New-York tribune., 1900-05-13
Mr.. PADEREWSKFS LAST RECITAL.

MR. PADEREWSKrS LAST RECITAL.
Mr. Paderewskt took his leave of New-York
yesterday afternoon in recital at Carnegie Hall,
and exemplied the last the remarkable hold he
has on his remarkable body Of admirers. There
was a gathering of them; it pressed hard
upon the capacity of the hall, and could have been
more numerous only if the hall had cracked its
walls asunder. 1t an audience of the sort that
has become familiar TO those who have followed
Mr.. Paderewskrs several triumphant progresses
through this country; mostly feminine in its MEM
bership and wholly feminine in the quality of the
admiration expended upon the performance it had
come TO see and hear. The unthiRking aduaton
Of the artists personality that beganlast winter
his first reappearance exactly where it left off
when he left America three years and half before
is still the prevailing increased If possible, in
intensity. It will doubtless be sounded in the same
key whenever he shall return again. Its mani
festaJions absurd. amentable; not, we believe,
as yet seriously injurious TO Mr.. Paderewskis own
art but full of harmful tendencies for the publics
Ideals and understanding
It programme perhaps shrewdly calculated
for the occasion: Chopin programme While it is
true that Mr. Paderewski is at home, all in
all in Chopins music than in that Of any other one
composer and can exercise in ii OF that pecul-
lar and individual charm that dfferentiates him
from all his peers and rivals, yet he cannot make
two hours and a half of it, and more. seem other
than coying and oppressive. II is onesided view
of art that puts forward such programme not
withstandng all the beauty, imagination and nobil-
ity that decorated very much of its performance.
There were those who longed for of the STIR
ring al fresco vigor that the artist put into the
Beethoven and Schumann sonatas heard in another
borough of the greater NewYork few days ago.
This said. need not further withhold admira-
tion for the marvellous qualities. that Mr. Pade
rewsh poured forth upon his long and arduous
programme yesterday afternoon. The exhaustion
and strain of a winters concert tour have scarcely
touched the bloom upon his exquisite its poetry
has been vulgarized, its technical perfection
has lost but little He not for some reason, in
quite so perfect form. strange TO say, he
last week in Brooklyn, just after his arrival from
the West; but there little to fault and end
less deal to admire. We need not particular
ize Mr.. Paderewski's playing Of his Chopin selec-
tions there is little say that has not been said
before They are very familiar TO his New-York
admirers. The point may be raised his read
ing of the first section Of the funeral march from
the fat minor sonata, and OF the recurrence Of II
at the end Is such reading. with its effect OF
an advancing and passing cortege, and OF tOlling
bells In accordance with the artistic creed OF one
WHO as Chopin did, scrupulously avoided the
slightest hint of a programme" in his music? 1t
is not a new point; but Mr.. Paderewski can
not carry conviction
Exhausting as was the task that he had set be-
fore himself In black and white an unusually long
list of pieces Mr.. PaderewsN, usual, supple
nenred IL for the benefit of the ardent throng that
crowded around the platform. with no fewer than
six rnore-all Chopin and including long as
the A fat BaIade Needless TO say. all raptur-
ously listened 70.