Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-11-01
CORTOT TO PLAY
MONDAY EVENING
Famous Italian Pianist Soloist at
First of Seasons Sym
phony Concerts.

The opening Of the Philadelphia Orches-
tra season in Wilmington, on Monday
evening November 1 promises To be an
occasion OF rare mus ical interest ms
is especially true In regard TO the soioiS''
Alfred Cortot. the French pianist, who
recently arrived in this country with the
Paris Conscrvatoire Orchestra II was
with great difficulty and n great expense
that NJ Cortot was engaged Tor TINS ap-
pearance since he Is on tour WITH the
Paris orchestra and Is playing IN ihilauel-
phia the evening after and III Boston Two
davs before his Wilmington date, hut 1t
was the opinion OF both the orcheStra
association and the Delaware committee
that the opening concert should pc more
striking than usual.
Cortot has had signal honors conferred
on him hv the French government He
IS a Chcvalier Of the Legion Of Honor, "a
member of the Ministry Of RCaHN Arts 4
professor at the Conservatolrc. where he
succeeded Raou Pugno ami Narmontcl.
and = vital factor III all artistic movements
in France While he is recognized through
out Europe as the foremost French pianist
of the ,iaN. this is his first visit 10 Amcrica.
and since the time allowed hm here by
his government lasting only until January
20 his appearances must necessarily he
confined to the more important music
ccntcrs The Wilmington musical publlc
i. therefore. deeply appreciatlHc q the
privilege uf hearing thl~ famous French
pianist under the most favorable con
ditions The Schuman \ minor concerto
Is the work which NJ has chosen for thl>
appearance. Il work we'll calculated - re-
veal his musiclanly qualities.
Il..AKs WORK TO RE- HEARD
Not less striking are the orchestral
numbers. the Prelude and Angels Fare
we'll from The Dream OF Cierontius OF
Elgar, which opens the concert. and the
fourth symphony Of Tschaikow>ky, with
which the concert concludes l.lgar who
is privileged 10 prefix Sir before his name
and who Is generally acknowledged a the
foremost composer ul England. Is known
to orchestral audiences III this country
largely through his stirring march. "Pomp
aud Circumstance. written for the roru-
nation Of King Edward the Dream Of
C'erontiuS, ot winch portion Is featured
on the program l. an oratorlo based on
\eumans : immortal poem OF the same
name said on high authority to be the
most inspired poetry ot it. kind since
Dante.
Vital anu Stlrinc are the terms
most often cnploNcd III speaking of
StokoWskis : readings of the great Russian,
ISchaikow~k> While it would hc difficult
70 eay which symphony he performs with
the greatest amount Of verve and spirit
since All his interpretations bear the stamp
of greatness yer the Fourth symphony
: perhaps the most grateful medium for
his genius Charged with deep emotion
and /. sense of rciertleSs fate like all the
RlTS-l.tu master WnrkSlf X relieved Oi the
despair oi the "Pathetique by the
piVIant plzzicato movement winch forms
such Il delightful contrast - the rest of
the symphony. The work gives The
orchestra splendid opportunities for big
effects, and coming at the end Of the
program it sends the audience away in a
unifted frame Of MIND
If the first concert Is any index Of the
performances, II would seem
to indicate that the Wilmington season
Will be more brilliant than ever