The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-26
HOFFMAN, IS HEARD
IN AMERICAN WORKS
Music Is Well Played, but No
unsupported Genius Is
Revealed.
SEVERAL ENCoRES ASKED
Compositions Are Enjoyable,
With High Standard Of En-
ccllcncc Missing.

W /
ccllencc Missing. |
Josef Hoffman,. the famous pianist.
gave recital OF music by living Ameri-
can composers yesterday afternoon In
Carnegie Hall. II was a graceful act
and was graciousy performed. Prob |
ably no other plants, would venture upon |
such concert. for n programme without |
Chopin, Schumann or any other OF the
celebrated names Of piano history may
be regarded as an extra hazardous risk.
But MIR Hofmanns supreme art can
glorlfy anything upon which its touch de-
sends.
In this case something in the order OF
a descriptive catalogue may be pre-
sented The entertainment began with
an introduction and fugue by Clayton
Johns, with n four square theme and
recommendation to the oar by its clarity
and the balance % it's polvahony. Rest
less Ccasel"ss" from Twilight Fan
cies." ny Rubin Gol3msrk. proved TO be
a thoroughly idlomatIc piece OF piano
writing with well sustained musical
mood and an engaging figuration.
Edward Royce. one of the newest
American writer's was represented by
two pieces still in manuscript, an inter-
Jude and "Joyance" The first Ia OF
slight texture yet not without character.
The second plunged boldly into the whirl-
pool of Ravelian foam--a very effective
IL not highly original plano fantasy.
Then came Daniel Gregory Mason's
Country Pictures consisting OF six
pieces, sketchins stray bits of nature
ranging from cloud pictures and CHM
ney swallows to whlppoorw;ils and night
winds.
"CIoud Pageant" the Most Serious.
OF these the most serious was fine
CLOUD Pageant" with which the set
began. Its musical development was
Arm. wen outlined and rich in harmonic
color. Charming. although obviously
rendering homage to Liszt. was the
Chimney swallow number with q. mid
die episode indicating that home was
home for more than birds. The night
wind INDUCED in the usual chromatic
| anemography, but was as oil and wine
| to pianist's fingers, and Mr.. Hofmann
| made much OF It.
Reginald de Kovan's u fiat romance
| Horatio Parker was represented by his
! 'Valse GraCile,' opus "a d ripping lit
| tie ga lon piece which was so eNquisitely
| played that It had to be repeated. Fannie
DILLON, who is better known in the West
| than here. contributed birds at Dawn"
| a realistic portraiture. with reproduc-
tons of some we'll known bird Calls, skill
| fully written and so pleasing that It was
! redemanded. Mrs. Beach's 'Firefies
| f'uttered brilliantly and might also have
| been heard a second time had the player
/ pleased.
4 The Anal number was a sonata. opus
| 20, still in manuscript BY Alexander
! McFayden, some of whose songs have
been heard in recent programmes. II
Is short and well made souatn in which
! the thenatIC materials have an Irish
character. except perhaps the FIRST theme
Of the first movement which is Just plain
| McFayden.
The slow movement is called a ro
nance and is merely an extended sone
melody. fluent. decidedly attractive anC
written without any of the averag,
| American musicians typical fear Of be
ing commonplace The scherzo is rol
Kicking jig, and in the finale a n,arcl
theme predom.natee. There is no at
tempt anywhere at profound working
out. but the composition has persona
quality, it is idiomatic. and. as the mu
sicans say, Il sounds
After the listed works Mr.. Hotmann
in response TO recalls. played severa
Chopin numbers.
As Good as Some Foreign Music.
II the hearer was not deeply stirre
r by the creations Of his countrymen u
could at least be conforted, becaus
some OF the music was quite as good "A
some Of that by foreign masters whic
= is produced az II its performance wer
I a matter o. course. There is no reaso
J why the valse Of Mr.. Parker. the Chin
ney Swallows" of Mr.. Mason. the Joy
ance" Of Mr.. Royce. the morning bird
| OF Miss Dillon or the frefiies Of Mr.!
Beach should be hanished from the cor
| cert room to make way for no bette
pieces by FIenchman or a Huss,9n.
Such music should he played from tim
y to time. But that these works or an
y | OF the rest of the programme reveale
- the existence OF a hitherto unsuspecte
!, genius was unhnppily not the case. An
- | be ii remembered that every mfasuI
= in tn CENTRE list was played AZ well as
IL possible TO play It. Mr.. Hoffman, ha
prepared his recital with beautiful devC
ton and he performed everything as onl
, he could.
!, A pernioiors r-opaganda movement
. going on in q Hor OF American must
- The chief doctrine is that American con
., positions must be treated more consit
J., erately than those from other countri
: merely because they are American. Ac
q ing on this principle II would be Il
duty OF this commentator TO assert Thu
g Mr.. NtcFaydne's sonata was as ADM
y able as any one by the French or Ge