New-York tribune., 1911-12-09
MUSIC,
Mr.. BorWick's Recital.

| WI. OUI WIN nCOildl,
The professional observer OF musical az
fairs in New York. though generally con-
demned TO an indescribably monotonous
round of experiences. is sometimes re-
freshed with the spectacle of an audience
most Unexpectedly stirred into enthusiasm.
When such phsnomenon takes place It Is
safe 70 assume That both artist and audi
ence are out Of the usual order and had
| b,cn brought together by fortunate COM
| blnation OF circumstances. There was an II
/ lustration in Carnegie Hall yesterday after
noon, when Mr.. Leonard Berwick. an Eng
llsh pianist. gave a recital. II is doubtful
| II a hundred music lovers in New York
knew that Mr.. Berwick existed. II Is GER
tain that no one concerned with sucn
things ever imagined for a moment that
there could be enough curiosity on the part
Of the public 10 hear an unknown and IN
! heralded pianist 10 Justify the hiring Of
| Carnegie Hall for a recital II was the
familiar story in the case Of a newcomer OF
an audience gathered together by methods
only a little short of the Grecian device
/ OF A chalked rope, which used 20 be en-
ployed in Athens when a plebiscite was
thought 70 be necessary 10 the public vel
fare. Many recital audiences are thus
collected, here and elsewhere, but they are
not all alike, and that Of yesterday after
noon had mixed in It an unusually large
percentage OF professional and amateur
musicians and intelligent music lovers. II
vas this fact that made It's conduct re-
| freshing TO the jaded observer Mr. Bor-
wick was an unknown quantity when he
stepped upon the stage; he had been rec
ognized and approved as an artist OF first
class Importance long before he had played
the last composition set down in his some
what too generous list. II is not often that
q newspaper reviewer Is privileged 70 wit
ness and record so complete and genuine
a triumph for a stranger as Mr.. Berwick
won.
And It raa all deserved. There Is no
need 10 go into all the details. Mr.. Bor-
~ick presented himself in most dignife1
manner as regards both his list Of pieces
and his bearing. His programme, like
many a one before IT, began with music
( by Bach and ended with compositions Dy
men Of to-day; but IT did not run out into
pieces designed merely 10 show technical
| rofclency-virtuosoship. The place OF
! honor was accorded 70 Beethoven's sonata
! IN c minor. Op. H. and in this, notvith-
standing that there was so much 10 admire
! from a pianistic point OF view in his play
! ing OF Bach. Chopin and the moderns who
! followed. the high water mark Of the re-
cital was reached, because. as II seemed,
! there was in the performance the finest
unfolding OF the players musicianship
and poetical nature as there was in the
music the highest revelation which Bee
thoven made through the medumship OF
the panoforte. We have said Il befor..
| but let US repeat Il: Beethoven vas fire.
| quently transhGured when composing, but
never so completely as In some moments
OF the great sonatas with whlc'- he said
almost his last word on the pianoforte. II
| the finale Of this, the last sonata OF all. he
scars heavenward like a skylark In the
rapture of the variations. He is "in the
| spirit" Ike John on the Isle OF Patmcs.
With the first movement he carries us 70
the theatre In which the last scene "t
Goethe's Faust" plays-tha higher re-
gions of this sphere, where earth AMI
heaven meet. as they seem 10 co AZ times
in the high Alps There we hear the song
OF the Pater profundis. and thence We be-
gin the ascent 10 the celestial realms
above. The variations on the arietts are
the songs Of the Pater ecstaticus. Blessed
Boys Penitents and Angels. who soar
higher and higher, carrying with them the
immortal part OF Faust
The most notable performances o. the
sonata which llnger in the memory of thi.
writer were those OF Or. Won BGlow. OIL
his last visit 20 America, and Mr.. Pader-
ewsd ten or a dozen years later Mr..
Borwicks performance partook OF the fine
qualities OF both; the clear, keen intel
lectualty of DR.. Won Bulow's reading and
the sensuous charm of Mr. Paderewskis
| In fact, though he has much less command
OF tonal beauty than the Polish virtuoso,
] he Yet reminds one frequently Of him In
HIS interpretations Evidently there exists
a bond OF sympathy between the two men
a bond which was disclosed not only in
the Beethoven Sonata. but also In the
Chopin numbers on the programme-the
Barcarolle IN sharp major, the Scherzo
! n { sharp minor. and the Prelude which
! lie played In response 10 a well deserved
recall Mr. Berwick intellectual and tech
ricaI equipment is most admirable; his
! sentiment is sweet and sound. he is from
| all points Of view a fine artist. and the
! lovers OF pianoforte music ought 70 wish
! for a better acquaintance with him.