New Britain herald., 1925-05-06

10 go 10 extremes too early In the eNGning,
 Some of this hesltancy was s,ill evident in tho scherzo, which IA re- garded by some critics as the great est of the Chopin schcrzi, The lronio and s6rdonic mood was not fully comprehended; the heroic spirit and fine breath of style nec- ossary was not completely reflected; but 1t may be matter of opinion as to how to interpret such things in every detail, and opinions, like hu- man beings, diner
 Dy the time Mir Rosenberg reached the famous funeral march he was himself entirely. The per fcrmance Of its sombre, subdued tonalities and the flight of elegiac melody was faultless. And in the closing movement of the sonata-the whirrlng triplets which have no parallel in piano muslc-the pianist was superb, Rubinstein said this movement was like night winds sweeping over churchyard graves" and Chopin himself indicated 1t was meant 10 be a commentary upon the foregoing funeral music. The pianist took it with restrained sweep and control that thrilled everyone with true musical feeling. Al its conclusion there was no longer any doubt about his ability; he had not only played the notes--a grul- ling test in itself-but he had laid bare the soul Of Chopin.
 Followed the Fire Music" from the Walkure by Wagner, arranged by Brassn, q much finer and trucr arrangement than some others cur rent. His noXibility and delicacy of touch was q tremendous advantage in surmounting the fute-like ac- compartment; it was a magnificent performance, but to us, when we hear such Wagner music performed on the piano. there are too many trombones and tubas missing,
 The Ravel "Frolic of the Waters" and the RuDinstein "Barcarolle, |" Op. So No. l, followed. both per- formed with the halter upon pyro- technics but with poetical imagina- ton prominent. And then the I.iszt Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12. After the pompous introduction came the glistcning scales and the technical fcats, as is a staple in Iiszitian rhapsodes. The pianist's technic was clean-cut and inclined toward restraint rather than cXplosivcncss; q characteristic that in fact predom- mated throughout the entire con- cert. When the folk song section arrived its rayishing beauty was not for a moment marrcd by the tcch- nical cdifce built around f.
 The Mendnlssohn concerto, Op. @5, finished the printed program. At second piano sat F. Augustus Lawson, Hartford piano pcdagogue. under whose tutclage Mir. Rosen- berg has basked for years. The Mendclssohnan lightness, joyous- ness and eraciousness was apparent throughout the work, and it was given adequately and with artistic i finish. It was in three movements, the conventional allegro, andantc and a presto, the latter reminiscent Of the Mendelssohnian schcrzi style and all of them falling into the cate | gory of first class salon music. The two pianos were synchronized per fectly.
 As encores Mr. Rosenberg played an "Etude" by Arensky and The Nightingale" by Liszt. A large rep resentation from New Britain was in the audience, including members of the Musical club, with which Mr. Rosenberg is identified.
 The pianist should tackle the 1 TschaikOwsky concerto and the Beethoven sonata Op. Ill. In our opinion he is capable of giving ade- I quate performances of both master works. Ho has attained q dizzy altitude in the climb up Parnassus, has touch. tone and delicate express sivoness as well as technic, and
 Now Britain is glad 10 call him her own.