Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-19
ADJUSTMENTS
JOHN POWELL TRIUMPIIS
IN Bl{III,IANT 4,

Never before. ii is likely-certainly
never In Richmond-has John Powell
played as he played ut the Academy of
Music last night: never has his ire
mcndous ability as pianist or his
broad equipment as All artist been so
prodigally and so eXnuisitely displayed
Whatever differences Of opinion as to
tho maturity and restraint of this bril-
liant Young artist may have existed I'm
the past. there can he none now--since
mis- performance OF last night
II one was apprehensive upon first
Dcrusal Of the literally gigantic pro-
gram that lay before Powell, he real
lied that the artist was fully equal TO
its accomplishment after the opening
movement of the Beethoven master
piece, tie Sonata Appassionata." for
such playing as Powell brought to tho
Interpretation of this classic has not
been heard in Richmond in many a year.
The powerful contrast between the T.
Minor chords and G-nat Major chords,
which forms the thematfc basis OF the
work, was given with telling effect. 1t
was as though the poignant grief of the
composer lowed in an unstemmed
stream of melody under Powells touch
The other remaining movements were
hut q repetition of the first In their
rare musicianly treatment.
The Carnival" o. Schumann gave
the pianist an opportunity To run tho
2amut OF technic. tone coloring and
tempt. and through it's twenty diff
i"r"nt scenes. in rapid succession. a
Kaleidoscope vision Of sphinXes, papil-
Ions, COiumbincs. intcrspersed with
iieciinS sketches of Chopin and Pa
Sanini. danced, indeed, before the APP
prcciatiV" audience
Although The Importance OF this mum
her would warrant the dwelling upon
II, othor considerations compel the i'm
mediate mention OF what was undoubt :
eddy the high mark of Powells achieve
m"nt---thc four preludcs of Chopin, in
A-fiat Major, Bnat Minor F-sharp
Major and - Minor, together with the
, inpromp;u lin i'sharp Major and
Scherzo In y Minor, which he played at
one sitting. In these, as in every num-
Der. his technic was HAWKES.. while the
beauty in his every touch of the keys
fairly surpassed anything that he has
ever done here before. Pedaling and
Shadin" were employed with the ut
most consistency, nor at any time was
either of these prerequisites of pianistic
ar, ot.t of place or banal. So pro-
i"n&'d was the applause at tho end
OF thls group that a repetition of the
b-minor Prelude was compelled.
And yet il seemed that, at the con-
olusion OF this number, Powell had but
Degun 10 play. fer he then played
'iSo!dc's Love Dealh," which List para
| phrascd so wonderfully, so entrancingly
! and yet 50 dramatically that the mar
Vicious song thrilled and exalted the
| audience again.
| The closing group Of List The
| Dance of the Cinomes'' and "Rhapsodie
! iiohSroIac, No. g. were given as only
a nr"-emincnt disciple OF List could
| deliver them. ana the audience would
not leave until Powell had played his
own 'alijo Picker" which. for tech
nical difficulties and variations on IA
miliar themes is worthy to grace tho
programs of the greatest artists.
If this artist vii! play at every con.
cert on his forthcoming tour of Amer.
lea as he played last night. Richmond
VIII ever nave cause to number hiII
among its illustrious sons.
Douglas Gordon