Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-20
ANU SEMENTS.

PADEREWSKTS RECITAL.-An au-
dience said to have been the largest that
ever attended a concert in this city greeted
the great Polish pianist, Jan lgnace Pad
erewski on the occasion of his recital at
the Columbia Theater yesterday afternoon.
Paderewski himself had held the financial
record of recitaIs. but yesterday he ex-
ceeded his own record by several hundred
dollars. Every seat in the house was Occu-
pied, as was all the available standing
room. and this vast concourse of people
was largely composed Of women and girls
who before the recital began kept up per
feet chatter of conversation, which sounded
like the rustling of leaves before brisk
wind When the great pianist made his ap-
pearance he was loudly applauded. He has
aged IN appearance. and his face is fuller
than formerly, though 1t still retains the
spirituelle expression that, together with
his mass of tousled tawny hair, was his
trademark when he first came to this
country. There is no question that Pad
erewsh has developed intellectually since
his last visit here. He plays with more
feeling, more vitality. more effacement of
self. To the musician and the lover of mu-
sic only the work Of the artist Is consid-
cred. and In this case the result is perfectly
satisfactory. Paderewski seems to have
graSped the inner meaning of the works he
interprets. and to be able to present the
composers best thoughts. He justities all
the praise that Is bestowed upon him. for
his genius IL unique and positive.
His program yesterday was sufficiently
varied to satisfy the most captious musical
taste. II included Bach, Beethoven, Schu-
| mann, Chopin, Rubinsten, Strauss, List
and minuet of his own compost
ton. The intricacies Of the List ar
rangement of the Bach fantasia and
fugue in minor We're given with an
ease and grace that charmed his audi
| ence and was an agreeable preparation
for the Beethoven Fentasia Appassionata
which followed. In this he was heard to
necnliar tar bf br1,
| effects in splendid style. Perhaps his work
| was more mastery in this than in any
| other selection, for 1t was most enthusiast
| ticdlly applauded. Then came the List ar
rangement of two of Schumann's songs,
| 'Hark! Hark, the Lark" and the Fri
| King" both of which were magnificentIv
| played, the delicate work in the first form
| ing fire contrast with the weird and dra-
| matte treatment of the second. A group of
Chopin numbers showed the piauist's SYM
| pathy with that composer each number be-
| ing given with poetic feeling and exce.len,
tonal cOlOrfng, the Military Polonatse re-
| would have been insisted upon had he not
wisely varied the arrangement of the group
and played the etude op. 10, No. g. last
| l he Rubinstein Barcarolle was beautifully
| played, as was his own minuet In A minor
although this will never be as popular as
\ his first minuet in T. Tausig's arrangement
| OF Strauss waltz, Man lebt nur einmal -
| was played In splendid style and the is1t
| Hungarian Ria psody No was given with
| all the fire, feeling and effect that It de-
| manded- This final number worked the au-
| dfence into such pitch Of enthusiasm that
/ the applause continued and would NOT cea GO
! until the pianist returned and played again
| The recital was undoubtedly one of the
| most. II not the most enjoyable musical
events in years. 1t demonstrated Pade-
| rewskis continued popularity and that his
| hold upon the public is fully justified bv
| his great genius. To technical skill that
| Is marvellous ne edds a perfect knowledge
| OF the use of the pedals unsurpassed by
any other performance Back of this mere
| mechanical skill is an intellectually that
| enables him TO seize the composers mean
| ing and magnetic personality that inter-
| pFets this meaning to his listeners making
| them feel with him the beauties of the
| works played In variety of equipment Pa
! derewski is not surpassed, If equaied, by
any pianist now before the public.
| COLUMBIA THEATER.- With Christmas
| night new comedy comes to the Columbia
| Iheater. called by its author. David Be
| lasco, Naughty Anthony" 1t is said to
| be at once the most impassioned the wit
test and the most serviceable satire lie
| modern stage has rejoiced in for long
/ while. The lesson told between the caus-
| tic and brilliant lines of this comedy goes
straight nome TO both men and women; ii
| deals with the living manners of people YOU
| meet every day. The avowcd object of the
| author IS frankness without brutality can
dor barren of cynicism. and through all The
| promises in this contrast play of his a
| pleasing absence of the anemicaly officious
| comedian, the senile, ambitious husband
the rebellious soubrette, which, with the
| tyrannous wife. completes the pastel OF
| characters in the average comedy of today
| There have been no chances taken in cast
| ing the play. Severe rehearsals under the
| authors personal direction, promise a fin
| ished first performance Miss Blanche
| Bates the Countess Charkoff in The Grea,
| Ruby" Miladi in The Musketeers" and
| Hannah in The Children of the Ghetto -
| heads the cast.
| NEW NATIONAL THEATER.-The in
terest manifested in the Irving-Terry en-
| gagemeut is very great. The management
/ was strict in enforcing its rules to discour
age spectators, and there are still man,
choice places left for all performances TIL.
bill of the week presents "Robespierre" or
the first four nights. THE Merchant o.
| Venice on Friday night, The Ambe,
Heart and Nance Oldfeld at the Satur
day matinee and Waterloo and 'Th,
Bells Saturday night Sardou's Robes
| pierre is the first attempt of any drams ii,
| author to soften or Veil the cruel. reIe At