The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-01-20
Her Playing at Columbia
Pronounced That Of
Great Artist.
STAGE SETTING AIDS
IN MASTER WORK
Reading of Alkan's The Wind
One of Finest Musical Treats
Heard Here.

When a musician is able TO play q
composition with such realistic effect
that the audience is actually made 20
live through its execution. there can
hc mo- doubt that such an artist has
proved claim to the highest position
the art world may offer
such an effect was produced Yesterday
afternoon in the Columbia Theater by
Adele Verne, the Bavarian-English plan
ist, when she played The Wind" by
Alkan. The audience actually shivered
during the remarkable reading of the
number and one was almost impelIed
to snuggle down into the seat and get
out Of the draft Rarely has such q
distinct novelty been offered music low
efs in Washington Accompa uying the
rather plaintive theme played by the
leIi hand, was an unusual score for the
right as ct mplete an imitation Of the
Wlud-Wheu played as Miss Verne play
ed t-as If old Boreas himself had slip
PED into the theater TO aid the pianist.
The brilliant, ripping runs ceased TO
DE distinguished as the notes Of a piano.
out were so eNquisitely blended by Miss
Verne as her def fingers fairly chased
themselves up and down the keyboard
until 70 seemed actually to be the
wind bowling Though the forest. Miss
Nerne's performance Of this number
alone would have fixed her status as
one or The great artists OF the age
First Time Here.
Miss Verne came TO Washington yes
teTday afternoon for the first time in her
professional career. For a time the
audience held back its approvaI-as
Washington audiences sometimes do
with discouragIng effect to the artist.
Hut tt was not long before those musi..
lovers On the house who are ready 10
hold out the hand Of welcome realized
that an artist of unusual ability was
before them. This realization came with
me nTsL or group of compositions for
haTpslchord- The ripping grace of Les
baTrlcddes My sterieusCs" and lie
MoucheTou, both by C0upern, was a
EeritaJle delight No amount of tech
nical difficulties seemed 10 have the
least terror for Miss Verne and her agile
fingers slipped over the keys with the
regularity and precision that suggested
years OF study and iuteTminah. e praC-
tee. Another of the haTpsichCrd num-
beTs was the "Ninuet' Of. Handel, with
MS simple theme delightfully."- worked out
Do perfect tones, and the bewitching
sonata ll F. major OF Scarlatti All
-FOUR OF these numbers were novel and
r.
ioTmaHce was q delight. From the con
Clusion of tits group the pianist had
her audience speHbOund and each num-
Der was receive ed with enthusiastic an
pause At the conclusion or Ruben
stein familiar staCCatO etude. Miss
Verne was compelled 10 return 20 the
stage again and again TO bow her ar-
acknowledgements.
Readings From Chopin.
The second part OF the program was
given over 10 a Chopin group in which
the remarkable tonaI quality of Miss
Ferue's playing had ample opportunity
for demonstration. The .Marche Fine
bre' was one OF the gems Of this group.
Then came The Wind and the audi
euCe could not restrain itself when this
number had been completed. Miss Verne
bowed again and again and only the first
strains of the Spinning Song from
The Flying DutChmaU' served TO check
the enthusiasm 1f those iu front
II was distinct pleasure 10 reaf. -slrH
an artist and TO iudOTse the opinion
OF critics Iu other cities OF this country
and Europe that she is one Of tn great
est pIanists OF the DAY
distinctly pleasing feature Of the
concert yesterday afternoon was fre
action or the Columbia Thcater man
agelnert -u giving q stage setting that
was particularly attractive II was an
interior which has not been r-en he
ioTe and tfs coy. attractive apDC mt
"ehis offered r. pleasing relief rom the
u"uolonogE settings which are usually
PROVIDED ON such occasions.