of Rome. At
the Argentina Theater they are playing the
"Valkyrie," much in the Bayreuth style as
possible, and this includes darkness in the
auditorium while the opera is in progress A
number of the subscribers have addressed
letter TO the papers expressing strong desire
toput an end TO this obscurity. These phil
istines claim "that, according to the laws OF
nature, darkness far from awakening the in
telligence tends to lull it to Sleep" They de-
mand with instance sun POI di luce'' Ia little
light. But even the sacr1legious request OF
the Argentina subscribers pales beside the
conduct of the students of the University of
Turin, who are preparing a parody on the
poem and music of s'The Dusk of the Gods"
L VI Inc lQlIR Is dIOuSlQS IuQlSudnL
editorial comment in the French papers; and
yet there was a time-but the Parisians do not
like to be reminded that there ever was
time when they did not bow the knee before
Wagner.
An incident considersS to be without prece--
dent in Berlin happened at the last royal
chapel concert The entertainment was di-
rected by the first violin, Herr Halir, and al
though everything went off in the most salts
factory manner, the subscribers and the pub
lie generally have expressed great indigna-
ton at being subjected to the conducting of
SO little man. The incident happened in this
WISE Weingartner, the chef d'orchestre, had
hurt his hand and could not hold the baton;
Sucher, his unders tudy, was suffering from an
attack OF la grippe; and Muck, the third chef
d'orchestre, had obtained leave of absence to
direct q concert at Budadest. The two con-
ductors for minor operas and the ballet dared
not risk the enterprise, and the first violin
courageously offered himself.
Young Holman is beginning to reap Pader-
ewski-like crops of gold in Russia for his
pianoforte recitals At recent concert given
in st. Petersburg the young pianist gave the
net proceeds, amounting to the sum of $500,