The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-28
MR.. SAINT-SAENS'S RECITAL.
The Eminent French Composer Plays .
Programme OF Plano Pieces.

Camille Saint-Sasns, the famous French
composer, gave a piano recital yesterday
afternoon in Carnegie Hall. His programme
was not Of the typical piano recital variety,
although in it's outlines it bore a resemblance
to it. The list began with Baoh's Italian
concerto, which is played only once in a
while. Last season, curiously enough, it
rose to the surface twice within two months.
Raoul Pugno played it in November, and
il was performed in December by Charles
Anthony, a Boston pianist. II is one Of
Bach's least important works, and its title
leads the nearer to expect something
anomalous, because a concerto for one
instrument certainly is that.
1t was a mighty ponderous, dry and
dreary hearing of it that the weighty French
pianist rave last November. Mr.. Saint
Saens, however, made different matter of it.
Under his musicianly hands the compost
ton assumed form and clarity. His read
ing was e~xquisitely pure in style and IL
lum lima in its intelligence.
Two of Rameau's little pieces, played
with simplicity and charm, led the way
TO B~eethoven's twelfth sonata, A fiat. opus
20. This work is so seldom heard in public
that it must nave delighted most Of its
hearers yesterday. To be sure. it is not
one Of the masters great creations for
the Itano. 1t ia loosely constructed and
not unified in style.
The first movement, a theme and varia-
tions, however, liz so beautiful, so tender
and graceful as to atone for the weak and
in-consequent finale. But the noblest move
ment of the four il the third, that extraor-
binary funeral march, in every accent OF
which speaks the composer of the -ErOica.
Mr.. Saint-SaeDs departed from the tradi-
tional posture of the recitaIist by playing
the sonata from the notes and having an
assistant to turn the leaves.
His reading Of the composition was de-
lightful. IL was clear, unaff ected, with
out straining after points. but symmetrical
and musical in every detail. TINS y not a
v~iTtuoso sonata, None OF the famous
pianists plays il. But for a musician like
Mr.. Saint-Saens, who il anything in the
world but a virtuoso, il offers a fine field.
After this Interpretation oonnoisseurs
in the audience must have been dazed by
his reading of the Chopin barcarolle. The
Chopin pupils in Paris refused 30 accept
Rubinstein a. an interpreter Of their master
and to his leonine reading OF this piece
they especially objected. Yet he played the
closing measures of II much as Chopin HIM
self did. Tausig read into II a whole love
story, a sort of Venetian night. Saint
Saens played IL in a matter of fact and by
no means clear style. with some passages
muddled by wrong or dropped notes and
the whole thing dried out in the summer
noon Of prosaic conception. Those Paris
pupils would not have dubbed him an au-
! thority. Plainly his idea Of Chopin is not
that Of the world at large. His Chopin
was a musical cabinetmaker no fashioned
a barcarolle " lille in Venice ON a summer
! excursion al reduced rates.
After Chopin came fragments Of the first
act of the pianist's own opera, Samson 1T
Della" The fragments were a chorus, a
ballet movement and the Spring song
The piano arrangement was engaging and
the composer played il excellently. His
other numbers were the andante from
Haydn's Surprise" symphony, four OF his
own waltzee and the quartet from Henry
WILL arranged By himself.