The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-01-04
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
PApEREwsKL

Three seasons had Passed since that
great, impressive and most interesting
tone-ms rshaller, Ignace J. Psd'rswsk
SAT- enthroned before the key boards OF q
Steinway In this city and the announce
msnt Of his return for ors recital In City
hall caused no little flutter In ctr local
musical world. Not alone among oon-
cert patrons for genius like bis In all
realms Of art. he Il musical. dramatic or
otherwise, i'm presses not alone the cultured
but also counts among its worshippers
those whose appreciation has no critical
value
As the idol stepped upon the platform
yesterday afternoon the gazs OF large
audience. tse great majority OF whom
wirs of the Rert'er sex, was upon him,
bent, no doubt, upon taking a measure
of ths pianist's personal appearance.
Paderewski has changed but little dur
ing bis sojourn sbio His face wears
the same subtle mask, undsraeat1 wnicn
Is an intensely emotional temperament;
the grey syes are as furtive as ever, the
copious sandy locks ara there, while the
flsurl Is 1.-the and willow-. HIS per
SOnAilty remains sbrhuko hhu o~H' Pe'A'-s
The audience broke into applause ut the
appearance of the "Famous Pole. and
for two hours sat enchained listening
in scstatio siienc, during the rendition
OF his wondrous music. There was plen-
ty Of eeasrous hand olappsng, hearty
AMI well sustained after each and every
number, but we are glad TO note none
of that feminine frenzy which Is said to
have taken possession of the "matinee
girls In some of our metropolitan oities.
The programme rs whole WAS a repre-
sentative one, including oil schools.
There was a solid show of classic art and
a miscellaneous selection that delighted
every body. lhe Bach numbers w'r' CIV
en- with wonderful breadth of tone and
pprfection Of execution and Paderewski's
Interpretation was that of o master. 1t
is hard to see how It could be bettered.
for IL was grand In Its very simplicity,
the highest characteristic OF classical
r.a1,ng. The Beethoven sonata received
careful treatment and awakened the
enthusiasm of all true Beethoven dsci-
rlas. What wonderful pedal effects
OaIy Paderewski is master OF many
Ct them and they add much to tbs clear
ness and fnsnsss OF his Interpretation.
The Presto he played at a furious tempo,
many would say too fast. land the andante
character of the slow movement was not
preserved In several places. These. how
ever. are but peculiarities of interpreta-
ton where so many beautiful ELECTS
crowd in, the one on the heels of the 9TH
er. t } mark his playing as that Of mas
ter OF Beethoven.
The rendering of the Schubert songs
WIS enc OF the brightest spots Of the
whole programme They wtrs splendid
Iy contrasted, the daintiness OF the Sere
made with the overporsring dramatic
force of the Erlking transcription. Pad
erewski has been criticised as pound
er," and in the Erlking he certainly OBJ
tsined az much tone as one ever heard
trJught out of plano. 1t was In no
way a hard tone and It Is hardly just TO
blame tae performer, when re ,liy 1t Is
the transcriber who is at fault for trying
to make AZ orchestra out Of the plano.
In the Chopin numbers he was at bis
best in the Etude which he played very
rspidly, in the Valss and in the Scherzo,
the latter of which received a reading Ms
oue is seldom privileged to hear. His
singing tone throughout was wonderfully
S .nsitive. In response to an imperative
encore after the Valse, he played
Strauss waltz In brilliant and sparkling
manner. Paderewski as a waltz player
is almost unsuI passed among virtuosi
His own Minuet YVES q charming number
and more interesting even than his now
famous "Minuet Antique"
The Liszt Rhapsodie was the closi ng
number which was altered In order that
the player might INTRODUCES his fantastic
pyrotsnhnical effects. While honest
differences of Interpretation are expected
of every artist 1t 10 doubtful II the fol-
lowers of Listz will regard with favor
such a mutilation of this masters fine
impressive old Hungarian rhythms.
At the close of the last stated hunter,
Paderewsk retired only to be vociferous-
Iy recalled by his admirers who fingered
anu gathered near the platform. Reap
pearing, he played Listz's Rhapsody, No.
10. at the oonclusion of which the audi
enee departed pleased and oontented, save
a few who passsd into the reception
room to personally pay their respects to
the great artist.
handel HASTINGS.
The kingston Daily Wing says of Mr..
Handel Hastings, who Is to appear with
the Callahan Grand Symphony Orchestra