The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-08
ROSENTH AL THE PIANIST.
THE RUMANIAN sTILE A CT ANT
OF THE KEYBO ARD.


Ills NtuDeuuDut htCtthlCAI EhHt UuVC VhUFN
Displayed Before m Amazed Audience
Playing OF wonderful Skill with
Certain Traits OF Great Musical Beauty.
In November, 1888, Moriz Rosenthal, the
Rumanian pianist, made his first appear
ance in his country in the excellent city
Of Boston. Upon that occasion he played
LISTS Z fat concerto and Don juan
fantasy and some Chopin numbers. He
dazzled, astounded and excited even the
denizens of the Back Bay district. Then
be came to New York, and at the good old
Steinway Hall on November Is he made
his bow to the dwellers in the neither gloom
Of this growing borough. Again the popu-
ace rose in inexpressible amazement at
a technic such as had never been known
before. Rafael Joseffy, with whom Rosen-
thai studied for a time, was seen to leap to
his feet and wave his hands wildly while he
uttered fortissimo cheers.
Mr.. Rosenthal has played the piano much
since that time. He has toured Europe
and astounded the experts of all musical
countries. He has disclosed evidences OF
an earnest desire to rise to higher levels
than those OF sheer technic, to sound deeper
springs OF feeling than those Of mere amaze
ment. Eminent European critics have
more than once declared that he was just
ready to spread his wings for a loftier
fight than he had before made. He has
visited America several times and once
his tour was cut short by a serious illness.
He has now returned and he is still just
ready to spread his wings for that loftier
flight.
Let this assertion not be misunderstood
Mr.. Rosenthal reappeared last night in
Carnegie Hall and played superb y; but
The fact that he gave no demonstration OF
keener insight into the poetry OF music
thar no did in this city years ago may not
have any immediate significance. He played
music which he has played here before.
and in respect Of poetic treatment his in
expectations showed no important adj
vance. Nevertheless thew did show musical
growth. and withal a more magnificent com
mand Of the key board than even this match
less giant Of technic ever previously dis
plared.
His FIRST number was the E minor con
certo of Chopin, given, as is his custom in
The Tausig version, ootaves. and all
Eighteen years ago comment on his reading
Of this composition was just what it ought 70
be now. His performance OF It Is genuinely
beautiful, albeit uneven in excellence and in
places irritating by reason OF its ~purposeful
s~ubordination of thought to manner, but
none the Less the mueTpTeLdLlOn OF "A pidLlSt
Of the first rank. In the matter OF tone 1t
was not so bewitching as IL was In the earlier
time. Mr.. Rosenthal has fallen a victim TO
the prevalent q m OF pianists for an
instrument regulated to glacial brllnancy
and an aversion to generous use OF the
soft" pedal. But some OF his effects with
the damper pedal were exquisitely beautiful
and in some of the cantabile\ passages his
tone was ravishing.
Again, too, he played the Brahms varia-
-. - Sk-u,- 49, pa-anspf NTH uuhtnh
he excited the multitude in Steinway Hall
in 1888. Nothing analytical can be said
Of this performance. IL is.all simply stu
pendous. IL makes 'th~-technical achieve
ments Of other pianists- pale. Again, too
by way of an encore number he played the
Chopin ID. fiat valse in thirds, with the
c~ontrapuntal embroidery Of the second
theme oy the first. He played il at a mar
vellous tempo. 1t was a wonderful feat
in finger work and it made every one forget
the simple beauty Of the composition and
gasp at the pianist's doings.
Again also he played Liszt's + fiat con-
certo, with which he introduced himself
to Boston, and Walter Damrosch conducted
the orchestra, just as he did on that occa-
sion. IL was a great performance in 1883. IL
was greater in technical abandon, certainty,
power and brilliancy last night 1t was
more carefully thought out, too, in certain
musical features. But after all IL was a key
. board achievement rather thar an exhi-
bition of notable musicianship. We shall
presently hear Mr.. RoSenthal in recital.
berhaps he will then spread his wings for
that loftier fight for which his truest adj
mirers yet wait.