The San Francisco call., 1910-02-07
Carreno Charms Audience

In former days a characteristic Of
Teresa Carreno's pianistry was its OBJ
iectfveness. its intrinsic beauty. There
was show" and the ostentatio of
power: there were the charms of the
Nirtuoso's spell and a developed dispO-
-ition TO amaze. This is all gone now.
Instead of effectiveness there is a su-
perb subjectiveness; the music which
ripples or storms under her fingers now
Is intrinsic. There is no show of power
for mere powers sake, and there is no
apparent desire TO amaze or startle with
phrases. Her art is from within; poet
ical and rare.
Few Of us will forget, who were at
the Garrick theater yesterday afternoon
10 say goodbv to this wonderful woman,
how she played Bach's fantasie and
fugue. The fantasia section, particu-
arly. was touched with a modern feel
ing and given new wings. 1t was born
of the pianists inner consciousness; it
was Bach-Carreno. In other words. it
was played as Bach himself would
likely do ii were he to have p modern
grand piano and the unwearied technic
or this woman whom age can not affect
The fugue movements were models Of
clarity and beauty. and the whole was
? lesson not to blame Bach's distance
and classical sloofness on the Hun
Earian composer. but to blame il on
his frequent and malignant interpret
ers. Nine. Carreno's unimpaired nerv-
Gus force and accuracy were seen in
this Bachian selection.
Beethoven's Sonata" opus 109, was
an exhibition of power, but mostly an
exhibition Of wondrOus tenderness. The
fragile theme Of the expressive mo-
tive was like folk music in its sim
plicitv and like "A mothers lullaby in
its sweet purity 1t was played out of
the pianists heart, just as though she
herself had written it.
Let the seminary maid forswear
Chopins nocturne. opus Is, after hear
ing Carreno play it. From softest pi-
anissimo to crashing chords and with
all the dynamic shades between this
number is not TO be attacked with i'm
punity But it was a nightingale's soft
calling compared with the thunder and
drums Of the Chopin ''Fantasie Polo
naise' which followed-the opus 6 fan
taste il was. After that more fairy
music, this time Chopin's waltz, opus
-. which won two encores.
Mime. Carreno does not hesitate to
put our MacDowell next to Chopin or
any other composer. That shows as
much courage as discernment, for Mac
DoweI stands comparison with the
best and emerges serenely. She PLAYED
his .Barcarolle," opus 35; his "Hexen-
1auZ ana MS EllOe ue concert. the
last was the best of the three, though
to all she gave a sympathetic reading.
fuIl Of understanding and meaning.
OF the last number ii must be said
that local art was given a fine compli-
ment and earned the consideration. The
Lyric quartet appeared with Nine. Car
reno in Schumanns "Quintette." opus
a. The first movement, the brilliant
allegro, did not shine as well as the
scherzo. but by the time the last o1 the
four movements was reached the young
women OF the quartet had won perfect
confidence and poise and the work was
given a splendid finish. II was all good,
but the last was excellent. OF the pi-
anist's share in the work-what need
10 say anything save that this most
beautiful and romantic of piano por-