The Washington times., 1924-01-05
IS.
| To Be USED IN /
RECITAL
Wanda LandoWska Will Inter-
5 pref Works Of Mozart,
Haydn, and Bach.
By ANDRE PIERRE,

ny EA1NDkSA1 AHNkOASAJt
Wanda Landowslxa, a celebrated
Virtuoso, who is responsible for the
renaissance Of ancient music, 10 to
appear for the first time in Wash.
lngton, when she will play at the
first of Mrs. Lawrence Townsend's
musical events in the Hotel HaInil-
ton, at IL O'Clock Monday.
The masterpieces of the seven.
EOenth and eighteenth centuries
will be heard for the first time in
&Aeir authentic frame on the instru-
lnent Of the epoch--the splendid
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES by the
famous Wanda Landowska called
fla muse du clavecin."
A Musicians Instrument.
People thought a long time that
the instrument employed by Bach.
Haendel and Rameau had little
and hoarse voice like an old gentle
man in cabot" Now It 10 an
error. The harpsichord, with it's
likeness to the organ-two key
boards and numberless registers
possesses a rich and full sorority,
marvelously heard in the vastest
concert halls. Listening to it, one
understands that it was the
harpsichord which in those times
conducted large orchestras and
choirs in the huge cathedrAls and
royal courts. 1t was indispensable
Tor all music, profane or sacred.
Wanda Landowska, the unique
Aarpsichordist, also is acknowledged
nm ideal interpreter of Mozart and
Haydn on the pianoforte.
The lightness of her passages,
the chime of her trills, the express
0ion of her cantilena, make her
play thing Of joy.
Wanda Landowska, although still
n young woman, was fortunate
enough to be very intimate with
Leo Tolstoy. She used to spend
every Christmas with the Toll
toy family and played on her
harpsichord for the philosopher and
writer who was passionately fond
OF ancient music.
Brings Her Instruments.
Wanda Landowska is bringing
her instruments, the two harpsi-
chords. which are reconstructed
from the instruments of Jean Sc
bastian Zach. One is golden citron
wood with two ivory keyboards, The
other flamboyant rosewood with
ebony keyboards. The tone quality
is deep " majestic like that of
ancient organs.
The biography Of this illustrious
artist is the story of a personality.
From earliest childhood she showed
a pronounced passion for the music
OF ]. s. Bach: one can picture the
little girl ecstatically playing. with
her tiny hands the complicated poll.
Uhony of the great masters fugues!
Born in Warsaw in 1854, Wanda
LAndowska was graduated from the
conservatory there when she was
scarcely fourteen. Then she studied
composition in Berlin with Urban,
teacher of Paderewsl1i, Hofmann
and CAM.
An UNEMPLOYED Path.
But Wanda's love for the ancient
Anueic, her burning curiosity to pen
citrate not only into John Sebas-
dams spirit, but also into the condi-
Hong under which the master was
creating, to know the instruments
he used to employ, took her on a
path hitherto unexplored. Here
Nnd0wska's career began to diverge
rnpletely from the average. BY
0rself, with no teacher save her
brvent will and marvellous intui-
on, who plunged into minute re-
aArch Of old manuscripts, and in
Huments Of the classic period;
A0 took from the dust of museums
nd libraries works considered dead,
11ich under her hands fourished
nto radiant life.
u Arrived in Paris, Landowska re-
CONSTRUCTED after the authentic
1aArpAchord Of Bach a splendid in
pGTument with two keyboards. In
Aa atmosphere of literature, paint
ing and music and with her spirit
with the brilliancy Of her virtuosity,
With graces and poetic personality,
with the original simplicity Of her
array, Nine. Landowslxa won ever
1mCreaaing admiration. All who
were learned in Bach. Scarlatt and
Mozart found themselves for the
drgt time before an Interpretation
which was reverend and at the
hame time inspired and vivid as a
0ame. This was revelation.
Numerous concerts throughout
Europe kept the fame of Wanda
aAndowska from town to town.
Taught Several Years.
In 1918 Landowska was invited
~ the High School of Music in
Berlin to instruct a class Of ancinet
music instituted especially for her.
She taught for several years.
The unanimous opinion of emf
@ent critics on the art Of Wanda
1.andowska is epitomized in words
of the French musical authority,
Henry Prunieres:
wanda Landowska is today the
one in the world to know the art
of the old masters as IL she had
studied under the discipline of
Bach, Mozart and Copper in them.
selves. She has the scientific sense
of that music, she penetrates it's
spirit and in its performance dis.
plays the most marvellous tech.
niQue existing. There is q noblesse
in her art, a grace. a sensibility
uneQualled."
Nine. Landowska expounded heI
aesthetic standards in a book en-
titled "Musique Ancienne," and II
70 in its fourth edition. On each
page of this book, full Of erudition
philosophical remarks and graceful
irony, one finds that the artist ia
supreme, not only as a great inter.
prefer but as a beautiful writer.
$500 PLANES ORDERED