New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-06
berwick HEARD
in PIANO RECITAL
Artist all Exception Among a
Too Numerous Class
This Year
BY II. L. kREHBIEL.

II VIII be the pious duty or the crit
ical reviewer OF musical incidents In
the metropolis this season to permit o
multitude of them to pass unnotced
out of consideration for the public, as
well as the performers. The food Of
singers, violinists and pianists. Of
which apprehension was expressed
here some weeks ago. Is upon US.
Cheek by jowl with real artists. for
eign and native, are the small fry,
also FOREIGN and native. For the
former the European war has created
a need, largely personal; for the latter
(the small fry, both foreign and ma
tive, an opportunity, az they think.
Paper is patient that is a German
saying, printers ink Indifferent. and
reviewers are long suffering and in
dulgent; but no amount OF patience
and indulgence will be able 20 hold
out against half dozen "recitalists'
a week during a campaign of SIX
months, # nine-tenths of them are
mediocrities who have no better
PROCLAMATION to make than half a
hundred local men and women occu-
Iied with the same artistic handicratt
could make if they were so disposed.
II will be better that many concert
givers should content themselves with
the applause of friends than that they
should be measured by standards set
up by duty toward real art and real
artists. High merit is not likely TO be
overlooked by those capable OF recog-
niZlng II.
Mr. Leonard Berwick, an English
pianist, gave q rectal in Carnegie
Hall yesterday afternoon. He is
seasoned player and an artist, who
caused cons iderable expression or
surprise among the knowing when he
appeared here in the fag-end OF the
season two years ago. New YORK mad
acquired a habit of thinning that 1t
knew by name. at least, every artist,
foreign As we'll as native, that was
worth knowing. Expecting little from
the newcomer and receiving much, IL
received q shock of surprise, but q
pleasant shock, for New York's inter
ests and sympathies are not marrow
or selfish. Yesterday Mr.. Berwick re-
ceived dignihed welcome and the
kind of apprec alton that a serious
artist, who knows nothing of az
cGDfdniHm tricks, is entitled to. lie
played an unconventional programme
one feature of which had been
chosen to display specialized quality
or stvle, though, for students, 1t had
an historical interest. There was al
the opening "A Bach fugue translated
into the modern pianoforte ldiom Dy
the player; a Rondo by Beethoven IN
G.. On. 81, No. p which spoke the Ian.
guage of tonal beauty in conventional
Ihrase and essayed no emotional
preachment; then three snort pieces
bv Scarlatti. chs-0ing illustrations OF
the harpsichord SIC IS developed IN
Italy. and valuable as showing now
much volubility OF finger and sense OF
symmetry was demanded OF the harpsi-
chord players OF two centuries ago
Thus the old, the classic period IN us
hest sense was closed Then came the
composition which Mr.. Berwick had
evidently chosen to De the centre OF
oravity in his afternoons WORK
Brahms's Sonata in + minor IN wnich
the spirit of clsssicism and the spirit
If romanticism meet and embrace and
are welded in as noble union as the
-Schumann art has yet disclosed
Finally there came fadere"sAl
Theme and Variations in a major a
serenade COP. 3, No. %, by kachnshi J.
now. and Lists Concert Study III +
minor .o,,.;
rental, and in this and his disregard
nf sensuous beauty of tone he opens
himself TO the accusation OF being an
Academic PLAYER. In noble sense he
- Academic in Bach, Beethoven and
Scarlatti: but he showed the BRAHMS
noetic fibre in the sonata -strengthi
sincerity. tenderness. He may not De
a nlaver for schoolgirls; he is for men