Evening star., 1926-08-22
De Pachmann at 20
Adopts New Method
BY JOHN GUNTHER
Correspondent of The Star and Chicago
Daily News

Correspondent of The Star and Chicago
Daily News. r
LONDON. England. August 10
1t is written that Vladimir De Pach-
mann once threw up his hands at an
interviewer and said:
1T is true that l can play Chopin
better than any one else in the world
but can I help it?'
The interviewer was a young man
named Meyer Levin. | believe him.
1t is remark highly typical of De
Pachmann. great pianist, great eccen-
trio. great personality 1t is also a
remark highly typical of a lovable
! old man who has made an enemy or
two by his playful, malicious wit.
De Pachmann is still publicly play
ing. But he must be near the end
now. He is almost so. Time and time
again he has taken "a farewell tour"
in perfect good faith. always to he
called back unanimously by his pas
sionately faithful adherents. He will
play till the last bar huns in his brain
| heard him in London recently. and
all the old fire was still there.
Age has apparently softened the
veteran pianist's scorn of audiences
In the old days if he didn't like his
listeners he refused to play. What is
more, he hurled piano stools at them.
He was full of tricks. You like dis?"
he would murmur treacherously to
the crowd after a brilliant passa sc.
Yes the people would shout Den
you are A pack of fools" he would
reply winningly. 1T was bad--on
purpose"
saw him at couple of interviews.
o,,tz g.
journey. Each time De Paahmann
was curled in scorn. Each time he
was bitterly indignant at American
trains. American clothes, American
weather. American liquor and every
thing else American he could think
of. especially audiences. Each time,
'too, he would apologize haughtily for
MS personal appearance, rubbing
great paw over his chin.
1T was long Journey" again with
a sly smile. II haf not shaved for
72-73 hours. I am too Old. cannot
take these journeys. I am very old
man. l vii! not shave again-ever."
Then he would sroan toward his
hotel. After some coffee his spirits
Frightened
You see. l will shave Also / put
He was always cold in Chicago. He
thought Chicago the coolest place In
the world. II haf lived "a years and
haf never been so cold
X X X
James Huneker. one of De Pach-
mann's most faithful friends. always
called him the "Chopinzee." His gray
name of hair. his gray prognathous
face, the stoop of his back. and the
enormous length Of his arms, his
great gnarled hands-it is all very
simian. And his eyes. They roll.
glitter, contract. They are malicious
and lovahle and infinitely wary all
al once. When he walks, bent almost
double, the hands swing near his
knees
why should l not he tired?" he
eXclaims petulantly. "SiXty-tive years
haf been doing my work.
Another reporter has quoted him
verba tim about his famous method. 4"
Five years ago it came to me from
Gott." he eXclaims. He reaches his
hands into the air and says, From
GOtt. 1t takes five years to make it
perfect. / am already about 40. 1t
takes me five years to retinger every
thing so | can play it by my new
met'od. And now | am no longer
young. But it is my met'od. From
Gott."
When he talks about music, and es-
pecially his own interpretations of it,
he Is enchanting:
"Beethoven?" he exclaims ecstat-
ically my Beethoven. Perfect
pearls from Heaven