The Daily Alaska empire., 1949-10-29
5CHApIR0 CONCERT
 BRINGS IN $f,500
 FOR GRAND PLANO
Juneau MusiC-Lovers Bid Over S1 ,000 for Aue-
 fioned Enlores

Beethoven went on the auction hlock in Juneau last night, and was knocked down to the highest bidder for nearly $500.
 Rachmaninoff and Deoussy sold well too, together being bid in at about $200.
 But Chopin was the prize pack age, the Military Polonaise" alone bringing $500 from excited bidders.
 These unbelievable sales happened in a fantastic evening probably unique in the history Of music.
 But then, who ever heard of playing the first movement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata" as an encore? Juneau did, and loved it to the tune of hundreds of dol lars.
 Between 10 pm. and 10:45 in the 20th Century Theatre, 661 persons, about one-third of them teen-age and younger, added S1,004.96 to the fund for a concert grand piano.
 With pre-concert contributions and the hox office take" the piano is more than S1 800 nearer realiza- tion, according to quick estimates. The fund already had balance ot s212 50 from previous activities.
 Who is responsible for this phe- nomenon?
 Famed pianist Maxim Schapiro, who has more than earned the right to be an honorary citizen of Juneau for the rest of time.
 Already acclaimed internationally as a great artist, the Russian-born American pianist added to his own stature by the magnificent gesture, which, incidentally, involved plenty of hard work. It was greatness in conception, performance and under standing. Throughout, Schapiro maintained the dignity of serious concert artist, yet added informality and humor in the spirit of the unusual occasion.
 Remember, Schapiro had just played a demanding program, one that would have been considered "big" even in Carnegie Hall, in competition with other concerts by the musically great The formal program occupied two hours.
 But the encores did it.
 The auction" wasn't strictly &C., cording to rule. With Harry Sperl- ing as "auctioneer," Schapiro would announce his intended encore, then retire. A squad of Juneau business men took over, accepting the cur rancy and clinking cash that mem bers of the audience wanted to 'rid.'
 Schapiro's "auctioned" encores were the Beethoven; Rachmanin- offs "C Sharp Minor Prelude" ," Debussy's Clair de Lune" and the polonaise. He closed the remark able evening with a free encore, composition which delighted music fans here earlier this month "a limpid Chopin "Nocturne."
 Three solid hours of fine music, entertainment and the near-reall- ration of big concert instrument for community enjoyment!
 Schapiro's concert was an ob- feet lesson in the need for such a grand piano Drawing superb music from the smaller instrument on the stage, his audience could well imagine the increased enjoyment to be afforded by real depth of tone and power.
 He opened the program with the majestic Bach-Tausig ''Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" and continued tho first group with masterwork of Chopin, the B Minor Sonata. It's movements have the traditional markings for tempo-Allegro and Scherzo, for instance but they might just as accurately be called demanding, gossamer, lyric, con- | trolled and dramatic.
 Two related parts of a Chopin suite preceded the intermission- Andante Spinato and "Polonaise
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