The Washington times., 1902-01-22
THE zELDENRUST RECITAL.
The Noted Dutch Pianist Delights n
Small Columbia Audience

The steady downpour of yesterday was
no doubt largely responsible for the small
attendance at the Columbia Theatre. when
Eduard Zeldenrust. the much -heralded
Dutch pianist, made his local professional
debut
Zeldenrust came to Washington under
the direct patronage of Baron Gevers,
Minister from the Netherlands, and with
the generous endorsement of the press of
here had ever heard Of him, those few,
with a small addition, made up an un-
usually enthusiastic audience yesterday
afternoon. Sc
Zeldenrust may, without any reserva
ton be termed a perfect technician. In
his fugues, scales. or anything resembling
brilliant execution. he is thoroughly at
ease. and emnently successful.
Another feature of the recital was the
evident care and commendable forethought
with which the programme was arranged.
His numbers were evidently selected with
a view to pleasing almost all classes of
music lovers. There was the wonderful
Wagner Liszt's "IsoIde's Liebstod," from
Tristan and Isolde and in striking con-
trast, the pianist gave Chopin's familiar
waltz in d fat opus Ga, a selection which
all students are taught to play as soon
as they have mastered their scales. To
many. this waltz means Chopin in the
flesh, which probably accounts for it's en-
thusiastic reception, although, in justice
to Zeldenrust it must be said that the
selection has never been played here With
more brilliancy and dash.
The chief novelty in the Dutch artist
is the fact that he is new and conse-
quently, an interesting study to enthusi
asts, while the principal attributes of his
work, viewed from an abstract standpoint,
are his unquestionable technique and
great gusto. In selections wherein the
latter was permissible he fairly reveled
and seemed over-eager to bring out all
the volume in the piano. Though these
traits are particularized. Zeldenrust is
not lacking in temperament. He gave
Schubert's theme and variations a
smooth, plaintive reading and his deli
cate, sympathetic rendition OF Mendels-
sohn's ION the Wings Of Song elected
genuine and spontaneous applause. A
group of Chopin selections. including the
well-known ballade in A fiat. the pathetic
etude No. Z. opus %. in G sharp, and the
same work were among the best numbers
of the afternoon. The Bach-Liszt fan
TASTE and fugue in G minor. as inter-
preted by Zeldenrust, proved a trif1e mo-
notonous and suggested the practice hour
in its mechanical rhythm.
The programme opened with Beethoven s
beautiful sonata. No. 2, opus 81, and con-
cluded with the Liszt Hungarian rhapso-
die. No. II. Franz List undoubtedly did
a fine thing for musicians when he wrote
his rhapsodies, which more than half
the musicians fail to interpret in
teiligently, chiefly because they lack
the physical power, to master the
heavy score. Zeldehtust. however. pos
sesses the strength. and his reading OF
the No. IA rhapsodie caused the audience
to remain in their seats until the pianist
had bowed his Acknowledgements OF their
hearty applause no less than five times
In addition to Baron Covers, the con-
cert yesterday afternoon was under the
patronage OF the German Ambassador
the Countess Cassini, Mrs r. H. Town
send, and others.
Among those in attendance at the reci-
tai were Mrs. c. A. Williams, who en-
tertained the Netherlands Minister and
others in her box, Representative and
Miss Tongue. who also occupied box,
and Senator Proctor and party. The in
clement weather was not the only disad-
vantage which Zeldenrust was compelled
to meet on the occasion of his initial ap-
pearance at the National Capital. He was
provided with an inferior piano. the
keys of which clicked audibly when
struck, which proved very annoying to the
audience, as it must have been to the
pianist