The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-04
RUDOLPH GAM, PIANIST,
APPEARS At PROPYLAEUM
In a Contest of Temperament and
Temperature the Former
Easily Wins.
AUDIENCE WELL PLEASED
Matinee Musicale's Guest Consid-
cred One of the Worlds Great
Performers.

II was a case of temperament versus
temperature at the Propylaeum yesterday
afternoon, when Rudolph CAM, the great
Swiss pianist. appeared in recital before an
Indianapolis audience for the first time.
Temperament won. The distinguished
visitor proved to be too thorough an artist
to succumb to the icy atmosphere and he
refused to slight his programme in any
way. despite the fact that he would have
been amply justified in doing so under the
circumstances. If there is any heating ap-
paratus in the Propylaeum building it was
not in evidence yesterday afternoon, and
the assembly hall, where the recital was
given, called to mind a big barn in the
farm lands of Manitoba, with the mercury
reclining at 40 degrees below zero.
The fact that not a single person in the
audience left the hall before the recital was
finished speaks volumes for the genius OF
the young man from Switzerland, who sat
at the keyboard for two hours, occasionally
blowing on his fingers to bring some
warmth to their surface. The music lovers
who had assembled to greet Mr.. CAM
wrapped themselves in their overcoats and
furs and were so carried away by the won
droas beauty of his performance that they
almost forgot their shivering bodies and
desperately cold feet. The recital was one
that must long be remembered and the
thought must have occurred to many of
those present: eff this piano virtuoso can
play so magnifcently when his fingers must
be nearly frozen, what couldn't he accom-
plish under really favorable circum-
stances?"
But with the temperature against him,
Mr.. CAM plunged into his work with a
temperament that swept all before ii, with
a technical equipment that held his hear
ers spellbound. and with wealth of poetic
feeling and pianistic virtuosity that caused
many of the old timers present to sit up
and open wide their eyes, and before he
was half through his programme he had
succeeded in leaving five words impressed
indelibly on the minds of his listeners
"Ganz is a great pianist"
And he is a great pianist-the greatest.
with the exception of Paderewski and
Raoul Pugno. that Indianapolis has ever
heard. The Matinee Musicale, the ad-
mirable local musical organization that
brought him to this city. is to be thanked
as yesterdays recital, and at the same
time to be sympathized with for having had
such hard luck with the furnace--or what
Mr.. CAMS programme was a varied one
of difficult and well assorted works 1t was
rendered in a way that was completely sat
isfying to even the most unSkllled listener.
From the display of marvellous technique
in Beethoven's thirty-twO variations in G
minor to the beautiful harp-like chords in
the Wagner-LisZt number, "ISOlde'S Love-
Death the musical menu was one that
was fascinating, interpreted in whole
some, musicianly manner that left abso-
lutely nothing 10 De desired. with repre-
sentative works of Beethoven, Brahms.
Chopin, d'Albert and List, the programme
was dignified in the extreme, without being
too heavy, and one that held the undivided
attention from start to finish. Although
encored enthusiastically time and again,
the pianist gave but one encore-a Chopin
waltz that was most brilliantly executed.
The audience was large, and, paradoxical
as ii may seem, Mr.. CAM was warmly re-
ceiVed His success was most pronounced
and it is to be hoped that he will return
to Indianapols-in the balmy summer
time one feels called upon TO suggest-and
present another such programme in the
same mastery way.