Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1908-09-23
American and Foreign Comment
on Miss Verne.

During the fifteenFyears of my news
paper eXperlen ce On3 the Pacific Coast
i nave never come across an instance
OF musical victory that could compare
with the universal recognition of Adela
Verne in California. In fact. Miss
Verne's artistic triumph on the Pacific
Coast was so universal and SO spon-
taneous that deem it worth while to
cast retrospective glance upon her
California victories and show how this
young piano virtuoso was hoisted into
public favor by sheer force of genuine
efficiency. This brief sketch is pub
llshed for purposes of future refer
ence, so that in case Miss Verne re-
peats her California triumphs in other
musical. .centers there will be no doubt
about the original recognition of her
true merit.
Without any elaborate announce
ments AdelasV Verne made her debut at
Century Club Hall of this city on Sat
urday afternoon, November 2. Her
program on that occasion included
works of Bach. Haydn, Schumann,
Rubensteln. Chopin, Alkan, and Men
deissohn: Sne hardly had played few
bars before everyone sat up and took
notice, and after the conclusion of the
| first numberl the handful of people
! made enough noise for three times
J their number. At the conclusion of the
program there was a ovation which
| put lew artists ever experienced in San
francisco. Miss Verne's reputation
was made, and the next day everyone
interested in music talked about Miss
Verne's wonderful virtuosity.
The next two concerts, on Friday.
| November s, and Saturday, November
9, at Century Hall, were crowded, and
theG fourth concert, at Christian
Science Hall, on Sunday afternoon.
November II, was nearly sold out. At
her first concert in San Francisco
about $50 people were in attendance
and at her fourth concert, two weeks
later, over 1900 people were present.
| The enthusiasm at every one of her con-
certs was indeed remarkable, and con-
sidering the fact that, unlike the en-
thusiasm at the Paderewski concerts,
1T emanated from the serious musical
element, the victory was nothing short
of wonderful.
''An unprecedented case of talent
conquering by its own sheer force.
totally unaided by the art of the
press agent, is that of Miss Adela Verne
of London. A handful of people
greeted the pianist at her first recital
on November 2, more than double the
number at the second concert a few
days later, while at the Friday recital
of last week the audience overfowed
into the corridor. To describe vividly
the playing of this young woman of
1 RaUQr1Qn 70
new adjectives, for the most striking
characteristic of her pianistry is origi-
nality, but originality allied to so fine
a musical nature that the element of
bizarrerie is completely eliminated.
When one is no longer listening to her
1T is possible to appreciate the ade-
quacy of her technic, which would
seem extraordinary if one did not
recall Liszt's aphorism that they either
acquire it "a perfect technic) young or
not at all. But during the playing
Miss Verne is enhancing US, thrilling
US, startling US to degree that pre-
cludes all thought of the means by
which she does it; indeed, she makes
her audience feel so keenly, stirs them
up emotionally so effectually tnat an
outsider happening upon the audience
at the conclusion of a recital would
wonder what unusual thing had oc-
Cured to cause a body of people to
present so excited and exhilarated an
appearance.
THE DAILY TEL EGRAPH.-At a
Philharmonic Concerto. solo in
Schumann's Concert was taken by
Miss Adela Verne, who showed, as was
anticipated, that she had the text at
her fingers ends, its meaning in her
head, and its feeling in her heart. A
more thoroughly sound and satisfac-
tory performance we have seldom
heard.
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH.-Mis
Adela Verne played the finest of Liszt's
Hungarian Rhapsodies with such
power and brilliancy that the audience
passed from enthusiasm to ecstasy. 1t
was very notable achievement.