New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-21
MUSIC.
PADEREwsKI AND THE OPERA.


The principal occurrence in yesterdays musical
oay-as fruitful day as any city could ask-was
OF kind that while adding to the labors OF the
newspaper reviewer might also be said to tighten
his task. Mr.. Paderewski gave the last of his four
advertised pianoforte recitals He played to an
audience which was as numerous any that he
has confronted in New York and may have been
more numerous He played, too, in a style that
was extraordinary even for him. and having an
lmpressionable audience, the effect may be left TO
the imagination of those who have witnessed the
earlier scenes at Carnegie Hall in this and pre-
vious seasons Thousands of music loving souls
hung on the tones which he produced from his in
strument as II they were procaiming matters of
life and death. and when all ought TO have been
over, two tides set In, outward and one inward
met eddied. settled into quietude and listened 10
the usual supplementary concert. After such
phenomenon, what is there left for criticism to
utter? The voice of the people is not always the
voice of God. but it approaches divine utterance
When IT procaims, or confesses with every other
voice that such exposition of beauty as Mr..
Paderewski gave yesterday invites only gratitude
and shuts the gates technical cavil of every
KIND Has criticism, then, rights? Possibly,
probably; but it must bide its time. for It would
be idle and worse to attempt to spoil the i'm
pressions carried away by those who heard
the concert, which could only be done by
faultfnding with which few would agree
while only rhapsody of the most elo-
quent description could bring back an echo
Of the pleasure enjoyed by thousands. So q record
of facts may suffice but in the record ought to be
included the statement that while Mr.. Paderewski
played Chopin and Liszt in the manner which al
ways st'rs the multitude of his listeners into
widest enthusiasm. he TRANSPORTED his
playing OF Beethoven's last Sonata and Schumann's
first Those who wish to study the books may
learn, if they wish, that Beethoven always bad
writer for the pianofOrte, took leave Of it alto
gether in his last five sonatas and that Schumann
never quite acquired the idom in which pianoforte
music must be uttered. He was not 'arpeggiate''
like Chopin and List. But Mr.. Paderewski can
keep his hands three feet apart on the keyboard,
when Beethoven asks him to, and can produce an
exhalation OF melody. in the arietta op Ill over
substratum Of deep harmony such as makes
think Of the voices of angels and of men sweet
ened, ennobled clarified by a charity that Is god
like; and that is music which exalts the piano
forte in spite Of the fact that 1t IS not 'diomatc
or "arpeggiate'
At the opera there were two performsnces-one
than half satisfactory because Of the I'M
evenness and untunefulness of Mr. Van Dycks
singing the titular role and one OF 81 PagaccT'
and "CavaIleria Rusticana' in the evening. The
latter was notable for having drawn more people
into the opera house than II has ever held This
at least, was the story told by the box office and
it was confirmed by observation. II more people
had crowded into the audience room It would have
been interesting 10 how they would have been
disposed Of Seating room and standing
were strained to the utmost. Nine. Caive. who
acted and sang the part Of santuzza in Mascagnrs
opera. and the lower prices provided the ex-
PLANTATION Miss Suzanne Adams was expected TO
sing in 81 Pagiacci." but she was ILL., and Miss
De Lussan took her place and gave for
disappointment. She did her duty handsomely. and
her companion. Signor Scotti much more than
Observation-Disclosures. indeed. The tenors ef-
fective in each case. were NJ. salignac, IN Leon
cavallo's opera. and Mr. Dipped, in MascagnPs-
artists who never disappoint the public are they.