Evening star., 1902-02-27
pADEREwsK1's RECITAL.
A Splendid Program Heard by Great
Audience.

The most remarkable scenes were wit
messed at the Columbia Theater yesterday
afternoon. Long before o'clock the lobby
was crowded with women those who had
tickets and those who wanted to purchase
admissions. and when the hour set for the
commencement Of the Paderewski recital.
4:15, arrived, both the lobby and inside the
theater the crowd was very much like
a mob. Extra policemen were stationed
inside the auditorium to keep the throng
moving so that the ushers could attend to
the work of seating those who held cou-
pens, and policemen were in the lobby to
regulate those who were anxious to reach
the box office.
Finally the sergeant in charge ordered
that no more admissions be sold and the
Stein to that effect. This was a serious dis
appointment to the hundreds who had
hoped to at least be able to get chance to
stand up. The audience was the largest ever
said to have been the greatest ever known
at matinee performance in this city. Hun
dreds were turned away, the majority OF
them being women.
The cause of this outpouring, this jam
and crush, was in dressing room back OF
the stage waiting for the Overworked en-
ployes Of the theater to seat such of the
audience as could show title to such COM
fort.
1t was a brilliant audience representative
Of the culture. the intellect, the fashion OF
the capital. There were diplomats and
their families. officials of every department
OF the government members Of the most
exclusive social circles and nearly every
musician in the city. Then there were
school girls, who are just beginning to play
the piano, and who wanted to hear and see
the master Of that instrument. Many or
these formed the crowds that stood at the
back of the rows Of seats on every floor
and sat on the stairs that led to balcony
and gallery. They were restless, not so
anxious to hear as to see the great Polish
pianist, and they caused some annoyance
to those who were forced by circumstances
to stand, and who did want the hear the
playing. On the whole however, the crowd
was well-behaved one, and that it was en-
thusiastic was demonstrated by the liberal
applause after each selection.
1t was 4:35 o'clock when the well-known
figure of Jan 1gnace Paderewski stepped
from the wing, and bowling In dignifed
way crossed the stage and seated himself
at the piano His program had not been
previously published: and it was not until
the audience was inside the theater that the
members knew what they were to hear. 1t
didn't make much difference about the pro-
gram. any selection would be dignified by
Paderewskis interpretations, but as a mat
ter OF fact the program was an attractive
one, being as follows Sonata quasi una
Fantasia, Op. p, No 2. Beethoven; Ada
gio sostenuto; aMegretto; presto agitato.
No. 3, Op. 10; No. 1, Op. 62; Spinnerlied.
Carnaval. Schumanna Nocturne, c minor;
Etudes. Nos. Z and 3, Op. 10; Valse, Op. "a; +;
POlonaise. Op A, Chopin; Au bord dune
Source, Etude de Concert, LisZt; La Cam
PAMELA. Paganini-LisZt
While there are no manneriSmS in Pade
rewskis playing, he understands the value
of theatrc effect. as is evidenced in the
dmly lighted stage and the half-cosng of
his eyes al times while playing. But he is
an artist in the fullest and best sense of
that much abused word.
He is the best exponent of the art of
piano playing now living, having tech
niquc that is able to overcome all mechani-
cal difficulties and an intellect able to
grasp the true meaning of every compost
tion ne interprets. He understands the
art of pedaling other pianist does
and he makes the instrument sing it's tones
into the hearts of his hearers. His touch
is marvelous-clear, distinct, elastic-giving
musical enunciation that is thoroughly
satisfying. While each selection was warm
~ appiauded, the first that demanded an
encore was the third of the Mendelssohn' s
songs without words, "Spinnerlied," which
he repeated. Schumann's "Carnaval' was
magnificently played, and the Chopin group
gave opportunity for the pianist's poetic
nature to find full expression. The Liszt
numbers, with which the program conclud-
ed, were so spendidly performed that the
audience remained unsatisfied and would
not retire until Paderewski had returned
to the stage and played two encore num-
berS, the first being IiSZt rhanSOdy