The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-19
PADERENSE| On MUSIC
He Says 1t Is the Speech of
the Emotions.
HE HATES TO PRACTICE
Best Musicians Those Who
Love Somebody.

New York, Dec. 1S.-The World says:
Mr.. Ignace Paderewski lives in a world
OF his own.
1t is a very small, exclusive world,
which is unfortunate, for it is also beau
tifuI.
Paderewsks art is his world All
gies are centred in it, and it is for his
art that he sacrifices the myriads of
friends that might be his.
1T is not from choice that my life is
music and nothing more" said Mr.. Pad
erewski, when the combined efforts of his
Whole suite had at last gained for me
an audience, but when one is an artist,
what else can he be? When a whole
lifetime is too short to attain anything
like the heights he would reach, how,
then, can he devote any of the little time
he has to things outside his art?''
And you have not yet attained the
heights you seek?" asked, recalling the
scene of Paderewski's last concert in
New York, when women closed in about
the stage and covered his feet with fow-
ers from their own gowns.
Up said the artist, shaking his head,
81 am nothing! If you could know the
dream of what 1 would be, you would
realize how little 1 have accomplished"
Mr.. Paderewskfs modesty is as great a
gift as his power to make music. When
his genius or his popularity is mentioned
his face Pushes like a girls, and his
hands-those slender, white, artistic
hands, that have charmed all nations
claspe and unclasp nerviously.
Il am practicing now for my first con-
cert" he continued, which is to be Tues
day. There will be four in New York.
and we will be there ten days. Then we
go West"
DO you like it?"
YES" said the artist emphatically, 81
Ike it greatly. 1t is SO comfortable; so
very comfortable"
THE West?''
1.-THE travel. You Americans don't re-
alize how far in advance of the times
you are in the way Of comforts. Why,
there are more comforts to be had trav-
cling here in America than in living at
home in the European houses, except for
the heat. You will keep your hotels and
dwellings so warm, and then you go out
into the wind and the raw atmosphere.
America is land of comforts and colds.
1--WE shall be gone almost five months.
Where? Oh, all over the West, some
times in those little towns where they
crave nothing but melody, melody, and
Home. Sweet Home and Annie Laurie
are the masterpieces that outweigh the
value of Chopin and Bach and Cchu-
mann and Wagner"
''Do the people here appreciate classic
al music as much as they do on the
Continent"
Here in New York they do, and in
Boston, Philadelphia perhaps Chicago,
and several of the larger cities. Amer
leans are making quicker longer strides
in this regard than Europeans. The arts
are newer to the people here than to tho
people abroad; and whatever Americans
undertake, they carry through with so
much avidity and perseverance. 1t will
not be many years before the West will
be thoroughly in touch with the clas-
sizes; and when America ihas taken up
the art of music in the same whole
souled spirit that governs its pursuit of
dollars, we may expect some wonderful
additions to the list of classics"
But has any country given us COM
| poser who is Offering classic contributions
at the present timer"
fully. land that is a subject that inter
ests me much. Verdi Is the only one Of
the old school that still lives. There is
no other living composer today to COM
pare with the old masters. This genera
| ton is doing but little for the art. Yet
| there have been many great composers
| living at the same time. We cannot tell,
| however. what future age may think
! Of the compositions of the present The
unfortunate thing about being one Of the
| classics is that one must be dead; for
classic really menas that which stands
| the test of time"
and in that regard the artist has the
| advantage?"
Il think So" replied Paderewski, smil-
! ing. AT least he can know if his eff
| forts have been successful"
Does applause help"
| perhaps: it's a sort Of stimulant-"
"And the lack of it?'
"WOuld not matter I think I should
| forget it: the music IS enough"
Whether or not the audience Is in
| sympathy with you and your selections
! does not make a difference in the exc
/ cut!on?"
Not in the least. I endeavor to have
! the programme arranged in accordance
/ with the probable tastes 81 an audience.
/ 7 would not give the same selections in
/ some Western town that would IN New
| York or arts or Berlin; but the audience
cannot affect me while I am Paving.
! Then I have forgotten il and myself and
| everything but the theme an exec1l-
| ing. And it would make 10 Inference
| II me If I were playing in Cnpenhagen
| or Hobolzen.''
Wheat sort Of music does an audience
/ like best a sad theme or = "a one?"
! They like good mus : bes-. respond
| e. Paderews'1i. uiokly "aud they care
/ not for theme or tempo. II may he sad
| or gay. a symphony or an aria. Il * &C
/ ssS1S - s.sss - = & 3 ~ Ts1F7T3s