The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-12
Mr.. LAMONDPLAYSBEETnOVEN
FIVE SONATAS IN A LONG. LONG
ROW At MENDELSSOHN HALL.
Memories OF Dr. Hans won BulOws Famous
beethoven "Cyclus' Revived by
Pianist From ScOtland-A Careful
Performance which Yet Was Tedious.

DR. Hans Guido Won Bulow. one of the
most original and commanding Of ali
academic pianist-. was recognized over
the whole musical world a. a mas,e inter-
prefer of the music Of Beethoven Whet her
he directed the performance Of one f the
symphonies or overtures. or himself played
sonatas even the thirt y-three variat ions
on waltz by Diabell-on the piano, he
spoke the language Of Beethoven with the
voice OF authority, yet with n scholastic
accent. In the spring of 1889 lie gave four
consecutive recitals Of the great composers
piano music in the Broadway Theatre.
which was packed at each performance
with teachers and students and music
lovers, all eager to hear the message of
the child Of the BonRasse interpreted by
doctor Of his musical philosophy
Nothing Of that kind had been attempted
since then until yesterday, when Frederic
Lamond, the Scotch pianist, who recently
made his debut here with the Boston Sym
phony Orchestra, gave matinee Iecital
at Mendelssohn Hall, and offered a pro-
gramine consisting Of five Beethoven
-Onatas. II was a severe test Of the de-
votion of any listener, and 1t was mortal
hard on Beethoven Surely the great king
of sonata writer's never intended that these
compositions should be played one after
another without any sort Of relief. He
was not in the habit Of doing it himself,
at any rate.
The thing il not aesthetic. II Is at best
didactic performance. 1t cannot be edify-
ing. except as a matter of instruction II
must always Ice merely lesson in Beethoven
lin, NJ III 4.
many persons went home before the end
of the concert II must be said in favor
Of Mr.. Iamond that he arranged the pro-
gramme, in the least trying way He
placed the profoundest work at the begin
ming and then carried the nearer forward
through diminishing line Of difficulties
into clear country at the last.
The Sunatas offered for reflect ion yester-
day were the great sHammer Xavier"
III the fiat MAJOR. opus no, the c major,
opus SO CWald-tein ,; and the "Appas
sionata. + minor, opus 81. All that was said
after Mr. Ianond's first appearance, when
he played the Emperor" concerto, might
be repeated now. but with n difference.
Not playing In a large hall and against
an orchestra. the pianist made his tone
less brittle. less hard and CLASSY. II never
reached mellowness, but II was distinctly
better.
MIR. LafnOnd l. technically well equipped,
except ia the matter Of tone, and his short
coming there seems rather to be tempera-
mental than mechanical. He played all
the sonatas with admirable correctness
a. regards the printed page. Even in the
appalingly difficult finale Of the Is fiat
he was not for moment overcome. True
be- merely enunciated the measures, but
he did II clearly and fuently and that /.
not a little. His playing grew better a. he
advanced through his list, and when he
reached the last movement Of the familiar
Waldstein sonata he treated his hearers
to a really creditable reading.
All Of his work was characterized by
There can be no question
hat he has studied Beethoven with close
his music. But never does he succeed
IN transmitting the resul,s of his studies into
a moving repetition. He gives to his
music, namely, study. You say, This
man TO remember only Beethoven La
mond. the Beet hoven scholiast, with ex-
planatory footnotes and marginal memo
randa, il always before you. You learn
much: you feel nothing
Sornewh here or other there WAS made a
tradition that Beethoven should be played
icadenically. He should certainly not
% played b IA Chopin, but why treat him |
Il the wondrous { minor symphony,
Fidelio, and the "Ieonore' overtures |
Ia If he were n musical pedant' And WHY |
lurl five Of his sonatas In succession at
my audience? Emerson once remarked: !
To DO great il To be misunderstood |
Sept no Ven was very Qrpaf