Evening star., 1952-01-07
By Alice Eversmon

ACOLldIu O1luIC, p1dyA1S al GAAS
Iisner Auditorium yesterday aft
ernoon, presented a piano re.
cital that made no concessions tt
popular taste. It was serious
program requiring concentration
from performer and audience
alike. Never before has a pianist
deliberately chosen to combine
the greatest works of four COM
poSers in one listing and for this
and the mastery Of his presenta-
ton. his appearance on the Pat
rick Hayes piano series provided
a most notable event.
Each of the four selections
listed exercised the imaginative
powers of the pianist to the ut.
most. He Is equipped technically
with the necessary mastery Of
mere performance but beyond this
he disclosed degrees Of penetra-
ton above the usual. That his
subject matter did not give him
the opportunity to show this
ability in more diversified ways
may have been cause for regret
yet the sum total of his perform
ance was deeply satisfying artis-
tically and musically.
Works Have Shortcomings.
Featured on his program was
the "Fantasie- Polonaise in A fiat,
op. 81" by Chopin and Schubert's
Sonata in c Minor, op. Posth.'
Neither of these works is often
undertaken by a recitalist fol
various reasons. Both have theil
shortcomings in continuity o.
\ form and in inspiration, posing
problems of Interpretation while
containing sufficient technica
pitfalls at the same time. Ovel
the Chopin "Fantasie-PolonaiSe'
hangs a heavy atmosphere that
the length of the work strives in
vain to conquer. Schuberts
Sonata" has movement and
vivacity and occasionally great
charm. Most of the latter lies in
the Menuetto although the final
Allegro has the appeal Of rhythm
even if it's themes revolve about
each other endlessly. -
The measure of Mr.. Shure's gifts
was to be found in his presenta-
ton Of these numbers. He be-
slowed upon them an analysis that
gave him special intuition in
phrasing, in tempt and coloring
so that they stood as a monument
to his musicianship. The chal'
Elenge that resides in the wealth
of ideas in the "Fantasie-Polo'
naise" and the depths reached II
Schubert's sonata at times, is sucf
that only an artist of particular
insight could meet.
Success in Ballade.
In the Brahms Variations ant
Fugue on a Theme by Handel,
brilliant dispatch Of the more
f1owery variants, strength ane
exuberance in others or poetic dis
course, were mainly points o.
mental appreciation for. in spite o1
his virtuosity, Mr.. Shure was no
able to keep this long and not toe
interesting work on an exciting
level. His greatest personal success
was achieved in the familiar
I"Ballade in G Minor" where the
Iclearness Of plan was ,superbly de-
fined, its climaXes built with grea1
insight, and its romantic content
given life in tinting and buoyancy
Of tone. In fast passages, Mr.
Shure has a tendency to rush thu
pace overly and while this wa
present frequently. it was NOR
obvious in the "Ballade."
The performance Of four sucl
large scaled and taxing works OF
one program is rarely the choic'
of an artist. Mr.. Shure was justi'
fed in refusing an encore. ex'
planning, after several recalls, thai
he did not feel it appropriate tt
add anything after the monu'
mental Schubert sonata. It wa!
a concert of such high artistr!
that will be long remembered.
New Zealand Pianist Heard.
Another pianist was heard las
night when Richard Farrell ap'
Ipeared as soloist with the Nationa
Gallery Orchestra. under Richare
Bales direction, in the Nationa
Gallery OF Art. The New zealane
pianist, who played a full recita
program in the Gallery a couple
of years ago. presented the Mozar
Concerto No. % in A Major, K
488." The limpidity Of his tone
noticed as one of his major assets
at his debut here. was beautiful
medium for Mozart. Throughout
his performance. Mr.. Farrell
maintained graceful flow of lint
that few pianists seek to emplo!
in Mozart and his pearlly runs re-
f1ected the transparency Of thu
music.
A certain lack of solidity a
times detracted from the tona
effects of the artists reading, bu