The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-13

Propyiaeurp. Mr.. Busoni is truly cosmo-
politan. His mother was German MS
father an Italian and he was educated IN
Germany. He has played in all the world
capitals and with all the great orchestral
. establishments, and his repertoire embraces
the concertos of all schools. He composes
in many forms and his Bach transcriptions
are standard. He is a virtuoso and MS
style of playing is distinctive, his interpre-
tations peculiarly sympathetic, various
earnest and digniied. In Europe he mas
been eminent FOR years. The programme IN
which he is to be heard here follows:
Two Chorales, Awake" Rejoice! =.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT. h-Busonl
Sonata AppassOnata. ............:B eetn .l III
BaIlade, Nocturne, Polonaise. A Flat Chopin
?
The "Appassionata" is the sonata in
minor. Op. 81. Adolf Marx, in his Intro
duction TO the Interpretation of Beethoven
Piano Works." comments sarcaslcally that
"some piano hero or attentively listening
music dealer attached the appelation, ana
adds: Beethoven wrote many imprisoned
sonatas and of varied content. but he never
named one according to so indeterminate
a quality" But the impulse TO compare
define and relate is generally operative, be-
cause natural; IT reaches its highest power
in the programme music of this day. In
regard to this sonata Marx continues Inc
tone picture is wrapped as IL We're III
darkness. The figures are not manltest III
definite outline-all have rather the nature
of phantoms which darkly hover past, IN
tangible as the air into which they eVapoii7
ate when we approach and attempt 10 noiu
them. Can the whole be a picture OF an
anxious night? For that il manitests TOO
great conclusiveness. Is IT vision es-
capped from the lower world?
The critic and biographer of Beethoven Is
speaking of the first movement-allegro-
piu allegro. He hears in 1T mysterious
voices and the shrieks and hurryln2 or
rises and sinks again into the depths. he
concludes Wrath and complaint fetter
and flight, interchange" The second move
ment, andante con motto, is series OF
variations leading into the finale, allegro
ma non troppe-presto; finale when, again
10 quote Marx, 'rushes along like nlght
storm, and which, according TO tradluon,
was composed on stormy night. III Is
possible that the outward storm gave 10
the tone poet the last revelation or deci-
sion. but the storm had been in his breast
before He who has known the storm first
revealed in the first movement, VINO mas
sought refuge in the uprising ana expiring
De Profundis, his life indeed is storm;
and If he be a man like Beethoven, mild
and good at heart, undaunted and DEFIANT
in the buster of threatening misfortune,
he will sing courageously and loudly,
"'Gafnst snow, 'gainst rain, the storm to
breast;
On, on, still on, nor pause to rest"
Chopin dedicated the twelve studies OF
Opus Is to the Countess dAgoult. OF the
set Robert Schumann wrote, after COM
pairing Chopin to a strange star seen at
midnight: WHITTIER his path lies and leads,
or how long, how brilliant its course is yet
to be, who can say? AS often, however, as
it shows itself there is ever seen the same
deep, dark glow, the same starry light and
the same austerity, that even child
could not fail to recognize IL. But, besides
this, have had the advantage of hearing
most of these etudes played by Chopin him
self, and quite a Ia Chopin did he play
themi
One of the six of these studies that Mr.:
Busoni will play is the familiar Butterfly.
1t is No. g. and it's key is @ fiat. OF IL
James Huneker, in his Chopin" says:
Won Buelow transposes il enharmonically
to + sharp, avoiding numerous double flats
The change is not laudabe. He holds any
thing but an elevated opinion of the piece.
CHASING ii with composition OF the Charles
Mayer order. This is unjust; the study, II
not deep, is graceful and certainly very eff
fective. 1t has lately become the stamping
ground for the display of piano athletics
Nearly all modern virtuosi pull to pieces the
wings of this gay little butterfly. They
smash il, they bang it, and, adding insult
TO cruelty, they finish it with three chords
mounting an octave each time, thus giving
conventional character to the close-the
very thing the composer avoids"
How is one to reconcile the want of
manliness, moral and Intellectual which
Hadow asserts is the one great limitation
of Chopin's province, with the power,
splendor and courage of the Polenaises?'
asks MIR. Huneker, and he thus treats the
A fiat Polonaise, Op. SO, 1.-THE type of war
song:" There is ina ginative splendor in
this thrilling work, with its thunder of
horses hoofs and fierce challengings. What
fire. what sword thrust and smoke and
clash of mortal conflict. Here is no psych-
ical presentation but an objective picture of
battle, of concrete contours, and with a
cleaving brilliancy that excites the blood to
the boiling pitch. That Chopin ever played
it as intended is incredible; none but the
heroes of the keyboard may grasp its dene
dense chordal masses, it's fiery projectiles
of tora. But there is something disturb
ing, even ghOstly, in the intermezZo that
separates the trio from the polonaize. Both
mist and starlight are in it, Yet the work
is played too fast and has been nick-named
the Drum Polonaise, losing in majesty and
force because of the vanity of virtuosi. The
octaveS in major are spun out as if speed
were the sole idea of. this episode"
The compiler of these notes heard Mr..
Busoni play this Polonaise lately. In the
long rolling passage he produced the sug-
gestiop OF advance of Slavic horse
men; he so skillfully contrived and execu-
ted the regular increase of dynamic grada-
ton that the climax was astounding. thrill
ing, exhilarating. OF Chopin's playing it
is recorded that his pianissimo was so soft
it was possible for him TO get the forte he
desired. The great pianist is equipped with
ingenuity that permits him to compete
with the orchestra, and in the A fat Polo
naise. Mr.. Busoni exhibits the possession of
this quality of musical genius.
Seats for the recital by Mr.. Busoni may
be reserved at the Starr piano store, be-
ginning Monday morning.
The Thomas Orchestra