The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-05-08
PLAYED THE PIANO
FOR "a HOURS
Wonderful Performance of
j. IL. Waterbury.
ONE CONTINUOUS CONCERT
Fed by Attendant-Hands and Arms
Bathed in Alcohol and
Witch Hazel.
ONE CONTINUOUS CONCERT

constant
work 1t the piano. during which time
he did not even stop to eat, j. NJ. Wa
terbury. the long endurance pianist.
rose from his chair in the window at
Sanders & Stayman's at s o'clock last
night, little the worse for his perform
ance.
a crowd had assembled in and outside
the store, and just as the hands OF the
/ clock glided slowly TO the hour OF eight
the pianist changed the melody ne was
playing into please Go Way and Let
Me Sleep" When the last note had
been played he clasped both hands and
stretched them high above his head as
though glad once again that they were
free from the worries, and the success
sion OF tunes which he had PLAYED with
out stopping for an entire day and
night
His attendant bathed both hands and
arms profusely in alcohol and witch
hazel, and when the pianist made his
way from the platform in the window
through the mass of people I'm the store
and out of the building. IL was with
the same smiling cOuntenance ne had
worn when at 100 o'clock he came in
the night before preparatory to his re-
markable performance.
Wonderful Achievement.
TO anyone familiar with piano PLAY
Ing. Mr.. WateTbury's achievement *
wonderful. Students who are ace -
toned to practice six hours Il day nrd
themselves overcome with fatigue even
after they have rested between times.
but last night AIR. Waterbury had no
/ complaint TO make except that he vas
re yous. and that, for the first time III
rna ny weeks. he had bruised one OF his
fingers.
de began playing at exactly O'Clock
on Friday evening, and the announce
lnent that he was 10 give such an ex
/ hhition attracted a large number OF
Do ople. Hundreds OF times the crowd
Cfhnged and changed again. but with
the exception OF gliding merTily from
one tune to another the pianist had 10
| break In the monOtony OF his task il
there be IaonotOny in music
Mr.. Waterbury has a record of twcn-
| ty-siA hours Of continuous plano play
| ing. stopping for nothing From the
| t.mc he began until the last note was
played the spectators were interested
ana patient. It is safe TO say, how
ever. that not one OF them was half as
ruch entertained as the pianist hile
self. for he wore an amused look con-
tjnually and played ahead with rs
much abandon and as fresh a touch as
( IL he had just began.
Alcohol and Witch Hazel.
/ In performing his task Mr.. Waterbury
had an assistant whose chief duty were
1 to feed him and to rub his arms and
wrists at intervals with witch hazel and
I alcohol. In this way his arms were
/ kept supple. and the usual fatigue that
would follow such performance was
/ partially warded off.
/ Mr.. Waterbury's program varied from
| classic selections to ''Bedelia" and like
| compositions. In the latter sort he dij
not find il so difficult TO while away the
! time, and on occasions he did a little
/ improvising. At all events. his recital
was interesting. He has a clear, firm
/ touch. and played with much ease and
\ brilliancy The most entertaining part
J of his performance was when his at
| tendant brought him his meals. He had
/ the pleasure of partaking Of his break
fast 10 the sweet strains Of Navajo.
while a gasping crowd outside watched
/ his man hold a steaming cup Of conee TO
his mouth and later deal out the appe-
tizing contents of an interesting tray
One Engagement Week.
At the conclusion Of a long recital such
as Mr. Waterbury gave he is usually on
the verge of collapse, and Is forced "a
give himself over entirely into his at
/ tendant's hands for treatment He
never accepts but one engagement a week
Of this sort, and has been playing
regularly at this rate for more than a
year 1t is said IL takes three or four
days for him to recover from the fatigue
and on the day previous to the one
through which he plays he sleeps as
/ much as he can OF the twenty-fOuT
/ hours. In that way he saves his
strength and Is prepared to Offset the
fatigue Of the long recital.
Mr. Waterbury IS a young man OF
/ pleasing personality and natural musical
| ability. He has trained himself for such
/ unusual performances by constantly in
/ creasing the length of his time spent al
a piano until his powers Of physical en-
/ durance are far beyond understanding.
His performance excited widespread in
terest. and many were loath TO believe
that he played all night long but two
men. especially engaged to see that he
did. and the policeman on the beat give
/ undisputed testimony that not one sec
end OF the time passed without a merry
little melody drifting out along the de-
( serted promenade, and when the pianist
[ concluded his program last night every
girl in the big crowd wanted him to
/ Beauty roses that adorned the show
window.
InannrnMo InnnnnnRA--z