Evening journal., 1922-02-21
RACHMANINOFF
SWAPS HEARERS
Famous Russian Pianist De-
lights in "Old" and
Modern" Music
OWN ETUDE GAINS
TRIBUTE AT START


In a broad sense, Sergei Rachmani-
nom's piano recital. at the Playhouse
last night. began with the eighth
number rather than the first. al
though there We're only eleven num-
bers on the program, and these
eleven were classified in five groups.
In other words, where the So
called "old school, left Off and the
NOW" began-there began the real
Rachmaninof. Russian in nation
allty, Slavic in temperament, mod
ern In thought and training.
From every angle the concert was
q delight. To the student OF the
plano Rachmanlnoff offered, as vir-
tuoso. numerous lessons, to the de-
votee of music he opened new vis-
tas; TO the plain, ordinary listener
his work was OF that thoroughly
charming quality which enraptures
the ear and delights the eye.
1t was q treat simply to witness n
man slx-feet two. slender OF figure.
and with short-cropped hair sit
down to a nine-foot Steinway con-
cert grand and pour forth not only
notes OF thunder but most delicate
OF pianissimos. And there was.
withal, a quiet dignity Of demeanor
and commanding, predominant at
mosnhere about the artist which
caught and held.
Moreover the recital from begin
ming 20 end was scholarly In It's per-
/ fcction and finish. That frequent
criticism Of more than one OF the
master planists Of the present day,
pounding" was entirely absent.
Fire. spirit, verve there was and in
plenty; but not even a Llszt Rhap-
sody could induce the performer to
break a strlngl
Put simply Mr. Rachmanlnoff be-
gan with that good old standby OF
! pianoforte pupils. Handers Thar
lmorlous Blacksmith" or the "Aria
con Variazioni" But his method Of
playing the variations was enough TO
make pupils gasp. Then followed an
other standard work OF tho ''old
ischool." the Sonata Pathetique" OF
Beethoven. II was unfortunate that
this number was Interrupted by late
arrivals.
/ The Beethoven work was given In
almost nawless fashion. and with a
depth OF understanding that meas
ured up to the best accepted stand
ards among musicians. Next came
a thrill IN Weber's brilliant Invita-
! tion 70 the Dance" Tausig arrange
ment. played with a dramatic spirit
which glorined the pianoforte as a
solo instrument
Four Chopin numbers followed:
The well known Balade, with It's
'lnting octave themel a nocturne, n
valse and scherzo II was un-
fortunate. perhaps, that Mr.. Rach-
maninoff chose a valse that IS popu-
larlzed as the Minute Waltz" from
iamong the fourteen living and post
humous valses OF Chopin 10 demon
strate his abilities as a performer
OF the works Of the most foremost
|composer for the plano. but he
much more than compensated for 10
by his rendition. as an encore. OF
Chopln's Valse in A Nat major
IL was here that the dynamics OF
the evening came. The ensuing
numbers were OF the modern
school," and served to show Mr.
Rachmanlnoff az his best. The frst
two were OF his own composing. a
delicate song transcription, Daisies
and n Polka de w. r." An ar
rangement Of the minuet by Blzet,
composer Of Carmen, followed. top
ped Off by the more or less conven-
tional List Rhapsody Hongroise
NJ, ,,rftb f., onTovno Iva fbfv1o and
nfths by Rachmaninoff.
Early I'm the evening n member of
j the audience had sent In a request
that MT Rachmauinoff play his own
, Prelude in C. sharp Minor. probably
the most popular OF his own works
In response to the demand for an
encore TO the Liszt Rhapsody he
, thereupon began Il. No sooner had
! he struck the first three familiar
notes which form its theme than
, there was an outburst OF applause
3 AZ its close another encore was de-
g manded TO which he responded
81 with his piano arrangement OF
a IIreisler's "Iiehcslled."
y Not since Isnace Jan PaderowslS
3 played In Wilmington. before IN,
y United States got into the WorlJ
War. has the city heard so csti
r Unable an artist as Sergei Rachmani
r. noff and TO the newly formed Musl
cal Association OF Delaware. whicl
.. has replaced the old Phladelphi,
r. Orchestra Association. lt owes it
I. thanks. no less than 20 Mrs. Wi
liam n. Barnard. manager OF tn
II latter organization.