The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-17
.PADEREWSKI WILL
Be HEARD FRIDAY
Most Popular of All Vir-
tuOsOs Will Give Recital
at the jefferson

Paderewsk will give a recital at the
the auspices of the Music Study club.
On his first appearance here many years
ago the great ceiebrity-conceded to be
the most popular pianist who has ever
lived-gave his recital at the old o Brien
opera house. That leading place of amuse-
ment in Birmingham early days was
packed, and seats were IS apiece. The
last time Paderewski was here he
played at the jefferson, much larger
house than the O'Brien and the seats
were s.. On this appearance the seats out
side of the boxes will be only So.
The seat sale is now in progress at
the Cable Shelby Burton company's plano
house What the management has to say
in presenting Paderewski will be cordially
indorsed by music lovers generally. Here
are few of the paragraphs:
7 when an artist becomes by general
consent a standard by which, all other
artists OF the same kind are Judged and
graded. it means but one thing-that he
is indispuatably supreme. Such posi-
tion Paderewsh has held for 2o-odd years
in which his playing has enchanted the
peoples of five continents. This is said
in no wise derogatory to the many great
pianists who are doing their share to fos-
ter the love of music throughout the
world 1t is but another illustration of
the relentless law OF selection and elimi-
nation. which, working, perhaps uncon-
sciously, in the mind of the public, gives
final place. in history to the artist and
his work. .....s
when Pederewshi first dazzled the
world with the beauty of his playing, he
opened a new era for the pianoforte,
discovering unguessed possibilities in that
instrument. Liszt reformed and enlarged
the technique of the keyboard. Padere-
wski has done the same for the pedals,
revealing the wondrous command of color
that lies in them. This is his greatest
contribution to pianists of today and to-
morrow. 1t was he who first made the
pianoforte sing melody so that the
listener almost forgets that it is an in
strument of percussion And of this art
he is still the unapproachable master
The union of his extraordinarily sensitive
touch and skill in the use of pedals has
made him unique among pianists of our
time.
with the years that have pa assed since
he won his first triumphs, Paderewski,
true artist that he is has grown greatly.
broadened much. At first his art was
distinguished chiefly by its exquisite lyric
beauty. Today it has the heroic grandeur
OF the epic. Where once 1t enticed, now
1t commands; yet that same lyric quality
which made him famous is still at his
call when need be. The sterner traits
which time has developed merely empha-
size and strengthen the lovely character
fstics of his earlier, days.
''Paderewski is now in the full develop
ment of his maturity AS he was in be-
ginning of his astonishing career SO is he
nova solitary figure in the world Of
music. His hold ON the public. profess
sional and lay alike has never been
firmer Mentally, physically. and tenn
peramentally, he has been fitted for his
life's work so as to make him stand out
in high relief from the artists of his gem
Grafton. Popular fsncy has so woven
legends about him that in less prosaic
materialistic age he would be figure
In myth Even as it s, the mystery of
his art so enshrouds him that before he
strikes a chord on his instrument he has
his listeners bound to him, as If by a
spell.''