The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-02-01

lect comedian, formerly associated with
Ward and Vokes. is at Hashhagen'S this
week.
By the frequent and prolonged applause
accorded to him at the Odeor Saturday
evening. Richard Piatt, the young piano
%virtuoso. proved that h is often r
of prophets is not necessarily SO OF musi-
clans.
Though Mr.. Plat has been absent from
ST. Louis for many years, the fame Of his
success in Europe has reached his native
city and a large and critical audience as
sembled to hear his first concert.
Mr.. Platt's programme conformed to
conventions by beginning with Beethoven
and ending with List. with a group of
Chopin pieces, a popular "nocturne." a
waltz and a ballade in the middle. How
ever. Mr.. Plat made a graceful step
aside from the beaten path by including
a group Of rarely played Brahms pieces
and short compositions by Richard
Strauss. Poldini and Edward Schuett.
From the Brahms literature AIR. Plat
took W numbers from a set OF small
pieces. op. ZIG, called Fantasies and
his first rhapsody In B minor. The first
of the Fantasies" an intermezzo, is a
lovely bit of writing, plaintively melodi-
GUS and appealing, and was given with
high appreciation of its subtle beauties.
The capricio which followed is brilliant
and makes a fine contrast to the first
number. while the rhapsody Is the climax
Of the group Brahms: IN rhapsqdic mood;
Is a very different being from List, and
fairly revels in harmonic problems and
weird. melodic effects. disdaining entirely
the pyrotechnics SO dear to Liszt. MIR.
Plat played the rhapsody magnifcently
with broad. powerful tone in chord pas
sages. and a round, singing legato In
cantabile passages.
The young pianist is n versatile inter-
prefer, duly appreciatiye of the classic
purity of Beethoven and the poesy Of
Chopin. as well as the intellect Of
Brahms. A leaning toward this modern
cility with which he disposes of the knot
ty problems for brain and fingers that
Brahms presents and the loving care be-
slowed on the inner virtues of the neg
lected Brahms compositions.
Mr.. Plat is a player of serious intent
and lofty ideals. His ample technique is
never used for nero display, but always
as a means to an end, and his voicing of
nodes and transformations. yet lucid and
Lighthouse by the Sea-" the most ex-
citing melodrama of the season, is on view
at the Imperial. The storm scene OF
DEVILS Rock lighthouse is n realistic
water effect. An effort is made to wreck
a ship by doing away with the light, but
the heroine restores the beacon and saves
the vessel The play depicts New Eng
a coast life, and some Of the charac-
tiers are funnier than the rural types SO
often introduced in folk comedies.
welded n Parted" at Havlin's. las
to do with the infelicities of a young
couple who are separated by false friends.
In one scene. the wife, to defend her
honor. has a hand-to-hand encounter with
J. criminal. who would implicate her in a
badger trick. Seenically, the drama Is
quite as interesting as why Women
SIM" which was such a hit at this theater
week.
Maurice Freeman revived "At Valley
at the Crawford. The play was
presented at the Imperial. Free
man is quite the most interesting member
Of the cast. He i-mperSonates the revolu-
tionary hero IN a natural, convincing way
hat entertains.
Mrs. Fiske will appear at the Grand
tonight in MARY of Mag
1ala."