New-York tribune., 1902-02-15
MUSIC.
Mr.. PADEREwsKrs OPERA.
rere scenes az gladsome exciteme

Ics IN the public eye for the last ten years than
- a, his colleagues the world over. Music stu
-. ,vere privileged 10 make study Of the first
O. NJ a musician in field that no one thought
w. ,f,,ely 10 enter few years ago: and curiosity
l.-s - had their penchant gratifed to the fun
- paderewski's ''Manru" had its first American
-.,rnance and all the elements were propitious
=. ,opular interest in the affair was disclosed
e., Of all in the audience which deied fire laws
- - ,rr,bers and eclipsed all preceding shows this
ison - in brilIiancy; then in the enthusiasm which
e wbetted naturally, by the presence Of the
,noser who listened to his work from the deep
.,ssses OF box in the parterre. but was drawn
- NJ his secluson by the plaudits of his admirers
"a compelled TO acknowledge the hearty appreci-
.on OF his achievement along with the artists
- made II possible long before the evening was
-s, But that episode may be described later in
+s,s account which must perforce deal chiefly with
.Ls opera and its performance.
Vow the future Will deal with "Manru" is a sub
- with which speculation might deal largely
One thing made plain last night. and that is
.so+ despite ell the flaws which criticism NAV find
:, hook and music, it must be permitted to stand
- an amazing first opera, a Virtuoso achievement
idn 70 the achievements OF Mr.. Paderewsh as a
ionoforte player. and far in advance of his ac-
romplishuents pianoforte composer, notable as
tbv have been Scarcely of his critics will say
~ n what Of the classics said OF the first
yrork Of a colleague, also classic. that first
,nerss like the first litter of puppies, ought
nroperly 10 he drowned It is bound to have
,ts day. and, be il long short, 1t will
bs & brilliant one. The story. badly told, has
,be charm Of novelty. and beneath It is a potent
5-smatc principle. But, than the story
more than the picturesque costumes and stage
furniture, there is a fascination about the music
,rbich viii attract listeners and again till
,s characteristics have been grasped and its many
strIkjng details Of conception and execution appre
clsted Many Of these details are based upon
,ional traits. which playing large part in
music Just now, when schools have assumed
,mportance not dreamed of few decades ago Mr..
Paderewsh has written like eclectic He has
paid his tribute to the tendency which Wagner made
dominant and indeed, has been somewhat too
frank in his acknowledgement of his Indebtedness
70 that master in falling into his manner and utz
ing his devices whenever (as in the second act)
there is a parallelism in situation; but he has
nevertheless maintained individual lyricism
which proclaiTns him still the ingenious musician
which the art never needed much as 1t needs
him now. And as a national colorist he has put
new things upon the operate palette.
"Manru'' is not opera TO be disposed OF with
q hurried ultimatum on either book or music From
& score point OF view it not only invites 1t almost
clsmors for discussion. The book is awkward in
construction. and at times amazingly silly in
language: yet its fundamental idea is kept before
the mind persistently and alluringy by the devices
Of the composer 4 gypsy who forsakes wife and
child because he cannot resist the seductions of a
temptible character; yet despite the want of liter
sry and dramatic skill Of the Hbrettist, ManTu is
presented as a tragic type who goes 10 merited
destruction indeed, but doing so nevertheless
leaves an impression that he is less the victim of
Individual passion than of fatality which is racial
We can easily fancy that the Polish novelist from
whom the story borrowed presented the
psychological fact more eloquently than the
writer Of the nbretto. but II is a question
whether not he did so more convincingly than
Mr Nossig plus Mr.. PadereWski. Look at the
manner Of the presentation: Mr.. Leland (after
Mr Borrow. the closest Of literary students OF the
gypsesl, has pictured for the Romany's love for
roaming and sympathy with II. We look visit
fully al the ships al sea and wonder what quaint
mysteries OF life they hide; We watch the flight Of
birds and long to fly with them anywhere. over the
world and into adventure; and these emotions tell
hoE near 10 be affected elected unto
the Ronany, who belong TO out Of doors and nat
ure Ike birds and bees Centuries more than We
think of. have fashioned that disposition in the
black blooded people and made it irresistible
impulse Thus the poetical essence of Manru's
chsract is accounted for. and the hbrettist has
given it expression which is not inept:
With longings wild my soul is Mid;
Springs voices shout within me;
Each fibre in my frame is thrilld
With feelings that would win me.
In bush and brake
The buds awake,
OF natures JOY the woods partake,
And bear me helpless, spent, along,
Where freedom ON lives far from n the eth throng!
That stubborn rocks would check.
Thus rolls the molten lava stream
Dispensing havoc dire, supreme,
Enfolding whelming all in wreck
Thus flies the pollen or the breeze.
To meet its floral love;
The song, outgushing from the soul
Thus seeks the starry vault above.
There is no other life for. me
-Tis written in the book of fate:
Thy race must ev'ry pledge abate,
And wander, rove eternallyi
But Why And where?
know Il
needs must fare.
But such a life is Iawless: II creates infidety;
nourishes incontnence; its seeming freedom it but
slavery TO passion, and this, too, the poet pro-
claims in Manru's confession that fathfulness IS
impossible to one 10 whom each new beauty offers
Irresistible allurement and whose heart must re-
main unstable as his habitation.
Into the music of Manru's songs which tell of
these things Mr.. Paderewski has poured such pas
sionate emotional expression makes them con-
F1ncng: and he has done Music is the Ian
suage Of the emotions and the gypsies are an emo
uonal folk. The people OF Hungary have per
mitted the gypsies to make their music for them
80 long. and have mixed the Romany and Magyar
oloods so persstenly that in music gypsy and
hungarian have practically become identical terms.
Il was Hungarian getleman who said. when
near the 'Rakoczy' 1 feel II I must go
70 conquer the whole world. Ny fingers con-
Fusvely twitch TO seize a pistol. a sword or blud-
eeon. or whatever weapon may be AT hand-I must |
d1tch II and march forwardl' It is because of |
ms spirit scarcely overstated in this story that
tle Austrian Government, fearful of the influence |
q The RakOczy'' march during periods Of DO |
Hncal excitement has several times prohibited its
psrIormance on public occasions and confscated |
Ae copies found in the music shops. Mr. Pader-
."sKi makes admirable use OF his passion as a |
olahlatc motive. When neither the pleadings Of |
MS tribal companions nor the seductive artifces
~ asa suffice to break down his sense Of duty to
As wife and child the catastrophe is wrought by |
re music Of a gypsy fiddler.
as the subject Of the opera has to do with the |