The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-22

piano tone OF this time ia that OF Mr.
Paderewsld who studied with Leschetitzky
But there ia his own authority for the state
ment that he long ago threw over the
doctrines ~ the eminent instructor
LeschetitzlSy himself had one OF the hardes
and coolest touches that ever froze thu
blood out Of piano music, and the fore
OF his example probably il stronger thar
his preaohments.
II is inconoeivable that any teacher would
deliberately inoulcate such a hard touch
as the leading opponents OF the Leschetitzky
method display II, however, this excel
lent old man does purposely impart the
glass finger to his pupils. then he ought tc
bs drummed out Of the musical court.
For, without doubt, the ultimate end OF
nil technic il tone. The facility which
enables pianist TO play rapidly and &c
execute all sorts OF difficult combinations
OF notes Is not the last and crowning achieve
ment of his art He must learn to carry a
| beautiful. singing tone with him through
! everything This is the highest accom-
plshment OF technic. and the one without
which it Is unfinished and unequal to the
Interpretation of the greatest music.
The same law applies to all musical per-
]
rapid scales and arpeggios has gone only
! half way toward the limits OF his art Il he
cannot also make his instrument sing with
the true dramatic soprano voice Of the
orchestra and swell or diminish it's tones
like those Of human throat
Even flute player fails IL he has a poor
tone. To the yiolinist it il all in all, as ii
IL to the singer, Tone tone that is the
ultimate end OF all technic and the piano
teacher who does not understand that
principle Of his art is unfit to prepare men
and women to preach the gospel OF Beet
hoven and Schumann.
Heinrich Knote, the Nun ioh tenor, will
finish his engagement here on wednes-
day night. He has been Welcome adj
ditou to the list Of our operatio aoquaint-
ances. He IL one OF the few Germans who
are acquainted with the art OF tone pro-
duction and who possess sound legato
style.
Mr.. Knote's skill in singing the oolloquial
passages Of lSiepfried, the Wagnerian reci
tatve. in conversational style with
out once losing the character OF song or
falling into the brittle staccato cultivated
at the court of her Majesty Cosima In
BayTeuth. WAS a fine achievement OF
vocal art 1t offered A model which young
Wagner singers ought to have observed
with all humility. and which they should
try to follow with all devotion.
Mr.. Knote in this feature OF bis wag-
merriam interpretations has Joined hands
with Jean de Reszke. He and the great
Polish artist show that it ia not necessary
to chop Wagner's phrases into kindling
wood in order to make the enunciation
distinct or TO give the defamation the
smilitude OF dramatic speech.
Wagners music can be sung always
It must be sung The old school OF Wag-
merriam barkers and sputterers was founded.
not on a theory. but on a condition. The
theory was promulgated afterward solely
to explain the condition.
The Wagnerian defamation was some-
thing new. The masters insisteuce upon
the enunciation Of the text raised further
difficulties IN the way OF the half trained
German singers. They could not sing
lyrically and conversationally at one and
the same time. SO they begged the ques-
ton and omitted the singing. Afterward
they commended that this was the right
way to do it, the true Wagnerian style
He has left many solid pages to prove
that he was radically opposed to 1t. Yet
his widow and his son, who have in many
other matters ignored his wishes advocate
this so-called Wagnerian style.
Mr. Knote went TO London some years
ago and made his appearance at Covent
Garden in the company with the De
Reszkes, Eamee and few more Of that
class. He opened his airs and then he opened
his mouth. exolsiming in hearty humility
Why. ] don't know how TO sing
Thereupon he went back to the Con-
tinent and studied. The result is that he
Is to-day the best singer among German
tenors and very good one in any com
pahy. 1t is to be hoped that Mr.. Conried
will succeed in securing a longer leave Of
absence for him next season.
THE Suns chronicler OF musical doings
has received an earnest communication
which seems to be worthy Of reproduce
ton in order that people which walketh
in darkness may see a great light. 1t is
the plant Of an injured soul anent the
chronicler's observations on the hearty
looking little chap who fddled for the
amazement Of the multitude at Carnegie
Hall on Jan. 10. The letter has a postscript
which says You may publish this II you
ike
We do like, Erastus. we do There is
nothing we like better than publishing
letters from intelligent readers who dis
agree with our opinions. Possibly the
writer of this epistle was a triAe excited
when he arose with the orb Of dny after the
concert and found that THE Sun did not
shine according TO his notions Of correct
illumination, and for that reason be may
be pardoned some incoherence and some
original English. But we cannot mar the
beauty Of his letter by subiecting il to the
cold hearted process Of editorial polish
ing Here it Ia in its pristine state
10 THE EDITon or THE SIN Sir: have
read the criticism on the Yecsey concert
given al Carnegie Hall last evening and feel
that they are not by any means fair The
item should have been headed, "Yecsey,
the Boy Wonder" instead OF "Necsey. the
Boy Fiddler consider myself fortunate
to have been in the audience last night. and
as ! listened with spellbound silence. tho
high notes sounded like birds chlrping their
love songs TO their mates.
II Is a rank injustice 90 the boy 10 say that
he has not the musical instinct OF n child OF
g. and because he did not move hiz whole
body. and sway the violin 10 and fro. and
rerhnps have extra yroufh of hair ha