The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-06-11
WHAT IS 4 C0NCERT02
It IS the Dedication Of a Single
Instrument.
TONE DRAMA in THREE ACTS.

= -S-sSStto y % the Pianist. NioIinist
Or cellist What Grand Opera Is to the
Singer, the Highest Achievement the
Player Can Attain
A concerto Is a symphony wherein
one instrument Is given persistent
prominence in other words, an ex.
tended instrumental solo with orcRes.
frai accompaniment. often taking three
quarters Of an hour to perform. 1t Is
the deifcation Of a single instrument.
the highest achievement It's player can
attain: A concerto Is TO the pianist.
riollnist or ceilist what grand opera
is to the singer. It is a tone drama in
three electromagnetic. tender, then eli.
matte.
In the first movement there is usual.
" cadenza two or three pages long,
which serves the soIoist as the .matl
Scene" does the prina donna in ..Lu-
cia." II is an occasion for display.
The orchestra is silent, the conductors
baton at rest. while the player le 1t be
piano eoncerto) vallantly scales the
keyboard alone. At a certain note,
however, the orchestra resumes its.
role, giving the pianist perhaps a rest
OF several hars. But he must be ready
for his next cue. Though It be on a,
thirty-second note In the middle Of a.
beat, he must ''land" square and true,
Ike circus rider on his horse.
In the matter of memory the nlanist
has q task more arduous than that OF.
any other soloist The singer voices
but one note at time, the ylollnlst on
occasion Simultaneously sounds four.
but the pianist must keep in his head
perpendicular chords ten deep. When
1t comes to composition sixty-five
pages long. the players brain becomes
veritabie safe deposit full OF notes,
while his hands, like cashiers, dole
them out
There are famous concertos by all
great composers ana for nearly all in
struments. even an occasional one FOR
the drum. But most numerous aud Ia
miliar are the plano c1acertOs. A NOT
able example to study is the one in d
minor by Rubinsteln, titanic struc-
tuTe, splendid aud substantial as the
shield Of Achilles. being sufficient in
itself to protect the composer from OBJ
livion. 1t commences with the orches-
ira alone. softly at first, but steadily
working up to- climax-a crescendo
that touches the stars" Suddenly
there is a crash from the piano and q
tumble of chords, like the armament
falling, Lucifer cast down from heav-
en-, lightning striking the earth. me-
teor dropped into the sea, steamlng.
kissing, subsidtng,
1t Is a stupendous effect when we'll
done; but something for the pianist to
work over thirty-six hours a week all
the weeks OF year, and then a fun
decade later he still may find room for
improvement in this one overpowering
passage. In the manner Of his attack
upon these very first chords public
performer declares himself an artist or
a dllettante. No mere summer even
ing play OF sheet lightning will do for
this tempestucus demonstration Of cleo.
trio force. Indeed, the whole compost
ton is built on colossal lines. 0lym-
plan in character. like the Jupiter"
symphony by Mozart, this RubinsteIn
concerto might fitttngly be called the
Neptune" One can easily fluid In it
all that is over and under and on the
sea. The principal theme proclaimed
by the piano in pOnderous, plunglng
chords is very levluthau Of its kind.
In the cadenza tremolo in the bass
rumbles like an angry surf. while above
this turbulent accompaniment scars a
glorious theme in single tones. like the
curving flight OF sea gull. Then a
shudderlng crescendo. shrek in the
treble, a ship on the rocks! The ensu-
ing torrent of tones Is almost unpar-
alleled In pianoforte music. The in
strument groans under the fearful
strain. The strings all twaug to the
breaking point. While the principal
theme ~ gloriously bugled by the or
chestra, the piano. sounding above it.
pours forth. like relentless waves,
laundering ranks of icy octaves.
This particular passage is another IA
nous one for the pianist to weep and
pray and work over To play it with
absolute perfection one time out of ten
is an achievement for yirtuoso.
The second movement is a dream of
deep sea souads-the underworld of the
waters, whose pulsinS motion Is marx
ed by the ebb and flow Of slum6er.ng
harplike chords broodiug. gentle
song occasionally sounds above them,
but from first to last there prevails a
compelling hush OF mystery.
The final movement has a dash Of
salt breeze iu the music. Neptune
rides over waves and foam-sounding
conch shells and laughing sea gods.
The first solo theme is jerky group
of notes that play in and out Of the
keys like dolphins in and out Of the
waves
Another passage very peculiar In
construction is a downright dispute
between piano and orchestra. They