Evening star., 1932-12-04
Eturbi Piano Recital
Wins Ovation.

NdE piano has been regarded
by some as the most unweildy
Of instruments. Its limita-
4 tions and lack of soul quail
ity have been bemoaned and
perhaps used as an excuse by per-
lo~meIs Of minor artistic possibilities.
These IDEAS were all put to rout last
evening by ysthc playing OF Jose
Iturbi at Constitution Hall.
The infinitesimal shadings and the
Glamor of vivid tones that an artist
with sensitive fingertips and breadth
OF vision can obtain was there in
abundance. It Was not simple vir-
tuCsity that relied on brilliancy to
carry away the listener nor emo
tional fantasy to arouse an emo
tional response. It was a superb
combination of both of these, so well
interviewer, so well balanced that
the whole was utterly complete and
satisfying.
The audience was select one.
Itu-bi is not new to Washington and
those who came last evening wanted
TO hear again the unique style that
is so peculiarly his own, the techni-
cal equipment that he has to such
perfection and the individual ideas
that are his in profusion. They are
rewarded by having these presented
to them in such perfect form that
made light Of these qualifications in
the search for the truth Iturbl
plays as if to himself, almost in the
style of improvisation, being sure he
has caught the mood before begin
ming and then being led by his in
spiration. He was an architect plac-
ing stone upon stone until he had
erected q magnificent edif1ce. The
ripping passages were done with
n0ncha!ant ease, singing with rich
tone and uncanny simplicity. His
touch is true velvet growing into
authoritative crescendos in which
there IS no pounding and no effort.
The two numbers of surprising
beauty were the Bach and the
Chopin group. In the Caprice for the
Departure of His Beloved Brother"
there was an intimacy not only OF
sentiment but of execution that ten
derly dWelled on each note so that
nothing could be overlooked and he
sustained the mood through the
several episodes that make up the
composition. The concluding tugue
had a superb clarity of lett-hand
technique so that the theme that
inspired it was never marred.
Iturbi is perhaps one OF the few
pianiStS today who has thorough
understanding of Chopin. The re-
straint that he uses is surely what
Chopin would have wished and the
delicate fluency that never reaches
the bombaStic is completely in keep
ing with the temperament OF the
composer His understanding goes
beyond this. catching the national
essence to an unusual degree. he
played two etudes, two mazourkaS
and the often heard and much loved
"Polonaise in A Flat Major" The
picture which the composer had in
mind when he wrote the "PolonalSe'
unfolded Itself before the listener
and grew in majesty and strength
from the far-away pianissimo to a
gorgeous climax. The enthusiasm OF
the audience was Overwhelming and
he continued the Chopin mood, play
ing the "ImprCmptu in A Flat" as
encore.
In the final group the virtuoso
variations on a Theme OF Paga-
mini" by Brahms, had variety OF
bri7liancy that showed mastery con-
troll and swept through the mechan-
ical difficulties in care-free execu-
ton. The two numbers from the
"Goyescas Suite" Of Grenados.
"Plaine OH le Maja ct le Rossignol"
and "Pantin," brought the program
to an end in an atmosphere of
dreamy poetry. The audience, how
ever. was not willing to leave and
recalled MI. Iturbi insistently and
could hardly be satisfied with the
seven encores, which ranged with
Kaleidoscope variety through De-
busy, La Falia, Albeniz to List.
A E.