The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-23
MALEK 4 SUCCESS
Topeka Music Lovers Delighted
With His Concert.
Largest Audience Seen In Tope-
ka for Piano Recital.
CROWD WAS DIGNIFIED
Was Compelled to Respond to
One Encore.
An Artist Entirely Free from
Mannerisms.
CROWD WAS DIGNIFIED

Ottokar Malek, the Bohemian concert
pianist who played at the auditorium
last night, is said to object to the habit
newspapers and press agents have of
likening every piano-forte performer
who attains any marked degree of vir-
tuosity to Paderewski. And with good
reason. To say that an artist is the
peer of Paderewski'' is well enough,
and the statement would be accepted
without challenge in the case Of any
of perhaps half a dozen great concert
pianists of our day. except by those
fevered partisans of the Polish player
who insist upon the unrivalled charac-
ter of his genius But to say that Ma
lex or any other pianist is like Pade-
rewski' is to reveal an obtuse insen-
sibility to their different personalities,
and to the refinements and subtleties
of their art. But there Is really no rea-
son for Quarreling with the press agent
and business manager, VINO from their
standpoint are certainly justified in
using the famous name of Paderewski
to conJure with for the sake of the box
Office receipts.
This was done in the instance of last
nights concert at the auditorium most
successfully. The largest audience
that ever heard a piano concert in To-
peka heard Ottokar Malek, and as the
Young Bohemian has RETAINED since
his arrival in America from any OF
those wild and freakish eccentrlcltles
which we have come to look upon as
Inevitable in the case of foreign must
clans. although we regard the nome
grown variety as quite sane ana nor
NAL his reception here and elsewhere
on his present tour can not De ateIio-
| uted to sensational personal advertis-
| ing but must rather be accounted Ior
/ bv the growing appreciation of gooo
music among all classes IN inns couh-
1 try and an increased enthusiasm Aot
the piano-forte due to the popularity OF
Paderewski, Sauer, Rosentnai, de Fach-
man and other opponents of modern
| clavier methods.
MaIek gave the usual concert pro-
| gramme. divided between the com
nosers Of the old and modern schools.
Three numbers by GronfeId. the Aus
trian court pianist, Romance, Gavotee
and Minuetto, were novelties mere anu
among the other modern NUMBERS was
a Scherzando by Emil Sauer. Inc con
| cert opened with Tausig's piano tran
scription of Bach's D minor Toesato
and Fugue, than which, Mr.. George
Barlow Pennys analytical programme
notes asserted, there is no inner opeu.
ing number in the literature OF tne
pianoforte" Haydn's Andante, the
Saint-Saens transcription OF GlucK
RaTet d'Alceste and Brahms u minor
.lhapsodie were other numbers Bee
thoven was represented by ms u Iha-
| ior Rondo. Chopin by the Fantasia IN
F minor. and Iiszt by the concluding
| Tarantella.
| opportunity for the wide ana IreS
range of a versatile and magical
genius. and proved his right to be
ranked among the coming masters OF
the technique and poetry OF his art
His digital skill and dexterity We're ao-
| eouate for the claims of virtuoslty,
/ Astounding IN
| this day of marvellous techn1clahS'
when a remarkable degree OF mecnah-
ical ability is understood as a cohdlliola
precedent to the public appearance OF
a pianist In this respect Malek de-
serves the commentator of the
! thoughtful and serious student OF mu-
sic for his subordination of mere
technique to intellect passion anu
poetry of Interpretation: Although ne
has remarkable hand and fingers,
with a marvellous reach of two octaVes,
and such natural gifts might almosl
seem to Justify him in emphasizing hls
capabilities in this respect, he Is not
musical gyrnnast neither sensational
nor erratic in his methods and entirely
without mannerisms. His me, Iuii
free and satisfying readings reveal
breadth of intellect, depth OF feelins
and personal magnetism packed py
connnrehensive mastery of the mechan-
les of pianoforte playing. Whether ne
lis as good as or better than any par
ticuIar pianist is a matter largely o.
individual taste He is a young man
only %. and. one might say, but start
ing on his artistic career, but his con
cert last night gave PROOF OF grea'
natural ability and earnest, conscen'
tious study and promise OF wonoerIu
future achievement
The individual judgment. too, mus
pass on the merits of the dineren
numbers on his programme. 1t wll
largely depend upon the listeners com
uarat tive liking of Bach, Beethoven, emo
| min. Haydn Brahms and the others
Mr.. ALT Klingenberg. whose opinion II
view of his ON -lEs.cal attachments il
Of value. liked him best in the Choplr
Fantasia and the Haydn Andante Mr.
Klingenberg did not care for the Gron
field numbers which he characterizes a!
commonplace and conventional, al
| though not unpleasing.
Something like LOO people must nave
listened to Ottokar Malek in Topeka
and although there were wide empt!
| snaces between the occasional groups
the artists genius seemed TO unit
| then, in an intimate and cordial sym
nathy of appreciation and the audl
ence was less cold and isolated thai
the usual Auditorium crowd The ap
clause was genuine but dignified am
showed some respect for thes perform
er's rights demanding only one encor
from him when he gave CHOPIN Ma
z1,rka in response to the most lnslsten
| enthusiasm of the evening foliowln
his Chopin Fantasia