Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1903-10-09

A MUSICAL
NATION
BY RAYMOND RAYNE

which fall to the lot of concert agent
not the least difficult Is to decline the
tempting offers OF certain virtuosi
without hurting their very sensitive
feelings.
When Pan Ogle Trepanowski wrote
to me from Poland in this sense, my
first impulse was to indite very firm
refusal. Reading his letter n second
time, however, 1 gathered from the
mixture Of English and what appeared
to be Volapuk, In which his intentions
were conveyed, that he was following
on its heels with such truly artistic
impetuosity that no reply could pos
sibly reach him in time to prevent his
departure.
All his qualifications were duly se
forth. OF course his hair (he incloset
a photography and his names were un
exceptional; the rest did not 20 into
1t was quite out OF the question for me
to run any pianoforte virtuoso on my
own account, unless indeed 1t had beer
the Paderewski himself.
On the morning of the 14th l re-
ceived a telegram couched In these
terms: Locomotive twelve hours per
init that one encounters me to the sta
ton Trepanowskl." On solving this
he had evidently got 1t word by wore
from dictionary gathered that tn,
professor was coming by way Of Que
bee on the IL o'clock train, and wanted
to be met at the station.
l went down myself and saw the
train in. Pan Ogle was there-a private
detective could not have missed him
He stood we'll over six feet and waf
broad even for his height. Despite the
warmth Of summers day he wore
an immense fur lined overcoat will
collar and cuffs Of sable.
He spoke English rather worse thar
he wrote It, but fortunately understood
fairly well what was said to him. III,
was full Of questions about tho series
Of concerts which he supposed l had
already arranged for him. | avoided
giving any definite replies as well as |
could until we reached the house.
During luncheon | was saved any
trouble by tho artists appetite, which
was well sustained and did credit to
my housekeeping We retired to the
music room, and got Pan Ogle behind
a big cigar before breaking to him that
l had not yet arranged any concerts.
l told him that many most deserving
foreign artists spent their first decade
in New York in playing for nothing at
the functions Of wealthy patrons OF
the art and I'm giving their services AT
charity concerts, or, In fact, wherever
two or three could be gathered together
to hear them. said that was popu-
lar error into which all Europe seemed
to have fallen. told him we were the
most musical nation In the world
sank my voice to a confidential whis-
per. / said, 1.-THE real reason we cannot
get audiences IL that for some time past
listeners have been to a man Tor a wo-
man better performers than those on
the platform"
Pan Ogle looked incrsdulous. 1t was
time to lead trumps. said, ~ will
wager anything you like that the first
tradesman who calls at this house this
afternoon will play you any one OF
Beethoven's sonatas you choose to
name"
Pan Ogle laughed aloud.
you make what you call re fun, is
II notf" he asked.
81 was never more serious In my
life," replied. rang the bell, and the
servant entered.
'Parkin," said, TASK the first trades
man who calls to step up here"
"Mr. Blunt, the pork butcher, Is down
stairs now, SIR" said Parkin.
well, ask him to spare me a mo-
ment or two"
Eyes, SIR" replied the impasslve Par
kin and disappeared.
The door opened, and Mr.. Blunt
walked In. lie was In his shirt sleeves
and had on the blue apron which seems
inseparable from the vending Of pork.
"What can do for you today, slrr
he said. ~ have just started a new
line of sausages which I can thorough
ly recommend. ! call them the Dlmin-
uendo brand merely for distinction.
They taper toward one end, you see"
suppressed a smile.
ut wns not I'm connection with your
-er-professlOn that l wanted TO see
you, Mr. Blunt. Do you play the pl-
amor
well, | do, sir, or, rather, did. In
fact, I very much wanted to go In for
the music when I left school, but my
father would not hear Of 1t. He said
there was no money In 1t. The music
business Is played out he would say.
There are too many at 1t. But the art
Of making ssusages will always pro
vide a competency for the few"
quite true, Mr.. Blunt" l assented
Now, the professor and are at issue
as 10 the tempo of a movement in ono
Of Beethoven's sonatas, and should
be greatly obliged II you would play It
to us II Ia the first movement Of opus
g."
The pork butcher sat down deferen-
tally on the plano stool, presenting a
singularly unmuBical spectacle.
II have not had any practice for
months; still to oblige a customer" and
no struck tho commanding phrase
which begins the introduction.
Before he had played many bars tho
pork butcher had disappeared and tho
artist was revealed. Tho colossal
phrases OF Beethoven's last sOnnta
were given out with a certainty, n 70.
strained force, a nobility Of tone, an all
compelling rhythm, which took the lis
tener by the throat.
Pan ogle Trepanowski leaned for
ward in his chair and gasped for breath.
When the last chord had died away
there was hushed pause. Then tho
professor burst forth into a torrent Of
polyglot superlatives. He embraced the
reluctant pork butcher. He demanded
Of me why such player did not devote
himself 10 the career Of virtuoso. I
assured him that Mr.. Blunt was a fair
specimen Of the public 10 whom artists
had TO appeal In America.
II don't know whether you arc aware
Of IT," said Blunt, speaking 10 mo. but
your two servants are capital hands at
the violin and cello. They come around
a. a. -.