Evening star., 1938-11-16
Petri Shows
Piano
Authoritative
Playing Stirs
Enthusiasm
BY ALICE EVERSMAN.

Egon Petri. the noted Dutch
pianist, returned to this city in
recital last evening. opening the
series sponsored by the Howard
University in Rankin Chapel In
the audience were many of the
prominent local pianists who have
been faithful attendants at his ap-
pearances, the last of which was
two years ago as soloist with the
National Symphony.
Mr.. Petri has many individual
points in his performances. not the
least of which is his remarkable
power of increasing the fineness of
his mood and the perfection of his
interpretations as the program pro-
crosses. No matter how long it is or
how taxing, he grows fresher and
more buoyant, meeting the challenge
of the music gladly with his superb
musicianship and technical fuency.
BY the time the concert period is
consumed, he is ready to add that
much more by way of encores from
his inexhaustible repertoire.
Last evenings program was one
that musicians never tire of hearing
and which escileWed the moderns in
favor OF Bach, Brahms, Chopin. Moz-
art and Cesar Franck. 1t was with
MoZart's "Sonate, K 333' that he
began the recital, but the perform
ance of it was hampered by stuck
key on the piano. which was rem
edied after Mr.. Petri had explained
the trouble, all in the most informal
manner.
1t was then that the artist first
struck his stride in the monumental
Bach "Chromatlc Fantasy and
Fugue." Hispowerful. sonorous tone,
beautiful phrasing and brilliant
finger security were but the means
by which the work was knit together
with a musical insight that few
pianists possess to such a point of
nobility. 1t was great playing, au-
thoritative. understanding and
spacious.
The three intermeZZi from Brahms
Opus III, the E fiat major and B
fiat minor and the c sharp minor,
brought a more romantic interlude
into a program which was designed
on broad lines, and here again Mr..
Petri's grasp of style embellished
his interpretations. With superior
taste and careful definition of color
and emphasis, he made his playing
of the intermezzi and of that in
E fiat major in particular the most
beautiful moments of the first part
of the program. In the following
Rhapsody in G Minor his somber
and powerful effects were impress
sive, although the tonal volume at
times was forced beyond the proper
limits.
It was in the "Twenty-Four Prel-
udes" of Chopin. however, that the
many dimensions of Mr.. Petri's art
are revealed. Coming after the
Franck prelude, Aria and Finale"
where the melodic themes were made
to stand out against the broad sweep
of the finale, the preludes seemed to
be. as Mr.. Petri plays them, a sum-
ming up of the great variety OF ele-
ments which distinguish his talent.
His intellectual conception Of them,
the perfect control of his mechanical
proficiency towards its expression
and the changing hues with which
he sketches them are an experience
to hear.
There was no doubt as to the
pleasure which Mr.. Petri's playing
of this program gave his audience.
Not many pianists today will content
themselves with a recital that has
not some moments of triviality or OF
mere virtuoso display, but Mr.. Petri
is an artist who makes no such con-
cessions and for that reason his re-
cital was most rewarding one for
those present.