The Washington times., 1919-03-14
RACHNANINOFF
RECITAL THRILLS

A torrential spirit, truly a revoIu-
tiOnnaire in arts, is RachmaninOn. the
great composer-pianist out OF Russia,
whose playing absorOs ard thrills,
while commanding the highest admir-
stion for his power as a technictan and
for the deep musicianship that under
lies It
And Rachmaninonr the composer, ~
weH as RachmaninoR the great
pianist, were amply represented in the
vitality interesting program he gave
at his second recital at the National
Theater yesterday afternoon, present
ed by Mrs Wilson-Greene.
what-is it that animates the spirit
Of this man? Master intellect master
dramatist, he swsys and sweeps his
music along with force and dynamic
power in which there is no peace.
It is vital, vibrant, virile. His
daintiest of little runs are like tiny
torrents. His tone is biting, crisp.
His prestos driven tempestuously and
executed with remarkable articula-
tion. Acrid, strident he often makes
liis dramatic stories in tone.
But then-as In his own D minor
Prelude" the second in his group of
three-he suddenly presents the quiet
spaces of his native snow-coVered
land. with its scene OF sleigh bells, it's
passing touch of village dance, and
then the open and quiet and space.
Scenic" one might call his musi-
cal fancies, and with what amazing
variety. and life, delicacy. color. tone,
he depicts them. The two Strauss
Tausig WaItzesi The Voices of the
Forest" was quite a program in itself.
In 1t he evokes the wood voices in a
real dissertation in tone, bell-like,
falry-this tempestuous anarch!-
while his finger work in the second
waltz and in the Scarlatti-Tausig
Caprice" was pianistic and exquis-
itely executed.
So much there is in content in his
Interpretations, and in ever varied
rhythm over which he has such com
mand. II was surprising to hear his
Hadyn "VRrfRtions"-theirj joy, light
ness, and feeting execution, seeming
the very antithesis of the man. His
Beethoven Thirty-two Variations
each one a type-were rugged as the
great master. In them. his transit
tions, his modulations, were remark
able. Not a single shade or note is
ost in a modulation-the creative
artist as well as the player. One hears
all in and through the harmonic
texture remarkably
But to Dochma n'poff the COM
again. There was the
'Polichinene (by TeGuest). a brusque
scene, with a mellowed romance in
terlude-crude iollity humor seuti-
ment, and temperament. His ''Melo-
die." a "Humoresque." marked by in
dividuality and syncopatIon, and then
the preludes. The G. sharp minor,
restless, harsh, sweeping. The es-
sentially Russian d minor. Then the
i-known c sharp minor (by re-
quest), massive. with repose-one
notes that he does not velvet" the
EnaI chords, but "bites'' them out. 1t
as his own C minor Prelude" q
prelude miIitaire, that he played at
The conclusion OF his program.
Liszt's second "Rhapsodie"-orches
trail, strident, then cymbal clear.
Those reminiscent, almost incidental
base notes. His own cadenza almost
whimsioalIy brought out Russian
color, and with amazing tonalities.
raucous, fairy-like, exquisite, dis
presto.
Recalled again and again, It was
after many of the audience had left
that he played his G minor prelude"
as a second encore. following the
Tschaikowsky "Trolca-" His first en-;
ore was a 'Hocturne," by Phile
and he played the Chopin minor
WaltG.
A. Lincoln in rugged form and un-