The Washington herald., 1913-10-26

estins manner, intersperslng his serious
discussion with mould OF anecdote.
The titles of the separate lectures are:
THE Origin and Nature OF the Lyric
Drama. The Invention and Develop
ment of the Italian Opera" 1Riehard
Wagner and His Art Work ''wagner's
Comedy, Die MeistersingeF' and The
Opera Of Today
The Friday Morning Music Club has as
stunned charge of the Illustrations and has
been fortunate in securing the services
OF Mr.. Paul Bleyden, with Mrs. Bleyden
at the piano, at the first concert. Mr..
Bleyden viii sing a Greek Ode from Pin
dar and an ancient Hebrew melody.
The lectures will be in the hall of the
New National Museum on Saturday even
ings, November /. December 6, January
3. February and March I.
The most commanding individuality
among virtuosos since the death of Paga-
mini is beyond doubt of peradventure
Jan Ignace Paderewski." Such is the die
tum of the distinguished music critic,
Philip Hale, of Boston, and it Is one
which canlot be disputed. In the twenty
years that Paderewsh has been before
the world as a pianist he has held a
place in the affections of the public that
is without parallel in the history of music.
Psganini has become a tradition, and
about his life a myth already has formed.
yet granting that he was all the legend
makers would have him, the pubic he
appealed to was very small as compared
to that which has listened to Paderewsh
play. Europe alone knew Paganini. while
the Polish pianist has not only played in
all countries of Europe, but has con-
quered both Americas. Australia, and
South Africa
Paderewski's career differs from that of
most virtuosos. He was not "a wonder
child" but on the contrary was a grown
man of twenty-eight before he made his
debut as a serious musician. To be sure.
when he was sixteen he had made des-
perate venture to give, concerts in Rus.
sia with the forlorn hope of making
enough money to ease his poverty and
make his life easier while studying. The
results of this tour were increased pow
erty and a profound conviction that he
was not intended to be a pianist. In
truth, it was several years before he had
the courage to go seriously at his piano
again.
In the full sense of the word Paderewski
is self-made nan. His father was a
farmer in Russian Poland. and in 1863.
when Ignace was three years old. was
banished to Siberia for political reasons
MS ulSu nc was a DaOs-
He himself was a half-grown lad before
he received any regular instruction in
music, in the Conservatory in Warsaw.
After his tragical ludicrous tour of Rus
sia in 1876 he returned to Warsaw to de-
vote himself to composition, and three
years later became a professor in the
Conservatory. ...
He married, had one year of poverty
and bliss, when his wife died, leaving
him an infant son. In his effort to for
get his grief he plunged more eagerly
than ever into his work. He gave up his
position in Warsaw TO go to Berlin and
study composition under KIeI and Urban,
but the turning point OF his career came
in 1884 when he went to Vienna to study
the piano under his countryman. Lesch-
ititzky. The obstacles in front of him
were tremendous. He was beginning at
the bottom of his career at an age when
most virtuosos have succeeded or failed
Excepting a short time when he taught
in the Conservatory or Strassburg, he
labored in Vienna nearly four years. The
vast amount of work he did. the hours he
spent daily in scale playing are yet told
by those who were in Vienna at that
time. But he accomplished the almost
impossible. When he made his debut in |
Vienna in 1897 it was recognized at once
that a new personality had come into
music.
Life soon became easier for him. The |