The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-17
A PRETTY STORY
OF PADEREWSKI
The Famous VirtuoSo in the
Virginia Capital.
A FINE BILLIARD PLAYER
His Secretary Engages Exclusive Use
of Billiard Hall in Hotels Where
They Stop from Midnight
Until 3 A. M.-Musical
by WILLIAM RYAN

by WILLIAM RYAN
Paderewski who arrived in New York
from Europe last week, appears in re-
cital in Richmond tomorrow night, and this
reminds me that the first time l met the
famous virtuoso was at the Jefferson hotel
in the Virginia capital. had often heard
him play in New York and Washington, but
had never made his acquaintance. l was
standing in the hotel lobby a few minutes
past midnight, with Jacob Reinhardt, the
leading musician of Richmond, and a num-
Der of other gentlemen, when Paderewiskl
and his party including his secretary, Mr..
Goerlitz, came down the marble stairs from
the private dining room, where they had
been RECALLING themselves at a champagne
supper. They were in merry mood and as
they descended the grand stairway scene
was presented which impressed itself upon
my mind as being singularly picturesque.
The piano celebrity is a fine billiard play
er, and so is his secretary. 1t is their GUS
tom to devote several hours to the game
every night, and one of Mr.. Goerlitz's du-
ties is to secure the exclusive use of the
billiard room, at whatever hotel they hap
pen to be boarding, from midnight until
8 a. m. Mr.. Reinhardt was at the hotel by
appointment to meet PadereWsk and show
him a book of twelve piano etudes which
he had recently composed. Before entering
the billiard room the renowned artist spent
some time with Reinhardt and I shall never
forget with what kindly and eager interest
he looked over the studies. His face was
aglow, and coming upon some particularly
striking passage he would eXcaim: Great!
This is most excellent" The twelfth study
seemed to excite him very much and he
read it closely. This is tremendous!" he
exclaimed. at is full of genius but tech
nically is almost unplayable" And then,
with a gentle smile and certain gentle
pride, he said But can play it,
Paderewsd told Relnhardt that he would
esteem it a favor If he were permitted to
carry the book away with him. He said he
would be delighted to memorize the first,
second and twelfth studies for one of his
programmes.
Reinhardt readily consented, of course,
and in Paris these three compositions were
grouped and played as the second number
at a brilliant concert When Paderewski
returned the book he had written an auto
graph letter to the composer on the fly leaf
in which he referred to the studies as a
valuable contribution to music.
But to get to the billiards. Paderewskl
and Goerlitz played a great match, which
lasted two hourse and half, with Rein
hardt and myself as the only lockers on.
AT o'clock Paderewski stepped to the
street, and finding the moon shining bright
light drive, he said. Upon his invitation
Mr. Reinhardt and got into the carriage
with Paderewski and his secretary, and,
- driving TO Churchill revealed in the poetry
of the scene before us until the approach
of dawn. The James was covered with sill
Yer sheen, the fields across the river sug-
geted tranquility, and the sky lines were
all lines of beauty. 1t was a scene in
which Washington Irving would have de-
lighted. Paderewsk was enranced.
h Int ,ft1,lAN rrr,N
and an indescribaole something, and re-
fines my art" said he. When returned
to the hotel it was O'Clock. The artist
tired, but when | called to see him at 10
O'Clock he had been to breakfast and was
at work. He practiced until late in the
afternoon-ab eight hours. He told me
that he seldomed practiced over six hours
aday, but he was at the piano that day
until it was time to take the train for
Washing toni o'clock. He had stopped on
ly for lunch
Paderewski is one of the most fascinat-
ing men / ever knew. He is frank, CRATE
full, and unspoied. AS the young women
say, he is 'just lovely"
Miss Edna Gockel gave piano recital at
the conservatory yesterday afternoon. Her
playing was marked by musicianly style
and matured feeling. 1t is hoped that this
gifted lady will afford the music lovers of
Birmingham frequent opportunities of hear
ing her THIS winter.
Much interest centers in the festival con-
cert announced for Thursday night, De-
cember 2s, at O'Brlens opera house. Mr..
Mr.. Guckenberger has trained the festival
orchestra and the Messiah chorus with
his usual care, and tone banquet the con-
cert will certainly be- The Messiah" is
to be sung in Cincinnati on the 26th by a
chorus of several hundred voices. supported
by Thomas Chicago orchestra. Mr.. Ehr-
gott, the favorite baritone, is to be the
most prominent soloist. He will leave Gin
cinnati for Birmingham on the 9th, and
will be. one of the stars in the Messiah"
performance at OBriens on the 2Sth. Mr..
Ernst, the finest tenor of Cincinnati, comes
with him. Heretofore Mr. Guckenberger
has given the Messiah almost entire.
This time there are to be only seven cho-
rus numbers, thus leaving half of the pro-
gramme for purely orchestral music.
Pollock-Stephens is most fortunate in adj
ding to its faculty Henry Taylor Stats,
the distinguished pianist of New York. He
is a schorarly musician of very high rank
and most agreeable gentleman. H
studied at Leipsic and was for six years a
member of the faculty of the Metropolitan
School of Music in New York, of which
Dudley Buck is president. Later he estab-
lished the Stats Piano School in New
York, and that institution has flourished
from the start. DR.. William Mason is its
associate examiner. Mr.. Stats Will con-
tinue to be the proprietor of the Stats
Piano School, although residing in this city.
His wife is related to prominent Alabam-
ians and was a niece of the late Mrs.
Thomas Worthington On the death of
that lamented lady Mrs. Stats was called
to Birmingham, and that fact explains Mr.
Stats presence here. Musical Birmng-
ham is to be congratulated indeed. The
pianist is a brother of the world-famed
clarinet artist, c. L. Etaats.
The most exclusive families of Buffalo