The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-04

Dochez. who will sing the excerpt from
Moskowski's "Boabbill," arranged for his
magnificent baritone voice by Mr.. Oliver
Willard Pierce. Mr.. Paul Teichert win ac-
company him. The choruses will be sup
ported at the piano by Mrs. Cecil Smith.
Mr.. Oliver Willard Pierce, whose piano.
forte virtuosity was firmly established by
his brilliant work in the Beethoven and
Liszt numbers at the May music festival
four years ago. Will be the soloist at the
Musikverein concert to be given at the
German House one week from tomorrow
evening. He will play the concerto by
Moszkowski, which was produced by the
composer himself in Berlin, last April. for
the first time. Mr.. Pierce completed his
musical studies with this composer. and
when asked about the personality OF his
teacher said: I'm the spring OF 1893 Herr
Moszkowski, being in rather poor health.
decided to leave Berlin for time in order
TO escape from the arduous duties of teach
ing and attending TO the thousand and one
demands made upon his time by musicians,
artist friends and others in Berlin. He was
Just beginning work upon an elaborate
Ballet Pantomime' and desired to have
undisturbed leisure and quiet. He, accord
ingly. decided to go to Geneva, ana. I
confess, 10 my great surprise, Favored me
with an announcement of his intentions
urally, I was only too glad of the oppor-
tunity, and those two months / spent in
Geneva are among the happiest in my
memory. I called on him three times a
week, often spending the whole afternoon
and sometimes the evenings as well In
friendly intercourse with him. which
naturally priced most greatly. More than
once during that time / remember having
asked him why he did not write a piano
concerto, when his fame as composer OF
brilliant and effective piano compositions
was so great that a larger work
with orchestral accompaniment would
be greeted enthusiastically by pr
anists everywhere. In reply he
always smiled rather YEARLY, shrugged his
shoulders and asserted that he had never
yet had either the time or the inspiration
for work Of that scope and character. IT
was just about this time that that young
pianistic giant Josef Hoffman, completed
his studies with MosZkowski, and urged
upon him that. having stood sponsor for
he ought TO write for him monumental
work. When the concerto did appear 1t was
surely enough dedicated to Honmann." AS
Mr.. Pierce said, Moszkowski is known as
the composer Of some of the most brilliant,
graceful and oftentimes snowy works In
modern piano-forte literature. 1t might
have been expected, therefore that a con-
certo from his pen would be pre-eminently
a work of virtuoso display. Yet, although
1t fairly teens with technical difficulties OF
the highest order they are only incidental
to the working out of the musical ideas.
The whole work is distinctively subjective
and musicianly in the very highest degree.
The four movements, while most strongly
contrasted in character and Astounding in
the richest variety Of rhythm and tempo.
are. nevertheless, pervaded by an inner
unity that adds greatly to the deep artistic
significance of the work One Of the main
themes of the first movement, for instance.
reappears almost at the close OF the fourth
movement. thus, as 1t were, asserting the
integrity of spirit of the whole. In a SINH
lar manner the sparkling scherzo theme of
the third movement is outlined unmistak-
ably in the sober harmonic basis of the pre-
ceAing adagio. This adagio, which forms
the second movement, is considered by
those who have been fortunate enough to
hear 1T in advance to be the most charm
ing movement of the whole work. Profess
sor Ernestinoff, who is most enthusiastic
over the whole concerto, declares this Sec
ond movement to be as perfect as any SINH
lar movement in all music literature. The
concerto covers eighty-seven pages, regular
sheet-music size, and Mr.. Pierce has
achieved the remarkable accomplishment
of committing it to memory in less than