The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-07-28
PADEREwsKI AT HOME.
He Cultiyates Flowers and His Wife's
 Pug Dog Plays the Piano.

He Cultivates Flowers and His Wife's
 Pug Dog Plays the Piano.
 Paderewsk is taking well-earned rest at his beautiful chateau, Riond Bosson, built on an estate which he owns. near Lausanne, Switzerland. The villa, which is situated in a seclu- ded spot, away from the track of Con- tinental tourists, is of the modern French type, and stands in the midst of fine park covering many acres. Att tached to the house are a splendid or chard, vineyard and miniature farm, and it is here that Paderewski divides most of his time and attentions when at home. He personally superin- tends the work of large staff of gar deners, often spending hours at time inspecting and giving directions about his trees, plants and flowers. In fact, gardening. especially in regard to flow CTS, may be said to be the pianist's fa- yorite hobby. Nothing delights him more than to forget his profession for a time and devote his spare hours to tending the blossoms he loves so much. The special pet of both the pianist and his wife, by the way, is madame's faithful pug, Manon, which has accom- panied the musician several times on his tours round the world. Manon has been taught a number of clever tricks, the most clever Of which Is to play the plano. Immediately the instrument is opened he will jump on the stool. and at the command of his mistress thump
 the keys with his forefoot with rare vigor. Of horses Paderswsh is ex- tremely fond. He is an exceptionally good rider, and formerly spent no small amount of time in the saddle. He has been obliged to practically give up this recreation, however, as being no longer safe pastime, seeing that a small ac- cident might prove disastrous injury to his playing. For the same reason Pa derswski no longer indulges in fencing, an exercise which has always greatly appealed to him.
 The interior of "Riond Bosson" is a veritable museum of musical relics. Articles which have belonged to all the great composers are everywhere, while the faces of their departed owners look down upon you from the walls. Tn the drawing room. too, Madame PaderswsT ki has gathered the most famous paint ings and drawings made of her husband by Burne-Jo Jones and various continen- tai artists. With the exception of the studio. where he indulges in piano practice. the room in which PadereWs- Xxi spends most of his time is the bil- Hard saloon. Here he Is to be found all most every evening, smoking innumer- able cigarettes and either knocking the balls about by himself or enjoying a quiet game with one of his guests.
 Billiards is the only thing that takes the music out If my head" he ex- plained on one occasion. Tt also exer- cises my eye and hand, and keeps me in training. Moreover, the game seems to produce in me all the delicate feelings which have so often to express on the piano. as when, for instance, play my favorite Chopin.
 Mention of Paderewski's studio re- calls to mind the fact that no musician spends more time practieing on his in strument than the famous pianist. Even when at home. he often remains at the piano from two to six hours each day. While on tour, however, he prac- tices even more. Before every concert for instance, the musician will shut himself up in a room away from all noise, and play for seven or eight hours at stretch. He will go through this programme again and again, and not until he considers the whole quite per feet will be on any account leave the room. In fact, Paderewski works as hard to-day as when he was a student harder, perhaps, because he has a reputation to sustain. As an illustra- tion it might be mentioned that when he was in Manchester a few years ago he remained there, exactly forty-eight hours, out of which he was at the pia- no twenty seven! His long, slender plano fingers. are the result of this continued training. and they have acc quired almost limitless strength, fexi- bility and staying power. It might in terest musical readers to learn, by the by, that in order to strengthen the hus- cles of his fingers PadereWski plays only five finger exercises.
 Great as have been the triunphs which Paderewski has won since, at the age of eighteen he abandoned teaching and resolved to adopt the career of a virtuoso his life has by no means been free from tragedies. It was when he was but poor student, just on the verge of his first triumphs, that his wife died on the day that his son was born. Had the son died, too, 1t is proh- able that the would would never have heard of Paderewski, for he was pas sionately fond of his wife, and grief nearly turned his brain. But the ne cessity of providing for his child stim- ulated the pianist to further efforts, and he resolved to become great for his sons sake. How that resolution has been carried out we all know. The death of his first wife. however, was not the end of Paderewskis misfor- FNL,o SOM ..,t,o,,, h idoliua1 t,n.