Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-04-06
Squire Coop Writes
of Berlin PianiStS.

Berlin, March 1.-THE past three or
four months are onveloped in such a
dense fog of piano violin. orchestral
and operate musical experiences that
in looking back | can scarcely distn-
gush the great lights which seemed at
the time to send their binding rays
straight out into eternity, SO that in
cropping around for something to tell
you about, It is possible that | shan
pull up a clod Of earth, and think 1t is
memorial tablet or possibly pick up
an embedded diamond and throw it
away again.
The result Of il al Is my strengthened
impression that Germany today first
of all is an instrumental giant, but that
with the one great exception, Richard
Strauss, the Russians and younger ltal-
ian school of composers, are obscuring
their Tuetonic brethren in the matter
Of creative ability, while in the line Of
vocal work the country is very badly
off, comparatively speaking There
must have been already hundreds of
first class piano recitals violin recltals,
chambers Of music, etc, etc, this sea-
son in this one city alone-apd | am
given to understand thgt the empire is
musical through and through. In Just
the same particular.
STRUGGLING PIANISTS.
The first pianist heard here was
"Pachman," the Pole and the last
Eugen dAlbert. The Scotch, French.
German, between these have appeared.
Kleeberg, Forester. Godowsky. Arthur
Rublnstein, Pugno. Ausorge, Rlsler,
Marx, Busonl Relsenaur Stauerhager.
besides some dozens Of young men aud
women struggling at the foot Of the lad
der.
These latter should by no means be
ignored In this narrative for they are
all what you would call at home Won
derful players II must be observed
that they are but making their first
modest advances before the public af-
ter propably ten or a dozen years Of
continuous hard study. There Is a
great lot Of such here In Berlin. many
Of whom VIII surely sink. while some
viii surely swim as did Hamburg.
Hutchinson, Dohnanyi and Gabrilo-
witch
When I look In the eArnest faces OF
this crowd as they throng The "Beeth-
oven Saal" at a piano recital, 7 am al
most tempted 10 doubt II the bare
chance of little public success, the
kindly hand claps Of respectful listen
ers. few flowers, "a few "bravos" from
friends and relations. and the proba-
hlv shutting of into the great crowd.
where YOU are lost sight Off this Is
worth all the strain Of nerve. muscle.
the patience, labor and sacrifice
that II requires to accomplish II
Prof. Stephens has some doubt MS
about this believe and Graf Tolstoi Is
quite certain that our Ideas on the sub.
)ect are perverted. ! take pleasure in
recommending for your perusal II
should say study Tolstol's what is
Art" II Is a book full OF strange and
perpleXing art philosophy. but | can't
say that my weak opinions harmonize
with the conclusion Of the great Rus
sian poet and philosopher and very
likely yours will not either.
"BuSONI."
In the same sense that Hair Is re-
putHu W De lUt IluNt perfect NlOllnlSt
living, can Busoni be designated the
king Of piano players, that Is to say,
there Is nothing Of Importance in plano
literature that Busoni does not play and
nothing which tests his supernatural
technic. Teohnic with Busonl has ar
rived at such a dazzling height that you
must hear 1t to fully realize and believe.
Words cannot describe the wonder Of
Busonl's hands. Gifted with quick in
sight lightning intuition, analytical
mentality and logged perseverance, he
has lived day and night for twenty-five
years or more by that unruly row OF
white and black keys until he has made
it all his ofn, in very deed completely
conquered It. But alas. his playing is
more or Ices soullee7-it is like some
cold white glacier glistening in the sun
u has all The prlsmatic colors, but very
little warmth, his tone can be the big