The sun., 1919-05-11

The little Brard girl displayed ex-
ceptional beauty of tone, together with
a sweeping brilliancy that promised
bright things for her career But
prophecy is not part OF musical
criticism and 1t may therefore be ad-
mltted with regret that perhaps the
young pianist will never play any bet
ter than she does now. On the other
hand, she may become one OF ths
potent leaders Of the concert stage. All
OF which is vague enough. For the
present let the record stand that she
Is an astonishing young performer.
Among the native pianists Aurore
Lacroix interested connoisseurs great
~ by reason Of the poise and clarity
OF her interpretations. Her first re-
eital was one Of unusually high OK
cellence, but her second was a disap-
pcintment. She has since explained
that she had been i'll and was not in
condition to play, but felt it her duty
TO her manager to do the best she
could. Her third recital seemed to
justify this explanation, for while It
was not as interesting as her first, It
was much better than the second.
Miss Lacroix Possesses the solid
groundwork of her art. Her tone IL
always beautiful and at times she at
tains noble sorority. Incisive rhythm.
wall dt-au outlines and arftattNallyr
distributed color marked her playing.
But the fine feeling. the appreciation
OF form and the grasp of the musical
coLtent Of the comro sitions on her
programmes were her most important
assets. Miss Lacrolx excited warm
homes. she interested the most exact
Ing hearers AMI 1t seems altogether
probable that she will hold a valuable
POSITION in the concert world.
Arthur Rubinstein, who was heard
in former years as a youthful prodigy,
returned an adult player and, as is in
Variably the case. excited many listen
ers because he played with immense
rspidity and brilliancy. His better
qualities were obscured by his sheer
Nirtuosity. He has not yet disclose j
any profundity of conception or COM
nand of style, but he Is not an en-
tirely unmusical pianist At times his
singing tone and his long drawn can
tilena are delightful. But his playfngl
in general indicates O. fondness for
those features Of his art which tend tol
sstonish rather than to captivate.
OF course there were foreign plan
lists. all of them artists of established
position and fame. Others rarely cross
the western ocean in search OF the
american dollar. Two Russians. Pro-
kofieff and Rachmaninov, and ono
Frenchman, Cortot, gave pleasure to
many large audiences.
OF Prokofieff much has already been
said here. 1t Is not essential that II
should be repeated. A strange and
6ewildering art is his. 1t revels in
great crashes OF chords and In thun-
ders of octaves. 1t has not the soft
accent that proclaims the typical In
terpreter of Chopin or Schumann. Nor
has 1t the serene ma jesty Of Beethoven.
Rif and rout are its gospel. You listen
IN a sort Of revolt and at the end OF
number find yourself breathless and
perhaps indignant; but you admit the
haps you remember what a certain
music lover said about Rosenthal:
"Tremendousi You would think
there were six men at the piano. But
don't want to hear him again"
RachmAninov is q different type, a
composer whose instrument b the
piano, not merely a pianist. His in
terpretations- sounded the profoundly
reflective note without which great
art does not exist. But as a virtuoso
ne must be placed in the second rank.
Prokofieff Is to write an opera which
me interchangeable Campanini is to pro-
ouce, Well, that will be a work Of por-
tent and people will have to say huge
INIhgS and in a huge way. Mayhap
ne VIII disappoint US all and roar like
dove. Strange things happen in the
musical world. and especially in Chi
CaKo
Cortot, being a Frenchman. super
imposed upon all his art the soft gloss
of high finish. At all times he was
scholar and a gentleman. And what
genuinely beautiful piano playing he
gave us! Clear, sunny, rich in tints,
warm In sentiment, cultured in every
"s'all, the playing OF a person vital
ma yet controlled. 1t was one Of the
Joys Of the season.
Inc violin did not fare quite as we'll
~ the piano in the disclosure OF new
personalities. Thelma Given. another
t'iection from the studio OF the pro-
''"' Auer, interested hearers and
moved substantial gifts. but there
was too much OF the negative In her
"0erng. Young Raoul VidAa, who ar
!iVed without pull NolX. walked calu1Nl