The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-05
BEETHOVEN MUSIC
GREATLY PLAYED
Josef HOfmann's Mastery In
depreciation Of the Noble
Emperor Concerto.
MEMORABLE PERFORMANCE
The "Coriolan" Overture and
Seventh Symphony Also
on Programme.

In the natural order OF things the
climax OF the symphony soc'ety's Bee
thoven festival should be reached sa'ur-
day evening when the ninth symphony is
10 be performed but those who attended
last evenings concert must have felt that
homage to the great master could attain
no more eloquent exposition than that
made by Josef Hofmann's Interpretation
Of the r nat piano concerto.
The programme comprised three num-
bers. the overture to 'Corioian." the
seventh symphony and the concerto. which
was fortunately placed at the end. The
concert thus proceeded In an artistic cres.
cendo. The overture. to be candid. was
played badly. Its performance was rude.
exaggerated in accent and coarse In tone.
The symphony went much better. There
were a few Questionable nuances In Mr..
Damrosch's reading. but on the whole he
treated the work with dignity and with
spirit
Mr.. Damrosch has recently iapsed into
some habits OF conducting which he aban-
| doned years ago. and 1t 10 u pity, for they
| distract attention from merits OF sound
value. The conductor permits himself too
much freedom Of bodily movement and at
times conveys the Impression that he u
wanting In self-control. This was notice.
| ably the case In the symphony last eve
| ming. The scherzo. which Mr. Damrosch
conducted less graphically than the other
NOV, msnts. was played the best.
Mr.. Hofmann's performance Of the
| Emperor concerto was the greatest
which THE SUNS reviewer ever heard.
II was adequate. moving. uplifting. II
was opulent with beauty. noble In style.
reverent In feeling. 1t was not what
| older concertgoers were taught to re.
gard as typical Beethoven playing. and
| for this let us be exceeding glad. Time
was when pianlsts were practically for
| hidden TO admit grace OF manner or
me.lowness Of color to the F. Nat concerto
lest they be accused OF consolidating IL,
Mr.. Holman demonstrated last evening
| that II was possible TO I'LL Its pages with
every tint known to the pianists palate
| and put every one of them in the right
| place.
| IL will be understood from this that II
| was not a dry performance. II was glow
ingly poetic. but while II radiated feeling
/, was manly feeling. the emotion OF a
master The piano sang always but
never effeminately. The perfect adapta-
ton Of the technic OF a supreme virtuoso
to the Interpretation OF great music was
a source Of unceasing delight. Whst ex-
uuisite constituencies In the delicate scale
Of accents, what profound appreciation
In the combination OF infinite grades OF
force with infinite variety OF color What
symmetry In the punctuation OF phrases
md what range CT artistic vision In theii
subordinaton to the general plan!
l. II would exhaust the vocabulary o.
enthusiasm to praise In detail this CRANE
and touching performance. Mr.. Holman
has before this shown himself TO be ar
executive musician OF the largest intelH
gence and the most creative Imagination
and he has not now to make himself
known az Beethoven player OF th'
highest rank but on no previous occasion
has he &C .ompiished anything In wh'ef
all the essential elements OF commanding
authority were SO splendidly con1o!nec
as in last evenings performance. Those
who had the good fortune TO receive this
fine Inspiration OF master pianist VII
cherish II In their memories for life.