Evening journal., 1907-11-21
PADEREWSKI
AND Hts CONCERT
Great ThrOng Hears Famous
Polish PIaniSt'S Recital
at Opera House
SOCIETY WAS OUT IN FORCE

when Paderewslxi played-the very stars
seemed nearer,
The brooks, the rills sang as they ne'er
had sung before;
When Paderewsli played-our loved we
loved the dearer,
And harmonies we heard from Musics
rarest store.
In breathless silence sat we all. afraid
one golden note to lose-when PaderewslH
played"
Ignace Jan Paderewski, the most fam
Gus living pianist. gave his first. and prob
ably only recital in this city, last night
at the Grand Opera House. He was heard
by ultra-fashonable audience, the like
OF which has not gathered here since the
time that Theodore Thomas and his or
chestra was heard in the opera LalSma
away back when Wilmington was not so
thriving. The audience packed the the
atre, every seat being sold.
Seated on a dimly lighted stage the ar
tist made a unique appearance-someuhing
apart from the ordinary mortal-in fact a
musical wizard with nothing but a piano
before him from which to weave his
magic spells. When Paderewsk played
a beautiful night following a glorious day;
a burst of sunshine followed by a glor-
incation of melody. With the laurels Of
conquest upon his brow. evergreen and
everlasting, Paderewski bowed his head
and played. If there was augiht in the
gamut of piano expression that he did not
arfh Ta ha dnfn M
touched: if ones imaginings did not lead
one beside the babbling brooks. among the
whispering trees, or by the breaker beat
en- shores Of the mighty seas, then the
hearer did not get all that Paderewsd
played. His melodies sang and crashed
and thundered; he dominated his hearers
and all can we'll be grathed that they
were there when PaderewslSl played.
In PaderewslSPs own Sonata op. 81, E
fiat Minor, the theme opened with a little
ruggedness which calls for great deal
of bass and counterpart leading to the
fueato. Some Of the passages were slight
~ startling, owing perhaps to the fact
the artist is more use to playing in
larger halls such as Carnegie Musical Han
and Cooper Union where chance is given
for wider tonal effect. One forgot this
when the variations were fully brought
out. Following Beethoven's Sonata c,
sharp minor Gu. q Moonlight Sonata
which is a fantasia, simple yet with
tender simplicity came a Chopin group
consisting of a Nocturne in + sharp
Major. the Etudes Nos. 10 and and the
B fiat minor Scherzo. The greatest plea
sure was here afforded by the pianist's de-
cred upon the listeners In a burst of FROST
ly sparkling notes, every one as chrystal-
line as Ice and as shining as sunbeams
In response to applause Paderewsl1i re-
peated the Etude No. on the black notes.
Three arrangements of Schuberts music
by Liszt followed. transcriptions of the
songs "Auf dem Wasser Zu singen," the
Erl King and the Soiree de Vienne. Llszt
put these together into a virtuoso piece.
How entrancingly Paderewski can sing
on the piano lle showed in his perform
ance of Stojowslxi's "Chant d Amour
"a love song). Here was an uncommon
scene-PaderewslI the master playing
composition Of his pupil. Stojowski. Il
was a delicate bit Of rhythm and love lit
passages, the charm of which the artist
brought out with true native effect. In
the final number Liszt thirteenth Hun
garan rhapsody. the artist let loose his
wonderful finger technic in runs and
thrills. In this piece he seemed to fairly
revel and his wonderful head Of hair
swayed to and fro just like those native
Hungarian dancers, peradventure did In
the mind Of his compatriot--Lszt when
he wrote the ever brilliant rhapsodies
In hrfn uf
artist back to the piano to charm his
listeners with Liszts second Hungarian
Rhapsody which fairy caught the house
by its delicious and tuneful melody. The
audience passed out, and .PaderewslSi the
great bowed himself off amid thundeis
Of applause