Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1922-04-05
'ONEOFWORLDS GREATEST


lIroWded out from last Weehi
An audience of nearly 500 people as
sembled at the Methodist church last
Friday evening and enjoyed the UNI
que privilege of hearing one OF the
worlds greatest artists in an amaz-
ing piano recital. The audience was
simply swept off its feet by the almost
superhuman technic displayed by Prof.
Paul Stoye. To do justice to the man
in cold type is simply impossible.
Competent critics in the audience VINO
have heard most of the worlds great
pianists say without reserve that none
are superior to him-not even the
great Pederewiski His delieacy OF
touch, his marvellous trills, his ripping
cascade-like runs, his tremendous bass
effects, his unerring accuracy, his
lightning speed, his artistic iuterpre-
tation, his mastery stage presence,
his simple dignity, his charming mod
esty-all these combined to eaptivate
his audience and place him in the front
rank of artistic accomplishment.
To pick out from his program the
high spots is a difficult matter. The
simple beauty and Interpretation of
his Nocturne by Chopin was captivat-
ing. That grand number, Beethoven's
Moonlight Sonota, was never better
interpreted. The audience simply went
wild at the close of LISTS Twelfth
Rhapsodie. His concert waltz for the
left hand, composed by himself, was
the equal of four hands played by
average musicians. His closing num-
Der, the Fantasia composed by him.
self, was the browning achievement of
the program, and displayed the super
human heights of technic to which a
gifted individual can rise who starts
at the age of five years and devotes a
lifetime of unremitting toll to the
mastering of the piano.
In introducing Prof. Stoye, Mr..
Goldsmith took occasion to say that al
though foreign born Professor Stoye
was naturalized citizen and so is to
be more highly complimented than we
who were born here, for we had no
choice in the matter but he is an
American citizen by choice. He also
paid tribute to the Brambach baby
grand piano, and the way the little in
strument responded to the occasion
was remarkable. Prof Stoye was
much pleased with it. In some of the
tremendous bass chords, the strings
vibrated until they touched. Some of
the audience thought it defect in the
instrument, but the professor when
questioned about it later, replied with
a smile that all pianos did that when
he played. The wonder is that any
instrument can stand the gruelling
test he gives them. The remark made
by one old lady that she didn't see how
he could strike all the keys of the. in
strument at one time with only ten
fingers gives the reader an idea of
what the instrument had to stand.
Prof. Stoye is man of few words
and becoming modesty. While admir-
ers gathered around him at the close
and showered him with compliments
his only comment was "I'm glad you
liked it." Asked how many compost
tions he had at his fingers ends, he
said Hundreds" Asked if he ever
confused any of them, he answered
with a surprised look, "That is i'm
possible" Think of the marvellous
memory of the man!
Viroqua should be everlastingly
grateful to Mr. j. w. Lucas, through
whose efforts he was brought to our
city. 1t has been mentioned that pos
sibly we can secure Stoye at the de-
dication of the new Temple theatre
and we predict that it will require very
little effort to pack it to the doors
with such an eminent artist.