The San Francisco call., 1908-08-23

r INDING it impossible to interview
Paderewski at his hotel, where he
was surrounded by servants, secre-
taries and friends it occurred to me
that by riding on the train which was
carrying him from one city to another
an opportunity of getting into conver-
sation with him would not fail TO pre-
sent itself The plan succeeded ad-
mirably, for although Paderewski has
always shown much aversion to being
interviewed. the aversion is rather the
result of a natural shyness than aught
else Once, however, the ice is broken.
his slight European reserve is quite
thrown off and he converses in an easy
unaffected and charming manner, and,
be it said. in very fluent English.
He was seated in his private car with
Nine Paderewski and two secretaries.
and, having just returned from the
dining car, was smoking one of the
long, yellow tinted cigarettes which he
has made for him in his native Poland.
The conversation first turned upon
individuality in piano playing, which
Paderewski defined as the expression
of the players love for and comprehen-
sion of music. In painting and in
sculpture, he said, as we'll as in music,
the many can love, but it is given to
but few to comprehend, and an inter-
prefer in any of the three, therefore,
is empbatically born and not made.
One may study for years and years.
and by sheer force of brain and appli-
cation may attain all the necessary
technique, but interpreting will be de-
pendent even then upon the spark
which must have been there from birth
if any work characterized by individu-
ality Is to be done.
What is meant by pianist's touch?"
/ asked.
Paderewski smiled. and / felt that he
was scrutinizing me, probably wonder
ing whether I was an amateur desiring
to gain information.
"a treatise might be written on the
question you ask me. a question which
is particularly difficult to answer terse-
ly in the hurry of railroad journey.
However, I will say, subject to modi-
fication on mature reflection. that
pianist's touch is the expression of his
he produces is part of his individuality,
and as such must necessarily be differ
ent in different players"
at follows, then, that different play
ers stir audiences with different de-
grees of profundity. Who in your ex-
perience has stirred audiences most
profoundly?"
The reply came without an instant's
hesitation:
"Rubinstein, undoubtedly."
And do you think that Rubinstein
stirred his audiences more profoundly
than interpreters of any other kind of
music-violin players, for example. or
singers?"
More than any violin player-yes,'
Paderewski replied, refiectively, be
cause of the much wider range of the
piano. More than singers. generally.
but not always. The piano will stir
people more deeply than will the hu-
man voice, soprano, contralto or bass.
but 1T might be held to take second
place occasionally-very occasionally.
not more than once or twice in a CEN
tury-on the appearance of a perfect
tenor. One never hears of a purely
vocal concert, one rarely hears of a
concert being devoted exclusively to
the violin. the reason being that such
would tire an audience The piano,
however, does not need the support of
music rendered by another medium,
and thus piano forte recital does not
tire. provided, of course. that the per-