The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-03
JOSEFFY AT CARNEGIE HALL
OWES 4 SUNDAY CONCERT WIN
THE NEW YORK SIMPHONT.

ConcertOs by Chopin and Lisu Played
Beautifully Between Orchestral It'd
hits by Tsrherepnine, TschalkON sky
and Bach Mastery work FnJiyCd.
or a surety there il history making In
the world Of the piano, and he that stitch
may scent the battle afar on. Otherwise
there was no reason why the modest and
retiring Rafael Josefy should suddenly
have sprung in the arena A. Carnegie Hall
yesterday afternoon with two concertos
tucked under his waistcoat II was osten-
sibly a Sunday afternoon concert by the
New York symphony Orchestra but the
real protagonist was Josehy. He played
tEo Of those competitions with which he
has long delighted New Workers After
oil he Is our own pianist.
True, he dwels in the seclusion Of Tarry-
town, but il not Tarrytown musical suburb
81 Fourteenth street? Josefy played
'hopin's minor and Liszts A fat con-
certos. Walter Damrosch and his orchestra
preuded and interluded With certain or
cEestral tidbits such IA the languorous
-Prinoesse Lointaine' overture Of Tsche-
rePnine made for the lush atmosphere
Of Rostand's drama; the Nut Cracker"
ruite Of Tschaikowsky-po music all
heavy lines and fiat colors and tho familiar
adagio and gavotte Of Bach, music for the
PEOPLE by one Of themselves.
But, after all, it was Josefiy who was
the lion Of the hour-Joseffy Of the crystal
tone, the limpid scale the chamois finger.
the transparent tints. 1t is something OF a
Joy to think that we have such a pianist
as this at our very doors. He plays not
often, but when he does the populace rises.
Somehow yesterday 5 concert stole into the
world so silently that the mass Of the people
knew not Of it, 1heI efore the audience
was not what it should have cen To-day
many who had not heard that Joseffy was
to play yesterday will weep bitter ard
salt tears.
What comment shall here ard now be
made on the performance Of the minor
concerto Of Chopin? We have all heard
Josefy play il many times He has not
altered his ideas Of Il He reads il as he
always did But perchance there is a tTihe
more deicacy in the nuancing than there
used to be. II Is all, however, planned in
the domain Of the exquisite.
There is no foolish attempt to dramatic
lyric. This is a spent epode OF pas
sonate melancholy. There is no martial
PROCLAMATION, as in the A fiat polonaise,
no blaze Of tumultuous emotion, as in the
framed in the diction of contemporaneous
pianoforte style.
jose y feels the work with the incest
appreciation. He comprehends il and the
spirit Of Chopin's piano style. He plays
this concerto, so far as we Of to-day may
judge from the records Of contemporaries
and pupils, rs Chopin himself must have
played it, Even the Taussig octaves at
the close are treated with a ravishing
cameo effect, The whole thing is the finest
and most beautiful carving.
The Uszt concerto Mr.. Joseffy played for
us Unexpectedly once last season when he
was associated with the Boston Symphony
Orchestra. His performance on that occa-
sion was the most remarkable he has ever
given 10 this particular work, which he al
ways playsiwith poetic spirit and wonderful
tonal beauty.
There was perhaps a trihe less finish in
yesterdays presentation, but to find fault
with it would be captious. II was a very
beautiful Interpretation and a piece Of
mastery piano playing. Carnegie Hall
IL not the best possible place for Mr. Joseffy.
IL would be Joy 70 hear him in an auditorium
about half that size. He is so O ntinent IN
the matter OF dynamios that some Of his
loveliest efforts fail TO get their full value
in the big hall at Fifty-seventh street and
Seventh avenue.