The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-10-04
ITALIAN PIANIST
DISPLAYS SKILL
Prof! Foca di Leo Pleases
Enthusiastic Audience
at Elks.
PROGRAM Is PLEASING
By WESLEY LA v1oLETTE


An audience that made up IN en-
thusiasm what it lacked in numbers
greeted Foca di Leo, pianist, when ne
appeared in recital at the Elks' club
auditorium last evening. 1t was an
audience that was friendly IN every
wav. and gave free demonstration Oh
its annreciation. Considering the ear
illness of the season, and the pupllcs
unfamiliarity with the pianist's name
or art. it was a worthwhile audience
in every way.
Mr.. di Leo opened his part OF the
nropram with Caprice Fantastique by
INTERCHANGEABLE, a Russian composer
who is popular in Italy, but fairly I'M
known in this country. This work was
true to it's title, being somewhat IAN
tastic and capricious. But as music
It was very insignificant, at least Tor
me. It gave the pianist considerable
opportunity to display his facility IN
scales and passage work, though IL
seemed that he could have devoted the
time and effort to worthier efforts. he
has a light pianissimo and his whole
technical style is we'll adapted TO the
needs of Debussy's "The Fountains
which he gave as his second NUMBER
Well schooled in the Italian style OF
piano playing, he brings a youthful
enthusiasm and buoyancy to ms WORK
There is a certain glimmer of poetry
even at times. But he lacks vital,
dramatic, significant urge to has play
ing that makes it of compelling inter
est. Through the courtesy OF /. +.
Bidinger it was possible to make
last moment adjustment of instruments
so that the artist had much better
one than would have otherwise been
offered him. But l was glad to note
that he at no time overdrew on the
resources of the instrument and thus
kept the balance of many fine points
in his favor.
Program of Fantasies.
Compositions of the rapsodical type,
and more or less without form, seem
to have an especial appeal for this.
Young musician. Another fancy called
"The Forest" by the above-spelled
Russian, was bit of aimless wander
ings through dark and uncharted and
unenchanting woods, without form and
void One of the pianists' own COM
positions, descriptive of the trotting of
cavalry was effective and won cor
dial response from the audience.
was somewhat impressed by the
Theme and Variations of Serrao. Here
was much more definite thematic ma
terial, and developed in an interesting
and unified way. 1t made a very eff
fective vehicle, and gave di Leo much
more comprehensive setting technic-
ally than had previously been offered.
The ever-popular Ravel, "Play of the
Waters" (Jeux dEau) was given an
adequate and satisfactory perform
ance, and of course the lovely Moe
turne for the left hand alone, by
Scriabine, won a hearty response.
Mrs. F. Cefalo, soprano, with Miss
Pugh as accompanist, assisted on the
program. The program was brought
to close with the inevitable List
Rhapsody,-the sixth.
If Mr.. di Leo remains in Kenosha
he should find number of friends
here to give him welcome to the must
cal life of the city. A good musician,
pianist, and PERSONAL---VERY. such
there is always room.
Sigrid Onegin Coming.
The increasing interest in Sigrid
Onegin's recital on Oct. Is, is being
manifested in a most definite way, a
rush to the box office. So if you
want to be among the fortunate ones
to have both their eyes and ears raw
ished by sight and sound then you bet
ter make your reservation without
further delay. The Chicago Tribune
says; cot all the contralto voices in
memory there is none like hers" 1
have many paragraphs of ecstatic out
burst sent to me, which l shall let
you in on bit by bit, for after she
has been here, l, too, may close my
head, heart, and critical faculty"