The Saint Paul globe., 1905-02-25
At St. Paul Theaters

1t is many, many seasons since st.
Paul furnished an audience as large
and as demonStrative as that which
gathered in the Peoples church last
evening to hear Paderewsli play.
Many stood throughout the programme
ana When 1T was concluded no one
made any attempt to leave the church
until the pianist returned many times,
at nrst simply to bow in response to
the Voclferous applause and finally to
SIT down at the piano and play a dis
mlssal number. Even then the audi
ence remained long enough to call
many "bravos"
ly delicate features of a BotticelIi
maiden, and the hair of an itinerant
preacher or a street fakir was in a
dlVinely fnterpretative mood last night.
Ihe famous singing quality" that is
one of the many distinguishing char
acteristics of his music that make it
so individual, so much more desirable
than the music of any other pianist
whom this country has heard, was a
siren note last night that charmed into
surprising abandon a gathering some
what notorious for it's reserve Many
VINO came to enjoy sedately. found
themselves substituting braves for the
more conventional handclappfng.
The programme played was emil
nently satisfying. 1t began with a
chromatic fantasy and fugue of Bach's
and Paderewsd makes Bach as me-
lod1ous and modern as a Chopin polo
naise. Following this he played the
Beethoven c sharp minor sonata, re-
markably alluring piece of musical lit
erature when played by a master. AS
the Polish pianist interpreted it each
tone was an opal, but the movements
were not strings of gems they were
something infinitely more human. All
that followed were exquisite tone
| poems. with the exception of the Liszt
arrangement of Schuberts ''Erlkonig,"
a drama; and the Chopin polonaise
(op. 53), mad, bad and glad dance
The Chopin nocturne Top. 81, No. y,
was played with ineXpreSsible tender
ness, as was also the waltz. The but
terfy" study was charming in the i'm
preston OF airy, graceful flight that it
conveyed. and the pianist, after bowling
many times stiti1y. repeated it. His
| own, "Melodie," a composition worthy
the name, since it embodies Paderew-
skis own idea of melody; Liszt's ar
rangement of Paganinis La Campa-
nella," and the same composers ar
rangement of Schubert's "Serenade"
were the other numbers on the pro-
Sramme.
1t is easy to analyze the charm of
! most pianists. Paderewski's charm is
indefinable. 1t is not alone technique,
not q trick of touch nor the gift of
emotional expression. 1t is all these
and something more Perhaps it is
| understanding, not understanding of
| music and musical literature merely,
| but an understanding of people. Ger
tain it is that when his attenuated
| white fingers sweep the keys, they
sweep the hearstrings, too; and the
technique of the art he has mastered
Is entirely forgotten, only the sur
passing melody remains and is felt.
In the mythical island of Ka-Choo,
located in the sea of Japan, George
Ade placed the locale of the story of
his newest comic opera, THE Shoe Gun" I"
written in collaboration with Gustav
LuderS. Henry w. Savage offers this,
the first joint work of these two tai
ented writers at the Metropolitan this
afternoon and tonight.
There is something in the book Tyr
les and music of ''The Sho-Gun," plen-
ty of diversion and no end of action.
"NewnesS" was the watchword of the
writing of 'The Shotgun" and both Mr.
AIDE and Mr.. Luders followed we'll the
requests made by Mr.. Savage when he
! asked that they break away from the
well beaten paths and prepare some
thing which had not been hitherto Of
fered.
Edna Wallace Hopper will present
the English comedy, "a Country
| Mouse" and pathetic curtain raiser,
Captain January" at five perform
| ances, consisting of four nights and a
Wednesday matinee. in this city at the
Metropolitan, commencing on Sunday
night, Feb. 26. Having temporarily
laid aside comic opera, Miss Hopper
comes this time as a star in legitimate
| comedy roles.
James K. Hackett will appear next
week at the Metropolitan opera house
In his new play, The Fortunes Of the
King"
A matinee today at 9 80 and tonight
at S:15 will conclude the engagement
of the Lighthouse by the Sea" at the
Grand. This play has pleased the pa
irons of the theater this week The
play abounds in thrilling situations and
laughable comedy scenes. The engage
ment has been very satisfactory.
At the Grand next week. commencing
at tomorrow's matinee, the attraction
will be Sullivan. Harris and Woods
production of Theodore Kremer's play,
''The Fatal Wedding" The play will
be presented here with the same seen
cry which marked it's presentation here
last season.
The Gay Masqueraders at the Star
will close their engagement with two
performances today. An entire. new
bill viii be given next week, commence
ing with matinee tomorrow.