The San Francisco call., 1905-03-15
D,ALBERT'S ART
GIVES RISE TO
VARYING VIEWS

"Glorious!"
He's got to show me-"
Did you ever hear such Beethoven"
IF that's Schumann 1 don't know
it when / see it,
Don't care If / never hear any one
else"
No poetry
So what is a poor critic to do, These
are a few of the things 1 heard coming
down the steps of the Alhambra The
ater last night after the first d Albert
recital, and / heard more at the foot
of them, where excited knots of mu-
sfcians were hammer and longing 1t
about the pianist. No such strong lik-
ing and disliking perhaps has been
aroused by any single pianistic perfor-
nance given here for years. The wise
ones, those who have heard this small
titan before here, in Paris, In Berlin,
say Wait" They say: Wait until
Thursday. If this gigantic small person
does not then feel wholly in Schumann
or Chopin mood. wait until Saturday
Meantime be grateful for some slices
OF the biggest Dianism you are likely
to get Remember, too. that of views
there are others than yours; that big
mans conception Of a big thing may
possibly be as valuable as yours, and
that he certainly has right to it,
After all. all criticism resolves itselA
into simply as some one has said: II
like IT,. / do not like it," And the more
individual the staff criticized the more
diverse the opinions. Even D'Albert's
Beethoven, in which meter he has been
long accepted master, was fought over.
The storm center was the andante, read
not in the usual placid fashion. but
with resounding echoes Of the storm
and stress of the preceding movement.
1t was wholly logical but entirely un-
usual So, no one else has played 1t in
my small experience. Logical again is
its usual reading as churchly moment
of calm between the emotional wilds
Of the first and last movements. It's
as you like 1t, and enjoyed the DIAL
bert edition. The pianist's reading of
the allegro found intensely, brilliantly
dramatic: the royal theme royalty de-
livered, the orchestral bass orchestrally
treated, and the whole thing technically
unimpeachable. The finale NJ. d'Albert
took somewhat more slowly in the be-
ginning than one is accustomed to, but
ended up in sweeping climax Of
power and speed.
Somehow one does not think of DIAL
bert's virtuosity until you get him
among the Lizst fireworks, but 1t Is of
the massive. compelling. Rosenthal
kind. A gentle, smiling little gentle
man, five feet, nothing much, he has
the power of several De Pachmanns.
/ don't remember anywhere more
glittering thrill than in the Rubfnstein
"Barcarolle," nor octaves so heroically
sure as those in the big" Chopin
''Polonaise." Peculiarly delicious again
Is D'Albert's light, yet clinging nom
legato. and he has all the dynamic
range at his command. With those
Chopin octaves (op. 53) the polonaise
became new ride of the Valkyries." !"
The nocturne, Cd. 8, No. 8, the other
Chopin example, was charmingly
played in virile. straightaway fash
ion, not POLITICALLY, but sanely and
finely.
And then came the Schumann Car
neral" 1t was for this that Mr.. d'Al-
bert's admirers had to pour forth their
most ardent apologies. Essentially ro-
nance, its essential spirit was lack
ing. 1t was hasty. breathless, wanting
In fnesse and elegance Its accents
for M. dAlbert's impeccable rhythms
one is greatly grateful. Its basses, too.
frequently overpowered it's treble mel
odies, and its general effect was Of q
mood ajee with the composers. Yet
those in the know swear by D'Albert's
Schumann. The movement was, how
ever, encored in a fashion as compell-
ing as D'Albert's own. and charm
ingly tranquil Chopin "Berceuse" fol-
lowed.
Mr.. d'Albert's own scherzo proved
delightful in every way and a Liszt
scherzo and march closed the pro-
gramme. The house throughout,
though not as large as it should have
been, outdid a Tivoli house in noise.
and the D'Albert fight Is on. The next
recital Is tomorrow night
BLANCHE PARTINGTON.