Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-23
PIANISTIC ART MINUS
A VISIBLE VTRTUOSO
Wonderful Instrument Heard
at Sole Entertainment of
Tuesday
UNDER SPECIAL PERMIT

"The touch Of vanished hand" is
less elusive than the poet Tennyson be-
lieycd. II was preserved last evening
in the Academy of Music In n remark
able performance by the Duo-Art piano
unalded by the bodily stage presence Of
tbe virtuoso. Harold Bauer was this
unseen artist who registered his inter-
pretation OF the Saint-Saens concerto
in G minor on this remarkable instru-
ment, which may be called "Inechan-
ical, only for want Of Il better general
term. The makers of this piano assert
fhat Il actually reflects the tempera-
mental qualifications and personal illu-
minatlve characteristics Of each indi-
yidual performer, and it was to demon
stratc tho validity of this claim that
last nights concert, with the aid OF the
Philadelphia Orchestra, was given.
Aside from it's exceptional features
along inventive lines the concert was
uniaue in being the only public enter
tainment available on the first of the
au1usementless Tuesdays. Special per-
mission was obtained from Washington
80 Iegalize the event, which had been
originally scheduled for Monday. That
date was Immediately Cancelled when
the fuel administrators first order con-
cerning theatrcless Mondays was issued
and n Tuesday concert was announced.
rbe revised order banned that until en-
,reatv. citing confusion over tho roster
won tho single exemption proviso sane
tioninp the opening OF the Academy last
night
rho large and attentive audience was
dceplv thrilled by the brilliant ptanistic
performance minus tho star. Just how
accurately the Duo-Art instrument re-
produced tho tone, touch and technique
Of the accomplished Mr.. Bauer u Is
d,pc,ilt TO say. Not the most sensitive
,ousical ear can recall every individual
trait of n given performer. If Mr.
13auer in persona prOpTia had played the
concerto last evening and then immc-
djately afterward the resources Of the
'.,nechanical" piano had been invoked
cyacs standards Of comparison would
lave been at hand. As II was the won
derful piano gave superb reading OF
the Saint-SaenS work, and the style of
its playing seemed to resemble Mr..
I2suer's more than that of any other Nir'
tuoso. Tho suggestion was particularly
,otent when the auditor removed his
gazc from the instrument. whose keys
Topped up and down with almost un-
canny animation. The absence of any
human musician at the instrument, play
ing In perfect time with Mr.. Stokowskf S
praisemeut Of the artistic miracle was
somewhat handicapped. At tho conclu'
sion Of the number--an excellent choice,
by the way, for a spectacular display
the house broke into prolonged and fer
vent applause. Mr.. Stokowsli bowed and
glanced rather perplexedly at the place
where Mr.. Bauer. in a less ingenious era,
would have been standing.
Expanding the program to that Of the
dimensions of a full.sized concert the
philadelphia Orchestra, with visible per-
scnnel, gave appreciative readings of a
suite from Bizets incidental score TO
Daudets "L'Arleslenne" and Dvoralis
New World" symphony.
The occasion marked tho second public
hearing of the Duo-Art plano, the first
having been given recently in New York
in connection with the New York Sym
phony Orchestra under Walter Dam
rcsch. II. T. g.