Omaha daily bee., 1915-10-17

already begun. having been opened by
the Boston symphony orchestra, Or.
Karl Muck, director the first number
of the Omaha Merchants concert series.
as well as the first large concert OF the
season. Last Tuesday evening the an
nual recital of Mr.. Martin Bush took
place, at which the writer hears Mr..
Bush played a new ana exceptionally
interesting sonata by Charles Wakefield
Cadman, four delightful preludes by
Rachmaninoff which were also new to
Omaha, and among other numbers a
Schumann fantasy and a group from
IAszt Mr. Bush is one Of our finest
pianists and from all reports he fully
maintained his reputation last Tuesday.
Other local artists will soon be announc-
ing dates for their recftsls, and with
these and the visiting artists who are
already booked we may look forward TO
a season that will probably equal that OF
any past season in musical activity.
-
1t was at the Panama-Pacific exposi-
tion at San Francisco the writer enjoyed
the mentioned musical thrill caused by
the improvising of the great English or
ganist, Edwin Lemare, whom we were
privileged to hear in two evening and. un-
fortunately, only one noon recital. At
these noon recitals OF six numbers No. 8
was called Improvisation, a brief note
explaining that Mr.. Lemare will be glad
to improvise on a theme submitted by
anyone in the audience" I had often
heard of the great master of other
generations improvising, but had never
heard anyone do 1t. l remembered a point
Mr.. Kelly made in a lecture a few wears
ago when, in discussing good and moor
songs, he said that a great composer
given the theme of some popular song
would make II into a fine composition
Just as fine conversationalist given anv
topic at reception could go on and make
interesting conversation about IL. while
poor one after repeating a trite remark
few times was through. Here was
chance to hear a great composer and
player weave musical conversation about
theme right off the bat" without bav-
ing any time to go home first and com
pose 1t. 1t sounded interesting to say the
least.
After the fourth number an attendant
went up with a slip of paper. This par
ticular day the Daughters of the American
Revolution were visiting the exposition
and some one had sent up the first few
measures Of the Star Spangled Banner
for theme which he played out loudly
Then, after a minutes pause, he started
using only these measures and what they
suggested, not going on with the song as
written. First he played the theme with a
staccato chord accompaniment, then
with a little running figure through It
and in rising sequences, then he left the
exact notes of the rising arpeggio of the
first measure for kindred material logi-
cal and perfectly suitable. What was
my astonishment soon after to hear this
theme coming out contrapuntally, first
entering in one voice and then in an
other as though each were asking the
other "Oh say can you see?" and here
and there in the soprano and the home
OF the brave and other snatches from
the chorus set against It! He continued,
the music gradually becoming louder and
more and more complex, leading up to
the great climax which brought it to a
close. when the whole song doomed forth
on the full organ with a brilliant running
pedal accompaniment. or course this
brought every one in the hall to his
feet, and the applause was tremendous.
.
one could really improvise at moments s
notice with such variety of expression
and ideas, and at tho same time to have
the whole hang together with such a
logical balance OF thought that II seemed
to form great brilliant patriotic com
position. And yet he did this thing every
day. with many other themes which hap
pened to come to him. He played his
other numbers remarkably, with great
ease and richness OF tonecolor, and bril-
lance OF technic. and in his own com
positions proved his unusual melodio
endowment. There was other good music
at the exposition. in the shape OF the ex-
position orchestra, and several excellent
bands, but nothing so impressed me as
this improvisa ton. They say It has
almost become a lost art Is II because
our generation lays too much stress upon
the technical side of the playing of an
instrument because nowadays people
take up the study OF harmony and COM
position too late in life and too carelessly,
or because so few who have the divine
gift work hard enough to get to the
point where they are really able to thus
use It?
Corrected dates for the forthcoming eve
ming concerts of the Tuesday Morning
Musical club this winter are as follows;
Harold Bauer, Tuesday evening, No
vember IS. 1916. at Boyd's theater.
Louise Homer, Thursday evening, Janu-
4 ary 13. 1916 at Boyd's theater.
Zoellner String quartet. Thursday eve
ming. February "a. 1916. at Fontenelle ball
room.
| .
mo artist can come TO America in the
proper spirit and not leave the country
tremendously improved in his art and as
a man." declares Harold Bauer. when
the critics stated on my second tour that