The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-12

the Erlking made up the hrst part of
cluded a Chopin group, the G minor
BaIlade. three Etudes, u, 7 and 2 Of
opus 10, the c sharp minor Scherzo
n the A fiat major Valse, opus a.
and, to conclude LISTS Rhapsodie
Hongroise number g. In addition to
these four encoreS were played: Mem
delssohn's Spinnerslied, following the
Beethoven sonata, a Chopin waltz and
etude after the Chopin group and
LISTS Campanile when, after the last
number on his printed the
audience still fingered clamoring for
more.
It would be hard to tell. from the
artists manner. so impassive is he
and serene when he faces his audience
and bows in response to its en-
thusiasm, whether or not he resents
its insistence and considers the en-
cores an imposition. Certainly he was
generous n gracious in responding
but he has a so many triumDhs.
won so many laurels. Wherever he
goes his concert halls are filed. and
he is so accustomed to a half-frenzied
mob of worshippers that it would not
have been surprising if he had shown
himself a trihe blase to his Topeka
audience.
There has been a lot of talk about
the mannerisms of Paderewski-it
has contributed, no doubt, to his
fame with the curiosity seekers-but
his eccentricity was not in evidence
last night. In fact he seemed to be
perfectly normal in manner and an
p~earance and indeed his pictures are
so familiar that the latter could
scarcely create comment anywhere
now.
AS to his art, there can be no cues
ton that he excels along perfectly legi-
innate lines. Conventional his DIavine
is not-what great artists is?-but
neither is it freakish. Doubtless Bee
thOVen would be aStOnished at some of
the Polish pianist's notifications of
tempo, his rhetorical pauses and novel
color effects secured by the use of the
pedal in the T minor sonata.
called the Sonata Appassionata: but it
is not reasonable to suppose that he
would find fault with such combined
beauty and originality Of Interpretation.
The art of the ~pianoforte has gone far
since Beethoven's day. If he could
have heard that performance of his
sonata last night, remarkable for the
~vividness with which it's salient fea-
lures were brought out, for singing
prominence of themes. for dynamic
shadings, for the conservation of the
artists energies and their concentra-
ton upon climaxes, for poetry and
n charm, for precision and Spon-
taneity he would doubtless have been
as thoroughly enchanted as any one in
the audience.
James Huneker has named Pader-
ewsk as one of the great interpreters
of Chopin. Nc one who heard his Che
pin group last night could question his
right to be included in the rather limit
ed list Mr.. Huneker has compiled. At
once c~Iairvoyant and illuminative
P~aderewskis Interpretation of the nus
ic of his cOuntryman has never been
eQualled here. The emotional depth and
virility of Chopin were revealed as well
as that dainty, elegant, polished, femin-
inc. sensitive side, which is the whole
sum of the raiding of so many other ar
lists. The poetry of the ballade, the
brilliancy and daintiness of the etudes,
the weird grandeur of the ScherzO, the
bouyant i~ntoxication of life of the
waltz, and in all that Uninterrupted
stream of luscious tone so essential to
Chopin. it would be a delight to dwell
upon There were orchestra effects, too,
o and marvellous, and many beauties
hitherto unsupported, a revelation of the
possibilities of these rich and wonder
full scores to those who have suffered
under amateur performances.
Technique as technique is forgotten
at a Paderewski concert nowadays. The
musical world had IFS first gasp at his
power in this respect. years ago. Since
then the more intellectual and spiritual
out of his publics thought to great AZ
tent. He still retains some of the List
show pieces on his programmes, but he
makes their technical demands an ex-
III E6EAO4l u lIiAE1tCGIuaA 0NEAEA anu IL
vention. Their very difficulties become
imaginative.
The ~pianoforte is not yet a band,
capable of all the varieties of express
sion which an orchestra can give, but
under P-aderewski's art it is almost
The power of music to search
the heart, pierce the fancy and seize
the mind is given the highest and
fullest opportunities possible by this
wonderful artist. One marVeled that
a piano could express so much and
that a mere man could waken in IT
those wonderful, multitudinOus voices,
with his lifeIess medium could go
straight to the heart of beauty and h
core of passion and put both into
sound.
The audience was in almost everv
respect one to make proud the hearts
of the select few h would like to
build up a musical center n create a
musical atmosphere in Topeka. The
attention was perfect, the applause
enthusiastic and intelligent and the
pianist's well known wish that he be
allowed to play his cyclical pieces, k
the Beethoven sonata, without the an
van and distraction of applause
after each part, was respected. But
an unexpected and most distressing in
cident marred the enjoyment of the
sonata: q baby brought by somebody
more inconsiderate than wise, started
crying in the balcony n this was
followed by the noise n confusion
o~ccasioned by the departure of the
disturbing element and his guardian.
It is not true that the audiences at the
Auditorium are often annoyed by such
an incident as this. The crying baby
was really something of a novelty, for
Topeka seems to have gotten
past that, as a usual thing, but the
Auditorium management should see to
it tina tit cannot haDDen again.
MISS TRACY IS NAMED.