The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-03-16
Nirtuoso and Composer Still Dis
plays a Wonderful Mastery
of the Piano.
INTERPRETATION IS EXQUISITE.
He Shows Keen and sympathetic
Understanding of the Great
Music Masterpieces = Few
Men Among Audience.

-s:en Ignace Jan Paderewski. IN the con-
ventional afternoon frock. dark trousers
and waistcoat and loosely knotted white
scarf. bowed TO the Odeon audience at !
O'Clock yesterday afternoon ne received a
typical "Paderewski matinee welcome.
There was barely corporals guard of
men In the house. The gathering was soul
fully feminine, and. similarly, Paderewskis 8
reception was feminine A soft and choral
sigh swept through the length and breadth
- OF the Odeon. This was the sigh which an
nounced thar the most emotional OF plan
lists had become visible at the left upper
. entrance to the stage. Then came q gentle
storm OF applause. the clapping of the little
Sioved hands OF women. This was the signal
that the divine played had advanced toward
MS beloved piano. He bowed three times
The effeminate tumult of applause in
creased And then he sat him down at the
piano. the profile OF his poetic face slight
~ upili1ed' showing clearly in the afternoon
Neht from the west windows And aeajn q
sigh In concert agttated the audience.
Upon which Paderewski touched tha kew.
ana wandered dreamfulIy into the Bea-
thoven Sonata quasi una'' fantasia On
"a, NO. :. and deep and almost brea th,ess
=stiiNess' = save Tor his playing. was on iis
Hearera IL Is rept Stiffness this which
envelops women listening to Paderew,ki
NO whisper breaks IL so long as his fingers
are moving over the keys. But, as at tho
ciose or yesterdays first number the an
piause which follows the dropping Of Pad.
erewski $ hands to his side Is curious in its
revelation of delight do not believe the
like is heard on any other musical occasion.
Whatever 1t may be In his temperament.
Paderewski appeals to women with q sim
gular potency.
The programme Of his single concert IN
81. Louis was unusually characteristic It
embraced. in addition to the Beethoven
sonata, Mendelssohns three songs without
words. Op 3. No. 8; No. ]. Op. g. and the
Spinnerlied; Schumann's CRrnaval, with its
three movements; the nocturne in G major.
the scherzo in B minor and tho valse, Op.
81; the Chopin-Llszt two chants poiona!se.
Liszts Etude de Concert and poionaisA
The hundreds who crowded the Odson yes
terday afternoon. braytng . March RAIN
storm to do SO. were amply rewarded
The player was IN marvelously typical
form. and he was playing to an audience
In close magnetic touch with him Only at
one moment-at the nrst halt In the pro-
Ersmme's opening half-did there seem to be
a disturbance Of these conditions Of tenn
DEamental contact between Paderewskt
ana his audience. This was due to tho
throng Of lats-comerA Paderewsh be-
came slightly disconcerted because OF the
shuffle Of feet, the slamming down Of chair
seats. the rustic Of the new arrivals set
Ning themselveA He shook his plentiful
aureoled hair with q faint suggestion Of I'm
patience. letting his hands 1au from the
keys.
But thereafter he might have been dream
ing alone In some cathedral choir loft for
Ill the indication he gave Of knowledge Of
his hearers while at the piano. Some one
remarked to me Afterwards that Paderews ski
seemed not quite In his earlier form i do
not agree with this view. His interpreta-
don Of the Mendelssohn. Chopin and Lisxt
numbers was exquisite. with the old spirit
OF Keen and sympathetic understanding.
The mans genius Of touch u something an
preaching the miraculouA His gift for
making a great and supremely tunsfu harp
OF the piano. proaongtng. somehow. an occa-
stonal note until 1t throbs deeply with q
duration not possible under other fnRers In
as notable az ever. These things were in
evidence yesterday, a. they have always
been. And the big audience plainly agreed
with me that there was no change In
Paderewski, such a. some have affected To
see.
Yet. in one grateful particular. thers Il 4
change In the temper OF the Paderews,i
audiences. There was no matinee demon
stration OF emotonansm run riot yesterday
as there has been in the past. People take
their Paderewsk more compoeedly than
they were wont in the olden times. This il
good do not believe 1t comes from any
alleged TACT Of Jan kubelfk having sup
planted lgnace Jan Paderewski In the sf-
fections OF the ultraemotionAl 1t II rathor
to be hoped that audiences are ceaang to be
International Paderewski was gratefully
applauded throughout yesterdays pro.
Gramme. and at the close. but there was no
disposition to mob him with adulation. Eor
which let us b. thankful His hold ON pub
lie favor should be all the stronger 70.